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Streak colour of fossils?


Het Patel

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There is no general answer to that, since it would depend upon which mineral substance(s) is/are present in the fossil. Minerals give off the streak color, not fossils.

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Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

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Each mineral is (by definition) a chemical compound with a well defined chemical composition and ordered atomic arrangement. Iron ore, graphite, halite (salt), gypsum will all leave different color streaks due to their composition. Most fossils are what is known as pseudomorphs which is to say that the original remains of the long dead plant or animal have been replaced by minerals preserving the shape of the original. Some fossils are preserved in shale, some in limestone or dolomite. Some fossils (really pretty ones) are preserved in pyrite (fool's gold) and many fossils (notably) megalodon shark teeth are preserved in a high phosphate environment causing them to turn grayish black. Some famously beautiful Australian fossils are replaced with colorful opal.

 

The streak color of a fossil will depend on its method of preservation--the types of minerals that replaced the organic matter will determine the streak color (and the hardness).

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

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19 minutes ago, digit said:

Each mineral is (by definition) a chemical compound with a well defined chemical composition and ordered atomic arrangement. Iron ore, graphite, halite (salt), gypsum will all leave different color streaks due to their composition. Most fossils are what is known as pseudomorphs which is to say that the original remains of the long dead plant or animal have been replaced by minerals preserving the shape of the original. Some fossils are preserved in shale, some in limestone or dolomite. Some fossils (really pretty ones) are preserved in pyrite (fool's gold) and many fossils (notably) megalodon shark teeth are preserved in a high phosphate environment causing them to turn grayish black. Some famously beautiful Australian fossils are replaced with colorful opal.

 

The streak color of a fossil will depend on its method of preservation--the types of minerals that replaced the organic matter will determine the streak color (and the hardness).

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

Thank you for explaining. 

Your beloved 

-het

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