Tengezite in Pure Silver

Rare Tengezite set in .9999% pure silver with Gold leaf. Hand crafted PMC material.

This unusual and rare stone is called Tengezite. It was formed as a result of an oil drilling rig that caught fire near the town of Tengiz, Kazakhstan in 1985 that burned for 14 months before being extinguished. The intense heat resulted in the melting of the surrounding sedimentary rocks and produced this attractive blue and white-streaked glass known as Tengizite. Tengizite is a non-natural form of obsidian glass – a “pseudo obsidian”. During this period, Russia still controlled Kazakhstan and its natural resources, and the fire turned out to be one of the longest-burning blowouts in the history of the Russian-Soviet oil industry. The Earth literally melted from the intense heat. Some suspect the color was caused by residues from firefighting foams used on the blowout. Others point to industrial equipment like bulldozers that melted during the ordeal, suggesting their components (paint, tinted glass, etc.) could have melded with the surrounding sand. The more likely explanation, however, is that the color comes from trace chemicals and minerals that emerged from the oil well itself, or that were pumped through the sand to aid in the extraction process.

Pure Silver - Handcrafted from Precious Metal Clay. This material consists of microscopic particles of pure silver and a water-soluble, non-toxic, organic binder that burns off during firing. The end result is a piece formed of .9999% pure silver. Unlike Sterling silver which is .925% pure and contains some nickel, this is often completely Hypo-allergenic. This piece was hand crafted by me and my finger prints can be seen embedded in the back.

Please be aware that due to differences in monitor settings, color may vary slightly.