fossil

Petrified Wood / Fossilized Wood

Silicified Wood (Silicon Dioxide - SiO2)

Hardness: 6.5 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan, brownish-yellow, beige, and white. Luster: Earthy to vitreous/waxy. Structure: Preserved fibrous wooden cell texture, microcrystalline quartz structure.

Hardness: 6
Color: Tan, brownish-yellow, beige, and white
Luster: Earthy to vitreous/waxy

Identified July 25, 2026More fossil →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 6.5 to 7 on Mohs scale. Color: Tan, brownish-yellow, beige, and white. Luster: Earthy to vitreous/waxy. Structure: Preserved fibrous wooden cell texture, microcrystalline quartz structure.

Formation & geological history

Formed when plant material is buried by sediment and lack of oxygen prevents aerobic decay. Mineral-rich water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals in the plant's cells, gradually replacing the organic material with minerals like quartz, chalcedony, and opal.

Uses & applications

Used in lapidary arts, jewelry, decorative carvings, landscape rocks, and popular among fossil and mineral collectors.

Geological facts

Petrified wood retains the original structure of the wood in detail, down to the microscopic cell level. Entire petrified forests exist worldwide, such as the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.

Field identification & locations

Identify by looking for visible grain patterns, tree rings, or fibrous bark-like textures combined with a heavy, cold, mineral feel that scratches steel. Commonly found in sedimentary basins and eroded badlands.

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