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I am quite new to preparing and preserving fossils and am not very knowledgeable on resin coatings. I have been told that Poly Methyl Methacrylate has some similar properties to Paraloid and can be dissolved and used to coat fossils. Is there a reason it is not used for this purpose? Thank you very much for the info.

i just got this knightia fossil recently and i was wondering if there anyway to protect it from flaking because they look pretty thin to me . I'm only an amateur collector and joined the forum recently so i'm don't know much about stuff like this.

So a bit of newbie advice please I keep my fossil collection on an bookshelf. Exposed to the indoor elements (heating etc) as it was. Mainly fish and plants with a few Trilobites and Ammonites Am thinking mainly in terms of the fish and plants. Is there any chance that part of the fossil will flake off the matrix? Would some sort of lacquer spray offer better protection? If so, any suggestions?

Hi guys! I just got an epic keichousaurus fossil. Are there any tips you guys have with keeping it in shape? Is it ok for the fossil to be in the sun? Thanks! nick

These are a few of the pdf files (and a few Microsoft Word documents) that I've accumulated in my web browsing. MOST of these are hyperlinked to their source. If you want one that is not hyperlinked or if the link isn't working, e-mail me at joegallo1954@gmail.com and I'll be happy to send it to you. Please note that this list will be updated continuously as I find more available resources. All of these files are freely available on the Internet so there should be no copyright issues. Articles with author names in RED are new additions since April 18, 2018. SPECIAL NOTE: The links below lead to files that may or may not be the most recent revisions of various local, State, Federal, etc. laws that I could find on the Internet. This compilation is not intended to be taken as legal advice nor does the compiler represent himself as a legal authority. Readers are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with all applicable laws before collecting fossils in any locale. Fossil and Artifact Collecting - Management, Laws and Regulations Laws and Regulations United States Alabama GSA Website dealing with laws about fossil collecting. Alaska U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2001). Regulations for Marine Mammal Parts Beach Found by Non-Natives. Fact Sheet. Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (2006). Historical, Prehistorical and Archaeological Resources Act of 1973 (Revised 09/11). 8CCR 1504-7 Rules and Procedures. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. (2011). Application for a Colorado State Permit for Archaeological or Paleontological Work (1415). Office of the State Archaeologist. Affidavit of Lawful Presence. (CRS 24-76.5-103) *Must be included with permit application. Bureau of Land Management. Rockhounding and Fossil Collecting - BLM Colorado. BLM/CO/GI-09/007. Florida Florida Fossil Permit Florida Legislature (2013). The 2013 Florida Statutes -1004.576. Title XLVIII - Chapter 1004. Idaho Recreational Prospecting. Rockhounding and Fossil Hunting on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Illinois Fossil Collecting Day-Use Permit: Mazonia Braidwood Fish and Wildlife Area. Montana United States Department of Agriculture (2010). Recreational Prospecting. Rockhounding and Fossil Hunting in the Montana National Forests of the Northern Region. Northern Region National Forest website. Nevada Bureau of Land Management. Collecting on Public Lands. BLM pamphlet. New Jersey Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (2004). P.L. 2004, Chapter 170. An ACT protecting New Jersey's publicly owned heritage. New Mexico New Mexico State Land Office/New Mexico Museum of Nature and Science (2014). State Land Commissioner Signs Agreement to Protect Fossils Found on State Trust Lands. North Dakota Hoganson, J.W. The Selling of the Tyrannosaurus rex named "Sue": Its Effect on North Dakota's Fossil Resource Management Program. NDGS Newsletter, Vol.25, Number 2. Hoganson, J.W. North Dakota's Fossil Resource Management Program and the Private Landowner. NDGS Newsletter, Vol.19, Number 2. North Dakota Legislative Branch (1990). Article 43-04. Geological Survey Paleontological Resource Protection. North Dakota Legislative Branch (1990). Chapter 43-04-02. Permit Program. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Council (2007). Title 38 of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Code of Justice - Paleontology. Resolution Number 355-07. South Carolina South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology. Hobby Diver License Application (includes summary of South Carolina Antiquities Act of 1991). Texas Texas Historical Commission (amended Sept. 1, 1977). Antiquities Code of Texas. Texas Historical Commission - Archaeology Division. Artifact Collecting in Texas - Landowner Flyer. Utah Geologic Information and Outreach Staff (2003). Rules and Regulations Regarding Rock, Mineral and Fossil Collecting in Utah. Public Information Series 23, Utah Geological Survey. Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (2012). Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter NR 45 - Use of Department Resources. Register February 2012 Number 674 (See NR 45.04 General Rules). Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners. Chapter 11. State Lands Exclusive Commercial and Non-Exclusive Scientific Fossil Removal Permits. Federal Lands Brunner, J., J. Kenworthy and V. Santucci (2009). Unauthorized Fossil Collecting from National Park Service Shorelines: Servicewide Policy and Perspectives. Proceedings of the 2009 George Wright Society Conference. Lazerwitz, T.J. (1994). Bones of Contention: The Regulation of Paleontological Resources on the Federal Public Lands. Indiana Law Journal, Vol.69. Report of the Secretary of the Interior (2000). Assessment of Fossil Management on Federal & Indian Lands. United States Department of the Interior. United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management (1998). Paleontological Resource Management. BLM Manual 8270. United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management (1998). General Procedural Guidance for Paleontological Resource Management. BLM Manual 8270-1. United States Forest Service (2010). Collecting Fossils: When a Permit is Required. Minerals and Geology Management, Centralized National Operations (MGM-CNO). Omnibus Public Land Management Act (2009). Subtitle D - Paleontological Resources Preservation. Public Law 111-011. P.L. 111-011, Title VI. United States Senate Report (2007). Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. Senate Calendar Number 43, Report 110-18. Canada Alberta Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs (2014). Laws Pertaining to the Collection, Ownership, and Selling of Ammonite Shell, Fossils, and Petrified Wood in Alberta. AFRC, Sep 2014 Province of Alberta (2000). Historical Resources Act. Revised Statutes of Alberta 2000, Chapter H-9. British Columbia Fossil Management Review Technical Working Group (2004). Fossil Management for British Columbia. A Review of Fossil Management in Other Jurisdictions With Recommendations for British Columbia. New Brunswick New Brunswick Heritage Conservation Act Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. Brochure: Special Places. Special Places Program, Heritage Division, Dept. of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. Palaeontology Field Research Guidelines. Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. Palaeontology Professional Research Guidelines. Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. Heritage Research Permit (Palaeontology) Application. Africa Ndoro, W., A. Mumma and G. Abungu (2008). Cultural Heritage and the Law. Protecting Immovable Heritage in English-Speaking Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. ICCROM Conservation Studies, 8. Niger Ministry of Mines and Energy (2007). Mining Code of the Republic of Niger. South African Heritage Resources Agency (1999). National Heritage Resources Act, Number 25 of 1999. Asia Peng, L.C. (1992). Fossil Localities in Malaysia: Their Conservation and Significance. Background Paper, Malaysian National Conservaton Strategy, Economic Planning Unit, Kuala Lumpur. Australasia Australian Museum (2012). Collecting fossils in New South Wales. (Thanks to Phossiker for finding this one!) Department for Environment and Heritage - Fossil Working Group. Fossil Protection in South Australia. Hayward, B.W. (2009). Protecting fossil sites in New Zealand. Carnets de Geologie, Book 2009-03, Chapter 5. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage (1975; reprinted 2014). Protected Objects Act 1975. (Thanks to Dr. Mud for finding this one!) Europe Aniţăi, N. (2013). Paleontological Heritage in Dobrogea: Protection, Geoconservation, Education and Promotion. Geo-Eco-Marina, 19. Conservation Directorate (2007). The National Trust Policy for the Collecting of Geological Materials (Fossils, Rocks, and Minerals). The National Trust. Norman, D.B. (1992). Fossil Collecting and Site Conservation in Britain: Are They Reconcilable? Palaeontology, Vol.35, Part 2. Scottish Natural Heritage (1999). Fossil collecting in Scotland. Information and Advisory Note, Number 110. Scottish Natural Heritage. Scottish Fossil Code. South America Gibney, E. (2014). Brazil clamps down on illegal fossil trade. Nature, Vol.507. Seizure/Forfeiture Cases Spangler, J. (2002). Dinosaur fossil case ends in plea bargain. Deseret News. United States of America (2017). Tyrannosaurus bataar Skull Forfeiture Case 7: 17-CV-106 Document 1. U.S. Department of Justice (2013). Hadrosaur Forfeiture Case 1: 13-cy-00857-PKC Document 1. General Management and Commercial/Amateur Collecting Atkinson, T.P., R.J. Buta and D.C. Kopaska-Merkel (2005). Saving the Union Chapel Mine: How a Group of Determined Amateurs Teamed Up with Professionals to Save a World-Class Trackway Site in Alabama. In: Pennsylvanian Footprints in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama. Buta, R.J., A.K. Rindsberg and D.C. Kopaska-Merkel (eds.), Alabama Paleontological Society Monograph Number 1. Catalani, J.A. (2014). Contributions by amateur paleontologists in 21st century paleontology. Palaeontologia Electronica, Vol.17, Issue 2. Chure, D. (2000). New Threats to Old Bones. The Theft of Fossil Vertebrates from Museum Collections. CRM, Number 5. Doucette, J. (2013). The Price of Value: Commercial Fossil Trade and Natural History Museums. Fedonkin, M.A., et al. (2009). Paleo-piracy endangers Vendian (Ediacaran) fossils in the White Sea-Arkhangelsk region of Russia. Carnets de Geologie, CG2009_B03. Gutierrez-Marco, J.C., et al. (2017). Recent Geoethical Issues in Moroccan and Peruvian Paleontology. Annals of Geophysics 60, Fast Track 7. Hatcher, J. (2006). Preserving America's Fossil Heritage. In: Fossils from Federal Lands. Lucas, S.G., et al. (eds.), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 34. Hallwood, P. and T.J. Miceli (2014). Unearthing T. rex: The Law and Economics of Paleontological Finds. University of Connecticut - Department of Economics, Working Paper Series, 2014-07. Hippensteel, S. and S. Condliffe (2013). Profiting from the past: Are fossils a sound investment? GSA Today, Vol.23, Number 8. Kuizon, L. (2006). Appraisal of Fossil Resources and Specimens. In: Fossils from Federal Lands. Lucas, S.G., et al. (eds.), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 34. Larson, P.L. and D. Russell (2014). The benefits of commercial fossil sales to 21st century paleontology. Palaeontologia Electronica, Vol.17, Issue 1. Lundgren, G. (1998). Protecting Federal Fossils from Extinction. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review, Vol.26, Issue 1. MacFadden, B.J., et al. (2016). Amateur paleontological societies and fossil clubs, interactions with professional paleontologists and social paleontology in the United States. Palaeontologia Electronica, 19.2.1E. Mayor, A. (2007). Fossils in Native American Lands: Whose Bones, Whose Story? Paper presented at the History of Science annual meeting, Washington DC. Norman, D.B. (1992). Fossil Collecting and Site Conservation in Britain: Are They Reconcilable? Palaeontology, Vol.35, Part 2. Padian, K. (2000). Feathers, Fakes and Fossil Dealers: How the Commercial Sale of Fossils Erodes Science and Education. Palaeontologia Electronica, Vol.3, Issue 2, Editorial 2. Page, K.N. (2018). Fossils, heritage and conservation: Managing demands on a precious resource. In: Geoheritage. Reynard, E. and J. Brilha (eds.) Plotnick, R.E. (2011). Out of the Mainstream: Fossil collecting in the 21st century. Palaeontologia Electronica, Vol.14, Issue 1. Santucci, V.L., P. Newman and D. Taff (20016. Toward a Conceptual Framework for Assessing the Human Dimension of Paleontological Resources. In: Fossil Record 5. Sullivan, R.M. and S.G. Lucas (eds.), New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 74. Shimada, K., et al. (2014). The greatest challenge to 21st century paleontology: When commercialization of fossils threatens the science. Palaeontologia Electronica, Vol.17, Issue 1.