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Colorado Prospector - Gem and mineral prospecting and mining forums _ Prospectors and Rockhounding Field Work _ Dino Bone or Petrified Wood?

Posted by: swizz Feb 20 2010, 12:53 PM

I found this over 20yrs ago south of Denver. At the time I was working on a very large construction project. One day while I was walking around having a smoke during break I found this in the wake of an earth-mover. I had already found various sizes of petrified wood at this site and several sites nearby during heavy equipment excavations but this piece was different.
It's only a busted up piece so I doubt anyone can put the rest of the dinosaur together with it, but might be worth cabbing? It would be virtually impossible to return to the area and prospect for many reasons, the foremost being - the entire area for miles is now clustered with office buildings (Tech Ctr area).
Have a look, hopefully someone here knows how to tell if it is... or knows of a resource that might. I could be WAY off on this.

Looks like petrified wood from this side SIDE A


The other side (inside) is concave and has many brittle tube-like cavities SIDE B


Standing it on end... there are no tree-growth rings (or grain) where there should be, or anywhere on the piece


A closer look at a small exposed area of tubular cavities on the inside


A closer look at more of the exposed tubular cavities


Here is a closeup some curious raised markings on SIDE A


Any thoughts? confused0082[1].gif


Posted by: ColoradoProspector Feb 20 2010, 01:09 PM

Nice find Swizz, we both say petrified wood here by the looks of it.
Pic 2 shows what may have been the sectional view of a rotted fallen deadwood which then fossilized.
#4 looks like termite burrows (often in deadfalls) then also fossilized along with the tree remains.

Very typical looking of pet wood found around the State. Many times the stuff is too fractured and not solid enough for cutting and polishing but there are pieces out there that are solid enough for cutting.

Pic 3 looks like some possible agatization? On the end view some milky/gray color, you can always take a slice off and you'll soon be able to tell if it's solid or gonna' be a crumbler.
Let us know how it turns out too.

If it's a dino bone, the cross cut will be a dead give away as well showing the marrow cell cross section pattern.


Posted by: swizz Feb 20 2010, 01:25 PM

Thanks Dan, it crossed my mind that it could be petrified wood-rot because it does kinda look like that on the inside. It's also chalkier and much lighter than all of my petrified pieces although it has some crystallization (minimal) running through it.
I'm thinking it's dead wood petrified as you suggested. I just got off the phone with GB. He's going to do a cross-section of it when it warms up enough here. I'll post pics in this thread after he cuts it... could be cool looking!
hmmmmm..... maybe some petrified termite-a-saursus rex's still in there. smiley-shocked003.gif

Posted by: Coalbunny Feb 24 2010, 12:16 AM

Best way to find out, I think, is to look up the geology of the area. I know the Hogback has Jurassic age rocks like the Morrison Fm., but is the Morrison "there" where you found it? A variety of sauropods lived during the Jurassic, some in the Morrison. But if it's the formation above (in age) the Morrison, aka the Burro Canyon Unconformity, there were no sauropods.

Posted by: Leadhand Apr 1 2010, 08:35 PM

Sure looks like pet wood

Posted by: saltydoc Jun 26 2010, 01:13 PM

My ex-wife used to go on fossil digs in college and she always told me they would put their tongue on the specimen and if it stuck, it was bone. greensmilies-025.gif

Posted by: Gold_Barnstormer Jun 26 2010, 03:50 PM

How 'bout mammoth tusk laurel_and_hardy.gif

Posted by: Coalbunny Jun 26 2010, 11:49 PM

Why would you think a mammoth tusk?

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