Opalized Wood?

[DiggerGuyy]

 Can someone please tell me, is opalized/petrified wood actually fully replaced by opal? 

[DiggerGuyy]

Is this solid opal? Found May 4th.

[DiggerGuyy]

I'm sorry i did not realize this is posting to some one else's post. 

[JohnJ]

2 hours ago, DiggerGuyy said:

I'm sorry i did not realize this is posting to some one else's post. 

@DiggerGuyy

Posts split into your own topic.

[ynot]

The answer to the question is - no, not always.

[Mike from North Queensland]

From the photos it looks as though the colour is coming from where the stone is chipped and still partially attached.

More to do with light refraction on the broken surface of the mineral where the cracks are not opalised.

 

Mike

[Mark Kmiecik]

All petrified wood is not opal, just as all opal is not petrified wood. It can be opalized, but usually isn't. Opal is considered a "mineraloid" as opposed to a "mineral", as it is formed at much lower temperatures than other crystalline substances. There are degrees of opalization, and most of them don't exhibit gem level iridescence. The specimens in your photos will not display the flashes of color you would expect from an opal when polished. They are very nice specimens of opalized/fossill wood, and that last one you're holding is absolutely stunning, not huge as some petrified wood, but definitely museum quality.

 

Solid all the way through? Don't know. If your question is "Is it gem quality?", the answer is a resounding "NO!". Google "coober pedy opal" to see what one type of precious opal looks like.