PAJim Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I'm new to this hobby...so bear with me. From what I understand, fossils are usually found in sedimentary rocks, which makes sense. I live in an area with a bunch of quarries for the cement industry. These quarries are usually for limestone. I know of an old quarry at the end of a bike path just minutes from my house. While I wouldn't go into the quarry, there are lots of rocks in the area around it. My question... is it worth splitting rocks and looking for fossils in a location like this? Or would I be wasting my time. This is eastern PA (Nazareth). Just trying to find local places to find some stuff with my kid and I highly doubt any collectors would have been in this area already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) Limestone can most definitely have fossils in it. I would whack a few pieces to see if there is anything to be seen on the inside. Generally, if there are fossils on the outside, there are fossils inside. Sandstones, shales, slates, limestone, and dolostones can all contain fossils. Sometimes these rocks are metamorphosed by heat and/or pressure, there can still be fossils in them. Marbles can have fossils in them. You never know til you try, so go right ahead, and split some stones. Let us know how you make out. Regards, EDIT: This Geologic Map of PA shows Ordovician and Devonian sediments make up some of the bedrock in and around Northampton County. This website may have some helpful information to start your research. Be aware, the info is very Old (1800's to early 1900's in some cases) and may no longer be accurate. Sites and ownership may have changed- sites may be gone, overgrown, or built over. You have to do the research to find out if the land is accessible, and if you can get permission from any private land owners. Edited July 15, 2015 by Fossildude19 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sseth Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I agree with Fossildude19. I would definitely try splitting a few open. Limestone throughout the world are a great source of fossil bearing material. I am not sure of the age of the limestone near you but you may be surprised at what you find. Let us know if you find anything. Seth _____________________________________ Seth www.fossilshack.com www.americanfossil.com www.fishdig.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Another idea that might work is to surface collect a large area. Try looking for imprints of shells - from my experience, they are the most common fossils in PA. Once you find an imprint, get a good look of the rock it is in and look for similar rock deposits. Just throwing in an extra idea but I will say, I have had pretty good luck splitting rocks too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAJim Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Did some more research... turns out the quarry is active (not sure where I got the idea that it was abandoned). There is lots of limestone in my area though so I should be able to come up with something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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