sedimentary
Fossilized Bone Chunk (likely Dinosaur or Large Mammal)
Permineralized Fossil Bone
Hardness: 5-6 (Mohs), Color: brownish-purple to earthy tan, Luster: dull to earthy, Crystal structure: microcrystalline silica/quartz infiltration, Cleavage: none (irregular fracture), high specific gravity due to mineral replacement.
Identified More sedimentary →
Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 5-6 (Mohs), Color: brownish-purple to earthy tan, Luster: dull to earthy, Crystal structure: microcrystalline silica/quartz infiltration, Cleavage: none (irregular fracture), high specific gravity due to mineral replacement.
Formation & geological history
Formed over millions of years through permineralization where minerals (like silica or iron) fill the pores of bone in sedimentary environments such as riverbeds or floodplains.
Uses & applications
Used for scientific study, museum displays, and private collections.
Geological facts
This specimen shows the characteristic honeycomb-like 'cancellous' or spongy bone structure in the cross-section, which is a key diagnostic feature of fossilized bone.
Field identification & locations
Identify in the field by looking for the porous cellular structure (looks like a sponge or honeycomb) on broken faces; it often feels heavier and colder than wood but stickier to the tongue due to porosity.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Chert Breccia
Brecciated Chert (Microcrystalline Silica)
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite (primarily SiO2)
sedimentary
Sandstone Grain
Clastic Sedimentary Rock Grain (SiO2 dominated)
sedimentary
Shale or Slaty Mudstone
Argillaceous sedimentary rock
sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
sedimentary