Blue Fluorite

Blue fluorite specimen was at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum display at the KYANA Geological Society 2010 Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Calcite Crystals

Calcite specimen was at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum display at the KYANA Geological Society 2010 Show in Louisville, Kentucky.  It might be mixed in with some purple fluorite.

Fluorite

Fluorite specimens that were at the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum display at the KYANA Geological Society 2010 Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Visit to Lake Cumberland, Kentucky

Last weekend I went on a geology field trip with KYANA Geological Society (http://www.kyanageo.org/) to Grider Hill Dock (http://www.griderhilldock.com/) at Cumberland Lake, Kentucky.

The lake was nice and not too crowded. As you can see in the picture the rock banks are very visible in the pictures as the Army Corp of Engineers had to lower the water levels to repair the dam that created this lake from the Cumberland River.

Since the water level is down it makes a great time to observe the geological features covered by the water. This area was part of a vast shallow sea during the Mississippian period (known as Carboniferous outside the United States) which was about 320-360 million years ago. Animals that looked like plants ("sea lilies") known as crinoids flourished here.

These pictures showed the marina and our group of 17 rented two pontoon boats for the day.

Geology Field Trip to Bedford, Kentucky

Recently, I got to go on a geology field trip to Bedford, Kentucky to collect snails or gastropods. It was fun though it was hot and sunny. Also the weeds were making my allergies flare up. Found lots of neat fossils and here are some pictures of some.

Keeping my streak alive of finding some trilobite piece on my last 5 outings. This trip was extra nice in the the upside down flexicalymene trilobite that is about 50% there. Also found at least 5 other trilobite pieces.

On the way back home, the fire department of Bedford was collecting money at the stop light for the WHAS Crusade for Children so I gave the firefighter some money. His face was really red I assumed from being out in the sun for hours and hours so I gave him the rest of my 50 level sunblock. I hope he was able to use it because that looked like quite a sunburn. The sunblock packet came from the Louisville Mayor's ride so it was good I could pay it forward with them giving it to me and I able to give to someone else.

Other Fossils in KYANA case at Louisville Nature Center

Keeping with yesterday's post, I finish with the photos I took at the last KYANA meeting at the Louisville Nature Center (www.kyanageo.org).

These are some other minerals and fossils besides crinoids. The 3 photos show quartz geodes, rugosa solitary coral, and brachiopods.

Trilobite Heads from Speed Quarry, Indiana

My cousin found these trilobite pieces at the April 19, 2008 KYANA field trip to Speed Quarry.

Brachiopod Feeding Tubes

My cousin found a very nice brachiopod that revealed the lophophore which is a feeding organ that is spiral in shape. Thus giving this creature the order name of spiriferida.

More Trilobites

My cousin was on the April 19th KYANA field trip to the Speed Indiana Quarry as well and really went after trilobites. He found about 9-11 trilobite parts. Here are some pictures I took of some of this finds.

Trilobites From Speed, Indiana

I was able to find two trilobite heads and a tail at the last KYANA geological society field trip keeping my streak alive at finding trilobites on the last 3 trips out.

These trilobite heads were found at the Essroc Quarry in Speed, Indiana from probably Jeffersonville Limestone formed in the Middle Devonian period. They are phacops trilobites and I would guess since it is only their head, a molt.