Petrified "Colla" Wood, Zile, Turkey

This agatized wood is found over a copper deposit in Turkey with only a few pieces showing unique replacement with various copper minerals. The wood is a white pine but the term "Colla Wood" has been coined to popularly name the material stemming from the chrysocolla present in many specimens. This specimen shows a complete "round" with good preservation of bark. I especially like the contorted growth rings which help tell a story of this tree's life. True to its name, chrysocolla has replaced some of the agatized wood. A close inspection reveals an abundance brown cuprite crystals too. If you look very closely you can even recognize crystal faces! I believe the small streaks of orange are siderite. Note that the chalcedony fluoresces for added interest. Possibly of Miocene age. Zile, Tolkat Province, Turkey. Dimensions: 8 cm x 19 cm