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Question
#50433. Megalodon
asks:
Why is it that Megalodon teeth from the Cooper River are red sometimes, or even mixed colors?
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Kainantu
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The color that they wind up with when they are found is dependent on the minerals in the surrounding sendiment.
Blue highlights are caused by the presence of magnesium, chromates or iron sulfide in the surrounding sediment in which the tooth is initially buried.
Red, orange and brown coloration is due to iron compounds such as ferrous oxide [Fe2O3] and tannic acid rivers such as the Cooper.
Black base color is very rare and highly prized
Yellow color comes from sulfur or compounds of sulfur in close proximity to the fossilizing tooth.
Rare green color comes from copper salts like cupric chloride or cupric sulfate.
Fossil teeth can be found to have base colors of green, black, cream or just about any color imaginable.
 http://www.megmawl.com/define.html
Aug 28 04, 4:34 AM
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