An April 2007 Fossil Collecting Trip in Clark Co., Indiana
The Kyana Geological Society had another trip to the
Essroc Quarry in Speed Indiana
this past weekend. We had perfect weather and a record turn out of 26 participants
to
collect for 3 hours. I focused more on the Beechwood fauna - Middle Devonian
Givetian
stage. Lots of corals with some Ancyrocrinus holdfasts. I found a small
(~1.5 cm)
Dolatocrinus calyx and my first Antholites speciosus.
It is an unusual tabulate coral
encrusting a crinoid column. I've been searching for one since the late 1970's!
Collecting is simple enough - walk or crawl around in an artificial badlands
environment.
The quarry pit is around 900 acres in area - the largest in the region. The
Essroc company
has been mining here is the 1860's and has enough acreage to continue mining
for another
150 years at the current rate of consumption (over 1 millions tons per year).
The soil is
also used in the cement production, so the fossil locations get eaten as well.
I picked up material for some bulk sales and for our clubs egg carton collections.
I figure
I "vacuumed up" about 5000 specimens. My guestimate is about 50,000
fossils were
picked up by the group. Give it a few months and you will never know anyone
has
collected there! And I didn't fall and hurt myself this year!!!
1
A small portion of the huge quarry is visible in the background.
2
Man-made badlands in the quarry. Soil is excavated and used in the
production of cement in the plant on the property.
3
Man-made badlands in the quarry. Soil is excavated and used in the
production of cement in the plant on the property.
Alan Goldstein
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