Echinoid "cores"

[Chippewa]

Just thought I would post some pictures of these (Ryncholampas gouldii) echinoids that I cut/ground/sanded/polished into cross-sections to show the variety of the fossilization processes. The white one was found on the bank of the River in a limestone matrix.  The other five were found in a different river bottom, all in close proximity to each other.  Even though they all were in the same type of dark sediment/rock, they all have different combinations of materials/layers/etc.  were all extremely dense and hard to cut/grind - like a granite/marble material.  For anyone not familiar, one of the pictures shows the profile of a full intact specimen (a "before" picture).  Another picture shows an "after" profile picture, showing how these were taken down to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.  For what it's worth, the darker the material, the harder/more dense it is.

[caterpillar]

The white is complete (with the shell), the others are just internal molds

[minnbuckeye]

I am not really sure of the purpose and results of the polished echinoids. Could you explain your results a little more than "showing the fossilization process"???       

 

Thanks,

Mike

[Chippewa]

Purpose? - just curiosity really... I wanted to see inside

Results? - I thought it was interesting how the five that were found together all looked pretty much the same on the outside, but on the inside, each one has a different look and different mineral makeup/layers/etc., even though they were all in a very similar environment

[Mark Kmiecik]

46 minutes ago, Chippewa said:

Purpose? - just curiosity really... I wanted to see inside

Results? - I thought it was interesting how the five that were found together all looked pretty much the same on the outside, but on the inside, each one has a different look and different mineral makeup/layers/etc., even though they were all in a very similar environment

I'm liking it. It's good to know that slightly different processes can give the same result.

[siteseer]

2 hours ago, Chippewa said:

Purpose? - just curiosity really... I wanted to see inside

Results? - I thought it was interesting how the five that were found together all looked pretty much the same on the outside, but on the inside, each one has a different look and different mineral makeup/layers/etc., even though they were all in a very similar environment

 

 

I get it.  Yeah, sometimes you find so many of a fossil (like echinoids at the Vulcan Mine or at Haile Quarry) that you wonder what to do with some of them  The incomplete ones look a little weird so you decide to see what they look like cut and polished.

 

I have some broken whale teeth from the Sharktooth Hill Bonebed.  They are different colors and appear to be of differing degrees of mineralization.  I'm thinking of grinding down the broken crowns and then polishing those just to see what they look like.  I have a couple of shark teeth with broken roots that look cool because the roots are more mineralized and preserved in a layered pattern.

[Randyw]

5 minutes ago, siteseer said:

 

I have some broken whale teeth from the Sharktooth Hill Bonebed.  They are different colors and appear to be of differing degrees of mineralization.  I'm thinking of grinding down the broken crowns and then polishing those just to see what they look like.  I

 I think my fossil hoarder soul just died a little when I saw that!

seriously though they are your fossils you can do what you want. It should be an interesting undertaking. Make sure you post photos if you do it! 

[Chippewa]

15 hours ago, siteseer said:

I have some broken whale teeth from the Sharktooth Hill Bonebed.  They are different colors and appear to be of differing degrees of mineralization.  I'm thinking of grinding down the broken crowns and then polishing those just to see what they look like.  I have a couple of shark teeth with broken roots that look cool because the roots are more mineralized and preserved in a layered pattern.

 

That would be interesting - please share if you do.  I've ground and polished small tusk fragments that I've found also and they are really interesting - super shiny and lots of color

[minnbuckeye]

@Chippewa The reason I asked is that I just hunted an area new to me and am processing the fossils (Ordovician marine). Even on hash plates, there are distinct differences as to mineralization. I look at it and see black, grey, cream ,and reddish orange brachiopods all on the same piece of matrix! It intrigued me. then I saw your post.

[siteseer]

17 hours ago, Randyw said:

 I think my fossil hoarder soul just died a little when I saw that!

seriously though they are your fossils you can do what you want. It should be an interesting undertaking. Make sure you post photos if you do it! 

 

I got the idea from looking at some of the teeth I had before, specimens naturally worn down.  If I sand down the jagged parts of the broken tip to a smooth surface it would look a lot like natural wear.

[Plantguy]

On 8/7/2019 at 1:53 AM, Chippewa said:

Just thought I would post some pictures of these (Ryncholampas gouldii) echinoids that I cut/ground/sanded/polished into cross-sections to show the variety of the fossilization processes. The white one was found on the bank of the River in a limestone matrix.  The other five were found in a different river bottom, all in close proximity to each other.  Even though they all were in the same type of dark sediment/rock, they all have different combinations of materials/layers/etc.  were all extremely dense and hard to cut/grind - like a granite/marble material.  For anyone not familiar, one of the pictures shows the profile of a full intact specimen (a "before" picture).  Another picture shows an "after" profile picture, showing how these were taken down to approximately 1/4 inch thickness.  For what it's worth, the darker the material, the harder/more dense it is.

 

I like the curiosity and appreciate the photos!!..I have quite a few photos of some of that species from Vulcan Brooksville/Suwannee Fm with their different shapes and sizes as well as different preservation types/looks. I have quite a few that I can see inside but I havent cut any open yet....I considered looking for some more calcite crystal infills but havent gotten around to it....Oh another project to have some fun with...anyways, here's some photos below of my curiosity...

Peeping out of some matrix...

An external mold....

Several cross sections insitu..

Calcified examples..

An interesting one showing a dark staining outlining the various plates. 

 

My latest adventure/therapy of looking at the insides of things involves dissolving barnacle clusters in little containers of vinegar looking for non-calcified remains/microsphericules and other small fossils in the lithified sediments within........

 

Keep hunting/looking/wondering! Nice finds and photos!

Regards, Chris 

 

[Chippewa]

Excellent....

That last one (the black and white one) is really cool

[dalmayshun]

My avatar image is the cross section of a crinoid stem, slightly polished,  I found in Wax, Ky...sometimes the indise is intriguing. Might be cool for some photographer to produce x-ray images of some complex fossils, much like photographs do with flowers.