Rock Identifier
Petrified Wood (Fossilized Xylem (SiO2)) — fossil
fossil

Petrified Wood

Fossilized Xylem (SiO2)

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, various earth-tone colors like brown and red, vitreous to dull luster, cryptocrystalline quartz structure, specific gravity around 2.5-2.7.

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Physical properties

Hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, various earth-tone colors like brown and red, vitreous to dull luster, cryptocrystalline quartz structure, specific gravity around 2.5-2.7.

Formation & geological history

Formed when buried wood is slowly replaced by silica-rich groundwater over millions of years, often dating back to the Triassic period or earlier.

Uses & applications

Used for decorative items, jewelry, high-end lapidary work, and sought after by fossil and rock collectors worldwide.

Geological facts

The organic material is entirely replaced by minerals while preserving the original cellular structure of the tree.

Field identification & locations

Identify by distinctive tree bark textures, growth rings, and splinter-like fracture patterns combined with quartz hardness; found globally in ancient sedimentary basins.

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