Petrified dinosaur bone is a fossil formed through the permineralization process, where minerals like chalcedony replace the original organic bone structure. Collectors look for the distinct 'cell' pattern of the bone, which often preserves the visual characteristics of the original marrow spaces.
Is this petrified 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 petrified dinosaur bone with a known reference. Petrified Dinosaur Bone sits at Mohs 6.5-7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Petrified Dinosaur Bone leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Petrified Dinosaur Bone typically shows a vitreous to waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, brown, yellow, black, white.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Petrified Dinosaur Bone vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous to waxy on Petrified Dinosaur Bone and waxy on Agate.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous to waxy on Petrified Dinosaur Bone and waxy on Jasper.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous to waxy on Petrified Dinosaur Bone and vitreous on Wood Opal.
Often found alongside petrified dinosaur bone
Minerals reported to co-occur with petrified dinosaur bone. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.6-2.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous to Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-50 per slab, higher for gem-grade cell structures
Where rockhounds find petrified dinosaur bone
6 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Colorado, USA
- Utah, USA
- Wyoming, USA
- Madagascar
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary deposits country — that is the host setting where petrified dinosaur bone typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Utah, Wyoming — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find petrified dinosaur bone on the map
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