Jan Juc (Page 1) / Fossils / Prospecting Australia

Marauder · #1

11 February 2019 09:12 am

Hey Guys,

I'm taking a bunch of scouts down to the beach in Jan Juc (probably more Bells) and would like to know if anyone has any info on fossils on the beach down there. I know they have been found there, but it would be good to point out the areas to the Kids.

Thanks

James

grubstake · #2

11 February 2019 10:29 am

Here you go:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/201 … h/10693490

Marauder · #3

11 February 2019 02:26 pm

Thanks pretty good article

Marauder · #4

04 March 2019 03:15 pm

Took the kids down there,(30 or so) and did a spiel on the rocks and sedimentary layers and stuff, and then sent them off.

They found a few fossils, some sea urchin ones, a couple of shells and what looked like the top of a crab shell. I found the best one though, I reckon. was a conical sea shell, only 10mm long, but the shell itself had been replaced by silica and the basically made a crystal shell. very cool.

Had the fossils in a pile on the beach to show the kids and when i came back the crystal shell was gone! probably one of the kids chucked it in the sea or something.

Anyway, are these kinds of fossils rare? thinking of going back for another look.

Thanks

James

goldierocks · #5

04 March 2019 06:13 pm

https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/ … oad-report

https://www.mindat.org/loc-296805.html

http://www.galleries.com/Natrojarosite

https://www.mindat.org/min-2856.html

You probably know this, but a relatively rare mineral (natrojarosite, a hydrous sodium iron sulphate) was mined at Jan Juc - you may have seen the sign to Jarosite Track. Fairly bright yellow although can be brownish. Was used as a yellow paint pigment.

Last edited by goldierocks (04 March 2019 06:14 pm)

Marauder · #6

05 March 2019 03:32 pm

I'm going to head down there again on tuesday and have an unencumbered look around, I think the kids brought a couple of bits of that up to ask if it was a fossil. No crystals, but very chalky yellowish chunks.

goldierocks · #7

05 March 2019 08:10 pm

Marauder wrote:

I'm going to head down there again on tuesday and have an unencumbered look around, I think the kids brought a couple of bits of that up to ask if it was a fossil. No crystals, but very chalky yellowish chunks.

Yes, it can occur like that; if there is an old quarry look for possible crystals on fractures that cut through the earthy stuff.

silver · #8

06 March 2019 07:14 am

And......... take a coupl'a close ups for those of us just wishing hey. tongue

SC75 · #9

06 March 2019 03:39 pm

I surfed a fair bit down bells,south side and on the headland, more on south side the cliff has collapsed and you might find what you're looking for and also at Torquay at Rocky point there is what looks like fossilized eggs on a eroded cliff but im no expert, it could be just shaped from the wind?? but does look like 4 eggs. Its been awhile since i been down that way but its definitely worth a look.

Marauder · #10

06 March 2019 03:52 pm

I'm actually going to be down there tonight too, so will have a quick look as long as the weather is ok.

Marauder · #11

07 March 2019 01:45 pm

Went to Bells last night, and though i didn't have a chance to poke around i did see the below object suck out of the cliff.

There are very few white stones on the beach and the only one other than this i had seen, looked like a chunk of chert, so i think thats what this thing is, but it's reasonably accessable so will find out on tuesday. Looks small in the pic but i'd put it at about the size of a small soccer ball.

We had a strong magnet and were picking up the magnetic particles out of the sand(I'm thinking magnetite?) and the kids were loving it. I was asked about where the magnetite came from, and other than saying it was washed out of the cliffs, I theorised that it was volcanic in origin, but not sure.

grubstake · #12

07 March 2019 01:57 pm

Marauder wrote:

Went to Bells last night, and though i didn't have a chance to poke around i did see the below object stuck out of the cliff.
There are very few white stones on the beach and the only one other than this i had seen, looked like a chunk of chert, so i think thats what this thing is, but it's reasonably accessable so will find out on tuesday. Looks small in the pic but i'd put it at about the size of a small soccer ball.

Might be a dinosaur egg! playful

goldierocks · #13

07 March 2019 05:06 pm

Marauder wrote:

Went to Bells last night, and though i didn't have a chance to poke around i did see the below object suck out of the cliff.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com.au … object.jpg
There are very few white stones on the beach and the only one other than this i had seen, looked like a chunk of chert, so i think thats what this thing is, but it's reasonably accessable so will find out on tuesday. Looks small in the pic but i'd put it at about the size of a small soccer ball.
We had a strong magnet and were picking up the magnetic particles out of the sand(I'm thinking magnetite?) and the kids were loving it. I was asked about where the magnetite came from, and other than saying it was washed out of the cliffs, I theorised that it was volcanic in origin, but not sure.

Chert is likely. Magnetite out of volcanics (basalt).

Marauder · #14

13 March 2019 09:54 am

Went to the Beach yesterday, and did some looking round. Checked out that white lump, and it was a hard white clay. so nothing interesting.

Found a bunch of Seashell fossils in rocks, see pic below.

Also found a large shell, in the clay in the cliff, which i dug out and kept. Not a fossil per say, but gotta be old. was about 5 meters above sea level, a bout a 2 meters above a bunch of tumbled beach rocks that were in the clay on the cliff.

Got the detector out also and found....65cents!