Baltic amber
Also known as: succinite · succinite amber · Prussian amber · true amber
- 1Baltic amber is scientifically classified as succinite.
- 2The resin originated during the Eocene epoch approximately 34 to 56 million years ago.
- 3Historical deposits are estimated to have originated from over 100,000 tons of fossilized resin.
- 4The Kaliningrad Oblast in Russia currently produces over 90% of the global supply.
- 5The Kaliningrad Amber Combine reported extraction volumes of 250 tonnes in 2014 and 400 tonnes in 2015.
- 6Significant deposits are also located throughout Poland and the Baltic states.
Baltic amber or succinite is amber from the Baltic region, home of its largest known deposits.
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primary geographical source
The Samland Peninsula in the Kaliningrad region contains the world's largest primary deposits of Baltic amber, which are extracted through open-pit mining.
chemical marker of Baltic amber
The presence of 3-8% succinic acid is the defining chemical characteristic that allows scientists to identify and distinguish Baltic amber from other types of fossil resin.
geological epoch of origin
Baltic amber was formed from the resin of coniferous trees that lived during the Eocene epoch, approximately 44 million years ago.
biological specimens preserved in amber
Baltic amber is highly valued by paleontologists for the high-quality inclusions of insects, plants, and other organisms trapped in the resin millions of years ago.
general category of fossil resin
Baltic amber is the most well-known and commercially significant variety of amber, which is a general class of fossilized tree resin.
historical trade route for Baltic amber
The Amber Road was an ancient trade route used to transport Baltic amber from the Baltic Sea coast to the Mediterranean region.
primary material used to create the Amber Room
The room was famously constructed from thousands of pieces of this fossilized resin sourced from the Baltic region.
Baltic amber or succinite is amber from the Baltic region, home of its largest known deposits. It was produced sometime during the Eocene epoch, but exactly when is controversial. It has been estimated that this forested region provided the resin for more than 100,000 tons of amber. Today, more than 90% of the world's amber comes from Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia. It is a major source of income for the region; the local Kaliningrad Amber Combine extracted 250 tonnes of it in 2014 and 400 tonnes in 2015. Baltic amber is also found in Poland, as well as the Baltic states.
Raw unpolished Baltic amberWikimedia CommonsPaleogeography of Early-Mid Eocene Europe, with Baltic Amber at Gdańsk and contemporaneously deposited Rovno amber and Bitterfeld amberWikimedia CommonsOpen pit amber mine in Kaliningrad, showing the lithology of the Prussian Formation, the source rock of Baltic amberWikimedia CommonsAmber fisher on a Baltic Sea coast close to Gdansk (Poland)Wikimedia Commons; Homik8 Michal Kosior; Own work; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons: Category:Baltic amberbursztyn bałtycki, pochodzenie Polska; autor zdjęcia Ewa Jastrzębska.Wikimedia Commons; No machine-readable author provided. Kluka assumed (based on copyright claims).; No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).; CC BY-SA 3.0; Wikimedia Commons: Category:Baltic amberUnique Colours of Baltic Amber. Natural Baltic AmberWikimedia Commons; Homik8 Michal Kosior; Own work; Public domain; Wikimedia Commons; Wikidata P18 (image) 178 words