Q. How was Petrified Wood formed?
A. Petrified Wood was once part of a tree. Millions of years ago the forests covering Northern Arizona were buried under a sea of mud, sand, and volcanic ash. Silicate replaced the wood fibers and pressure formed the rock.
Q. What causes the bright colors in Arizona Rainbow Petrified Wood?
A. The colors found in Arizona Petrified Wood are the result of various elements present in either the original wood or the silicate.
Red and Orange are caused by iron. Yellow and Brown are caused by iron and uranium. Green is caused by iron, copper, cobalt, chromium, uranium, and nickel. Blue is caused by copper, manganese, cobalt, and chromium. Violet and Purple are caused by manganese and iron. Black is caused by manganese, carbon, and iron. White and Gray are caused by silicon dioxide.
Q. How old is Arizona Rainbow Petrified Wood?
A. Scientists believe that Arizona Rainbow Petrified Wood is about fifty to two hundred million years old.
Q. Can Petrified Wood be removed from the Petrified Forest National Park?
A. No. It is illegal to remove Petrified Wood from the Petrified Forest! Park rangers are vigilant and a large fine is imposed for violators. Petrified Wood is available in gift shops such as Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Company (at the corner of Hwy. 180 & 77). The Petrified Wood sold in gift shops is legally obtained from land outside of the Petrified Forest.
Q. How is Rainbow Petrified Wood cut and polished?
A. First, the Petrified Wood to be cut and polished must be carefully selected. Only 20% of all Rainbow Petrified Wood is solid enough to survive the cutting and polishing process. Once selected, the petrified wood is cut using special diamond-tip, oil-cooled saws. Since petrified wood is nearly as hard as diamonds, the cutting process takes several hours. Once cut, the petrified wood is placed in a plaster cast ring and placed on a grinding machine which grinds the wood to a super-smooth finish. It is then placed on a polishing machine which uses water and a very fine grit to achieve a permanent polish. The polishing process typically takes 8 to 10 hours. |
