Indonesian Fossil Coral

(Badar Tawon – Bee Nest Stone)

*Indonesian Gemstone Series*

by: Agianto Mutiadjaja

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Fossil Coral occurs throughout the world and the process of fossilization of
coral reefs has been happening since ancient time. But Indonesia has the
most unique fossil coral of all; the corals are agatized or silicified with the
preservation of individual coral polyp skeleton forming beautiful ‘flower’ images
that may have an overall bee nest look .

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Corals are marine organisms from the class Anthozoa, which are basically
categorized into two types, hermatypes (stony corals) and ahermatypes (soft
corals). The one that interest us here are the corals that inhabited the post-
Paleozoic seas - the hermatypic, stony corals (Scleractinians) that belong to
the Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Cnidaria, Class Anthozoa, Subclass
Zoantharia (hexacorallia). They exist as small polyps that live mostly in
colonies (as a coral head) and produce calcium carbonate (aragonite) to form
hard skeleton from calcium ions they acquire from seawater. These corals are
much easier to form fossils because of their hard exoskeleton and their
attachment to the seafloor.

@wikipedia.org
@TERANGI

coral polyp coral colony

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Most of them grow in agitated, warm, clear and shallow water of the tropical
regions because they get their main nutrients (90%) from the symbiotic
photosynthetic unicellular algae, zooxanthellae that require sunlight to make
food. But like the other type of corals, they also feed on small fish and other
animals (plankton) also. Together with other organisms that secrete calcium
carbonate, they are the reef builders of the tropical waters. There are around
500 species of stony coral in the Indonesian waters

@wikipedia.org

coral reefs locations

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Harvesting the Agatized Fossil Coral does not concern with modern coral reef
conservation issues. For the fossils are the buried remnants of ancient coral
reefs. They are not obtained from the seas but are collected as cobbles and
boulders in soil in the mountainous jungles and along streambeds of western
and eastern Java, and in the mountainous jungles in central and southern
Sumatra.

@indoagate.com

coral boulder

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The fossil coral is believed to be formed due to Indonesia unique
geographical location. Indonesia is part of the well-known Ring of Fire (a zone
of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that encircles the basin of the
Pacific Ocean). Around 10-16 million years ago, the bordering coral reefs
would have been periodically blanketed by layers of volcanic ashes making
petrification possible:

•The corals died because of the burials.

•Their soft tissues were decayed.
•Permineralization occurred: minerals (silicon dioxide and other
accompanying minerals – iron, manganese, etc.) filled the pore spaces within
and around the skeleton and crystallized - preserving the shape of the original
polyp skeleton as rock.
•Replacement followed slowly: the original material (calcium carbonate) of the
coral skeleton was dissolved away (leaving the form and structure) and
replaced with minerals (silicon dioxide and other accompanying minerals –
iron, manganese, etc.).

These fossil materials were then shifted and elevated over time by seismic,
tectonic and may be volcanic activities to the present localities.
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Gemological Data of Indonesian Fossil Coral:
Chemistry: Silicon dioxide, SiO2
Crystal System: Trigonal (Microcystalline)
Color: White, pink, red, brown and black
Luster: Vitreous to Waxy
Transparency: Translucent to opaque
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal
Hardness: 7
Specific Gravity: Approximately 2.61
Refractive Index: 1.544 - 1.553
Streak: White
Treatments: May be heated to enhance the color and contrast of the fossil
pattern or dyed (usually into other non-naturally existing colors)

dyed green

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Valuation:
Stones with good contrast and well distributed colors that show nice pattern of
polyp images are valued more.

Metaphysical Properties:
The fossil coral is made of SiO2 in the form of agate or jasper which is good for
balancing emotions and strengthening body and intellect. It can be used on
any chakra but can be related to specific chakra according to the stone
color.

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Thank You

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