A rare stone contains a pine needle bundle whose age may reach 50 million years

Photo: Kaliningrad Amber Combine

An inclusion with ancient pine needles 50 million years of age was found at Kaliningrad Amber Combine. Such inclusions have not been excavated at the combine for the last five years. 

This is a rare plant fragment fossilized in ancient resin that has completely preserved its shape and color. The inclusion contains a bundle of five light greenish pine needles. According to expert estimates, the age of the inclusion may reach 50 million years. Unstable climate between two ice ages, when cooling changed to warming, presumably caused strong winds. They contributed to the formation of the rare stone. A twig moved by a gust of wind likely left its needles in resin on the trunk of a nearby pine tree. 

Inclusions at Kaliningrad Amber Combine make up about 5% of the total clear amber extraction volume. They are selected manually at the sorting stage. Then stones go through several assessment stages. Inclusions are classified into two grades according to their size and uniqueness. The first grade inclusions, after processing, are put up for unique gemstone auction, while the second grade samples are used in jewelry and souvenir production. 

The weight of the found pine needle inclusion is 29 grams. Its dimensions are 57x45mm. After grinding and mirror-like polishing, the stone will be put for unique amber auction within the AmberForum 2025, the 13th International Economic Amber Industry Forum.