Permineralised Petrified Wood

Quartz-covered petrified wood from Lipzeg, Germany is a fascinating natural phenomenon. Petrified wood refers to fossilized wood that has turned into stone over millions of years. In the case of Lipzeg, the wood has undergone a unique transformation where it is encased in a layer of quartz.  It is estimated to be around 290 million years old.

When a tree is buried by sediment or ash from a volcano, this is the process. Then slowly minerals from the surrounding water seep into the wood and replace it with replacing other minerals , e.g silica, the end result - quartz within the wood. The quartz acts as a type of preservation, allowing the wood to resist weathering / erosion. but it is also very aesthetically pleasing.