Dinosaur coprolite consists of fossilized biological waste that has undergone permineralization, typically replaced by silica or calcite. Collectors look for identifiable textures such as structural inclusions, spiral patterns, or internal bone fragments that indicate a digestive origin. It is commonly found in sedimentary environments where rapid burial in mineral-rich water facilitated the fossilization process.
Is this dinosaur coprolite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch dinosaur coprolite with a known reference. Dinosaur Coprolite sits at Mohs 3-5, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Name the organismDecide what left the fossil before worrying about the rock. Organism: Trace fossil: fossilized dinosaur feces. Age: Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous.
- 3Check the preservationPreservation: Much of the original material replaced by minerals such as silicates and calcium carbonates. That controls the weight, the hardness and how the piece takes a polish.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull to waxy.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, tan, black, gray, reddish-brown.
Often confused with
Dinosaur Coprolite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Jasper is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 3-5); luster reads dull to waxy on Dinosaur Coprolite and waxy on Jasper.
How to tell apart: Agate is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 3-5); luster reads dull to waxy on Dinosaur Coprolite and waxy on Agate.
How to tell apart: Chert is the harder of the two (Mohs 6.5-7 vs. 3-5); luster reads dull to waxy on Dinosaur Coprolite and waxy on Chert.
Often found alongside dinosaur coprolite
Minerals reported to co-occur with dinosaur coprolite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3-5
- Density
- 2.0-3.0 g/cm³
- Luster
- Dull to waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Scientific research
- Host rock
- sedimentary strata
- Organism
- Trace fossil: fossilized dinosaur feces
- Age
- Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous
- Preservation
- Much of the original material replaced by minerals such as silicates and calcium carbonates
Where rockhounds find dinosaur coprolite
Classic worldwide localities
- Utah, USA
- Arizona, USA
- Madagascar
- Canada
- Poland
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary strata. If you start seeing quartz, calcite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground.
Common questions
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Find dinosaur coprolite on the map
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