Red silicified coral is a fossilized coral where the original skeletal structure has been replaced by microcrystalline quartz. Collectors often look for the distinct honeycomb or star-patterned pore structures that reveal the original coral polyps when polished.
Is this red silicified coral?
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 red silicified coral with a known reference. Red Silicified Coral 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: Corals (class Anthozoa).
- 3Check the preservationPreservation: Silica replaces the original carbonate. That controls the weight, the hardness and how the piece takes a polish.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, brown, orange, white.
Often confused with
Red Silicified Coral vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside red silicified coral
Minerals reported to co-occur with red silicified coral. 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
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative, Jewelry
- Host rock
- sedimentary marine deposits
- Organism
- Corals (class Anthozoa)
- Preservation
- Silica replaces the original carbonate
Where rockhounds find red silicified coral
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Florida, USA
- Tampa Bay, USA
- Indonesia
- Georgia, USA
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: sedimentary marine deposits. If you start seeing quartz, calcite, chalcedony in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in West Virginia. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find red silicified coral on the map
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