Petrified wood is a mineral fascinating, also known as "fossilized wood". It is formed when wood is soaked in mineral solutions, usually silicate, which gradually replace organic material with minerals, preserving the original structure of the wood.
Properties of petrified wood:
- Color: It ranges from shades of brown and red to gray and white, depending on the minerals involved in the petrification process.
- Composition: The mineral composition is often based on silica, but other minerals such as limestone or calcite may also occur.
- Hardness: Close to 7 on the Mohs scale, which makes it quite tough and suitable for use in jewelry.
- Transparency: Usually opaque, but may have a glossy sheen on cut surfaces.
Location: It is found in many places around the world, with notable deposits in the United States (especially in Arizona's Petrified Wood National Park), in Argentina, Brazil, and other places.
Brown semi-precious stones: Brown Jasper, Smoky Quartz, earth agate, Pyrite, quartz with hematite inclusions, brown calcite (chocolate), brown aventurine, Dalmatian jasper, ammonite fossil.