Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Made a trade with a colleague in Illinois for some Mazon Creek, unopened concretions. I traded some of my leftover (8 lbs) Fruitville Quarry Kinzers (unopened) material (I still have several nice big chunks). In the water soaking now. Will make some posts once things start to become revealed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good luck - finger's crossed. Regards, 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...
fossilized6s Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good luck. Did they say what pit the nodules are from? ~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...
Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good luck - finger's crossed. Regards, Thanks! I'm happy with the trade and just pleased to be able to work with these concretions a bit. Not sure if I will ever make it to Illinois so this was a good chance. And call me completely nerdy... but I love the smell of fresh fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good luck. Did they say what pit the nodules are from? Great question, I didn't bother to ask. I will email him this afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 You will get a good idea what you are going to find in them judging from the pit. I also suggest investing in Jack's (fiddelhead) Mazon Creek Fossil Fauna and Fossil Flora if you are thinking of continuing your hunt for Mazon Creek fossils and knowledge. ~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...
Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 You will get a good idea what you are going to find in them judging from the pit. I also suggest investing in Jack's (fiddelhead) Mazon Creek Fossil Fauna and Fossil Flora if you are thinking of continuing your hunt for Mazon Creek fossils and knowledge. Information like this is much appreciated. Since I am becoming obsessed again, I probably will photograph and post everything I find. Forgive me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 Good luck with the nods--let us see what turns up once they start popping. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 Just posted an ID page with photos of one that accidentally broke upon being placed in the soak bucket. This is very exciting stuff. Thanks all for the good wishes. Lets hope for some goodies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 (I had to post this as I just recently discovered the second "line" of emoticons hiding in the emoticon bar.) -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted July 17, 2014 Author Share Posted July 17, 2014 As an update in regards to Pit # - these nodules have been in storage for 40+ years - they were his grandfathers. Only notes say Mazon Creek/Francis Creek Nod. Age: Penn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanNREMTP Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 It's like waiting for a baby to be born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted July 17, 2014 Share Posted July 17, 2014 As an update in regards to Pit # - these nodules have been in storage for 40+ years - they were his grandfathers. Only notes say Mazon Creek/Francis Creek Nod. Age: Penn. Wow! Antique fossils! (Is that redundant? Or even possible?) I wonder if there will be a difference in the quality (contents) of these "vintage" nodules? Given that nodules from the Braidwood Biota tend to be more terrestrials/fresh water (plants, insects, etc.) and the Essex Biota is more marine (jellyfish, shrimp, annelid worms, etc.) it should become apparent where these nodules were collected once they start producing identifiable specimens. Of course, it is always possible that these are a mixture of nodules from both areas. Waiting to see some interesting things emerge from the nodules. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Still waiting for these puppies to pop... taking quite a few iterations of freeze-thaw. One had a few leafy-bits on the outside, but the majority of the nod was still in fact, so I am going to continue to freeze-thaw it. Is there anything I should/could consider to speed the process up without taking a hammer to the side of them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 "Haste makes gravel" "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...
Mattalic Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 "Haste makes gravel" Fair enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Nothing that I've found will help speed-up the process. The nods are 300myo and seem to only pop when they are good and ready. Since you are trying to mimic the natural freeze/thaw weathering cycle the best I can deduce is to make sure the nods spend some quality time soaking between freeze cycles. Water penetrating into the nodule (especially through any micro fine cracks and fissures is what is helping the nodule to split when it expands during freezing (a novel property of water). Auspex speaks the truth. I've tapped some of my smaller nodules after several freeze/thaw cycles which made a few pop (though nothing identifiable was to be seen inside of them). Abuse with a hammer increases the chances of shattering any good ones you have or possibly forcing it to split somewhere other than the plane of the fossil. "Patience, grasshopper" -Master Po (ancient and arcane TV show reference from the 70s) Cheers. -Ken P.S.: Did get one nodule to pop yesterday. Rather than a nice even split along the widest axis it was more of a chunk out of one side. This happens sometimes when there are septarian like fissures in the nodule. When the chunk pulled out I was surprised to find what looks like a Macroneuropteris leaf inside. Instead of lying flat in a plane it was warped and bent at an angle which was underlying the chunk that came free. Not the prettiest of fern fossils but unusual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Thought I would give a quick update. There is none. Freezing and thawing still going on. It seems that most of the time, a skin-thin layer of rock peels away from the nodule - no cracks deep enough to really reveal anything. Is this the typical experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Freezing and thawing still going on. It seems that most of the time, a skin-thin layer of rock peels away from the nodule - no cracks deep enough to really reveal anything. Is this the typical experience? Seems typical of my experience. From what I understand the concretion at the heart of this nodule is sometimes covered with several layers of a shale material (like a 300mya jawbreaker). Every time I thaw a bunch of nodules I use a small jewelers screwdriver (flat blade) to help peel off these "onion skin" layers. I've found out that many times the rusty brownish layers continue to peel away will a different colored (usually grayish or tan) layer is reached that, by the texture, looks different enough that it seems I've reached the heart of the matter. The trick is to get water to penetrate into any micro fissures (I don't know how permeable the siderite material is) and get far enough into the nodule that the expansion of the freezing water can pry apart the nodule (hopefully on the fossil bearing plane). Consider the peeling as progress and be willing to put in the patience necessary to wait for something to appear. When a nodule is ready to pop it will let you know. Sometimes a fine crack around the margin of the nodule will be apparent (which may be gently coaxed apart manually) or the nodule may just fall apart into halves. At this point it is a waiting game. Those privileged ones with many buckets of nodules have the advantage of numbers to have some at the popping stage on a regular basis. Till you get some poppers you can keep yourself busy (as I do) by dutifully peeling your nodules. I'm always reminded of the scenes of privates peeling potatoes in those army movies of the 1940's sitting on a stool with a paring knife and a mountain of potatoes to be peeled. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattalic Posted August 1, 2014 Author Share Posted August 1, 2014 Seems typical of my experience. From what I understand the concretion at the heart of this nodule is sometimes covered with several layers of a shale material (like a 300mya jawbreaker). Every time I thaw a bunch of nodules I use a small jewelers screwdriver (flat blade) to help peel off these "onion skin" layers. I've found out that many times the rusty brownish layers continue to peel away will a different colored (usually grayish or tan) layer is reached that, by the texture, looks different enough that it seems I've reached the heart of the matter. The trick is to get water to penetrate into any micro fissures (I don't know how permeable the siderite material is) and get far enough into the nodule that the expansion of the freezing water can pry apart the nodule (hopefully on the fossil bearing plane). Consider the peeling as progress and be willing to put in the patience necessary to wait for something to appear. When a nodule is ready to pop it will let you know. Sometimes a fine crack around the margin of the nodule will be apparent (which may be gently coaxed apart manually) or the nodule may just fall apart into halves. At this point it is a waiting game. Those privileged ones with many buckets of nodules have the advantage of numbers to have some at the popping stage on a regular basis. Till you get some poppers you can keep yourself busy (as I do) by dutifully peeling your nodules. I'm always reminded of the scenes of privates peeling potatoes in those army movies of the 1940's sitting on a stool with a paring knife and a mountain of potatoes to be peeled. Cheers. -Ken Thanks for this. This keeps me motivated then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Russell Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 The only material I've found with plant pieces on the outside of nodule have been from braidwood biota nodules. Its possible you have pit one concretions. Pit was was heavily collected back in the day. Its no longer collectable because there's now a golf course on the property. I'm looking forward to seeing what these babies might reveal! 1 Finding my way through life; one fossil at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySRT8 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 (edited) What seems to work for me with the Mazon nodules is to soak them for atleast 24 hours then freeze for a few days. When I pull them from the freezer and thaw them out I'll actually stick them in the oven for about 20 min to a half hour. That seems to really shed the layers of shale built up (onion peel ), I get a higher split rate like that as well. I've taken a hammer to them a few time and ruined some very nice fossils..... Sometimes I just can't help myself lol.BTW after I bake them then easily peel the layers off, I'll soak them again over night. Edited September 9, 2014 by JoeySRT8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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