Color:  Tuscaloosa Chert ranges in color from white, tan, yellowish tan to yellow or brown, black, and red.  Mottling is not present.   

Texture: Course to fine grain

Luster:

Silica Fabrics / Fossils:  Stylolites occur in some meterial

Patina:

Heat Treatment:  Heat treatment increases the pink, red to orange or dark yellow color, and can strongly contract stylolites.  Also increases the luster, and increases the workability of the chert.

Knapping:  Course grain material has a poor flaking quality while the fine grain material has a good flaking quality.

Notes:  There are many overlapping characteristics between Camden Chert and Tuscaloosa Chert.  The primary distinguishing charatheristics if the presence of vugs and quartz inclusions seen in Camden Chert.  Jefferson County Fort Payne Chert has overlapping characteristics of Tuscaloosa Chert, but Jefferson County Fort Payne Chert has a finer grain and a lighter mottled color.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution Comments:

Tuscaloosa Chert is associated with the Tuscaloosa Gravel Formation of Western Alabama and eastern Mississippi.  Occurs as nodules in the Black River Basin, but cobbles and nodules wash down rivers and streams throughout most of Western Alabama.  In Mississippi these gravels wash down to lower elevations onto terraces and valleys along the Tombigbee River and its tributaries.