MilesofTx Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Sorry to be redundent, but I am brand new. Could someone please explain the fire test. Or point me to a link. Thanks, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 The fire test is to let you know if it is truly fossilized or not. I don't have any links but I am sure there will be someone else along that can tell you about any links if there is. I know that there are several posts on here that talk about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 the fire test is that some advocate putting a lit match or other flame source to a less-valued spot on a piece of questionable bone. if the area chars and stinks, it's still got original bone material in it. if it doesn't char and stink, then it's mineralized, like a rock, and is therefore considered "fossilized". my personal preference is to go by the weight of the bone, and whether it's "clinky" when tapped against another rock or hard object, or if it has sandstone or other matrix still hardened on it where it fossilized while buried. any way it goes, even if you figure out it's mineralized, unless you dig it out of a layer of known age, you can't tell how old it is without expensive testing. of course, if it's from an animal that went extinct at a certain time, you can tell that it's at least that old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesofTx Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 the fire test is that some advocate putting a lit match or other flame source to a less-valued spot on a piece of questionable bone. if the area chars and stinks, it's still got original bone material in it. if it doesn't char and stink, then it's mineralized, like a rock, and is therefore considered "fossilized".my personal preference is to go by the weight of the bone, and whether it's "clinky" when tapped against another rock or hard object, or if it has sandstone or other matrix still hardened on it where it fossilized while buried. any way it goes, even if you figure out it's mineralized, unless you dig it out of a layer of known age, you can't tell how old it is without expensive testing. of course, if it's from an animal that went extinct at a certain time, you can tell that it's at least that old. Wow, very interesting. Just by feel I am 99.9% sure everything I bring home is fossilized (word?) Thanks for the tips. I will be posting pictures this afternoon for some I.D. help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Sorry to be redundent, but I am brand new. Could someone please explain the fire test. Or point me to a link. Thanks, Mike Welcome to the forum, Miles. You'll find a lively discussion of the "scorch test" or "match test" and even the "clank test" here. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Not to mention the "Taste Test", "Smell Test" and "Heft Test". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Do echinoid collectors use the test test? "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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