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| Closer look at the at a petrified log balanced on the ridge at Blue Mesa.
The actual petrification process began with tree burial. The volcanic ash and mud released chemicals during decomposition. The chemicals reacted with wood to form quartz crystals which by themselves are colorless. Minerals in the water such as iron or manganese gave the quartz red and pinkish hues. Over millions of years, the quartz crystals "cocooned" the logs slowly turning them to stone. |
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