How Fossiliferous are Cambrian Period Rock Formations in Illinois

[Joseph Fossil]

I've recently been looking over the geologic formations in Illinois and I found one that's a bit interesting - it's a Cambrian period outcrop but it seems to be a bit small, only found in parts of Ogle and Lee County, Illinois.

 

http://ebeltz.net/firstfam/1stfam.html

 

https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1202269

 

https://ilstratwiki.web.illinois.edu/index.php/Cambrian_System

 

I haven't heard of a lot of fossils coming from this area so I'm wondering if anyone's been fossil hunting in that region of Illinois before and how common are Cambrian Fossils from Illinois's Ogle and Lee Counties?

[connorp]

I know of only Cambrian surface exposure, but it is no longer accessible.

[Thomas.Dodson]

I've scouted and collected at some sites in the area before but I never came across any Cambrian period outcrops.

[Joseph Fossil]

On 11/21/2022 at 1:56 PM, Thomas.Dodson said:

I've scouted and collected at some sites in the area before but I never came across any Cambrian period outcrops.

 

@Thomas.Dodson That's cool! What fossils were you able to find there?

[Joseph Fossil]

On 11/21/2022 at 1:16 PM, connorp said:

I know of only Cambrian surface exposure, but it is no longer accessible.

 

@connorp I'm a bit confused - what do mean no longer accessible? Has the area been bulldozed or is it now private property? 

[Thomas.Dodson]

3 hours ago, Joseph Fossil said:

 

@Thomas.Dodson That's cool! What fossils were you able to find there?

Not much really. Streptelasma corals and some brachiopods that I haven't identified according to my records. I'd have to see them to know why I didn't try to identify them (I'm away from that part of my collection at the moment) but I assume they weren't in the best of condition.

[connorp]

1 hour ago, Thomas.Dodson said:

Not much really. Streptelasma corals and some brachiopods that I haven't identified according to my records. I'd have to see them to know why I didn't try to identify them (I'm away from that part of my collection at the moment) but I assume they weren't in the best of condition.

You were probably in the Platteville which is quite dolomitized in that area, so preservation is indeed usually not that great.

[Thomas.Dodson]

8 minutes ago, connorp said:

You were probably in the Platteville which is quite dolomitized in that area, so preservation is indeed usually not that great.

Correct, it was in the Platteville.

[Joseph Fossil]

11 hours ago, Thomas.Dodson said:

Not much really. Streptelasma corals and some brachiopods that I haven't identified according to my records. I'd have to see them to know why I didn't try to identify them (I'm away from that part of my collection at the moment) but I assume they weren't in the best of condition.

 

@Thomas.Dodson That's still pretty cool you found some Streptelasma coral. I've just started to collected good rugose coral specimens off the coast of Lake Michigan.