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Showing results for tags 'little smoky river'.
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Going back to our fossil hunting trip at the end of September this year, it always amazes me to think of the forces involved in the evolution of our little planet. I had found a large chunk, about 10" in diameter, of shale/mud matrix with some baculite pieces sticking out at different angles. When I went to work in it over the past few days, the nature of the piece came to light. I can only imagine so many baculites being swept along in a flow of mud, crushing and splitting pieces; eventually coming to rest eventually creating the sedimentary formation. Then, how many years later, this formation is cracked by earth shaping forces, further splitting the pieces within the matrix, allowing veins of calcite to form? I am amazed at the number of pieces in this small sample. You can see how this became an index fossil for the K-T extinction event 66 mya.
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Baculites from Littly Smoky River, Alberta
JustPlainPetrified posted a topic in Fossil Hunting Trips
Another very successful trip to the Little Smoky River this year north of Valleyview, Alberta. River levels had finally receded and we were lucky to be one of the first to pick the banks for exposed baculites. They are mostly fragmented and I have yet to find a complete specimen. No matter the size their colours are brilliant from silvery white, blues, reds and greens. The shimmery colour catches your eye when they are wet and at the waters edge.