Phoenixflood Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Just found this on the elasmo website January 17, 2010 http://www.elasmo.com/ "Closed for year An update from Curtis Ormond has revealed that PotashCorp has decided that the mine will be closed to fossil collectors this entire year. It is expected to be possible to allow collecting again in the Spring of 2011." The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt cable Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 That sucks. I've been there twice and never found a really nice Meg. I hope to get back there sometime. Looks like later rather than sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Great payback for those of us who fought to keep them going... Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemipitchis Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 "An update from Curtis Ormond has revealed that PotashCorp has decided that the mine will be closed to fossil collectors this entire year. It is expected to be possible to allow collecting again in the Spring of 2011." :startle: NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! :thumbsd: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Placoderms Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 I was hoping this would be the year I could hunt for some big teeth! I guess I'll make do with my Peace River meg from last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 Great payback for those of us who fought to keep them going... What do you mean Frank? But, just think of the hunting we'll have after it has set for a while. I just hope it rains a lot between then and now. The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 (edited) What do you mean Frank? But, just think of the hunting we'll have after it has set for a while. I just hope it rains a lot between then and now. PCS had a major battle with the government over permits to expand operations. The future of the mine was in question. Since the mine is the Major employer for Aurora, the layoffs effected the whole town. There was a large letter writing campaign spearpointed by 'The Friends of the Museum'. That the mine is operating today is in part because of us. My gripe here is that their excuse for not opening to collectors is that they have to catch up on the mining they had not been able to do. Since the collecting is not done in the mine-but rather the spoil piles-and that only on a few weekends, I do not see how this should impact their operations. Not to be selfish, but with the major hit to my health these last couple years, my opportunities to hunt this site are disappearing. I checked with Andrea the director of the museum. She confirmed Spring is a shut out and Fall is in question. Edited January 26, 2010 by Frank Menser Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted January 26, 2010 Author Share Posted January 26, 2010 PCS had a major battle with the government over permits to expand operations. The future of the mine was in question. Since the mine is the Major employer for Aurora, the layoffs effected the whole town. There was a large letter writing campaign spearpointed by 'The Friends of the Museum'. That the mine is operating today is in part because of us. My gripe here is that their excuse for not opening to collectors is that they have to catch up on the mining they had not been able to do. Since the collecting is not done in the mine-but rather the spoil piles-and that only on a few weekends, I do not see how this should impact their operations. Not to be selfish, but with the major hit to my health these last couple years, my opportunities to hunt this site are disappearing. I checked with Andrea the director of the museum. She confirmed Spring is a shut out and Fall is in question. Yeah. Well, Kudos to you all for the letter writting campain. I had no idea. I heard that because there was so much traffic now moving through the mine (cars, dump trucks, etc.) they feared about us traveling the road into and out of the mine. :roadrage: I didn't think Becky ever drove that fast and she probably could avoid a dump truck if she saw it coming at her Hopefully you'll have many years to go in Frank; sorry to hear about your health concerns The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
va paleo Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 are they going 2 do the fossil festival Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Major bummer guys, I've met people here on the forum that seriously wait all year to collect there. Sorry for the bad news Lee Creek guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 are they going 2 do the fossil festival Yep...that's on the last weekend of May. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozzyrules244 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Yeah. Well, Kudos to you all for the letter writting campain. I had no idea. I heard that because there was so much traffic now moving through the mine (cars, dump trucks, etc.) they feared about us traveling the road into and out of the mine. :roadrage: I didn't think Becky ever drove that fast and she probably could avoid a dump truck if she saw it coming at her Hopefully you'll have many years to go in Frank; sorry to hear about your health concerns becky not drive too fast haha last trip she slid all the way around a muddy curve I figured why they leave the windows dirty, so you don't panic I cleaned my window so I could see out and almost soiled myself lol. "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Bob Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Just wanted to add that I heard the same thing at the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society meeting this Thursday. The one thing I am not happy about is the time that they made the announcement, It wasn't until right after the sign up to become a member of the Aurora Museum was required to be part of the fall mine trips that they made the announcement that the mine was going to be closed for the fall. Not right. "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." Upton Sinclair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mako-mama Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Hey Guys, A few items need to be clarified here. First, Bob, PCS's decision making process has absolutely nothing to do with the Friends of the Museum organization. Neither the Aurora museum nor any of the rest of us knows what PCS is going to do until they tell us. The unfortunate (for you) timing of the announcement to close the mine to collecting was equally surprising to the museum, the Friend's organization and all the rest of us. To be sure, membership in the Friends of the Aurora Museum (or any of the other mine affiliated museums)does not include guaranteed rights to the mine. From the AFM Friend's website- "The purpose of the Special Friends of the Aurora Fossil Museum ("Friends") is to support the educational programs and provide for the capital needs of the Aurora Fossil Museum. This will be accomplished by engaging in fund raising activities and providing volunteer labor and technical assistance for the sole benefit of the "Museum"." It has been the usual practice (through special support of Curtis Ormond) to allow the Friend's group early privileges to the mine if those higher up decide collecting is possible. But nowhere has it ever been guaranteed that Friend's or anyone else get in Aurora to collect fossils. For everybody else--yeah it's a bummer we cant get in Aurora to collect. But anyone who has bothered to ride down Highway 306 lately can see why. The parking lot itself has only one row of parking left. The mining area is using the rest of the parking lot. Dump trucks are lined up like rail cars waiting to cross the highway. All those dump trucks are creating conditions that make the mine roads impassable to a school bus and all other non 4-wheel vehicles. Two weeks after our last fossil hunt, the fossil ramp was gone so we have no access even if the bus could go the route. There are four other mines/quarries in eastern NC plus some amazing river collecting and we'll just have to satisfy ourselves with those until Aurora opens again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted February 5, 2010 Author Share Posted February 5, 2010 You're right Mako-Mama. The Museum probably was just as surprised as we were to hear that the mine was closed. The person that decides whether to let us into the mine has little to do with the museum. The Museum needs all the support that we can give it and being that the mine is not open for collecting it probably has less traffic then it normally would. It's disappointing for all, but as she said, there are other places until then. I can't wait for all the rain to come and wash those fossils out! After it sits for a while maybe the collecting will be like the old days collectors always talk about, or prehaps closer to it The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mako-mama Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Just wanted to add that I heard the same thing at the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society meeting this Thursday. The one thing I am not happy about is the time that they made the announcement, It wasn't until right after the sign up to become a member of the Aurora Museum was required to be part of the fall mine trips that they made the announcement that the mine was going to be closed for the fall. Not right. Bob, You are not required to be a member of any organization to apply to collect at Aurora. Anyone is welcome providing they meet the requirements-age, physical ability and proper gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Hey Guys, A few items need to be clarified here. First, Bob, PCS's decision making process has absolutely nothing to do with the Friends of the Museum organization. Neither the Aurora museum nor any of the rest of us knows what PCS is going to do until they tell us. The unfortunate (for you) timing of the announcement to close the mine to collecting was equally surprising to the museum, the Friend's organization and all the rest of us. To be sure, membership in the Friends of the Aurora Museum (or any of the other mine affiliated museums)does not include guaranteed rights to the mine. From the AFM Friend's website- "The purpose of the Special Friends of the Aurora Fossil Museum ("Friends") is to support the educational programs and provide for the capital needs of the Aurora Fossil Museum. This will be accomplished by engaging in fund raising activities and providing volunteer labor and technical assistance for the sole benefit of the "Museum"." It has been the usual practice (through special support of Curtis Ormond) to allow the Friend's group early privileges to the mine if those higher up decide collecting is possible. But nowhere has it ever been guaranteed that Friend's or anyone else get in Aurora to collect fossils. For everybody else--yeah it's a bummer we cant get in Aurora to collect. But anyone who has bothered to ride down Highway 306 lately can see why. The parking lot itself has only one row of parking left. The mining area is using the rest of the parking lot. Dump trucks are lined up like rail cars waiting to cross the highway. All those dump trucks are creating conditions that make the mine roads impassable to a school bus and all other non 4-wheel vehicles. Two weeks after our last fossil hunt, the fossil ramp was gone so we have no access even if the bus could go the route. There are four other mines/quarries in eastern NC plus some amazing river collecting and we'll just have to satisfy ourselves with those until Aurora opens again. No and I did not join the Friends to get access to Aurora. I already had it through my club connection. I think what rankles me is just the lack of gratitude on behalf of the mine owners (which has nothing to do with the museum) to those who helped keep their mine going. Just plain bad form on their behalf. At there very least they could have hauled some new extra material to Aurora and invited those who helped out to dig in. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mako-mama Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 At there very least they could have hauled some new extra material to Aurora and invited those who helped out to dig in. Yeah-about 10 truckloads of mine dirt would have been a nice touch-but too late to suggest it to 'em now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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