Rock Identifier
Petrified Wood (Silicified wood (primarily quartz, SiO2)) — fossil
fossil

Petrified Wood

Silicified wood (primarily quartz, SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; colors range from brown and tan to multicolored; vitreous to waxy luster; amorphous crystal structure replacing organic cellular structure.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; colors range from brown and tan to multicolored; vitreous to waxy luster; amorphous crystal structure replacing organic cellular structure.

Formation & geological history

Formed over millions of years when buried organic material is completely replaced by minerals, usually silica, in an anoxic environment.

Uses & applications

Used in ornamental carvings, jewelry, lapidary art, and sought after by fossil collectors.

Geological facts

The complete organic material is replaced molecule by molecule while preserving the original microscopic wood structure.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its distinct wood-like grain patterns combined with heavy weight and glass-like hardness; found worldwide in sedimentary rock layers.

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