Fish_trawler Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 I believe that this is a mineral and not a fossil but am unsure. I think that it may be a form of feldspar but it has column like strands throughout the rock. Any guesses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Notice the texture of this specimen. Kind of coral-like, but I think it is a mineral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 It looks like coral to me, but I don't know much about minerals. Brent Ashcraft 1 ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Fish_trawler, What are the dimensions of this piece? Could this be tabulate coral? http://www.google.com/search?q=tabulate+coral&hl=en&gbv=1&tbm=isch&ei=_atFVLz7F6_msATU-ILIBg&start=0&sa=N I'm not much of a mineralogist, so I keep seeing it as a coral. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_trawler Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) Fish_trawler, What are the dimensions of this piece? Could this be tabulate coral? http://www.google.com/search?q=tabulate+coral&hl=en&gbv=1&tbm=isch&ei=_atFVLz7F6_msATU-ILIBg&start=0&sa=N I'm not much of a mineralogist, so I keep seeing it as a coral. It does resemble many of the photos on the link you posted but is somewhat smaller than many of those examples. The specimen is about 2"x 1.5"X1.5". It was found in the Missouri River south of Columbia, Mo. Edited October 21, 2014 by Fish_trawler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_trawler Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 (edited) After further digging I believe it may actually be fossilized Devonian Tabulate Coral and possibly of the Emmonsia genus. Several fossil sites have similar photos resembling this specimen. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, I thought it may have been a petrified plant or mineral formation. I will need to look at the specimen under a microscope at work tomorrow to be sure. http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/DevonianCorals.html Edited October 21, 2014 by Fish_trawler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_l Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Silica Replaced coral, see if it scratches glass. 1 Howard_L http://triloman.wix.com/kentucky-fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_trawler Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 Silica Replaced coral, see if it scratches glass. I agree that the piece is agatized coral formed through silica replacement. Thank you for the informative ID! After viewing the specimen under a microscope I am certain that it is Devonian tabulate coral. However I didn't know what kind of mineral had fossilized the coral. I could clearly see the individual coralites from the top and side views of the piece. This website has a more complete example that looks very similar to the specimen I have. Thanks to everyone who helped me ID the origin of this fossil! http://soliussymbiosus.wordpress.com/2011/02/04/devonian-tabulate-coral/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howard_l Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 If it scratches glass it is quartz replacement. If it does not it would most likely be calcite or dolomite. Howard_L http://triloman.wix.com/kentucky-fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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