fossilcrazy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 A lot of us collectors have seen favorite collecting sites go away. Some sites vanished overnight with a quarry owners whim or a new legislation enacted. Still other sites slowly evaporate with availability. The later is the story of the Mazon creek area. With the phase out of high sulfur low grade Bituminous coal; strip mines of the SW Chicago area stopped operations and went to reclaiming the lands. No more strip mines dredging new nodules and no old nodules left on the leveled spoils heaps. Vegetation has taken over the nodule bearing grounds leaving only new excavations to bring back to light the nodules which were once the treat to fossil collectors. All this happened over decades and I was lucky enough to get a taste just before things got bad. Even in the heydays of Mazon creek, when people hauled dozens of heavy buckets home; a large percent of the nodules were "duds". Part of the fun collecting was the suspense of finding if a nodule held a Spider, or Shrimp, or Fish, or Insect, or Fern, or Clam and the list goes on and on. Even though the buckets were very heavy over the long distances and the waiting for freeze/thawing was suspenseful; there are collectors who woefully wish to be suffering like a mining mule hauling the treasures home and waiting for the Spring nodule tapping. I have selected a few of my favorites Mazon fossils to show. The plants I collected myself and the "tully" was from the collection of Francis Wolff. My Horseshoe crab was a recent purchase. My lucky plant finds: a Cordaite blade, a Macroneuropteris leaflet and a Trigonocarpus megaspore pod. My Tully which so happens to be Illinois' state fossil, I sketched the animal because mine is missing the proboscus. Here are before and after pictures of my Euproops danae. You would be surprized what a pin vice and ultrasonic cleaner can do for a fossil. I'll try to add to this string with more. Feel free to add your favorite nodules to this post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) If only they would let us use a big digger on the spoil tips ...I bet theres thousands of fossils still to be found lol... Seriously though I'm all to aware of sites coming and going and you have to make the most of them whilst they are accessible... one thing I have also noticed is area's you 'think' will be heaving with nodules when they eventually dig through them backfilling the holes are usually sparse to say the least... things need time to weather out and the speed they work these days the shale doesnt really get chance to break down to free the nodules... Very nice selection of finds there, the 3D seed and the Euproops are my fav's, you dont see many with tails...Thanks for sharing them... Edited September 19, 2011 by Terry Dactyll Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Nice examples in your collection John. What exactly is a pin vise.... I am not familiar with the terminology. PL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 The fossils from there do amaze me. There are some Mazon Creek hunters on the forum too so have been able to see quite a few.. You have some first rate ones from there.. I hope to hit that site maybe in November... Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilcrazy Posted September 19, 2011 Author Share Posted September 19, 2011 (edited) Nice examples in your collection John. What exactly is a pin vise.... I am not familiar with the terminology. PL Peter, A Pin Vise is a small tool consisting of a holder that tightens a needle or pin in it's clamping tip. Regular needles are too soft. A specially hardened pin is used (Mohs Hardness 7 or Rockwell 65 will do) Pin Vises are used to pinch/rupture matrix away from a fossil in a very controlled fashion. Here are my holders one thick one thin: Edited September 19, 2011 by fossilcrazy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RomanK Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Hi John, very impressed favorite MC fossils. I like especially the 3d Trigonocarpus. I have a couple from Mazon which I've got during my visit to IL. Roman http://s1143.photobu.../donbassfossil/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paleoflor Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Nice specimens, John. I am very much impressed by your work on the Euproops; the before and after picture are like day and night. Amazing preparation and recovery work! Searching for green in the dark grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trilobiteruss Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 awesome specimens. Love your tully. I have a similar one missing just the very tip of the proboscis. Your Euproops danae looks great after cleaning. Thanks for sharing your special mazon creek material! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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