Different Minerals Produce Different Colors

Minerals and Fossils come in a wide variety of colors. Examples include phosphate, a mineral commonly used to replace shark teeth. Phosphate is a jet-black mineral. If phosphate replaces the original material, the fossil will become black. Iron-rich areas produce red and orange-colored fossils. Areas with gray clays and limestone will also produce a gray-green or gray-yellow color, similar to shark teeth found in North Carolina. Read more: https://www.fossilageminerals.com/blogs/news/why-do-common-fossils-come-in-different-colors