MarcoSr Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 I just finished searching a small sample of Cretaceous matrix from Grant Co., South Dakota that I broke down using 10% vinegar. It took almost 2 weeks to break this matrix down. Again, I want to thank Trevor for sending it to me. I broke down pieces that looked like a fish conglomerate. I could see visible fish teeth and vertebrae in the matrix. The pieces were all very thin, about an inch or two, which leads me to believe that this conglomerate was a thin layer of only a couple of inches. This matrix was also composed of smaller particles unlike the rest of the matrix from the site. I found lots of micros in this unlike the fine lose matrix from the same site, especially a lot of fish micros. Also the teeth were in much nicer condition and I found different species from those that I found in the gallon of fine lose matrix which I previously posted from the same site. I’m posting the nicer and more unusual micros which I found. If you place your cursor on a JPEG image you will see the file name which will have the specimen id as best that I can determine and the specimen size. Each matrix that I search makes me more of an avid micro tooth collector. If anyone has or can collect good matrix with shark, ray, and fish micros please send me a PM. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj102569 Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 cool stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted June 28, 2013 Share Posted June 28, 2013 Great photos and post Marco Sr. - G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 cool stuff Trevor Thank you again for sending me the matrix. If you ever want to check out your matrix for micros, definitely check out those thin fish conglomerate pieces first. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj102569 Posted June 29, 2013 Share Posted June 29, 2013 What did u use to break it down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted June 29, 2013 Author Share Posted June 29, 2013 What did u use to break it down? 10% vinegar (pickling vinegar). Left it in the vinegar for two weeks. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Did you try using anything besides vinegar to get the stuff out of the matrix? I ask because I wonder if there might be any shells in the matrix as well as teeth. Thanks for any input. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Did you try using anything besides vinegar to get the stuff out of the matrix? I ask because I wonder if there might be any shells in the matrix as well as teeth. Thanks for any input. The matrix that I received, hard chunks and loose matrix, looked like it was from several different layers. I tried a lot of different things to break down the hard pieces. The 10% vinegar broke down the thin fish conglomerate pieces but took a while. These pieces had a really good concentration of micros. Nothing other than mechanical means worked on the other types of matrix pieces. I split these pieces with a hammer and chisel/screw driver. They did contain a good number of large teeth like Ptychodus which I mechanically removed. I don't remember any shells but I search so much different matrix that I may not be remembering correctly. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Yep I got some big chunks myself. Do you happen to know that the fibrous wood looking stuff is? I tossed a few bits in some 5% vinegar (the strongest I have) to see how well that does. I hope to get my blasting box completed within the next week and hit some of the large pieces with that as well to try that out. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Yep I got some big chunks myself. Do you happen to know that the fibrous wood looking stuff is? I tossed a few bits in some 5% vinegar (the strongest I have) to see how well that does. I hope to get my blasting box completed within the next week and hit some of the large pieces with that as well to try that out. I don't remember any wood. There were a lot of bone fragments, again if I'm remembering correctly. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 It is not really wood, but it is soft enough for a dental pick to dig into. It is sort of a brownish color though and seems fibrous. It might be some sort of bone fragment. I just got the box today so I am planning my attack on it really. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 It is not really wood, but it is soft enough for a dental pick to dig into. It is sort of a brownish color though and seems fibrous. It might be some sort of bone fragment. I just got the box today so I am planning my attack on it really. It may be a bone fragment. You'll be able to tell more if you can mechanically uncover more of it. It could be a modern contaminant. If you can post a picture, the TFF members here might help with an id. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 These are very nice! Is there anyone that can maybe provide more of this matrix? ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcoSr Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 These are very nice! Is there anyone that can maybe provide more of this matrix? Trevor (tj102569) provided the matrix. You might PM him. Marco Sr. "Any day that you can fossil hunt is a great day." My family fossil website Some Of My Shark, Ray, Fish And Other Micros My Extant Shark Jaw Collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yzhang Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Nice tiger shark tooth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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