[Rockhounds] Pennsylvania fern fossils

[Lawrence Rush]

Well, I can vouch that these are in sedimentary layers, interspersed with 
anthracite coal, and some sandstone and conglomerate. The site where I 
collected was a worked out strip mine being reclaimed at the time. This area 
had almost vertical layering (this is in the Appalachia Mountains, remember) 
of the black shale, easy to work, and virtually every split with a chisel 
produced a new layer of plant fossils. The layers can be split down to 
millimeters in thickness, and still show fossil remains. The vast majority 
of the fossils lay parallel with the bedding planes, as one would expect in 
a shallow bog-like environment. Maybe because of the ease of layer parting 
and the black coloring (carbonaceous) it could be confused with a slate.

The proper labeling should be:

Fossil Ferns (there are other plant species, as well)
Llewellyn Shale
Pennsylvanian age
(mine are from St. Clair, Pa.)

Ferns are: Alethopteris sp.
               Neuropteris sp.
               Percopteris sp.

Larry Rush

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: <smkell45 at aol.com>
To: <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 7:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Pennsylvania fern fossils


>
> I've been reading about St. Clair material. People keep calling the matrix 
> "slate". My specimens from there frequently are very detailed and not at 
> all distorted as they might be if there was? more than a little? slate 
> producing metamorphism. Also a thought that slate splits along planes 
> perpendicular to the pressure, not along sedimentary layers containing the 
> fern fossils. I also was told that this was a worked out anthracite 
> location. How do you get shale type fossils and matrix next to an 
> anthracite location.? Somebody set me straight. smkell
>
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Junkroski <jpjunk at mc.net>
> To: Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors 
> <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
> Sent: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 2:12 pm
> Subject: Re: [Rockhounds] Pennsylvania fern fossils
>
>
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>
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>
>
> Hi Larry,?
> ?
>
> I'd be very interested in those fossils.?
>
> I have some 1 1/2 inch pyrite cubes from Spain to trade and some 
> fluorescents from Ontario, Kentucky and California.?
>
> Might be able to find some U.P. Michigan native copper...?
> ?
>
> John?
> ?
>
>
> On Nov 3, 2008, at 10:11 AM, Lawrence Rush wrote:?
> ?
>
>>?
>
>>?
>
>> I'm still digging through boxes of old material. Today the find is > of 3 
>> large plates of fern fossils from St.Clair, Pennsylvania > (about 8X12" 
>> in size). I dug these some 35 years ago, when access > was still 
>> possible. If any fossil collectors would like to trade > for these (for 
>> mineral specimens, please), give me a shout, and I > will send photos.?
>
>>?
>
>> Good Collecting........Larry?
>
>>?
>
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