GeologyRocksExtracting fossils using acid
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theape
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Sometimes the fossil that is
Sun, 11/25/2007 - 15:04Sometimes the fossil that is found in limestone/calcite rich rocks is made of another material, like pyrite. At the charmouth/Lyme Regis area, quite a few fossils are made out of pyrite, so you can (but is actually quite hard to ) dissolve the surrounding muddy-calcite-rich rock with acid.
But if your fossil is still in calcitic form, i wouldn't reccomend using acid to remove the surronding rock!
A mate of mine tried using a ultrasonic tank to clean up his fossils, but he got bored after 2 days of waiting!
Matt
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Extracting fossils using acid
Submitted by Spinney on Sun, 11/25/2007 - 12:44.I've heard that you can get fossils out of rocks using acid - particularly fossils in limestone.
However, I thought that fossils were effectively the same kind of rock as the rock they are found in, so how come the acid doesn't dissolve the fossil as well as dissolving the rock around it?