Petrified Fagus Wood
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Kevmin" title="User:Kevmin">Kevmin</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NamePetrified Fagus Wood
Chemical FormulaSiO2
Mohs Hardness6.5
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lusterwaxy
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagenone
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity2.6
Colorstan, brown, dark brown, green
Transparencytranslucent
Type LocalitySweet Home, Oregon, USA
Mineral GroupSilicates
Useslapidary, collector specimens, decorative objects
Associated Mineralschalcedony, quartz, opal
Rarityuncommon
Description
A polished, roughly oval-shaped cross-section of petrified wood, displaying distinct concentric growth rings in shades of tan and brown, with darker brown areas and a small central green inclusion, traversed by several cracks.
Geological Context
This specimen formed during the Oligocene epoch in the Sweet Home, Oregon deposits, where original organic wood material was replaced by silica-rich solutions, preserving the cellular structure of the Fagus tree.
