Central American tektites, referred to as belizeites (also known as belizites), represent a specific group of glassy rocks formed by the impact of an extraterrestrial body. These tektites, found in the territory of Belize, occur mostly as small, only slightly anisometric fragments, whose original shapes are practically unrecognizable today.
Only rarely can some specimens be assumed to have originally had the shape of drops or dumbbells, but fully preserved forms are almost entirely absent among the finds. Sharp to slightly rounded fracture edges are typical, suggesting that the transport of these bodies after their impact on the Earth's surface was very short.
Origin and structure of belizeites
Belizeites are the result of common impact processes, in which molten material was ejected into the atmosphere, shaped by rotation, and then fell back to Earth. Due to stress and post-impact processes, most of the bodies fragmented. Although one specimen was described with a more prominent fluidal structure reminiscent of the so-called Muong Nong type known from the Australasian strewn field, it was not a classic example of this type, as the characteristic layering was missing.
Surface and appearance of Belizean tektites
The surface of belizeites is usually finely pitted or sculpted; other types of surface textures do not occur. Sometimes the surface is glossy, more often it is slightly worn, probably due to weathering or a short subfossil transport history. In appearance, Belizean tektites most closely resemble African ivorites.
Source Crater of Belizeites
The source crater of Central American tektites called belizeites is likely the Pantasma circular structure located in the Pantasma valley in northern Nicaragua. This impact depression has a diameter of 14.5 km and is situated approximately 540 km southeast of the tektite finds in Belize.
Research has confirmed typical impact signatures such as lechatelierite-bearing glass, decomposed zircon, and chromium isotopes derived from ordinary chondrite. Moreover, the matching formation age of the glasses from the Pantasma crater and the belizeites supports the theory that this is the site of the meteorite impact that ejected material into the atmosphere and subsequently onto the Earth’s surface.
Geological research and field findings
Direct field searches for belizeites, for example in gravel pits east of the Spanish Lookout area, were often unsuccessful. An experienced geologist familiar with the area confirmed that no tektites were found in the gravel pits at that location.
Although it cannot be ruled out that a specimen might be found in the future outside the known sites, the negative results from these locations indicate a limited transport range of these tektites — their relative fragility and small size likely did not allow preservation during transport over longer distances.