Poo Question

[sharko69]

19 hours ago, GeschWhat said:

Hard to say. It could be an inclusion. Perhaps that's why the phosphatic/poop material cracked off in this area. Can we see a shot of the fractured end?

 

[GeschWhat]

Hard to say for sure because of the shadow, but this could be an inclusion.

 

By the way, tomorrow (March 12th) is William Buckland's 234th birthday! For those of you who aren't familiar with Bill, he is the guy who coined the word "coprolite." The word is a mash up of the Greek words Kopros (dung) and Lithos (stone). Originally, scientist thought coprolites were fir cones (the spirals) or bezoars. Were he alive today, I'm quite sure he would be chiming in on this thread. 

[abyssunder]

The fractured end shows a silica rich material. I'm wondering if the specimen can't be banded chert.

[GeschWhat]

21 minutes ago, abyssunder said:

I'm wondering if the specimen can't be banded chert.

I'm not really up on my minerals. The fracture does look like chert. A lot of the coprolites in Texas have a similar fossilization. Usually when you get closer to the core, it is an apatite. What would you call a silica phosphate mineral?

[sharko69]

Here is a better lit picture of that area.

[sharko69]

1 hour ago, GeschWhat said:

Hard to say for sure because of the shadow, but this could be an inclusion.

 

By the way, tomorrow (March 12th) is William Buckland's 234th birthday! For those of you who aren't familiar with Bill, he is the guy who coined the word "coprolite." The word is a mash up of the Greek words Kopros (dung) and Lithos (stone). Originally, scientist thought coprolites were fir cones (the spirals) or bezoars. Were he alive today, I'm quite sure he would be chiming in on this thread. 

Happy Birthday!!

[abyssunder]

47 minutes ago, GeschWhat said:

I'm not really up on my minerals. The fracture does look like chert. A lot of the coprolites in Texas have a similar fossilization. Usually when you get closer to the core, it is an apatite. What would you call a silica phosphate mineral?

I don't know how to call it, but below is an interesting document related to the structure and chemistry of phosphate minerals.

pdf

 

I'm not saying it can't be coprolite, but it really looks like banded chert.

 

 

[GeschWhat]

5 hours ago, sharko69 said:

Here is a better lit picture of that area.

No that isn't an inclusion. That is what apatite (calcium phosphate) looks like when it fractures. The dark one below it could be an inclusion though. 

[GeschWhat]

4 hours ago, abyssunder said:

I'm not saying it can't be coprolite, but it really looks like banded chert.

 

Now that is COOL! When you were talking banded chert, I was thinking chert with different colored mineral rings. Thanks for the PDF!

[abyssunder]

29 minutes ago, GeschWhat said:

Now that is COOL! When you were talking banded chert, I was thinking chert with different colored mineral rings. Thanks for the PDF!

You're welcome, Lori!
I forgot to link the source of the comparative image, so ... here it is.

[GeschWhat]

Okay, @abyssunder, I'm only about half way through the PDF. Help me out? It has been a long time since I have had chemistry/geology (Mt. St. Helen's blew when I was taking those classes ) and some of this terminology seems different (like new math). Would the more porous form of calcium phosphate found in coprolites be Monetite? Is the wacky bonding why it sticks when you wet it? 

[abyssunder]

20 hours ago, GeschWhat said:

Would the more porous form of calcium phosphate found in coprolites be Monetite? Is the wacky bonding why it sticks when you wet it? 

I don't know, Lori, but they are very good questions. The Miocene - onward teeth I have in my collection (especially the Rhyno molar) stick when I touch them with my wet finger.
Calcium phosphate compounds are present in bones, teeth, coprolites, renal stones as well as in some rocks.