Dominican amber facts for kids
Dominican amber is a special type of amber found in the Dominican Republic. It comes from the hardened resin of an ancient tree called Hymenaea protera, which is now extinct.
What makes Dominican amber unique is that it's almost always clear, like glass. It also contains many more fossils of ancient plants and animals than other types of amber, like Baltic amber. These amazing fossils help scientists learn a lot about what a long-vanished tropical forest was like millions of years ago.
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How Old is Dominican Amber?
Scientists believe that most Dominican amber is about 25 million years old. It formed during a time called the Oligocene and Miocene epochs. The oldest and hardest pieces of this amber are found in the mountains north of Santiago.
Some of the important places where this ancient amber is found include La Cumbre, La Toca, Palo Quemado, La Bucara, and Los Cacaos. These mining sites are in a mountain range called the Cordillera Septentrional. Amber has also been discovered in the southeastern areas of Bayaguana and Sabana de la Mar.
Where is Dominican Amber Found?
There are three main areas in the Dominican Republic where amber is discovered. These are the La Cordillera Septentrional in the north, and Bayaguana and Sabana de la Mar in the east.
In the northern area, the amber is found within clastic rocks. These are rocks made of broken pieces of older rocks, like sandstone. They were washed down and settled in ancient river deltas, sometimes even in deeper water.
In the eastern area, the amber is found in different types of sediment. This includes layers of sand, sandy clay, and even some lignite, which is a type of soft coal. Both the northern and eastern areas were likely once part of the same large basin where sediments collected.
How is Amber Mined?
Mining Dominican amber, especially the rare blue amber, is done using a method called bell pitting. This method is very difficult and can be dangerous.
Miners dig holes into hillsides using simple tools like machetes, shovels, picks, and hammers. These pits are often narrow, like foxholes, and miners have to crawl on their knees. The tunnels can go deep, sometimes straight down, sometimes horizontally, and they might even connect with other pits.
Safety measures are very limited. Sometimes, a pillar of rock might be left to support the ceiling, but usually only if that area has collapsed before. Candles are the only source of light inside the dark tunnels. The air inside is very humid, and after a few hours, it can become stale. When it rains, the mines must close because the holes quickly fill with water, and the walls can crumble.
What Colors Can Amber Be?
Dominican amber comes in many beautiful colors, not just the common yellow or honey color. You can also find red and green amber, though these are less common.
The most famous and rare color is blue amber. This special amber actually glows blue when light shines on it, especially sunlight. Blue amber is mostly found in the Palo Quemado mine, which is south of La Cumbre.
If you want to see collections of amazing amber specimens, you can visit the Museo del Ambar Dominicano in Puerto Plata or the Amber World Museum in Santo Domingo.
Ancient Life in Amber
Dominican amber is like a natural time capsule! Scientists have found many different kinds of ancient organisms preserved inside it. These fossils help us understand what life was like millions of years ago.
For example, scientists have found tiny single-celled organisms called protozoans, and even ancient plants like Hymenaea protera, the tree that produced the amber. They've also found fungi.
But the most exciting discoveries are often the animals! Many different insects have been found, including various types of ants like Anochetus intermedius and Odontomachus spinifer. Other creatures found include spiders, bees, beetles, and even tiny lizards. These perfectly preserved specimens give us a unique peek into a tropical ecosystem that existed millions of years ago.
See also
In Spanish: Ámbar dominicano para niños
- Lagerstätte
- Japanese amber
Images for kids
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Anochetus intermedius, an ancient ant preserved in amber.
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Odontomachus spinifer, another type of ant found in Dominican amber.
