Odontolite or Bone Turquoise
Odontolite or Bone Turquoise
When the bones of dinosaurs have been fossilized over millions of years, they become rocks. These rocks can be of different colours depending on the minerals and its trace elements that had replaced the bones during fossilization. Some of these minerals could contain silica-based compounds such as agate, jasper, chalcedony, or opal.
Gem-quality gembone are quite rare. Here we look specifically at the teeth of prehistoric large animals.
ODONTOLITE stems from the Greek words ODON and LITHOS which means "tooth stone."
Odontolite is a fossilized bone from the teeth and bones of mammoths, mastodons, dinosaurs and other prehistoric large animals. However, Odontolite is frequently referred to the tooth as the tooth is harder than the other bones. Not to mention, the teeth of these prehistoric animals can be better polished.
The turquoise-blue color of odontolite has been ascribed to several causes including traces of copper and iron. Though, these conjectures have been disproved. For over 180 years, scientists could not find any conclusive evidence of what made the stone turquoise-blue until 2001 when this issue was revisited and studied.
It was found that odontolite was predominantly composed of Fluorapatite with trace amounts of iron, manganese, uranium, barium, lead and rare earth elements. The coloring agent was determined to be from Manganese.
Odontolite is also called Bone Turquoise or Fossil Turquoise because of its resemblance to this other precious stone. It is normally confused for true turquoise. Odontolite sometimes is dyed blue to resemble Turquoise.
Another trade name of Odontolite is Occidental Turquoise.
Odontolite has a Mohs hardness of 5 (which is very similar to Turquoise which hardness ranges from 5 to 6 on the Mohs hardness scale.) Odontolite is very brittle so cutters may crush the stone and inlay it with silica gel to make it into rings.
Revered by many cultures for centuries, fossils hold the imprints of our past. Its innate energy is strongly grounded. It is often used as talisman for protection and long life.
Fossils are excellent for work on past life regression or healing. It helps in visualisation and astral travel and sharpens intuition.
When the bones of dinosaurs have been fossilized over millions of years, they become rocks. These rocks can be of different colours depending on the minerals and its trace elements that had replaced the bones during fossilization. Some of these minerals could contain silica-based compounds such as agate, jasper, chalcedony, or opal.
Gem-quality gembone are quite rare. Here we look specifically at the teeth of prehistoric large animals.
ODONTOLITE stems from the Greek words ODON and LITHOS which means "tooth stone."
Odontolite is a fossilized bone from the teeth and bones of mammoths, mastodons, dinosaurs and other prehistoric large animals. However, Odontolite is frequently referred to the tooth as the tooth is harder than the other bones. Not to mention, the teeth of these prehistoric animals can be better polished.
The turquoise-blue color of odontolite has been ascribed to several causes including traces of copper and iron. Though, these conjectures have been disproved. For over 180 years, scientists could not find any conclusive evidence of what made the stone turquoise-blue until 2001 when this issue was revisited and studied.
It was found that odontolite was predominantly composed of Fluorapatite with trace amounts of iron, manganese, uranium, barium, lead and rare earth elements. The coloring agent was determined to be from Manganese.
Odontolite is also called Bone Turquoise or Fossil Turquoise because of its resemblance to this other precious stone. It is normally confused for true turquoise. Odontolite sometimes is dyed blue to resemble Turquoise.
Another trade name of Odontolite is Occidental Turquoise.
Odontolite has a Mohs hardness of 5 (which is very similar to Turquoise which hardness ranges from 5 to 6 on the Mohs hardness scale.) Odontolite is very brittle so cutters may crush the stone and inlay it with silica gel to make it into rings.
Revered by many cultures for centuries, fossils hold the imprints of our past. Its innate energy is strongly grounded. It is often used as talisman for protection and long life.
Fossils are excellent for work on past life regression or healing. It helps in visualisation and astral travel and sharpens intuition.