The facts
What agatised Dinosaur Bone actually is
The species behind agatised Dinosaur Bone is chalcedony/quartz replacing fossil bone, SiO₂ with Fe, Mn and U oxides; it forms in the trigonal (cryptocrystalline) system.
Agate and quartz infilling the original bone cell structure; reds and yellows from iron oxides, blacks from manganese is responsible for the colour — and the chromophore, not the name, is what decides whether a colour is stable.
On the instruments it reads a refractive index of 1.530–1.543 (spot ~1.54) and a specific gravity of about 2.50–2.70, with none cleavage.
Where agatised Dinosaur Bone comes from
Commercial material comes from Colorado Plateau (Morrison Formation), Utah and Colorado, USA.
One source only — which is unusual, and which means an origin claim naming anywhere else is either a mistake or a different material.
How agatised Dinosaur Bone is treated
Untreated; some porous material is resin-stabilised. Value sits in the sharpness of the preserved cell structure and the colour contrast between cell and infill. Collecting from federal land in the USA is legally restricted, so provenance paperwork matters, and some material carries trace uranium and is mildly radioactive.
We state the treatment on every stone, including when the honest answer is that it cannot be determined. A treatment disclosed is a fact; a treatment discovered later is a refund.
What agatised Dinosaur Bone is confused with
Watch for Petrified wood, Jasper, Coral fossil and Resin imitations — these are what turn up sold under this name.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.530–1.543 (spot ~1.54) and specific gravity 2.50–2.70 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What agatised Dinosaur Bone is used for
The trades that buy agatised Dinosaur Bone are jewellery, carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. They do not want the same thing, and they do not pay in the same unit.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the block or by the piece.
Durability and care
Hardness 6.5–7; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
With no cleavage plane to worry about, the practical limit is abrasion rather than breakage, and it takes daily wear well.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What agatised Dinosaur Bone costs
Expect roughly $1–30/ct for sharply cellular red-and-black material, depending on quality.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is agatised Dinosaur Bone treated, and how?
Untreated; some porous material is resin-stabilised. Value sits in the sharpness of the preserved cell structure and the colour contrast between cell and infill. Collecting from federal land in the USA is legally restricted, so provenance paperwork matters, and some material carries trace uranium and is mildly radioactive.
Where does agatised Dinosaur Bone come from?
Colorado Plateau (Morrison Formation), Utah and Colorado, USA. That is the only commercial source.
Is agatised Dinosaur Bone hard enough to wear every day?
Yes. At 6.5–7 on the Mohs scale with no cleavage plane, it handles daily wear well. The practical limit is gradual abrasion rather than chipping.
How much does agatised Dinosaur Bone cost?
Indicatively $1–30/ct for sharply cellular red-and-black material. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is agatised Dinosaur Bone confused with?
Most often Petrified wood, Jasper, Coral fossil and Resin imitations. A refractive index of 1.530–1.543 (spot ~1.54) and a specific gravity near 2.50–2.70 separate it quickly.
What is agatised Dinosaur Bone used for besides jewellery?
carving and sculpture, decorative objects and mineral collecting. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for agatised dinosaur bone?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about agatised dinosaur bone