Petrified Wood Madagascar
This specimen is highly polished on both sides giving full 360 degree viewing capabilities. Around the edges of the slab the bark has been preserved and is in tact. Quartz crystal pockets can also be seen giving a wonderful sparkle and eye catching pop as it reflects the light.
Petrified Wood is a fossil in which the organic remains have been replaced by minerals in the slow process of turning to stone. This petrfication process generally results in a Quartz Chaledony mineralization. Special rare conditions must be met in order for the fallen wood to be transformed into precious Fossil Wood or Petrified Wood. In general, the fallen trees get buried in an environent free of oxygen (anaerobic environment), which preserves the orginal tree structure and general appearance. The other conditions include a regular access to mineral rich water flowing through the wood, replacing the organic tree structure with inorganic stone. The end result is Petrified Wood, a tree, with its original basic structure in place, replaced by stone. This process could occur in less than one thousand years. Exotic minerals allow the rare red and green hues that can be seen in more rare specimens.
Fossil Petrified Wood is found in many parts of the world, most commonly percieved to be from Arizona, US. Other significant places known for Petrified Wood include Madagascar, Brazil, and Indonesia. Madagascar produces, by far, the largest commerical quantity of brown petrified wood sold on the world market.