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Petrified Wood Identification


brky1001

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I located this piece of what I think might be petrified wood when I was landscaping in my yard. I am located in central Minnesota and the piece was above ground. Extremely heavy, 1ft tall or .305 meters. I appreciate any sight, as I am not super familiar in this topic. Thank you. 
 

images in order:

front

back

left side

right side

top

bottom 

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I agree with Rockwood. Central Minnesota geology is primarily Archean or Paleoproterozoic, which means that the most advanced fossil records are that of bacterial mats. Trees did not exist. An exception does occur in west central Minnesota where some Cretaceous bedrock exists.  This is a time period where trees did indeed grow.

 

From the Minnesota Geological Survey:

       

Some plant fossils have been found in the Cretaceous deposits of Minnesota, including: petrified wood, leaves, and pollen. Oftentimes these deposits represent swampy or marginal-marine environments that were associated with the eastern margin of the Western Interior Seaway at this time. 

  

Mike

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Thank you so much for the detailed info and insight. I brought the piece to a local expert and it is indeed petrified wood. We are located in west central Minnesota and I loved learning about the knowledge you shared minnbuckeye. 
 

Thank you again, Kylie

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I'm just curious who the expert was and what was his expertise? Did he happen to mention what type of preservation this is? Also curious what the inside looks like, could you chip off small piece from end and take picture?

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Not sure of the credentials and maybe expert wouldn’t be the right word but  business professionals with a vast knowledge. They sell and trade agates/rocks/petrified wood/fossils for a living so maybe not experts to all but it was my interpretation.


So no, besides asking their opinion I did not inquire about preservation. I am not familiar with the right questions to ask and unfamiliar. 
 

I did use our diamond cutter blade that I use for cutting rocks to cut off a piece from the bottom end. The diamond blades leaves circular markers until further sanded down but until then this is what it looks like. 
 

Let me know your thoughts? 

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In terms of seeking in-hand expert assistance, reach out to a paleontological specialist at your nearest university with an earth sciences department or with someone similar at your nearest natural history museum. With respect to what to ask, provide them with as much information about where it was found (county level) and if it was found in situ (naturally occurring in the rock or sitting atop the surface, which would be suggestive of it being an erratic / transport). Reach out via email first and supply images if they request them. If they are still uncertain by way of the images, arrange an appointment to visit with the specimen in hand for them to inspect. 

 

That said, I concur with my colleagues above that this does not seem to be petrified wood on account of a lack of telltale grain. 

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9 hours ago, brky1001 said:

They sell and trade agates/rocks/petrified wood/fossils for a living so maybe not experts to all but it was my interpretation.

 

Some commercial operators are very good at understanding what they sell.  Others are just very good at selling.

 

As the others have mentioned, there is not any evidence this is petrified wood... especially in your cross cut.  There is evidence this is a gneiss rock.  ;)

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The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

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22 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

As the others have mentioned, there is not any evidence this is petrified wood... especially in your cross cut.  There is evidence this is a gneiss rock.  ;)


I agree with John and Rockwood; this is a metamorphic rock. The giant s fold in cross section is typical of metamorphic rocks such as gneiss. Plus, the green is probably epidote which indicates metamorphism that petrified wood would not survive.

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My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

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Thank you everyone for all the information, I really appreciate it! I agree with the statements above and as a rock lover, I am grateful for just a “cool rock!” Petrified wood would have been cool too but I now know what to look for and who to ask! 
 

Thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge, you’re all wonderful!

 

Happy Saturday!
Kylie

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