NickG Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Does anyone have experience hunting the Silica Shale in Michigan? How common are vertebrate fossils? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 I'll wager vertebrates will be fairly uncommon (placoderms, most notably Protitanichthys rockportensis). I have the Kesling and Chilman text, which is a great resource, but if you have not seen it already, this is a good online resource: http://michiganbasinfossils.org And here is their list of submitted silica shale fossils: http://michiganbasinfossils.org/search?fm=Silica ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinus Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 There is only one Silica Shale site in Michigan and that is an abandoned quarry near Milan, Michigan. The quarry is filled with water and the dump piles are overgrown. It is also now a Super Fund site so access is highly controlled. In the good old days you could occasionally find specimens of the placoderm Protitanichthys. These days it is mostly brachiopods as the dump piles are highly weathered. I can't remember the last time someone found a piece of a placoderm. Joe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bockryan Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 44 minutes ago, crinus said: There is only one Silica Shale site in Michigan and that is an abandoned quarry near Milan, Michigan. The quarry is filled with water and the dump piles are overgrown. It is also now a Super Fund site so access is highly controlled. In the good old days you could occasionally find specimens of the placoderm Protitanichthys. These days it is mostly brachiopods as the dump piles are highly weathered. I can't remember the last time someone found a piece of a placoderm. Joe I believe the North American Paleontological Convention will be doing a field trip to this site in June, might be better to do the Grand Ledge one on the same day, as much as I do like Silica Shale brachiopods (and I do!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorp Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 2 minutes ago, bockryan said: I believe the North American Paleontological Convention will be doing a field trip to this site in June, might be better to do the Grand Ledge one on the same day, as much as I do like Silica Shale brachiopods (and I do!) If your goal is collecting, the Silica Shale + Blue Ridge Esker trip is what you want. Both sites are visited by local clubs for collecting, and it sounds like collecting is the goal of the conference trips. On the other hand, the Grand Ledge outcrops are (I believe) in a nature preserve so no collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bockryan Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 1 minute ago, connorp said: If your goal is collecting, the Silica Shale + Blue Ridge Esker trip is what you want. Both sites are visited by local clubs for collecting, and it sounds like collecting is the goal of the conference trips. On the other hand, the Grand Ledge outcrops are (I believe) in a nature preserve so no collecting. Correct, pretty sure no collecting at Grand Ledge, still interesting to see of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 (edited) I was planning on taking the BRE trip if it does not conflict with the workshop I am presenting on that same day, but if the Silica Shale trip is a chance at a site that is otherwise off-limits, that's another story entirely. Edited January 21 by NickG clarified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connorp Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 43 minutes ago, NickG said: I was planning on taking the BRE trip if it does not conflict with the workshop I am presenting on that same day, but if the Silica Shale trip is a chance at a site that is otherwise off-limits, that's another story entirely. Well both sites are currently only accessible on FUMMP club trips. You’ll have better vertebrate luck at BRE from what I’ve seen. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 26 minutes ago, connorp said: Well both sites are currently only accessible on FUMMP club trips. You’ll have better vertebrate luck at BRE from what I’ve seen. There's more to life than vertebrates though. 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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