mikeymig Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I found a brachiopod recently in a ball of mud and clay. I cleaned it up when I got home and found it to be 5 brach shells all stuck and fossilized together with a bryozoan on the top shell. Its very heavy for its size and, I dont see any rust but, the center of this ball may be iron pyrite. Pyrite is common at this site and Im not going to crack it open to find out. Thanks Mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Interesting.. If it has pyrite, do you have to treat it somehow to protect it from pyrite disease in future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Mikey, Very nice speciman. All of my good Pseudotrypas and Spinotrypas are from Lake Erie Cliffs. I'm especially fond of them. I take it brachs are common at that locality. Will I see this speciman at the game on Sunday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Spinatrypa and friends, Brachiopods all, Wore their finest attire To the Brachiopod Ball. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted January 31, 2014 Author Share Posted January 31, 2014 Spinatrypa and friends, Brachiopods all, Wore their finest attire To the Brachiopod Ball. Nice! Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Seneca20 Posted February 2, 2014 New Members Share Posted February 2, 2014 That came out better than I thought. Good find my Mikey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPlainPetrified Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I found a brachiopod recently in a ball of mud and clay. I cleaned it up when I got home and found it to be 5 brach shells all stuck and fossilized together with a bryozoan on the top shell. Its very heavy for its size and, I dont see any rust but, the center of this ball may be iron pyrite. Pyrite is common at this site and Im not going to crack it open to find out. Thanks Mikey Nice find and great cleanup. I wouldn't try to open that puppy up either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaRockhound Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 How do you keep pryrite from breaking down ? I have found marcasite over in Alabama and some pyrite fossils in South Georgia. A lot of my marcasite and turned to crumbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 I'm not sure there's pyrite in the middle but like I said its heavy for the size. I find fossils at this site with both pyrite and marcasite. The pyrite found with the fossils from this site are very stable and I have pieces found years ago that are fine. The marcasite replaced fossils have issues and I have to clean them from time to time. Mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I think Marcasite is especially unstable and I don't think washing them is going to help any, it will just keep breaking down unless you do something to protect them (there are other threads on that topic). Pyrite is also unstable, if on a longer time scale and perhaps depending on the humidity or pollution it is exposed to. I know I have pyrite mineral specimens that have held up but I don't expect them to forever. On the other hand I have a pyrite ammonite from Germany that started turning white almost as soon as I acquired it. I don't know offhand what the trick is, I have to look into those other threads to find out what to do about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeymig Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 No I'm not washing them I use a brush wheel on my rotary. The pyrite I have is separate from the fossils. For example I have pyrite druze clusters with brachs attached that have been fine for 20 years so far. I also have some clams replaced by pyrite that are doing great. Sometimes it's hard to tell the ones that are time bombs but never get them wet. Mikey Many times I've wondered how much there is to know. led zeppelin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Oh OK, well in any case if you clean them and then have to clean them later again, it sounds like they are decaying and will keep doing so until you have buffed the whole thing away, eventually! There has to be some method you can treat them with (cleaning and coating with something protective) so that they will not keep decaying, or start decaying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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