fossil and rock experts please look!

*mods feel free to move, there's no "fossil forum" so didn't know where to place*

So I had this rock sitting around and was really bored yesterday, noticed there was a lot of dirt on it so I started to clean and voila, bunch of holes started to emerge.

then i got out my sculpting tools (clay sculpting) and started to dig out the holes. and more and more holes started to appear.

Is this a rock or a fossil? and if its a fossil does anyone have an opinion of what it might be?

its 3 inches tall and 1.5-2.5 inches wide.

the holes are fairly deep too, 1cm-ish


Honestly... to me it looks like fossilized cat poo... but who knows.

Looks like a type of Quartzite, however I am not a skilled geologist and so I am giving you my "estimation".

Here is a list of rock types at Wiki, you can scroll through them and see what matches up best.

I can see why you believe it could be a fossil, that is possible. However at closer inspection it appears to be a natural rock form rather than a fossilized bone, simply due to the jagged and asymmetrical shape.

reply to post by OUNjahhryn


Not an expert; but it looks like some kind of sedimentary rock that has marine origins. It reminds me of the type of stuff I would find as a kid at the beach. At the beaches in CA I used to be fascinated that I could dig unusual stones and shells from the bluffs and small cliffs up to a mile away from the shore. While the other kids would be in the ocean I would be in the other direction near the parking lots digging this stuff out of the cliffs and compacted sand and dirt. It blew my little mind that the ocean used to be so far in but wasn't there anymore.

Anyway, long story short, looks like it came from the beach. I don't think it is a fossil.

The "holes" that you discovered when cleaning the rock appears to be natural.

Consider the fact that underground, the entire interior of the Earth's crust is extremely porous similar to a sponge, and similar to this rock in your OP.

Some materials are more porous than others, of course.

For example check out this photo of a Vessicular Basalt. It's far more porous than the OP's specimen, but it shows how common a feature this is in rocks.

reply to post by Frater210



well it would have to be from a lake and not the ocean because i'm in Ontario. its heavy like stone, doesn't feel like choral or marine... stuff. lol.

reply to post by Frater210



well it would have to be from a lake and not the ocean because i'm in Ontario. its heavy like stone, doesn't feel like choral or marine... stuff. lol.

Could be a piece of cement or cinder block.
But I'm going with the fossilized cat poo

Originally posted by muzzleflash
The "holes" that you discovered when cleaning the rock appears to be natural.

Consider the fact that underground, the entire interior of the Earth's crust is extremely porous similar to a sponge, and similar to this rock in your OP.

Some materials are more porous than others, of course.

I figured it may just be a stone, but its just seems very "formed" if you know what I mean. a lot of variation and shape in a single stone.

Im not that much up on minerals and rocks
This looks like sandstone the holes are what lead me to believe this is sandstone .
Lots of sandstone fossils near Austin Texas
the sandstone fills the void (like in a clam shell) the shell falls away leaving a model of the clam that served as the mold

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Looks like a type of Quartzite, however I am not a skilled geologist and so I am giving you my "estimation".

Here is a list of rock types at Wiki, you can scroll through them and see what matches up best.

I can see why you believe it could be a fossil, that is possible. However at closer inspection it appears to be a natural rock form rather than a fossilized bone, simply due to the jagged and asymmetrical shape.

I doubt quartzite, there is no shimmer whatsoever to it.

reply to post by OUNjahhryn


If it is not a fossil, and actually a stone, than the interesting shapes it has taken are probably due to thousands of years or erosion processes.

However, we still don't know for sure.

I suppose the only way to really find out is to go visit your local University (maybe call the Geology department ahead of time, ask for a meeting and tell them you have a specimen for them to take a look at).

The geologists at your local University should be willing to help determine what this is. They would probably know immediately since they are experts in this field.

Would only take a small amount of time and it would be a fun adventure imho.

reply to post by granpabobby


I was also thinking about sandstone, its pretty heavy though, just as heavy as a tigerseye I have of the same size.

reply to post by muzzleflash


I may do that, But the only geological university is like 2 hours away lol. maybe i'll send them pics. hopefully they don't charge anything, many places charge 75$ for identifications or appraisals.

Originally posted by OUNjahhryn

Originally posted by muzzleflash
Looks like a type of Quartzite, however I am not a skilled geologist and so I am giving you my "estimation".

Here is a list of rock types at Wiki, you can scroll through them and see what matches up best.

I can see why you believe it could be a fossil, that is possible. However at closer inspection it appears to be a natural rock form rather than a fossilized bone, simply due to the jagged and asymmetrical shape.

I doubt quartzite, there is no shimmer whatsoever to it.

Yeah I just picked the first picture that looked even half-close to it. I didn't mean it as an answer but more as a suggestion. The link with the lists of rocks should be the jackpot though, and I bet you will find it in there somewhere. However you may have to spend a few hours digging through it.

Here is the Wiki on Fossils as well for further reference.

Originally posted by OUNjahhryn
reply to post by muzzleflash

 

I may do that, But the only geological university is like 2 hours away lol. maybe i'll send them pics. hopefully they don't charge anything, many places charge 75$ for identifications or appraisals.

Yeah you could send pics through email.

Avoid anyone who wants $$$.

Oh, and there are websites that focus on Geology and have forums where people post at may also be a great solution. You could just basically post your OP there as well.

You can solve this for free, it will just cost you time. I think it's worth the effort though because learning new things is fun.

Originally posted by muzzleflash


You can solve this for free, it will just cost you time. I think it's worth the effort though because learning new things is fun.

agreed, learning new things is amazing, I love how you can turn something so simple like a rock into a rewarding quest for knowledge. what a beautiful world

Originally posted by OUNjahhryn
reply to post by Frater210

 

well it would have to be from a lake and not the ocean because i'm in Ontario. its heavy like stone, doesn't feel like choral or marine... stuff. lol.

Quartzite Wiki

n Canada, the La Cloche Mountains in Ontario are composed primarily of white quartzite.

You live in Quartzite country. I just found out.

Maybe my first guess was dead on the mark? I am going to still run with Quartzite until further notice. Especially with this incredible revelation about your location and a type of rock found exactly there!

reply to post by muzzleflash


lol, Ontario is also as big as Europe. Closest thing I have to a mountain here is the landfill lol!

Originally posted by OUNjahhryn
well it would have to be from a lake and not the ocean because i'm in Ontario. its heavy like stone, doesn't feel like choral or marine... stuff. lol.

YOu may have already learned something.

You have marine stuff in Ontario. And if it's been compressed before being exposed it will have a different density and properties.

www.paleoportal.org...

The Precambrian: Precambrian rocks make up most of the exposed bedrock in Ontario. These rocks form part of the core of the North American continent, and they were assembled from pieces of crust, islands, volcanoes, and ocean basins over billions of years.

Note the part about ocean basins. Look at that map and see which part of Ontario the rock came from.

I can't identify that rock from the photo, but I don't see any clear fossil. It is interesting though.

reply to post by Arbitrageur


ouuu, im in the Cambrian section, not sure what that means yet but i'll be sure to look it up! thanks a lot for your input its definitely a good reply!