Alaskan Amber (Beluga Fm. [Kenai Group], ~11.6-5.3 Ma)

Waterworn amber from the beaches near Homer, Alaska; this piece weighs 0.7g and measures 11x9x9mm. The town of Homer is situated on the shores of the Cook Inlet on the western half of the Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage. A few geological Formations (Kenai Group) in the nearby area contain coal reserves, but mainly the Beluga Fm. is exposed along the beaches of Homer to Anchor Point: this Formation is of freshwater origin, and comprises layers of sandstone, siltstone, and coal. The Pliocene-aged Sterling Fm. is located slightly farther inland, with numerous streams cutting through it and emptying into the Cook Inlet, however this Formation does not contain much coal. There were a few coal mines north and south of Tustumena Lake, back in the late-19th to mid-20th centuries: the Bluff Point Mine, west of Homer, was active from 1899-1951.