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Fusain (Evidence Of A Forest Fire 307 Mya) [Edited]


Stocksdale

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EDIT: These are fusain and not "Coal Balls." They are concretions of fossilized charcoal wood, showing evidence of a forest fire.

Note from Jack: (copied from below)

I contacted probably the world authority on Paleozoic fires and lords over one of the largest coal ball collection in the world, Dr. Ian Glasspool, Head of Geological Collections and Adjunct Curator & Paleobotany Collections Manager at The Field Museum. Here is what he said "they look a lot like well-cemented charcoal clasts. There are some nodules from the Creek (much smaller) packed with the stuff, much as these are. The charcoal in those is certainly high reflectance i.e. burned at a high temp. Irrespective they don't look like a classic coal ball." The common name for this type of fossil is fusain. You have the evidence of a "forest" fire 307 mya. Much cooler then a common coal ball.

These were collected in a Mazon Creek spoil pile from an older underground mine. I understand that the older underground mines would bring up everything from the seam of colchester coal and overlying shale. Then at the surface, they'd remove the "gob" -- non-coal stuff like these and add to the pile.

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan

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Classic "coal balls" are concretions of nearly pure organic remains that form within the coal seams. These samples look to me more like lignite "mulch" in a matrix. Such often occurs in the transgressive strata above and beneath the coal seams proper.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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I'm probably wrong then. Sorry about that. I thought since it was clearly permineralized it was the same as 'coal ball' material.

And most of it is hard and heavy material not like coal.

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan

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I contacted probably the world authority on Paleozoic fires and lords over one of the largest coal ball collection in the world, Dr. Ian Glasspool, Head of Geological Collections and Adjunct Curator & Paleobotany Collections Manager at The Field Museum. Here is what he said "they look a lot like well-cemented charcoal clasts. There are some nodules from the Creek (much smaller) packed with the stuff, much as these are. The charcoal in those is certainly high reflectance i.e. burned at a high temp. Irrespective they don't look like a classic coal ball." The common name for this type of fossil is fusain. You have the evidence of a "forest" fire 307 mya. Much cooler then a common coal ball.

Jack

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Thank you, Jack, for the 'Rest of the Story' (and what a story it is)!

Waaaay cooler than plain old coal balls, IMHO.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Frankly, I think these are FOTM-worthy...

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Thanks, Jack! Wonderful to have such expertise as yours and Dr. Ian Glasspool looking at these.

At the same location within a few feet I found a trunk (psaronius I think) that also may have been preserved by being in that same forest fire. I had submitted it in the fossil of the month contest.

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan

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Cool pieces.

I'm glad you started this thread. Over the years, I've found small chunks of 'charcoal' in certain Pennsylvanian limestones. I now wonder if some drifted out to sea after forest fires. One example:

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Context is critical.

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...I've found small chunks of 'charcoal' in certain Pennsylvanian limestones. I now wonder if some drifted out to sea after forest fires...

We may be talking about fires of such ferocity that these were carries out to sea by convection!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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