Dissaggregating This Small Mass Of Stone City Vertebrae Material

[darrow]

I picked up two little masses of material yesterday that appear to embedded with a lot of little teeh and spines. I tried to scann the flat side of one of them and circle some of the teeth (there are larger ones on the other side I couldn't image) but it wasn't quire flat enough to get it all in focus. Anyway, I'm not sure how to attack this thing, it's much harder than the glauconite material and vinigar & ultrasonic cleaner doesn't have much of an effect. What's the next step up from vinigar that won't damage the fossil material?

Thanks,

Darrow

guess i cant edit the title... ment to type "This" not "Rhis"

>EDIT: Negative perspiration!<

Edited October 31, 2010 by Auspex

[tracer]

it's rumored that h₂o₂ does weird bubbly disaggregation of some matrices, but your mileage may vary.

[MikeD]

I've been told that Varsol will dissolve the really stubborn stuff.

[jkfoam]

I've been told that Varsol will dissolve the really stubborn stuff.

Here is the varsol procedure:

Place the piece in a pan and put it in an oven set at about 220-225F for about 24 hours. This is to completely dry the material. Larger sized chuncks may take longer. Once the material is dry then completely submerge it in Varsol and let stand for say 30 minutes. You want the Varsol to completely penetrate the piece. Then remove the piece from the Varsol and let drain for a few minutes. Place the piece in a jar or bowl and pour hot or boiling water on it until it is completely covered. At this point if the procedure is successful the piece will self disintegrate. Let it cool and then sieve while washing with water. Let the material trapped on the sieve dry and then examine. I let mine dry for several days in the sun to disipate the Varsol odor.

Note: This procedure does not work on limonite or iron bound pieces from Stone City. Also, if the pieces are not completely dried before the Varsol it won't work.

Note 2. This procedure is also briefly described in " Stone City and Cook Mountain (Middle Eocene) Scaphopods from Southwest Texas" by Kenneth A. Hodgkinson and published in The University of Kansas Paleontological Contributions, July 10, 1974, Publication Number UKPCA 70 1-25 (1974), page 6.

JKFoam

[dinodigger]

I picked up two little masses of material yesterday that appear to embedded with a lot of little teeh and spines. I tried to scann the flat side of one of them and circle some of the teeth (there are larger ones on the other side I couldn't image) but it wasn't quire flat enough to get it all in focus. Anyway, I'm not sure how to attack this thing, it's much harder than the glauconite material and vinigar & ultrasonic cleaner doesn't have much of an effect. What's the next step up from vinigar that won't damage the fossil material?

Thanks,

Darrow

guess i cant edit the title... ment to type "This" not "Rhis"

>EDIT: Negative perspiration!<

I use Hydrogen peroxide. Works great and breaks it down well. Please post your findings if you have time.

Chris

[MikeD]

Thanks JK. I haven't had to use it yet, but one of these days.....

[jpc]

What is Varsol? I have also hear that H2O2 does the job, but have never tried it. Dinodigger, cCan you give us instructions?

[jkfoam]

jpc -

Varsol is Exxon Mobile Trademarked brand of mineral spirits (paint thinner). The varsol was a deodorized material. I use to buy it at any hardware store. Now, I understand it is no longer sold as such or at least is now hard to find. According to the Exxon/Mobile website for Varsol it is increasingly being replaced by their dearomatized Exxsol (Trademark)family of products. While I have only used Varsol it this application I think any low odor Mineral spirits product will work in this application. Incidently, I learned of this application for Varsol from an Exxon Paleontologist.

JKFoam

[jpc]

jpc -

Varsol is Exxon Mobile Trademarked brand of mineral spirits (paint thinner). The varsol was a deodorized material. I use to buy it at any hardware store. Now, I understand it is no longer sold as such or at least is now hard to find. According to the Exxon/Mobile website for Varsol it is increasingly being replaced by their dearomatized Exxsol (Trademark)family of products. While I have only used Varsol it this application I think any low odor Mineral spirits product will work in this application. Incidently, I learned of this application for Varsol from an Exxon Paleontologist.

JKFoam

So, will any ole mineral spriits work? Why destinkified? Does that actually affect the way it works?

Edited November 3, 2010 by jpc

[jkfoam]

So, will any ole mineral spriits work? Why destinkified? Does that actually affect the way it works?

jpc,

Deodorizing the Mineral Spirits will not effect the way they work in this procedure. However, any odor in the mineral spirits WILL be imparted to the fossil residue recovered and the odor can be quite disagreeable after smelling it for several hours of peering into a microscope picking out the fossils with your nose in fairly close proximity to the odorific fossil residue material. Even "deodorized" mineral spirits will have some residual odor. You will want to use the lowest odor mineral spirits you can find.

I remember once years ago, smelling some mineral oil made from crude oil taken, evidently, from a "sour" gas oil field. Wow, that stuff would run the cats out of the neighborhood.

JKFoam