pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Hi all, I was on the bank of a creek west of Festus, MO and I found this odd looking rock. It was partially buried in the mud. I didnt think anything of it until my wife said "that thing looks like a turd." I began researching coprolite and I'm curious what your thoughts are. I've always loved pre-historic history but my knowledge of fossils is extremely limited, to put it lightly. There is a crack that runs along the back in which there appears to be a quartz-like material. Any information or opinions would be much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Looks like a lumpy botryoidal texture on the top. I'm guessing that it is geological rather than biological and @ynot may have more information about this piece. Welcome to the forum! Lots of great information here. Cheers. -Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Welcome to the forum! I agree with Ken. I don’t think it is a fossil, but an interesting rock to be sure! Something I would hang on to and display on my geological shelf. Some of our more geological oriented folks may be along shortly to approve of or refute our guess so hang tight! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Welcome to the forum from Austin, Tx. I agree that it is geological. From what I can make out in the picture, I'd say it is calcite. Scratch a small area with a nail or knife and put a couple of drops of vinegar on the scratched area. If it fizzes, it's likely calcite. A nice piece with the botryoidal surface and the crystal pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Thank-you all for the great information! I'm impressed by how quickly you all replied and agreed on an identification. I tried the vinegar test, but alas, no fizzing. I wet the entire piece and the rear became rather translucent. It's a bit tough to see in the photo bit the lighter section has a good bit of depth when looking at it in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 This is a piece of agate. Agate is a common form of cryptocrystalline quartz. 1 Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandpa Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 16 minutes ago, pfs42 said: I tried the vinegar test, but alas, no fizzing. Then, perhaps it is quartz. Did a steel knife or nail produce a visible scratch or did it seem that the rock was harder than the steel and no real scratch was produced? I see ynot just responded as well. My suggestion is along the same lines as his conclusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, grandpa said: Then, perhaps it is quartz. Did a steel knife or nail produce a visible scratch or did it seem that the rock was harder than the steel and no real scratch was produced? I see ynot just responded as well. My suggestion is along the same lines as his conclusion. It did produce a light scratch but I had to dig into it pretty decently to make a mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfs42 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 6 minutes ago, ynot said: This is a piece of agate. Agate is a common form of cryptocrystalline quartz. Thank you for the info! Is this something that would be worth cutting open in your opinion? My four year old loves rocks and has said she wants something shiny. It's roughly 7" wide so it's a nicely sized piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 1 minute ago, pfs42 said: Thank you for the info! Is this something that would be worth cutting open in your opinion? My four year old loves rocks and has said she wants something shiny. It's roughly 7" wide so it's a nicely sized piece. Some agates will have nice colored banding. The only way to know is to cut it. It will take a diamond blade for cutting. A tile saw will work if You do not have access to a rock saw. Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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