Rock Identifier
Petrified Wood (Silicified Wood (SiO2)) — fossil
fossil

Petrified Wood

Silicified Wood (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, featuring earth-tone colors like brown, red, and yellow with a vitreous to waxy luster and cryptocrystalline quartz structure.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, featuring earth-tone colors like brown, red, and yellow with a vitreous to waxy luster and cryptocrystalline quartz structure.

Formation & geological history

Formed through permineralization, where organic wood is buried under sediment and groundwater rich in dissolved silica replaces the cellular structure with quartz, often dating back millions of years.

Uses & applications

Used in ornamental carvings, high-end lapidary work, jewelry, and as a popular specimen for fossil and mineral collectors.

Geological facts

The petrification process preserves the original cellular structure of the wood in exquisite detail, sometimes even showing growth rings.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its distinctive wood-like grain and exterior texture combined with a stone-like weight and hardness. Found globally in sedimentary deposits and ancient volcanic ash beds.

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