During the petrification, the wood is substituted for minerals from the surrounding soil. This specimen was pulled from the rivers of Mississippi, with the predominant minerals being silica and calcium. Pet wood is often used in crystal therapy and is said to offer healing energies.

Petrified (or fossilized) wood occurs when minerals like quartz or agate invade the cavities of natural wood over many years. Unlike impressions of plant fossils, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of original, organic material.