silicification
/ˌsɪlɪsɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
noun
- The process of becoming or being turned into silica or a siliceous substance, especially in geology or paleontology.
- Over millions of years, silicification turned the wood into a hard, stone-like material.
- The silicification of the ancient tree trunks preserved their cellular structure perfectly.
- Geologists study silicification to understand how fossils form in volcanic ash.