Amber and Copal can also be found in secondary deposits, in other words, deposits that were not the original depositional areas of the Amber or Copal.


Many times when the resin has already been fossilized, it can be taken out of its original depositional environment and be redeposited in sediments and survive the lithofication and diagenesis of the sediments, and therefore be found in sedimentary strata that can sometimes be far away from were the resin was produced.


For example, Baltic Amber was largely produced by the now extinct conifer Pinites succinifera which lived 40-50 million years ago. During the late Eocene or early Oligocene, the forests containing this species of conifer were flooded (by the sea), and the resin was taken out to sea, only to be returned by the sea and deposited with sediments in ancient rivers, or near the coast. This Baltic Amber is now found within a layer of "blue clay" which the sea is continually washing it out and redepositing the Amber on the shore.


The average density of amber is only slightly greater then that of sea water, therefore the Amber can sink to the bottom of body of sea water, but can also easily move around with currents, since its average density is so close to that of sea water.


Sea water also provides an good haven for the Amber, because Amber oxidizes quite readily in anoxic environment, like the terrestrial surface. The amount of oxidation that Amber undergoes in seawater is much less then on the terrestrial surface. This is one of the reasons why Amber is able to survive for millions of years on the earth's surface in that Amber found in coal deposits or in sedimentary strata are anoxic environments that do not attack, (oxidize) the Amber.