Volcanic breccia. A breccia is a rock with fragments of one material cemented within a matrix of a different material. In this case, the fragments are

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Volcanic breccia. A breccia is a rock with fragments of one material cemented within a matrix of a different material. In this case, the fragments are wood and plant remains, which probably became embedded within ash or lava during a volcanic eruption. The remains were fossilised and pressure and heat solidified the rock into this dense structure. This polished sample measures 110 millimetres across.

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Size: 5088px × 3569px
Photo credit: © DIRK WIERSMA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: breccia, earth, fauna, fossil, fossilised, fossils, fragment, fragments, geological, geology, matrix, palaeobotany, palaeontology, paleontology, plant, plants, polished, remains, rock, rocks, science, slice, stone, wildlife