Bitterfeld amber

While visually similar to the better known Baltic amber and often historically considered to be redeposited Baltic amber, chemical analysis shows that it is distinct from Baltic amber.

The amber is found deposited in sands and silts of the Cottbus Formation, which is thought to be of late Oligocene age, considerably younger than the amber itself.

[1] Some fossil animal species are shared between Baltic and Bitterfeld ambers, supporting the idea that they were deposited at the same time, while both ambers have species apparently unique to them.

[2] The amber bearing deposit was excavated as part of a lignite coal mining operation active from 1975 to 1993, which resulted in over 400 tonnes of amber being unearthed.

[3] The source tree is suggested to have either belonged to Sciadopityaceae or to Pinaceae.