pRoDiEuS Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 I was going through my petrified wood today and noticed something I for some reason did not notice before. This piece had a mineral coming out of it all over the place. I am guessing a quartz of some kind? It was coming out the bottom and the top. As well as the side. Is this normal in petrified wood? Or am I mistaken this not petrified wood at all? It looks like PW to me. I used a red laser to light u the mineral st the top in one photo. I have lots of PW and this is the only one with mineral like this coming out of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 That is opalized wood and the clear portions are clear opal. It could be bone. It's hard to tell. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pRoDiEuS Posted February 11, 2019 Author Share Posted February 11, 2019 4 minutes ago, Bedrock Bob said: That is opalized wood and the clear portions are clear opal. It could be bone. It's hard to tell. Thanks! How can you tell what kind of mineral it is? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 26 minutes ago, pRoDiEuS said: Thanks! How can you tell what kind of mineral it is? Wood can be agatized or opalized. The opal wood has a chalkier cortex and is a bit more brittle. Yours looks like classic opalized wood or bone. So I am going on looks alone (all I've got is a photo bro ). Opal is glassier and softer than agate but is made from the same elements. You can tell it is a bit softer by breaking little pieces off the specimen and comparing that to another piece of wood agate. Opal is not really a mineral per se. It started as organic material. It did not form in the way a mineral does. This piece was formed as a plant (or animal). Vein opal was formed from an organic rich solution. Opal is organic material that has been silicified. So I don't think it is really considered a mineral. Petrified stuff is in a limbo of sorts between the plant and mineral worlds. Stuff like opal, jet and amber are different than minerals. They are wood, bone and sap that have undergone some big changes. Corpralites (crap agates) would share a spot on the same shelf. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4meter Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 "Opal is not really a mineral per se. It started as organic material. " Its true that opal is not a mineral in the strict definition of what a mineral is. However, the "started as organic material" part is not correct. Opal does not form solely from organic material. It is true that some organic material can become opalized like wood, or bone but opal forms in bare rock too. Its all about the correct mix of silica, water and temperature under the right conditions for opal to form. Organics need not apply. Opal - Wikipedia 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, 4meter said: "Opal is not really a mineral per se. It started as organic material. " Its true that opal is not a mineral in the strict definition of what a mineral is. However, the "started as organic material" part is not correct. Opal does not form solely from organic material. It is true that some organic material can become opalized like wood, or bone but opal forms in bare rock too. Its all about the correct mix of silica, water and temperature under the right conditions for opal to form. Organics need not apply. Opal - Wikipedia This is a piece of opalized wood. It is not a mineral. It formed from an organic material. I was just trying to identify this specimen and was not making sweeping claims that all opal was formed from organics. It was just a generalization. My post was written to help the fellow who posted the stone understand a bit about his specimen. It was not meant to be a comprehensive dissertation on every possible environment that opal could form in. Edited February 11, 2019 by Bedrock Bob To remove anyhting offensive to 4meter. Sorry man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMc Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 59 minutes ago, 4meter said: "Opal is not really a mineral per se. It started as organic material. " Its true that opal is not a mineral in the strict definition of what a mineral is. However, the "started as organic material" part is not correct. Opal does not form solely from organic material. It is true that some organic material can become opalized like wood, or bone but opal forms in bare rock too. Its all about the correct mix of silica, water and temperature under the right conditions for opal to form. Organics need not apply. Opal - Wikipedia And this is what happens when you dare to question GOD . . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedrock Bob Posted February 11, 2019 Share Posted February 11, 2019 Everyone knows what happens when you do that Mac! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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