Max fragmento Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I found this in South Dakota. I had never found a pyrite ball before but it was suspiciously round and too heavy. That was a cool enough find...... but I just wondered if there might not be something inside. No guts ... no glory. A beautiful crystal filled little gastropod at the heart of the pyrite. Super cool.!! Maybe these are very common but so cool. What kind of age range could we be talking about with something like this. Did the fossil form somewhere else, get washed out of its matrix and then get encased in pyrite. I dont have a clue about that stuff. Thanks for any info. Max Fragmento Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6ix Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I have no idea, but I can tell you it's cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It's lovely! Does it streak-test black? Just wondering whether it might be some other ironstone than pyrite. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max fragmento Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 When I cut it , it was gold colored. It has weathered to that dull gray in the course of a year. I should try streaking it. Good idea. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It looks like pyrite , with possibly a gastropod as you said. Can't guess at the age w/o more info. Very pretty. If you buff it up it will shine a lng time with a coat of nail polish protectant on it. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Very nice find. I'm pretty certain that you have a cross section of a gastropod there in what used to be a clay concretion. The animal was imbedded in the clay after it died and then the organic substance from it was transformed into pyrites by bacteria which could exist in an oxygen free environment, thereby creating a concretion harder than the surrounding clay. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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