Normal for an older fossil?

[LiamL]

This was my first ever fossil. It was gifted to me about 10-15 years ago, but i've noticed it now has crusty stuff around it. I don't think it was there before.

Is this normal, will it get worse and should i be worried?

 

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

I think this fossil is pyrite? 

if so this is probably pyrite 'disease' which has claimed large numbers of my ammonites and also many of my fossils from Sheppey in the past. 

It's not good news, i'm afraid.

 

[LiamL]

45 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I think this fossil is pyrite? 

if so this is probably pyrite 'disease' which has claimed large numbers of my ammonites and also many of my fossils from Sheppey in the past. 

It's not good news, i'm afraid.

 

I didnt think this one was pyrite, i might have to try a spray of WD 40.

[JohnBrewer]

Got any Paraloid Liam? If not drop me a pm. 

 

J

[Taogan]

Wire brush followed by Paraloid is better than WD40, it doesn't look too bad yet, you should be able to save it. It looks like it is a Yorkshire ammonite and they are usually pretty stable, some of mine were prepped more than 100 years ago and are still OK. Did you soak it to remove the salt when you found it? It could be more to do with that than anything else. Don't get it wet now though.

[LiamL]

2 hours ago, Taogan said:

Wire brush followed by Paraloid is better than WD40, it doesn't look too bad yet, you should be able to save it. It looks like it is a Yorkshire ammonite and they are usually pretty stable, some of mine were prepped more than 100 years ago and are still OK. Did you soak it to remove the salt when you found it? It could be more to do with that than anything else. Don't get it wet now though.

It was a gift, i was very young at the time and it's what got me into fossils. I don't think it was dipped in salt.

[Max-fossils]

12 minutes ago, LiamL said:

 I don't think it was dipped in salt.

I don't think that's what @Taogan means 

There are many fossils, nearly all beach finds, that you have to soak in water for a few days after having found them, in order to make the salt go out of the fossil (this happens by osmosis I think). Otherwise, if the salt stays in the fossil, when that salt is exposed to air it is likely to destroy the fossil. I know I have to soak the fossils I find on the Zandmotor (a beach, where I do my fossil hunting) to remove the salt from them, and then coat them with a mix of water and wood glue to definitely protect them (don't coat your ammonite with this though; I don't know if it might have negative consequences on yours). I don't know if soaking the fossils in water to remove the water is recommended though for ammonites like these; their chemical structure is very structure to the fossils I find which are Pleistocene.

[JohnBrewer]

It’s pretty much porous stuff that needs to be soaked a while such as bone and maybe your shells Max. If this has salt on it a quick wash will sort it out. Unfortunately water and pyrite is a bad combination, even slight humidity. Paraloid is the solution here. 

[Taogan]

15 hours ago, LiamL said:

It was a gift, i was very young at the time and it's what got me into fossils. I don't think it was dipped in salt.

It looks like a typical Whitby (or near there) nodule. These are found at the bottom of the cliff where they have been exposed to sea water for a few years. Rock is not always as solid as people think, the water gets into the rock carrying the salt with it. When they are found the water evaporates and leaves the salt behind. Sometimes it is a good idea when you first find a fossil from a beach to remove as much salt as possible by soaking the fossils in fresh water. 

With this one it has been away from the water for too long, so paraloid is the best solution here

[JohnBrewer]

8 hours ago, Taogan said:

With this one it has been away from the water for too long, so paraloid is the best solution here

Boom boom