Agatized Coral
Abstract
Description
Oligocene. SiO2 - Mohs Hardness: 6 1/2 - 7. Agatized coral occurs when silica in the ocean water hardens, replacing the limy corals with a form of quartz known as chalcedony. This long process (20-30 million years) results in the formation of a "pseudomorph," meaning that one mineral has replaced another without having lost its original form. In 1979 agatized coral was designated Florida's official state stone.
item.page.type
natural object
StillImage
StillImage
item.page.format
image/jpeg
Keywords
environmental sciences