Dug up hundreds of thousands of fossils

[mateosfossils]

What does someone do when they dig up hundreds of thousands of fossils?

We are digging our basement in southwest Wisconsin. At 4' it became nothing but fossils. A mixture of 3-8" concrete slab material and a strange dirt-like substance that seems to be made entirely of crushed shells? And in that dirt, we find small fossils not entombed in the rock.

But in every single stone there is some type of fossil. I know nothing of fossils. I will submit pics of the site so you can see how many piles of fossils there are a long with some close-ups of individual fossils. Thanks for any advice. I'd hate to use them as filll around the basement...but 

....???

 

 

[jpc]

Cool.  Looks like you found some good stuff there. 

What to do with them?  Keep a few for yourself... "We found these in the basement!"  A fun thing to do is see if a local museum or science teacher is interested.  I bet there are some people on this site who might help you make you r pile smaller... heck I would if I weren't 1000 miles away. 

 

  

[Fossildude19]

Check with local school science teachers. Tell them to come on out and take what they want, before it is gone.   

You will make someone happy.

 

I'd wager the concrete slab material is actually a limestone outcrop. I see crinoids, gastropods, rugose corals, and brachiopods. Nice hash plate material.

 

 

[connorp]

Wow, this is neat. That is Platteville Formation rock, around 450 million years in age. Some really nice fossils can be found in there with careful searching. It is one of my favorite formations to hunt.

 

You first two photos have gastropods (snails) in them. The third is an orthoconic cephalopod. The fourth is a rugose coral. The fifth is a crinoid stem.

 

If you would be up to having people come collect and help you identify what you've found so far, I might be able to. I also know a couple others who might be interested. Just let me know.

Edited December 1, 2022 by connorp

[DPS Ammonite]

Invite a local paleontology society to come collect and help you identify them.

[Harry Pristis]

Save enough of those slabs to make a fabulous fireplace in your living room.  Some judicious wire-brushing and a concrete sealant would be in order for an installation for the ages!

[mateosfossils]

4 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

Save enough of those slabs to make a fabulous fireplace in your living room.  Some judicious wire-brushing and a concrete sealant would be in order for an installation for the ages!

Wow!!! That is exactly what I'm going to do!!! Amazing idea. Thanks 

[minnbuckeye]

My Platteville hash plates receive a quick dip in vinegar, then a thorough soak in water, and finally a DILUTE coating of  paraloid B-72. a sealant, to bring out the colors and shine of  the formation's rocks. Definately show us the finished results!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

Mike 

[Mark Kmiecik]

I say keep the best, donate the rest! Many schools would love to sort through your hills of fossil material. Let them know it's available.

[grandpa]

Keep the piles of fossiliferous material and save them to search thru at your leisure over time.   This could be a great retirement activity; I'd love to have such a pile in my back yard.

[Alexthefossilfinder]

Wow those are some nice finds! First pic with the disk shaped objects are brachiopod shells. The coiled shape is a gastropod, as well as pic 2. Last shell is a really nicely held together crinoid stem. All in all really great finds! Though if you want help clearing them, I'll gladly take a few specimens off your hands haha