Jasperized dinosaur bone is a fossilized material where the original bone structure has been replaced by chalcedony through a process of permineralization. Collectors look for visible 'cells' or 'honeycomb' patterns that distinguish the bone from common jasper or wood. It is highly prized in lapidary work for its unique internal patterns and varied coloration.
Is this jasperized dinosaur bone?
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 jasperized dinosaur bone with a known reference. Jasperized Dinosaur Bone sits at Mohs 6.5-7, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Name the organismDecide what left the fossil before worrying about the rock. Organism: Dinosaurs. Age: Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous.
- 3Check the preservationPreservation: Permineralized with jasper. That controls the weight, the hardness and how the piece takes a polish.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: waxy to vitreous.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, brown, yellow, black, white, orange.
Often confused with
Jasperized Dinosaur Bone vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside jasperized dinosaur bone
Minerals reported to co-occur with jasperized dinosaur bone. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.6-2.7 g/cm³
- Luster
- Waxy to vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- sedimentary deposits
- Organism
- Dinosaurs
- Age
- Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous
- Preservation
- Permineralized with jasper
Where rockhounds find jasperized dinosaur bone
4 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Utah, USA
- Colorado, USA
- Wyoming, USA
- Morocco
- Madagascar
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary deposits. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah. Start trip planning there.
More jasperized dinosaur bone photos
Common questions
How do you identify jasperized dinosaur bone?+
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Find jasperized dinosaur bone on the map
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