BIG MANGO TRADING CO.

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So, what’s the deal with the petrified wood?

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petrified-16jul2010-1We get so many questions about the petrified wood pieces that we carry, and rightly so. Outside of the Petrified Forest, large chunks of petrified wood are not commonly seen. We happen to have a very nice collection of pieces of all sizes, up to 7′ tall and weighing who knows how many tons.

Where are our pieces from?

Our pieces come from Southeast Asia. And while they’re considered young in petrified wood years, the average age is still a very respectable 63 to 1.8 Million years old.

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What kind of trees are (were) they?

During the petrifying process, every atom of the tree is replaced with occurring elements in the ground at that time. So, identifying a tree’s species after it has essentially turned to stone is very difficult.

Why do the colors vary?

The color is determined by the specific minerals and elements that have replaced the tree’s composition during petrification. Common minerals in the region are quartz, chalcedony and jasper. Iron affects petrified wood with brown and amber tones, while manganese infused woods are black and/or grey.

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What do you do with petrified wood?

Petrified wood is not only a sought after collector’s item, but it’s functional, too. Of course, the massive pieces are magical as sculpture, and our vendor is very skilled at polishing the pieces to accentuate their beauty. Smaller, more symmetrical pieces lend themselves to be used as end tables, stools, garden tables and nightstands. Any piece can be drilled and set up to be a stunning water feature, which is a sophisticated trend in landscaping now.

Can I get a piece made to order?

Obviously, petrified wood is nature’s craft, but we can arrange to have a piece cut to specific dimensions, and polished to order.