Polished Septarian Stones - 1.5" Size

These are polished Septarian stones from the Betsiboka Region of Madagascar. The pieces range from about 1 1/2 to 2" wide. The photos are representative of the stones you will receive but don't picture the exact pieces. Quantity discounts are available.

Septarian or septarian nodules are concretions containing angular cavities or cracks, called "septaria", filled with calcite and aragonite. A concretion is a hard, compact mass of rock that often forms around decaying organic matter. In the case of septarian nodules, the concretions formed around decaying sea-life in a marine environment.

The exact mechanism for how the cracks form in the concretions is a mystery. One possible mechanism is the dehydration of the clay-rich core of a concretion, causing it to shrink and crack. The cracks could also be caused by gas expansion produced by the decaying organic matter within a concretion. Earthquakes have also been suggested as yet another mechanism.

The cracks in the concretions are then filled in with minerals such as calcite (yellow), aragonite (brown), and sometimes pyrite, causing the very interesting patterns. They have often been described as looking like dragon's skin. They are frequently found as geodes with hollow, calcite crystal-filled cavities. More rarely, the fossils that originally started the formation of the concretion are still preserved in the septarian.
FOR SALE
$5
Quantity Discounts
3 to 9 Pieces
$4
10+ Pieces
$3
DETAILS
MINERAL TYPE
Septarian
LOCATION
Ambondromamy, Madagascar
AGE
Middle Jurassic
SIZE
1.5 to 2" wide
PRODUCT ID
P-183