NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 2, 2019 20:31:15 GMT -5
I was hiking around on the side of a large hill, and stumbled across a rock that maybe someone has a guess on. Warning: Boring, ugly, possibly fossil, probably junk rock pictures below. I did some research of the area, and the hill is located on a former, ancient mud flat, which was surrounded by active volcanoes. The hill is mainly composed of Siltstone, Sandstone, Limestone, conglomerate, and a ton of severely fractured Chalcedony. I was looking mainly at Chinle formation deposits around this area, but read that it was possible the ground I was standing on, was Cenozoic. I have never seen any life form, other than Stromatolites a few miles away. I've not found any fossils, ever. Here is the pile of random float in which I found the rock. Fractured, jumbled, nothing. Another look at the ugly possible fossil rock I looked around for 20 minutes for other examples. Anything, whether embedded in mud rock or not. But found nothing like it. Almost I came across this other rock, which is Chert-like hardness, which has what I imagine is Coral patterns? Here is the other side of that rock. Again, not a big rock, and also the only other thing I saw all day, as I traversed pretty much all ground pictured in Ugly Hill picture above. The area was a mud flat, covered with water pools for a long time. There is evidence of petrified Conifer trees within a few miles of this. The vicinity was subject to lots of volcanic ash, faulting, and other stuff. Who knows. All of this stuff is guesses by me. And the rocks are not pretty, and I won't tumble them. But thought that maybe someone might know some fossil stuff, and either confirm or refute my ugly fossil rock claims. Thank you.
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Post by vegasjames on Feb 2, 2019 20:46:55 GMT -5
Did you check out that mine to the left?
Looks like what you have is part of a fossil shell. The area all around Las Vegas is loaded with marine fossils. I have found fossil sponges South and East of here. Fossil corals North and South of here. Fossil marine worms North of here. Fossil shells South of here and in the valley. Marine coprolite here in the valley. Crinoids North, South and East of here. And one fish fossil South of here.
By the way there is a gem club meeting Monday 6pm at the Eagle's Lodge on Washington just East of LV BLVD.
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Feb 3, 2019 3:21:47 GMT -5
That is either a Fossil or a petrified hunk of mud with a Racoon track in it, I would really say Fossil for sure but I gotta admit that Fossils are not my strong suit ! In a day or two, someone here will chime in and knowing this group, give you the Latin name for it ! I have never seen so many mental giants in one place in my entire life!
Me,I only know the names of three kinds of rocks:
1- Lake Superior Agate
2-That's kinda neat let's cut it and see what's in it
3- I am (NOT) carrying (THAT) all the way back to the truck !
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 3, 2019 7:43:32 GMT -5
My opinion (which is by no means expert) would be 1 - yes, looks like a fossil; a shell like vegasjames said would be a good guess. the last two images - it does look like corals, yes. All I can do is compare with stuff which is found around here. Have a look and compare: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/85998/kais-fossilsif you scroll from top down, 5th and 6th image are a shell; if you scroll from the bottom of the page up (my last post), there are many images of corals (7th - 10th pic).
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 4, 2019 0:24:20 GMT -5
Did you check out that mine to the left? Looks like what you have is part of a fossil shell. The area all around Las Vegas is loaded with marine fossils. I have found fossil sponges South and East of here. Fossil corals North and South of here. Fossil marine worms North of here. Fossil shells South of here and in the valley. Marine coprolite here in the valley. Crinoids North, South and East of here. And one fish fossil South of here. By the way there is a gem club meeting Monday 6pm at the Eagle's Lodge on Washington just East of LV BLVD. Hi James. Yes, I thoroughly walked the orange / red / purple siltstone (mudstone, and sand) / conglomerate to the left of the circle. There were many other examples of orange, yellow, and even green siltstone on the right, not pictured. This associated with late Triassic period, often a host to calcified or crystallized stone. Not this hill though. It has all of the signs of being a good zone. But it wasn't. Some of it is laced with thin veins of Gypsum (ultra-common in our painted desert), but that was all. Nothing hard. Interesting super-fractured orange, red, yellow and brown Chalcedony covering the hill though. It should have had more. It just didn't. Pretty junk rock though ... Wow, sounds like fossil is very common. I will have to keep my eyes open then. I haven't even been to Frenchman to un-earth any of its legendary Trilobites yet, though it is very close by. The fish you mention would be cool. Something like Ammonites would be cool! I might have mentioned interest in attending the meeting tomorrow. It is on my calendar, but I chickened out last month due to me mainly being not very social. I hope I end up going tomorrow. I'd really like to meet someone else who likes field work as much as I do. Thanks for the fossil information. I appreciate the response.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 4, 2019 0:38:30 GMT -5
That is either a Fossil or a petrified hunk of mud with a Racoon track in it, I would really say Fossil for sure but I gotta admit that Fossils are not my strong suit ! In a day or two, someone here will chime in and knowing this group, give you the Latin name for it ! I have never seen so many mental giants in one place in my entire life! Me,I only know the names of three kinds of rocks: 1- Lake Superior Agate 2-That's kinda neat let's cut it and see what's in it 3- I am (NOT) carrying (THAT) all the way back to the truck ! Thanks Agatemaggot. Funny name, that. I was also thinking possibly an animal track. If it was 3 fork, instead of 4 fork, I would have thought bird track. I will take your word for it, regarding the mental capacity owned by many of the board members here. I would have not thought that "let's throw some rocks in a rotating barrel and see what comes out of it" could be such a technical community. But this hobby could be what working on cars is for me; which is a calming break from the mental grind which is our daily jobs. Your approach to knowing names of rocks is refreshing. Unfortunately I seem to be doing just the opposite (building a mental encyclopedia). Also, thank you for chiming in on the ugly fossil thing that I posted.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 4, 2019 0:47:35 GMT -5
My opinion (which is by no means expert) would be 1 - yes, looks like a fossil; a shell like vegasjames said would be a good guess. the last two images - it does look like corals, yes. All I can do is compare with stuff which is found around here. Have a look and compare: forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/85998/kais-fossilsif you scroll from top down, 5th and 6th image are a shell; if you scroll from the bottom of the page up (my last post), there are many images of corals (7th - 10th pic). Kai, I have to admit that I thought of you (and the link which you provided me in a prior response of yours this week), when I posted this. Truth is, I felt that my rock was so ugly that I really don't think it belongs with those cool fossil examples which you and other members have shared. I was a bit embarrassed to even share these two, since I was almost sure that I had mistakenly convinced myself that they were sea fossils prior to posting, and was sure that I was setting myself up for public ridicule. I appreciate the support in your guess that they might be fossilized rock also though. Thank you for chiming in!!
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Feb 4, 2019 2:56:23 GMT -5
Got the handle (agatemaggot) from an end loader operator at a rock quarry down the street from my house. The wife and I were in there on a Saturday when they were closed looking for Lakers. One of the Employees came in with another worker and they were moving a pile of oversize rock and when they quit for lunch the loader operator stopped with his bucket off the ground at waist level. Nothing like rock hunting without bending over right ? The crew there always entertain themselves by trading verbal barbs with each other and try to include the wife and I when we happen to be there after hours. We were picking around in the guy's bucket while he and his buddy were eating in the shade next to the loader and he made the comment that us rock hounds were like flies on a road kill. it barley quits moving and they are hovering around it. He then called us Agatemaggots, I stopped digging in the bucket, looked him in the eye and said in the most indignant manner I could muster without laughing :
I resemble that !
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Post by fernwood on Feb 4, 2019 6:32:28 GMT -5
Was waiting for others with more experience than me to chime in.
The first one looks like a trace fossil to me. The second could be a fossil of some type of organic material. Another thought on the second is some type of volcanic formation. I find many granite's on my land with that type of formation. Was told local that it can be caused by the heating/cooling effects of lava when it melts surrounding stones or organic matter. DEpending on how fast the cooling occured, the results can be amazing.
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 4, 2019 11:16:15 GMT -5
Yes, it is a trace fossil ( it was a host rock, for a shell)...… Fossils were mostly everywhere in the states.. The areas were mostly underwater for many years..
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Kai
spending too much on rocks
Member since December 2018
Posts: 331
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Post by Kai on Feb 4, 2019 12:06:21 GMT -5
Kai, I have to admit that I thought of you (and the link which you provided me in a prior response of yours this week), when I posted this. Sorry for repeating myself And don't worry, your rock is not ugly and most definitely nothing to be ashamed of!! Every fossil is cool! I'm happy that you shared it with us.
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Feb 4, 2019 12:22:45 GMT -5
Thanks gang! A Trace Fossil. I just learned another new rock term! Yes, in the best case scenario, that is what I was hoping that it might be. After more years in the field I will probably get used to seeing stuff like this, then. Good deal.
Maggot ~ That is a very cool thing that you get to live down the street from a mine that allows you to pick through the tailings or piles for good ones. I would be over there every day. Thanks for sharing.
Fernwood ~ Now that you put it that way, then maybe I will throw it in with a softer load of rock and tumble it. It might not shine much, but it could be real interesting looking!
Thank you again, all.
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