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; displays varied earth-tone colors like brown, grey, and red; exhibits a vitreous to dull luster with preserved cellular wood structures.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale; displays varied earth-tone colors like brown, grey, and red; exhibits a vitreous to dull luster with preserved cellular wood structures.

Formation & geological history

Formed underground over millions of years when buried organic wood is completely replaced by minerals, typically quartz, via groundwater permineralization.

Uses & applications

Used primarily in lapidary arts for decorative items, jewelry, bookends, and sought after by fossil and mineral collectors.

Geological facts

The petrification process preserves microscopic cellular details of the original tree, sometimes dating back over 200 million years to the Triassic period.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its distinct wood-like grain and exterior bark texture paired with an unusually heavy weight and high hardness.

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