SEPTARIAN SPHERE

SEPTARIAN SPHERE

A handsome polished Septarian Sphere.  An interesting combination fossil and mineral specimen many millions of years old.  This Septarian Sphere shows stunning calcification and great marbling geometry.  This is a good specimen from our personal collection.  This material is also fluorescent.  Included is a beautiful Hematite ring stand to display this handsome sphere.  Some pics show fluorescence with long wave UV light.

Location:
Madagascar.

Dimensions:
4.3cm, 112g.

How are they formed?
Septarian Concretion or Septarian Nodules were formed during the Cretaceous Period.  That was around 50 to 70 million years ago, when sea levels were much higher.  Periodic volcanic eruptions killed the smaller sea life which sank to the sea bed and started decomposing. The minerals in the shells and carcasses attracted sea floor sediments which accumulated around the carcasses and formed nodules or mud balls.  When the ocean eventually receded, the mud balls dried out and began to shrink and crack. They formed beautiful patterns that you see inside the Septarian Nodules. Over time calcite leeched into the cracks and formed calcite crystals which grew to fill the cracks.