mineral

Fossilized Shark Tooth

Fossilised Chondrichthyes dental specimen (likely Otodus or Carcharias sp.)

Hardness: 5 (Apatite/enamel), Color: Black to dark brown due to phosphate mineralization, Luster: Vitreous to dull, Structure: Triangular or elongated crown with distinct root, Specific Gravity: 3.0-3.1

Identified June 19, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization where hydroxyapatite in the tooth is replaced by minerals like phosphate or silica. Primarily found in marine sedimentary layers from the Cretaceous to Neogene periods (approx. 100 to 5 million years ago).

Uses & applications

Highly valued by fossil collectors, used in jewelry (pendants), and used for educational purposes in paleontology.

Geological facts

Shark skeletons are cartilage and rarely fossilize, so teeth are the most common shark fossils. A single shark can lose tens of thousands of teeth in its lifetime.

Field identification & locations

Identify by looking for a sharp triangular crown, a distinct root line, and a glossy enamel-like surface. Often found by beachcombing or sifting river sediment in fossil-rich areas like the US Atlantic coast or Morocco.

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Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

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Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral