Russell Wildlife Area (Oskaloosa, Iowa) Blastoids

[minnbuckeye]

I visited the Russell Wildlife Area in Oskaloosa, Iowa yesterday. It is a series of old mine pits of Pennsylvanian, Pella rock. Reportedly, blastoids are found here. After spending 4 hours looking, I came up empty, at least in regards to the blastoids. Plenty of other marine finds. I am wondering if anyone has possibly  visited the area and stumbled onto any blastoids? Is it a needle in the haystack, or was I looking in the wrong rock structure? Just curious in case a return trip ever occurs. @squalicorax, I noticed you hunted the area.

 

Mike

Edited July 2, 2021 by minnbuckeye

[Al Dente]

I collected that area in the early to mid 1990s. If I remember correctly there were spoil piles off to the side of the ponds that would weather and dozens of small blastoids and crinoids could be found. I'm guessing after 25 years all these piles would be covered with vegetation. I caught some nice crappie in the ponds.

[connorp]

@minnbuckeye I'd love to see some of your other finds.

[minnbuckeye]

@connorp, I will do a trip report after I do some IDs. During this trip, I also collected geodes in Keokuk along with  crinoids and fish teeth in Burlington. 

[minnbuckeye]

@Al Dente, I noticed three types of spoil piles. One was of coarser limestone, mostly in 1-2 inch chunks. Didn't find a fossil in these. Then a crumbly very light colored material, full of fossils. And finally, a greyish colored crumbly almost clay like material, also full of fossils. Were the blastoids localized to one one of these? How small were they? 

Thanks 

Mike

[Al Dente]

43 minutes ago, minnbuckeye said:

@Al Dente, I noticed three types of spoil piles. One was of coarser limestone, mostly in 1-2 inch chunks. Didn't find a fossil in these. Then a crumbly very light colored material, full of fossils. And finally, a greyish colored crumbly almost clay like material, also full of fossils. Were the blastoids localized to one one of these? How small were they? 

Thanks 

Mike

If I remember correctly, the blastoids were in the clay like material. The blastoids are small, maybe pea sized for the larger ones. You can find an occasional one with the brachioles preserved. 

Edited July 3, 2021 by Al Dente