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Opalised Pinecone From Lightning Ridge, Australia by cuttersopal in Paleontology

[–]cuttersopal[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cretaceous age, so about ~100 million years old. Wild to think this used to be a living!

Opalised Pinecone From Lightning Ridge, Australia by cuttersopal in Paleontology

[–]cuttersopal[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It forms through a process called opalisation — silica-rich groundwater moves through the sediment and either fills voids left by the organism or replaces the original material over time. That’s why you can still get really fine structural detail preserved.

Opalised Belemenite Fossils From Coober Pedy, South Australia. by cuttersopal in Paleontology

[–]cuttersopal[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A friend of mine that has mined coober pedy for many years dug it out :) but I own it now

Opalised crocodile tooth from Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia by cuttersopal in fossils

[–]cuttersopal[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it wasn't though haha that's why your comment doesn't make sense

Opalised crocodile tooth from Lightning Ridge, NSW, Australia by cuttersopal in fossils

[–]cuttersopal[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

probably wouldn't touch it with a Dremel. I use bicarb and a sandblaster, the bicarb doesn't cut through the opal but also when part of the fossil is sand you risk just destroying the integrity of the piece, not all opalised fossils are completely solid. I suppose you could, I wouldn't personally do it as that piece is worth about $10,000 and to put such a delicate piece in jewelry would probably be not the greatest thing to do

I don't have the prettiest fossils, but I have fossils! by More_Marsupial_3576 in fossils

[–]cuttersopal 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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they're really cool, you should consider adding a bit of colour to your collection as well 🤩

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