RJB Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Has anyone heard of copper replaced poop? I was at a gem and mineral show this past weekend and one dealer had this stuff that he said was 'copper poop'. Ive never heard of copper poop and ive seen alot of poop from all kinds of critters. He says its from my state of Montana too. Im going to be seeing him later this week and maybe even buy some. He had one piece of copper poop all cleaned up by muriatic acid and it was truly very shiny copper with a purplish hue!!! I was wondering if anyone has ever seen or heard of copper poop? My wife bought a little piece but i dont know where she put it otherwise I would post a piture of it. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoRon Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Could it have been pyrite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinG Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I don't think that it is possible. What he may have been referring to was the particular shape of the item. EDIT: Upon thinking of it and re-reading the post. Metallic copper was showing: Digging way back into the chemistry years.... Copper being a element is fairly stable otherwise it would not be in its elemental form in rock formations. I believe that for copper to leach into something requires an acid to work. Shells, bones and certainly dinopoo would not react well with an acid. Kevin Goto, Lafayette,CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 This is my "cautiously skeptical" face: "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...
JohnJ Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I don't think that it is possible. What he may have been referring to was the particular shape of the item. RB, like KevinG said, it may be the shape. Copper does occur in "nugget" form that may look like poop. I've never heard of copper coprolite. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 A picture could help us to help you, Ron http://www.mbfossilcrabs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I've seen it before, but it was the day after my little girl swallowed a penny. I just flushed it. How much are you willing to pay? My girl is a little older now, but I imagine I could trick my 4 yr old boy into getting you one. For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Someone eating pennies again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AeroMike Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Like others have stated, copper can be in nugget form. Back when I lived in Michigan, I have seen them and I know in the UP (Upper Peninsula for non Michiganders LOL ) they still find nugget copper. " This comment brought to you by the semi-famous AeroMike" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefootgirl Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've seen it before, but it was the day after my little girl swallowed a penny. I just flushed it. How much are you willing to pay? My girl is a little older now, but I imagine I could trick my 4 yr old boy into getting you one. That is just super funny. In formal logic, a contradiction is the signal of defeat: but in the evolution of real knowledge, it marks the first step in progress toward victory. Alfred North Whithead 'Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn835 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I have heard the expression sh*^%ing nickles before, but never pennies. With rocks in my head, and fossils in my heart.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ynpigo Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 It was probably cleaned with nitric acid. I've never heard of copper replacing "poop". Most native copper is found in oxidizing environments. Hard to believe "poop" would last long enough in such environments that it could be replaced by copper. Copper nuggets, on the otherhand, are a common form of native copper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 As I understand it, pure gold, copper, silver, etc. deposits are formed from superheated water dissolving the material (lava and water underground allowing great temp. because of great pressure), then as the water cools, the materials "undissolve", leaving veins of the material. I don't know how they could replace a coprolite, without destroying it. Could it be a mineral replacement? There are some iron minerals that are blue that form in an anoxic environment. Brent Ashcraft ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 sulfate-reducing anaerobic bacteria can precipitate copper sulfide (CuS) which can sometimes have a metallic appearance like elemental copper. i guess a lot would depend on the environment of deposition of the coprolite. i could see it happening, but i could also see somebody plating poop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ok, im gunna hafta get a photo, but now that ive read your post, im thinking its a nugget form of copper? Bowkill: very funny, laughed outloud at your post! I will try and get a photo of the piece my wife bought. But heres a thought: Is it possible for poop to decompose/disolve away leaving an empty chamber and then filled in with copper? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 ...Is it possible for poop to decompose/disolve away leaving an empty chamber and then filled in with copper? I doubt it; that would have copper accreting in an undisturbed sedimentary deposit. "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...
Seldom Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I've seen it before, but it was the day after my little girl swallowed a penny. I just flushed it. How much are you willing to pay? My girl is a little older now, but I imagine I could trick my 4 yr old boy into getting you one. How about I send you some silver dimes, man I can see big profits. Will need to look into child labor laws but if that's a problem we can outsource overseas. Galveston Island 32 miles long 2 miles wide 134 bars 23 liquor stores any questions? Evolution is Chimp Change. Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain! "I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen." Ernest Hemingway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Ok, here are two pics of what my wife purchased. This was a small one compaired to most of the others, but there were smaller ones and yet even some were quite smooth of all different sizes. But now that ive givin this a bit of thought, I dont see how this stuff could be a fossil. Still purty cool though, I may buy some just for specimens for copper mineral collectors? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 ...I dont see how this stuff could be a fossil. Still purty cool though, I may buy some just for specimens for copper mineral collectors? Is it actually copper? "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...
RJB Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Is it actually copper? I have a lot more patience than I used to auspex. its wearing very thin now with that question!!! Ok,. just kidding. It looks like copper, how else am iI supposed to know? Doesnt it look like copper to you? Common, what else can it be? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 It could well be copper. See Here for a few examples. EDIT- not a coprolite though. KOF, Bill. Welcome to the forum, all new members www.ukfossils check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn835 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 It certainly looks like poop. With rocks in my head, and fossils in my heart.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ynpigo Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 They look like copper psuedomorphs after octahedral cuprite crystals. Interesting pieces. I still doubt the "poop" origin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinG Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 It may not be copper at all! It may be a bronzed poo. Typically I have seen copper in a crystalline form rather than solids like you have. A chunk of copper that size would be rather heavy. Kevin Goto, Lafayette,CA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone digger Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 alot of the "bumps" on the poo seem to have a worn yet rather square shape making me think its some type of mineral growth cluster rather than an intestenial assemblage. I would be leary of any cu poo now that I've seen yours. nice piece of poo though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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