The differences between fossils and non-fossils hinge on their association with palaeobionts. Fossils should have biological characteristics, such as form, structure, patterns and organic composition and have preserved traces of the living palaeobionts. Certain types of matter are preserved in rocks but are unrelated to living organisms, or their associated activities cannot be called fossils even though they look like some types of fossils; and these are called non-fossils. Typical examples of non-fossils are Jiang Jie Shi (Ginger stone, loess child), turtle stones and dendritic iron deposits.
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(2020). Fossil and Non-Fossil. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_747
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