I'll take things Absolutely not supposed to be found in Southeast Kentucky for one thousand, Alex...

[Kentuckyhistorygirl]

Hello 👋  I am so happy to have found this forum! I have already gleaned some excellent I formation and look forward to more. I am an avid researcher. If my interest in something, in ANYTHING is piqued, I have to KNOW all there is to know about that particular subject. A blessing and a curse. My curiosity is rarely, if ever, fully satisfied. I have been told by many, many experts that several of the things I have been finding recently are absolutely NOT in Southeast Kentucky amd I MUST be mistaken. Ummm... I live in Southeast Kentucky and most (99%) of what I have found in the past several months has been from an area within 10 miles of my home.  So, what am I missing? Only so much can be explained through the occasional drop or glacial deposits. Just in the past 24 hours I have found over 30 small geodes! All between 1 inch and 4 inches in diameter. All within 30 yards of each other. NOT in or near water. Also found were bits of agate, small agate nodules, crinoids, crinoid crusted geodes, loads of Rugose (horn) coral, etc...

[Lone Hunter]

Actually that all sounds pretty normal for what's found all over Kentucky,  sounds like your in a good area.  But then I'm not an expert.

[Kentuckyhistorygirl]

Lol definitely can be found in Kentucky.  It just isn't supposed to be in this particular part of Kentucky.  At least, not according to all the "experts" in the surrounding counties.

[Kentuckyhistorygirl]

[Lone Hunter]

Curious who the experts are? Have you researched what formation your in?  That will tell you what is found in the area.

[Coco]

I don’t see anything that makes me think of geodes here. They should contain crystals. Do you have an open one to see them inside ?

 

Coco

[Ludwigia]

These mostly appear to me to be weather/waterworn pebbles which don't have the looks to me like they all originated in the Pennsylvanian sedimentary shale and sandstone deposits which make up the bedrock of southeastern Kentucky, although some might have. But to be quite honest, I'm not at all familiar with what the different Formations might have to offer in the way of mineral deposits. This would need some research. The glaciers didn't reach that far south, but their runoff with their deposits could have, so it might make for interesting research for you to find out exactly where they might have left some things.

[FranzBernhard]

Could have been deposited by paleostreams. What are the particular circumstances of your finds? From plown fields or something similar?
Franz Bernhard

[FossilNerd]

Hello and welcome to the forum!  I live in Central Kentucky. Nice to see another Kentuckian join the forum.  

 

I believe most of what you have is landscaping rock. It’s know as “river rock” or “local river rock”. Although, I have never been able to pinpoint a local source. It is sold at every landscaping store around the state by the truck load. It comes in 3 different sizes and is a mix of what you describe. Your’s appears to be the medium variety. I have both the small and medium sizes in my landscaping myself. If it wasn’t pre-dawn here I would take a picture for reference. I’ll try to remember to get one after work today.

 

Still, don’t be discouraged. When I first started fossil collecting seriously it was in this very same type of landscaping rock. It’s usually chock full of water worn horn coral, brachiopods, and bryozoans, as well as a variety of very beautiful water worn cobbles as evident by what you have shown.  

[Fossildude19]

Welcome to the Forum.

 

I see puddingstone, chert, agates, and quartz.

Not seeing any fossils right off, although, the last item does slightly resemble a rugose coral.

If minerals and rocks are your thing, Mindat has loads more of experience in that stuff.
While geology, minerals, and rocks are tangentially related, here we mostly focus on the fossils.

[FossilNerd]

On 12/1/2023 at 6:34 AM, Fossildude19 said:

Not seeing any fossils right off

 

This is the only fossil I see here. It’s a very water worn horn coral. I agree though, that most (if not all the rest) are strictly geological and mindat would be a great resource.
 

 

Below are pics from my previously mentioned landscaping “river rock” collection. I got it wet to make what little details it has more visible. Sorry for the quick and dirty picture. I should be getting ready for work! 🙃

 

 

 

[FossilNerd]

3 hours ago, Coco said:

I don’t see anything that makes me think of geodes here. They should contain crystals. Do you have an open one to see them inside ?

 

Coco

These are likely geodes. They have the wrinkled brain look (for lack of a better term) that is typical for this area. It’s not the only type of geode here, but is probably the most common and the easiest to spot. And yes, they should contain crystals if cracked open.  

 

[Fossildude19]

I totally missed that one Wayne! Good eye, dude.    

Good chance that the geodes are actually geodized crinoids, or other fossils.  

The one on the upper left looks like it has echinoderm symmetry.

 

 

[Isotelus2883]

I think this gravel may be from the shores of a great lake in Michigan (I forget which one). Compare here and here.

Edited December 1, 2023 by Isotelus2883

[Gizmo]

Welcome aboard! 🙂

[trilobites_are_awesome]

As @FossilNerd said the ones marked are geodes.

[Fin Lover]

Welcome to the forum from a former Kentuckian!

[CarrieB]

On 12/1/2023 at 5:58 AM, FossilNerd said:

Hello and welcome to the forum!  I live in Central Kentucky. Nice to see another Kentuckian join the forum.  

 

I believe most of what you have is landscaping rock. It’s know as “river rock” or “local river rock”. Although, I have never been able to pinpoint a local source. It is sold at every landscaping store around the state by the truck load. It comes in 3 different sizes and is a mix of what you describe. Your’s appears to be the medium variety. I have both the small and medium sizes in my landscaping myself. If it wasn’t pre-dawn here I would take a picture for reference. I’ll try to remember to get one after work today.

 

Still, don’t be discouraged. When I first started fossil collecting seriously it was in this very same type of landscaping rock. It’s usually chock full of water worn horn coral, brachiopods, and bryozoans, as well as a variety of very beautiful water worn cobbles as evident by what you have shown.  

I’m in Central KY as well, and concur about the landscaping rock, as well as the potential for the occasional find amongst the mix. We had several years of gravel from our local limestone quarry (I am in Lexington) delivered to the playground at the school where I teach, and over time I’ve had some neat fossils appear before my very eyes just by looking down when I walk around!