vultureculturecoyote:Went back to the Dorset coast again. A year since last time. Found a few more o
vultureculturecoyote:Went back to the Dorset coast again. A year since last time. Found a few more of these unique ammonites.What makes these so unique is that they are made of pyrite! (Fools gold) Its an entirely naturally occurring phenomenon caused by the animal being fossilized in very specific conditions. They are super pretty and metallic, but its a pain to keep them that way. After a while of being exposed to air and moisture the pyrite starts to oxidize and actually turns into sulfur!This fossil was found over a year ago and started out looking almost as pretty as the one on top. The white and yellow powder is sulfur. It smells like strong iron and rotten eggs. Luckily it can just be brushed off and looks fine again, but if left for many many years it will eventually turn entirely into powder. Its what happens naturally to them when they erode out of the cliff walls. -- source link
#ammonite#fossil#pyrite#sulfur#geology#fossils#erosion#weathering#fossilfriday#chemistry