Graphtolite fossils in slate

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A little while ago after a bit of research into Victorian fossils I found a spot to start my search.The drive is about an hour and a half north west of Melbourne and after parking the car another half hour walk through a heavily forested area.
After hammering away for a couple of hours into a slate wall peeling of layer after layer of slate I finally hit the jackpot!!! 8)
1494064516_img_3297.jpg
 
Hi Silver,good bit of info there and have checked that out myself.Pretty amazing cracking open that slate and seeing that from half a billion yrs ago :Y:
 
G'day everyone. I have been researching a known fossil location close to my area around Kilmore.i was hoping someone with a bit more experience might be able to 'ID' these finds.
The top right image is the convex rock of the top left
1497761639_img_3471.jpg
 
Thanks shivan, I'm not sure what they are but will keep up the search and hopefully find something more definitive :Y:
 
Mick Cov said:
A little while ago after a bit of research into Victorian fossils I found a spot to start my search.The drive is about an hour and a half north west of Melbourne and after parking the car another half hour walk through a heavily forested area.
After hammering away for a couple of hours into a slate wall peeling of layer after layer of slate I finally hit the jackpot!!! 8) https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/8894/1494064516_img_3297.jpg

2 stipes - Didymograptus perhaps?:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...07993515474226937&selectedIndex=44&ajaxhist=0

Early to middle Ordovician (areas like Bendigo, Lancefield, Castlemaine).
 
Mick Cov said:
G'day everyone. I have been researching a known fossil location close to my area around Kilmore.i was hoping someone with a bit more experience might be able to 'ID' these finds.
The top right image is the convex rock of the top lefthttps://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/8894/1497761639_img_3471.jpg
Bit uncertain - I wonder if it inorganic and concretionary?
 
1528793469_b7ce0b80-5e3b-4b53-bad4-541484eb82e0.jpg
I wasnt sure on that one Goldierocks.
I thought it might have been just part of the rock formation?
Yep,the graphtoliite come from an area not to far from Lancefield.I only spent a few hours there but will hopefully get back again soon.
Some of the slate slabs have up to a dozen or more fossils,this one has a pyrite inclusion(correct me if Im wrong on that being pyrite) :Y:
 
No, you are quite right - pyrite. Common in carbon-rich slate. You can reduce your work finding graps if you just split slates where the cleavage (that it splits along) is parallel to the bedding. So on the limbs of folds not in the axis. Your bottom slabs are like that, but the top one would be a dead loss. You can see from the colour banding on the cleavage plane it has split along that the cleavage is not parallel to bedding, but cuts through multiple beds. Graptolites were deposited in the plane of bedding (cleavage came later when the rocks were folded) - so cleavage needs to be parallel to bedding.

https://courses.eas.ualberta.ca/eas421/images/foldpiccleavage3d.jpg

http://www.geosci.usyd.edu.au/users/prey/FieldTrips/BrokenHillOlary/Images/Fold2b.jpg
 
Ok,thanks for the info.Ill try to put that into practice when Im there next.
There is a black shale deposit in the general area that I want to have a look at to.This deposit also contains phyllocarid crustaceans.
Ive been trying to find some Trilobites without much success.They are found close to an anticline that extends into a deserted,small goldfield,so both gold and fossils could be on the cards...if I can locate them!Access is pretty limited due to it being a pretty remote area.
 
Mick Cov said:
Ok,thanks for the info.Ill try to put that into practice when Im there next.
There is a black shale deposit in the general area that I want to have a look at to.This deposit also contains phyllocarid crustaceans.
Ive been trying to find some Trilobites without much success.They are found close to an anticline that extends into a deserted,small goldfield,so both gold and fossils could be on the cards...if I can locate them!Access is pretty limited due to it being a pretty remote area.
Try using Shank's pony.... ;)
 
I'm no expert, but I would not have thought that slate would be the right rock to explore for trilobites
 
goldierocks said:
I'm no expert, but I would not have thought that slate would be the right rock to explore for trilobites

No I think your right there Goldierocks.
I should have said its in a completely different area :Y:
 
goldierocks said:
Mick Cov said:
Ok,thanks for the info.Ill try to put that into practice when Im there next.
There is a black shale deposit in the general area that I want to have a look at to.This deposit also contains phyllocarid crustaceans.
Ive been trying to find some Trilobites without much success.They are found close to an anticline that extends into a deserted,small goldfield,so both gold and fossils could be on the cards...if I can locate them!Access is pretty limited due to it being a pretty remote area.
Try using Shank's pony.... ;)

Thats the only way in there without a dirt bike.Last time I went I had a sore hammy for 3 weeks!
 

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