Members Guide
1.
LEGISLATION PERTAINING TO GENERAL The PSP executive would like to remind collectors of our responsibility to adhere to the laws of Alberta. The collecting of fossils is regulated under the Alberta Historical Resources Act. (http://www.canlii.org/ab/laws/sta/h-9/20040623/whole.html ) Copies of the Act are available in the GPRC library, or are available to anyone from the Queen’s Printer Bookstore for a few dollars, or viewed online at www.qp.gov.ab.ca/catalogue/ (do a search by title: Historical Resources Act). Queen’s Printer Bookstore is located in Calgary at 602, 620 7 Avenue SW (403) 297-6251 or Edmonton: main floor, Park Plaza, 10611 98 Avenue (780) 427-4952. The Historical Resources Act includes several sub-regulations. The most important sub-regulations to PSP members and ones that concern fossils are: Alberta Regulation 254/2002—Archaeological and Palaeontological Research Permit Regulation and Alberta Regulation 101/1998—Disposition Regulation. Both regulations are available from the Queen’s Printer, or viewed online: www.qp.gov.ab.ca/catalogue/ (search by chapter/ regulation number). The following notes are mainly from the brochure Finding Fossils, a publication of the Royal Tyrrell Museum and the Alberta Ministry of Culture and Multiculturalism. A summary is viewable online at www.tyrrellmuseum.com/ (search using the keywords “finding fossils”). DEFINITIONS Surface collecting—gathering isolated fossils which are clearly on the surface of the ground. Excavating—digging, prying or somehow extracting a fossil buried or embedded in the ground or rock face. KEEPING FOSSILS Surface collecting is permitted on Crown land, and on private land with the landowner’s permission. You may keep surface finds as a custodian, but ownership resides with the province of Alberta, making it illegal to sell or take such fossils out of the province without an approved Disposition Certificate. Excavating fossils requires a permit. Permits are granted only to academics with post-graduate degrees. Application forms are processed through Resource Planning at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Procedures outlined in the Historical Resources Act must also be followed before any part of the collection can be retained. All applications are reviewed by the Alberta Palaeontological Advisory Committee to the Minister of Culture and Multiculturalism. It is illegal to remove fossils from provincial and federal parks or designated protected areas in Alberta. Precise boundaries of Alberta parks and protected areas may be found on the Land Reference Manual web page: ww.cd.gov.ab.ca/preserving/parks/lrm/index.asp OWNING FOSSILS Fossils found, collected or acquired after July 5, 1978 All fossils collected in Alberta since July 5, 1978, and all fossils still in or on the ground, are owned by the province. Fossils covered by a Control List (Refer to Disposition Regulation) In accordance with the Disposition Regulation, Schedule 1, the Control List includes ammonite shell, oyster shell, petrified wood and fossil leaf impressions. The province may transfer ownership of fossils identified by a Control list to private parties. This list allows for responsible trade of certain fossils that are abundant within the province and thus have limited research and display value. A person wishing to trade, lease or sell fossils—in essence transfer to themselves custodianship from the province—may do so only by following the steps outlined in the Disposition Regulation. For more information, contact the Royal Tyrrell Museum, (403) 823-7707, or contact their head of Resource Management, dan.spivak@gov.ab.ca
2.
WHAT
TO DO WHEN YOU FIND Identifying a valuable specimen is not always easy. Even the professionals can’t always recognize what is important. Remember that the science of palaeontology is continuously evolving. Some specimens have not been recognized for their importance until years later, as other discoveries were made. Some basic rules to identify what is scientifically important and should be left alone:
If none of the above criteria apply, and you can’t positively identify the specimen, you may first solicit the opinion of others with you. When in doubt, don’t guess— leave it alone and contact one of the institutions listed on pages 9–11. If you do find something that you recognize as a valuable specimen, the same guidelines apply: leave it alone and report it. Don’t uncover parts of it because that may destroy part of the fossil, or its geological context. Don’t cover it up with dirt because that may make it impossible to find later. Mark the area, take careful note of the location and call the professionals. If the fossil is in an area that may be frequented by the public, don’t mark it in such a way that it could become a target for unscrupulous collectors or vandals. If it is threatened by erosion, it will come down to a judgment call on whether or not you should collect it. You may be able to take simple preventative measures to minimize erosion by making a small trench to divert water around the specimen if it is in danger of washing away. 3. FOSSIL IDENTIFICATION TOP OF PAGE HOW TO FIND HELP WITH IDENTIFICATION Ask a PSP member. Ask a member of the PSP executive. They may be able to answer your question directly or point you to other members in the Society specializing in certain fossils or certain localities. A good starter source for vertebrate identification is the book A Guide to Alberta Vertebrate Fossils From The Age of Dinosaurs by Hope Johnson and John E. Storer (1974), Provincial Museum of Alberta, Publication No. 4. This has long been out of print but can be viewed in the GPRC library. A list of useful publications is included in the article: Essential Publications on Cretaceous Dinosaurs by Joseph LeBlanc, published in the APS Bulletin, Volume 14, Number 1, March 1999. Ask a professional palaeontologist. Professional palaeontologists may be found at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, Mount Royal College, and the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). The best way to find the right person is to contact the institution and then tell them what you want. They will usually do their best to link you up with someone or have someone return your call. When requesting identification of specimens by a palaeontologist be aware of the following:
At the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (RTMP): Call the Alberta toll-free line from anywhere in Alberta at 310-0000, wait for the operator and then key in 823-7707. You may also visit the museum in Drumheller with your fossil. You may not find any staff on hand to help you so it is always best to call ahead. The RTMP also has a feature on their website where questions can be asked visit their website at: www.tyrrellmuseum.com/. Following is a list of some scientists and their areas of expertise:
This is not a complete list, and does not mean that only these people can help you. The RTMP has many knowledgeable people on staff including technicians, graduate students, the education group and others who may be called upon to help you. Wintertime is usually better since fewer staff members are out in the field. To contact a museum scientist by email, send a message to info@tyrrellmuseum.com, and include the person’s name in the subject line. At the Geological Survey of Canada (Calgary): (403) 292-7000
The GSC holds a yearly “Pet Rock Clinic” where fossils can be brought in to be identified. Contact the GSC for details of date and location. At the University of Calgary Dept. of Geology & Geophysics: (403) 220-5841
Dept. of Biological Sciences: (403) 220-5261
At Mount Royal College (Calgary; Dept. of Earth Sciences): (403) 240-6165
At the University of Alberta (Edmonton) Dept. of Biological Sciences: (780) 492-3308
Dept. of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: (780) 492-3265
As custodian of the fossils you collect it is important to keep a record of where each fossil was found. This should include: 1. The geographic location, for example:
2. The site description, for example:
3. The nature of the rock in which or on which the fossil was found, for example:
The above information enhances the scientific value of the fossil and can assist with:
Recording the date the fossil was collected is also recommended. 5. GENERAL CLEANING TECHNIQUES TOP OF PAGE PHYSICAL—mechanical means of cleaning/preparing fossils.
By means of:
CHEMICAL
By means of:
Acids
2. Bases
3. Solvents
4. Water—the
ultimate solvent.
5. Wetting
Agents
6. Weathering Given enough TIME any fossil can be cleaned/prepared to perfection.
6.
FOSSIL
PREPARATION, REPAIR AND The art of fossil cleaning and preparation has a long, and until recently, an uneventful history of “picking and chipping.” For hundreds of years fossil cleaning and preparation was done by mechanical means such as the slow and methodical removal of matrix material by scratching, gouging, picking, chipping and cutting. Only within the last fifty years has the development and application of electric motors and chemicals added significant new aspects to fossil cleaning and preparation. Patience has always been the key to successful fossil preparation, regardless of the technique. To best understand why we use the preparation techniques we do, and on what materials, we must first know something of the properties of the material we are working with. To clean and prepare fossil material we generally wish to remove sedimentary material that is encasing the fossil. So what we want to examine first are the properties of the sedimentary material that covers and coats the fossil specimens. Sedimentary rock material consists of: Minerals—substances that occur as: · mineral grains, generally of quartz, feldspars, rock fragments, fragments of fossils, or other mineral material. · matrix material; this is usually very fine grained mineral material that fills in and around the larger mineral grains, generally clay minerals. · cementing materials; this is a chemical precipitate that has been deposited around the mineral grains and matrix material to chemically bond the stuff together. Generally quartz (in the form of chalcedony), calcite/dolomite, or limonite are the most common cementing materials, but organic residues may also be present.
Texture—the
arrangement of the mineral grains, and the presence or absence of either
matrix, or cement, or both. · bedding planes (laminae), planes of deposition; perhaps planes of weakness. Planes along which mineral grains, or other materials may align themselves. CONSOLIDATION
Consolidants
are glues that penetrate the fossil and strengthen it. There are various
products on the market such as Vinac™, Butvar™, Paleobond™ and others.
Before using a product like this, a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) should
be consulted and the directions followed. Directions may be provided on the
container, but not always. There may be special ventilation requirements.
These products may be toxic with long-term exposures. It is a good idea to
record what consolidant is used in any given fossil REPAIR White glue, Weldwood™, or LePage’s Bondfast™, Paleobond™ or Krazy Glue™ (cyanoacrylates with accelerator). Good for permanent bonding of small pieces. 5-minute epoxy—for permanent bond of larger pieces. WARNING: Repeated exposure to epoxies can lead one to develop sensitization to that family of products. Vinac™ diluted with acetone to thick consistency—good for temporary use while trying to fit many smaller pieces together as it can easily be reversed with acetone. Repair will probably last for a long time but is not considered permanent. The disadvantages are that t is slow to dry and tends to be messy to use. FILLER For filling open cracks and spaces from missing pieces, to make the specimen stronger and improve appearance. Epoxy putty (A & B epoxy putty) is the best choice. Plaster of Paris and Vinac™ in acetone (thick consistency) can also be used. CATALOGUING OF FOSSIL SPECIMENS A simple serial number is the best if you plan on keeping track of your collection manually or with a computerized database or spreadsheet like Excel™. Serial numbers greatly simplify database construction and searching. SPECIMEN SERIAL NUMBER
JD-1237
(example) If you want to get fancy you may want to assign a series to groups of fossils, such as:
1-1234
Plants
(Anything starting with “1-” will mean it is a plant fossil) Such a series could be applied to a particular formation. That means all fossils collected from one formation will start with that series number. The advantage of this system is in doing searches on specific groups or formations. This is more applicable to manual book keeping. For digital databases, fancy numbering schemes can unnecessarily complicate things. Sorting and searching by formation name, age, fossil group, etc. can be done almost instantly by means of keyword searches in your various data fields. A simple serial number is all you need to identify each fossil. INFORMATION TO RECORD Whether you keep individual specimen sheets, labels, or collect the information in spreadsheets, the information useful to keep track of includes:
NUMBERING THE FOSSIL Make sure the fossil is clean and dry. A quick and easy way to number your fossils is to print them out on a piece of paper, cut out each number, and glue it onto your specimen. An alternate method is to paint a small strip of white latex paint on your fossil. When the strip is completely dry, the specimen number can be written onto the white strip with a permanent black ink pen. SAMPLE SPECIMEN SHEET FOR THE PALAEONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE PEACE
A. FOSSIL BOOKS TO GET STARTED TOP OF PAGE “HOW TO”
GENERAL
IDENTIFIERS
B. PALAEONTOLOGICAL JOURNALS TOP OF PAGE The following list is by no means complete. These journals are usually indexed annually, and cumulative printed or online indexes may be available. Search the web or ask a librarian for assistance.
D. ONLINE LIBRARY CATALOGUES TOP OF PAGE TAL-online (The Alberta Library) on-line catalogue http://www.talonline.ca/searchalberta/index.jsp Choose “All Alberta Libraries” in the search menu. This will allow you to search all Alberta Public and Postsecondary libraries. With your valid library card, you can request items from this catalogue to be delivered to your “home library”. Topographical maps may be purchased at most commercial map dealers. Geological maps are available from the Geological Survey of Canada. Many of the latter are out of print, and you may have to view the map in a library. Most large public and university libraries have accessible map collections. The Government of Canada has two useful websites: A magnetic declination calculator can be found at www.geolab.nrcan.gc.ca/geomag/home_e.shtml. Click on “Magnetic Declination Calculator.” Enter the map coordinates of interest, and the calculator will return the current magnetic streams and other topographical features, and make excellent “preview” maps if you’re considering purchasing the real thing, or scouting a new location. Navigate to toporama.cits.rncan.gc.ca/toporama_en.html
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