🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Is this petrified/agatized wood?

Steve1236

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Hey folks, anyone here knows river tumbled petrified wood cause I don't, I was taking my dog for a walk in where the agua fria river in Maricopa county used to run if you look from satellite, the actual river know is maybe a 100 yards from where I found these, couldn't find anything like these in where the river is today, I looked for over an hour but I'm curious, they're all super heavy, hardness of 7 7 1/2, any help identifying would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
 

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What is "petwood?" I really like the acorn, nice work.
 

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They somewhat resemble petrified wood Steve. Considering the area it's more likely it's just colored quartz.

When you see something that looks like it might be pet wood you need to look at the end of the rock (right angles to the "grain"). Pet wood will show growth rings and branch and tree physical features. If you don't see those it's unlikely to be pet wood.

Petrified wood isn't just about giant stone tree trunks. Most pet wood in any location will be smaller branches and twigs, if you are only seeing chunky colored quartz with no small intact "branch" pieces it may not be petrified wood.

Here's a link to a bunch of pictures of collected pet wood. Notice how the photographs always feature the end of the pet wood? Collectors want to see that there are ring or growth structures on the ends.
 

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They somewhat resemble petrified wood Steve. Considering the area it's more likely it's just colored quartz.

When you see something that looks like it might be pet wood you need to look at the end of the rock (right angles to the "grain"). Pet wood will show growth rings and branch and tree physical features. If you don't see those it's unlikely to be pet wood.

Petrified wood isn't just about giant stone tree trunks. Most pet wood in any location will be smaller branches and twigs, if you are only seeing chunky colored quartz with no small intact "branch" pieces it may not be petrified wood.

Here's a link to a bunch of pictures of collected pet wood. Notice how the photographs always feature the end of the pet wood? Collectors want to see that there are ring or growth structures on the ends.
Hi Clay, I hope you have been well, I never was able to get out to where you tod me to go, one problem after another, including a hernia operation and dont have a vehicle to take me good places anymore, freaking Saturn lol. Pretty much hit rock bottom, I didn't think I'd get that lucky cause there's a lot of big pieces of it. Here's some more pictures, limb cast/Agatized wood or just a Faux pet wood, I would love to know for sure, I carried quite a bit home lol. Sorry for the lighting, it's cloudy out right now, another thing that thru me off is I noticed some have pyrite and I don't think pyrite is associated with pet wood.
 

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Most don't look like Pet Wood, possibly a couple are. They look more like water worn/weathered Metamorphic rocks to me. I have a couple Arizona Pet Wood pieces, the images are one of them.
 

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Most don't look like Pet Wood, possibly a couple are. They look more like water worn/weathered Metamorphic rocks to me. I have a couple Arizona Pet Wood pieces, the images are one of them.
I know what you are saying but these have been naturally tumbled for a very long time. I've watched YouTube videos of people hunting pet wood in rivers and it looks like this stuff that's why I'm asking about river tumbled, yours are fine examples of pet wood.
 

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I know what you are saying but these have been naturally tumbled for a very long time. I've watched YouTube videos of people hunting pet wood in rivers and it looks like this stuff that's why I'm asking about river tumbled, yours are fine examples of pet wood.
Most don't look like Pet Wood, possibly a couple are. They look more like water worn/weathered Metamorphic rocks to me. I have a couple Arizona Pet Wood pieces, the images are one of them.
I got this 3 1/2 log so I know petrified wood that hasn't been river tumbled.
 

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Hey folks, anyone here knows river tumbled petrified wood cause I don't, I was taking my dog for a walk in where the agua fria river in Maricopa county used to run if you look from satellite, the actual river know is maybe a 100 yards from where I found these, couldn't find anything like these in where the river is today, I looked for over an hour but I'm curious, they're all super heavy, hardness of 7 7 1/2, any help identifying would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
It’s hard to say for 100% certainty, without having them in hand, so in my personal opinion it appears that there are some pieces of petrified and/or agatized wood. I’m no expert, but some of those pieces are what you’re looking for, some of the other items you have are most likely quartz. I have pieces ranging from 1/2” diameter to several inches depending on the wood type and the appearance the colors are all over the place, some are quite clearly a small branch ranging from tan to gray, others are so heavily agatized and the minerals have been replaced that the typical rings don’t even show up…and opalized wood is even crazier in appearance and of course the coolness factor!
Check a local school/college/museum/local rock hound group or even some jewelers that are also gemologists can verify what you have. I wasn’t sure about a couple pieces I have, so I reached out to a local college and also went to a local rock hound meeting for some other pieces and they all verified everything I had and answered questions/gave pointers etc…

Just getting out in nature is part of the fun, but good luck on your search and identification!👍🏼
 

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