Petrified Wood

Petrified Wood is a fossil in which the organic remains have been replaced by minerals in the slow process of turning to stone. This petrification process generally results in a Quartz Chalcedony mineralization. Special rare conditions must be met in order for the fallen wood to be transformed into precious Fossil Wood or Petrified Wood. In general, the fallen trees get buried in an environment free of oxygen (anaerobic environment), which preserves the original tree structure and general appearance. The other conditions include a regular access to mineral rich water flowing through the wood, replacing the organic tree structure with inorganic stone. The end result is Petrified Wood, a tree, with its original basic structure in place, replaced by stone. This process could occur in less than one thousand years. Exotic minerals allow the rare red and green hues that can be seen in more rare specimens.

Fossil Petrified Wood is found in many parts of the world, most commonly perceived to be from Arizona, US. Other significant places known for Petrified Wood include Madagascar, Brazil, and Indonesia. Madagascar produces, by far, the largest commercial quantity of brown petrified wood sold on the world market.

Norcross-Madagascar works several Petrified Wood Forest properties, they control and operate (located inside their Quartz and Agate fields), near the village of Ankondromena. This region is located near Madagascar's West (Central) Coast, beside the recently discovered Madagascar Oil Sands.