Retinite

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As RETINIT (from the Greek retine "resin") very different (fossil) are resins referred that no or little succinic acid contained. Contrary to what the name extension ..it suggests, retinite is not a mineral due to its organic origin .

history

The name was used as far back as the 19th century to distinguish Baltic amber (succinite), which was regarded as "real" amber, from other fossil resins. Such resins were common on lignite deposits and were therefore well known. Since fossil resins that also contained succinic acid were found outside the Baltic amber deposits in the 1930s, the name is no longer suitable to distinguish Baltic amber from other types of amber.

Today's approach

In general, retinite is still regarded as both a type of resin and is used unspecifically as a collective term for amber without succinic acid or with a succinic acid content of less than 3%. But also accessory, fossil resins in both solid and powder form from lignite deposits and their accompanying layers are called retinite. Such retinites are often microscopic and are mostly still in the body of the plant that produced the resin. This means that the botanical origin of such resins can be reliably determined, while fossil resins such as Baltic amber generally only contain indirect evidence of their botanical origin (e.g. vegetable inclusions, chemical composition). In this context, retinite is usually not viewed as amber, but at most as a possible intermediate stage in the genesis from fresh resin to amber. The use of the term retinite is critically discussed in the specialist literature.

Synonyms use of the term

"In macropetrography , bituminous substances from coal" are referred to as retinite. In micropetography, however, one speaks of “ resinite ”.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b G. Standke: Bitterfeld amber equals Baltic amber? - A geological space-time consideration and genetic conclusions. In: EDGG issue 236, pp. 11–33, Hanover 2008.
  2. ↑ R. Fuhrmann: The Bitterfeld amber deposit, just one high point of the occurrence of amber (succinite) in the Tertiary of Central Germany. In: Z. dt. Ges. Geowiss., Pp. 517-530, Stuttgart 2005.
  3. ↑ W. Schneider: Retinite and amber as components of phytogenic taphocoenoses in coal seams and coal-like accompanying layers . In: EDGG issue 236, pp. 77-87, Hannover 2008.
  4. ↑ Norbert Vavra: Copals, amber, fossil resins: problems of their nomenclature and systematics. In: Excursus. f. and Veröfftö- DGG, 249 S .: pp. 68–75, Hannover 2013.

literature

  • N. Vávra: Amber and other fossil resins. In: Journal of the German Gemmological Society , Issue 4, Idar-Oberstein 1982, ISSN  0343-7892
  • Günter Krumbiegel and Brigitte Krumbiegel: Bernstein - Fossil Resins from all over the world. Fossils, special volume 7, Weinstadt 1994, ISBN 3-926129-16-6

Web links