Description
Formed in the Jurassic era, disastrous weather caused flash flooding, which swept a lot of Araucaria trees into the ocean. After becoming waterlogged, the trees fell to the sea bed and became stuck in the thick sedimentary mud, which created an anaerobic seal stopping normal decomposition. The trees then absorbed the hydrocarbon oils found in the mud. It was all of these unusual factors that prevented silicification and created fast chemical changes in the cells of the Araucaria tree. Many, many years passed where layers and layer of sediment built up resulting in a lot of pressure and a lack of oxygen, which added to the fossilisation process and created Whitby Jet.
From Whitby
Yorkshire
