Petrified Wood - 25 millions years proccess petrification Wood
Petrified
wood is a type of fossil, it consists of fossil wood where all
the organic materials have been replaced with minerals (most often a silicate,
such as quartz), while retaining the original structure of the wood. The
petrifaction process occurs underground, when wood becomes buried under
sediment. Mineral-rich water flowing through the sediment deposits minerals
in the plant's cells and as the plant's lignin and cellulose decay away,
a stone mould forms in its place. The wood is preserved due to a lack of
oxygen. Elements such as manganese, iron and copper in the water/mud
during the petrification process give Petrified
wood a variety of color ranges. Pure quartz crystals are colorless,
but when contaminants are added to the process the crystals take on a yellow,
red or other tint. Petrified wood can preserve the original structure of the wood in all its detail, down to the microscopic level. Structures such as tree rings and the various tissues are often observed features.
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