Most fossils consist of the mineral Calcite (we call these calcified), other fossils consist largely of Quartz (which we call silicified) and also fossils of phosphate (phosphatized) are common. But fossils may also include more exotic minerals.

What is permineralization ? One of the common types of fossils is permineralization. This occurs when the pores of the plant materials, bones, and shells are impregnated by mineral matter from the ground, lakes, or ocean. In some cases, the wood fibers and cellulose dissolve and some minerals replace them.

There are two types of fossils- the body fossils and the trace fossils. Body fossils include preserved remains of an organism (i.e. freezing, drying, petrification, permineralization, bacteria and algea).

One is called permineralization where minerals fill in empty spaces then the organic material disintegrates around it. The last type is called petrifaction (think petrified wood) and is a term that covers all types of fossils that have some or all minerals instead of organic material.

Stiff skin syndrome causes a person’s skin to harden and thicken across the entire body, according to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD). …

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10,000 years

Fossil casts Sometimes a fossil rots away completely as the surrounding rock turns to stone. This may leave a hole, called a mould, in the rock in the exact shape of the fossil. If this mould is later filled with minerals, it forms a lump in the shape of the original called a cast.

The remains of the animals buried within them do not decay, because they are buried so deeply that there is not enough oxygen to support living things that would eat them. As the sediment becomes rock, the bones (and sometimes traces of the skin) become mineralized.