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
The wood fossils are collected by local indigenous people and farmers. Once selected, the petrified wood is cut using special diamond-tip, oil-cooled saws. Since petrified wood is nearly as hard as diamonds, the cutting process takes several hours.
Once cut, the petrified wood is placed in a plaster cast ring and placed on a grinding machine which grinds the wood to a super-smooth finish. It is then placed on a polishing machine which uses water and a very fine grit to achieve a permanent polish. The polishing process typically takes 8 to 10 hours.