12.5" Gorgeous Petrified Wood (Araucaria) Slab - Arizona

Gorgeous Petrified Wood (Araucaria) Slab - Arizona #51147

This is an gorgeous, 12.5" wide slab of more unusual petrified wood from Arizona. Most of the petrified wood that comes out of Arizona is Araucarioxylon but this is Araucaria. It was collected in Apache County, Arizona and is nicely polished on one side. Very beautiful, and unique coloration.

This round was part of a old petrified wood collection that I recently bought containing petrified wood from many unusual locations. Be sure to keep an eye out for more great specimens.

What Is Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is the name given to wood that has been turned into stone (fossilized) through the process of permineralization. In this process, all of the organic matter becomes replaced by minerals, while much of the original structure, such as tree rings, is retained. For this to happen, the wood needs to be buried in an environment low in oxygen to prevent decomposition and with flowing, mineral-laden water, so minerals may replace structures. The coloration is caused by various minerals that present in that water during fossilization. For example, red colors are due to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.