Just a weird "rock"?

[Kurtoid]

Hi all. While working in northern alberta Canada, I found a couple of these odd "rocks" amongst a bunch of normal football sized stones. 

 

I have zero experience with anything in this field. But they stood out to me, so I took one home. I'm not hopping it's anything. But I'm very curious about it. As its structure looks organic to my untrained eyes. So I just wanted to throw some pictures out there. And see if it's just some coal and odd sedimentation.

 

After cleaning it with hot water, I grabbed a small hammer and chisel and started poking around the "back" side. I figured the front just looks cool. And the back portion seems to not have the same detail/structure. It seems to have a relatively soft outer shell, and deposits of something that seems like coal. And underneath a dense more rock like structure that seems to mirror the outer layer. Dense enough to spark a chisel. Also there was a couple pockets of "crystalized", variation of the material I assumed was coal.

 

I realize to this community, my probing methods are crude. But it was just a rock that looked like bone to me initially. And I'm in no way a professional. But who doesn't want to find something special!

 

 

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[grandpa]

From the photos I would say that you have a piece of partially petrified/partially coal fossil wood, perhaps near the base/roots of the tree(?).  That's my initial impression.

[Kurtoid]

Thank you for your input! I'm generally curious, and have spent alot of time on things just to see what happened. Do you think there is anything I could do with it? For example, chip away and see what's underneath the soft layer. Or perhaps something to confirm/highlight , or disprove organic structure? 

 

If it's just a unique rock. I'm not attached to it by any means. But if there is a process to maybe make a unique ornament, or learn more about it (if it is something organic),  my curiosity is triggered.

 

I dont expect to be told a step by step of anything by any means! Just even some keywords I could search. As google is not helping me much with my "how to discern fossil from rock" questions lol

[Rockwood]

I agree with @grandpa 's thought. It may actually be charcoal and petrified wood from a burned log. Charcoal is quite resistant to decay.

I would leave it the way it is. I believe it to be all fossil.

[Kurtoid]

Thank you. I may go back and grab the other pieces that were in the area. If I can find them again that is.  Your responses have made me more interested in taking a closer look at the others!

[grandpa]

28 minutes ago, Rockwood said:

I would leave it the way it is. I believe it to be all fossil.

Yep, me too.

[Kurtoid]

Just an update. I acquired the other 2 pieces, found with the initial piece! The one is so cool looking!

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[Kurtoid]

[grandpa]

Those are some interesting and attractive specimens. I would definitely leave them as they are.  There is nothing to further "prepare" without taking away from their value.  My opinion.

[CryptBHR]

Wow, that’s really neat. I live in Alberta as well and I’ve found lots of similar looking petrified wood specimens but none with the coal or charcoal like yours has. 

[Kurtoid]

Did yours have similar coloration etc?? I cant find anything similar looking. I dont even know what I'm looking for, But I have been googling up a storm trying to find something similar to learn about. 

The one bit on the first piece, in the center, looks unlike any wood I've seen. Almost like it must be fungus or growth. 

[CryptBHR]

36 minutes ago, Kurtoid said:

Did yours have similar coloration etc?? I cant find anything similar looking. I dont even know what I'm looking for, But I have been googling up a storm trying to find something similar to learn about. 

The one bit on the first piece, in the center, looks unlike any wood I've seen. Almost like it must be fungus or growth. 

 

Not really the same colour but definitely the same shape and similar sizes. 

[Megalodoodle]

If you want a mineral ID I suggest you go to mindat.org

Edited November 7, 2019 by T. nepaeolicus

[Rockwood]

4 hours ago, T. nepaeolicus said:

If you want a mineral ID I suggest you go to mindat.org

If you want an opinion on something you think may be a fossil this is still the place to be though. 

[Megalodoodle]

True, they are more mineral experts over there...

On 11/7/2019 at 10:12 PM, Rockwood said:

If you want an opinion on something you think may be a fossil this is still the place to be though. 

 

[Megalodoodle]

The first pic looks like some kind of weathered rock and not a fossil. Although, I’m not an expert on fossils.

[SteveE]

I'm a noob and just making this up....   Were these loose and maybe transported to the site by gravity / water/ glacier (and left with a misc heap of other stuff)?  Or did you find them near the native rock where they "grew"... and if that's the case, what was the native rock like?   

[Kurtoid]

I actually got a reply from the royal Tyrell museum here in alberta. They suggested based on the pics, and the location where others have been found, that they are likely ancient cypress from the late cretaceous. And 83 to 70 million years old. 

I was pretty excited to hear back from such an establishment!