Petrified Wood

Petrified wood — fossilized wood where silica replaced the original cell structure and kept the grain intact. Specimens include glacially transported pieces found on Long Island, New York.

Inside Petrified Wood

Same tree, same growth rings — just replaced, atom by atom, with stone.

Mineral Family
Silicified fossil wood (chalcedony/quartz)
Mohs Hardness
6.5–7 — as hard as the quartz that replaced it
Process
Permineralization

The story: Before a buried log can fully decay, silica-rich groundwater soaks through its cell structure and slowly deposits quartz and chalcedony in place of the original wood, molecule by molecule. The mineral takes over so precisely that growth rings, bark texture, and sometimes even insect damage survive perfectly preserved in solid stone.

Why collectors chase it: It’s a genuine fossil you can hold and handle like any other mineral specimen — wood grain rendered permanent, sometimes in vivid mineral-stained color.

Care: Durable like the quartz it’s made of; safe for regular display and handling, soft dry cloth to clean.

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