Fossil digging

Kopal (fossil) - a natural fossil resin of plant origin. It can serve as one of the best natural imitations of amber . In the Aztec language , “copalli” means incense.

In jewelry, the most commonly used digging is Brazilian and Colombian , as well as East African ( Zanzibar ). Also known: Congolese , Guinean , Tanzanian .

Properties

Fossil digging was formed from resins secreted by modern trees. About 80% consists of carbon . Hardness 2 on the Mohs scale . Formula: C ₄₁ H ₈₆ O ₄ + C ₂₅ H ₃₈ O _4. Specific gravity: 1.04 - 1.06 g / cm3, which is slightly lower than that of amber (1.05 - 1.1 g / cm3). Melting point: 150-200 ° C. Color: from almost colorless to tan. According to experts, the average age of digging is on average 1,500–2,000 years, and the “oldest” fossil digging is from 30 to 65 thousand years.

Location

It occurs in peat bogs at a depth of several meters, as well as in other organic sediments. The main modern sources of this resin are plants of the genus hymenaea from the legume family, growing in Central and South America , as well as the genus trachylobium from East Africa . These are large trees, reaching 30 m in height and up to 7 m in diameter.

Deposits

Fossil digging is found in Australia, New Zealand, and Madagascar. In the countries of the Caucasus, deposits are known in Georgia (near Tbilisi ), the Lachinsky deposit in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh , Verkhne-Adzhikendskoye near Kirovobad ( Azerbaijan ), in the Tavush region in Armenia .

Application

Recently, it was the fossil digging most often that they try to pass off as real amber (if we exclude plastic fakes, which are produced in large quantities). Digging is for the manufacture of beads and other jewelry . It is usually coated with varnish or epoxy . Since digging is inferior to amber in strength, cracks often develop on it.