butchndad Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Hello watching the trees dancing in the near hurricane winds and of course am daydreaming about sharking (as my wife calls it) i occasionally pick up a piece and hopeful but unsure if it’s a fossil, bring it home only to see when it dries out that it’s just a piece of wood. Ive kept a couple and the 3rd photo I still think may be a piece of modern poop. Anyone else keeping wood? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butchndad Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 3rd piece - the suspected poop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 It looks like some of it is actually lignite, a type of unstable fossil wood “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butchndad Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 5 hours ago, The Jersey Devil said: It looks like some of it is actually lignite, a type of unstable fossil wood thank you. It's crumbling and falling apart. is there an easy way to preserve it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butchndad Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 13 hours ago, The Jersey Devil said: It looks like some of it is actually lignite, a type of unstable fossil wood and now that you say that i remember that my hands had a chemical smell after i held it. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jersey Devil Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 24 minutes ago, butchndad said: and now that you say that i remember that my hands had a chemical smell after i held it. Thanks again There is no easy way. The best way to stabilize the lignite is with PEG (polyethylene glycol) http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/19304-preserving-lignite-fossils-with-polyethylene-glycol/ The other problem is the unstable form of pyrite (what you are smelling), likely marcasite. A lot of the pyrite tends to be stable, but larger pieces like that are usually not the stable form (the metallic smell is an indicator of an ongoing reaction). To counteract it, you need to apply something that isolates it from the oxygen and moisture in air. I use Paraloid for that. I haven't tried applying paraloid to a specimen with PEG in it yet, but it should work. Keep the lignite submerged in water until you PEG it. “You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” ― Mikhail Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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