RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Hi all! This is a small trip report from a quarry by the town of Mikhaylov, Ryzan Oblast, situated in 200 km from Moscow. The place is very well known among the public interested in fossils, especially ammonite collectors. There are 4 quarries in a tight group, operated by different companies. Mikhaylov quarry is the most famous of them. The experience is very similar to that of other Callovian - Oxfordian quarries (in my previous reports), but ammonites suddenly take the place of gastropods! Pretty exciting, isn't it? Unfortunately there are not many spoil piles as Jurassic overburden is also used in production and taken to the plant. Another difference is that the site is overwhelmingly Callovian with little Oxfordian part. The ammonites are pyritized. What we see is usually the center of big specimens and small ones, large complete ammonites are preserved as imprints. We had prominent paleontologists in our group and the permission to visit most of the quarry. This trip took place in summer. Edited November 28, 2021 by RuMert 1 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) The quarry with its plant Edited November 29, 2021 by RuMert 1 8 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) The spoil piles and some ammonites found (Callovian). Unfortunately weather-worn Edited November 28, 2021 by RuMert 8 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Ammonites found in the layer immediately worked on by excavators had the best colors and quality. We had a short time to examine it while the workers were on lunch Edited November 28, 2021 by RuMert 13 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hadrosauridae Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 heartbreaking! What happens to all that materials being removed? Glad you were able to save a few. 1 "There is no shortage of fossils. There is only a shortage of paleontologists to study them." - Larry Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Then we proceeded to a small Oxfordian outcrop inside of the quarry. A couple hours work yielded me just one small Cardioceras Everything is bright reddish-pink on extraction, afterwards becoming pinkish-grey Edited November 28, 2021 by RuMert 5 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Day's finds. These are mostly Callovian ammos of Kosmoceras, Brightia and Funiferites genera Edited November 29, 2021 by RuMert 4 18 1 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taj Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 excellent trip and report ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) And some typical Oxfordian finds I've shown you before. This is definitely a place to visit more, of which I'll keep you informed. Thanks for reading! Edited November 28, 2021 by RuMert 10 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 21 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said: What happens to all that materials being removed? They are somehow used in cement and brick production My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nala Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Very nice finds and report! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R0b Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Interesting report thanks for sharing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Great report. Beautiful fossils! 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimravis Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Great report, pictures and finds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 Thank you everybody 1 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Looks like an extraordinary day of excellent finds. Love the pink colored ones. Congratulations and thanks for sharing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Quite spectacular, to find such amounts of such beautiful ammonite specimens! What a contrast to my recent trip to Liesberg! 1 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilhunter21 Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Awesome report! Those are some amazing finds! -@fossilhunter21 Edited November 28, 2021 by fossilhunter21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 29, 2021 Author Share Posted November 29, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said: What a contrast to my recent trip to Liesberg! You can't get the best out of a site in a single trip . My main target were Oxfordian ammonites but I found only one. We both need to revisit Edited November 29, 2021 by RuMert 1 My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everhardus Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 Nice, thanx ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euhoplites Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Amazing location. Digging in clay is fun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Very interesting and I love those ammonites. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted November 30, 2021 Share Posted November 30, 2021 Excellent report and finds, as always! 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 Thanks again My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudB Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Very nice finds. And great photos, as always. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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