Home PageAbout MindatThe Mindat ManualHistory of MindatCopyright StatusWho We AreContact UsAdvertise on Mindat
Donate to MindatCorporate SponsorshipSponsor a PageSponsored PagesMindat AdvertisersAdvertise on Mindat
Learning CenterWhat is a mineral?The most common minerals on earthInformation for EducatorsMindat ArticlesThe ElementsThe Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryGeologic Time
Minerals by PropertiesMinerals by ChemistryAdvanced Locality SearchRandom MineralRandom LocalitySearch by minIDLocalities Near MeSearch ArticlesSearch GlossaryMore Search Options
The Mindat ManualAdd a New PhotoRate PhotosLocality Edit ReportCoordinate Completion ReportAdd Glossary Item
Mining CompaniesStatisticsUsersMineral MuseumsClubs & OrganizationsMineral Shows & EventsThe Mindat DirectoryDevice SettingsThe Mineral Quiz
Photo SearchPhoto GalleriesSearch by ColorNew Photos TodayNew Photos YesterdayMembers' Photo GalleriesPast Photo of the Day GalleryPhotography
╳Discussions
💬 Home🔎 Search📅 LatestGroups
EducationOpen discussion area.Fakes & FraudsOpen discussion area.Field CollectingOpen discussion area.FossilsOpen discussion area.Gems and GemologyOpen discussion area.GeneralOpen discussion area.How to ContributeOpen discussion area.Identity HelpOpen discussion area.Improving Mindat.orgOpen discussion area.LocalitiesOpen discussion area.Lost and Stolen SpecimensOpen discussion area.MarketplaceOpen discussion area.MeteoritesOpen discussion area.Mindat ProductsOpen discussion area.Mineral ExchangesOpen discussion area.Mineral PhotographyOpen discussion area.Mineral ShowsOpen discussion area.Mineralogical ClassificationOpen discussion area.Mineralogy CourseOpen discussion area.MineralsOpen discussion area.Minerals and MuseumsOpen discussion area.PhotosOpen discussion area.Techniques for CollectorsOpen discussion area.The Rock H. Currier Digital LibraryOpen discussion area.UV MineralsOpen discussion area.Recent Images in Discussions
Field CollectingCollecting sites around Maryland/Delaware
5th Jan 2006 20:42 UTCasdaven
6th Jan 2006 06:35 UTCAnonymous User
There are a number of good fossil locations in your area! Mostly Miocene Era marine fossils ie. shark's teeth, cetacean bone & teeth, bivalves, gastropods, castes, etc. If you map quest these names you can get directions-Purse SP, MD (on the Potomac, near LaPlata), Westmoreland SP, VA (on the Potomac, near nothing), Calvert Cliffs SP (on the Chesapeake Bay). I'd also recommend Jasper Burns book "Fossil Collecting in the Mid-Atlantic States" as a good referance for a few more places in your area. There is also a Triassic Basin that runs from VA to NJ so it has to cut thru MD somewhere. As far as mineral/rock sites go I'm afraid you're going to have to bite the bullet and join a local club in the area. Most of the best sites in the area are in quarries and they are reluctant to let clubs in let alone individuals. So, unless you luck out on a construction site your choices are limited to road cuts or private property.
Mark
PS- if you want more specific info on the fossil sites I mentioned just let me know. I've been to all of them several times (at least!) and would be glad to give you a couple of pointers, if needed.
6th Jan 2006 20:04 UTCasdaven
Thanks-
10th Jan 2006 10:40 UTCAnonymous User
Sorry its taken me a few days to respond (been moving out of my old apt.). Let me see if I can help a little....IRT-Purse SP. The shark's teeth are different because they come from a different formation (St Mary's or Aquia if I remember correctly), not Calvert Cliff. There are two families that are overwhelmingly there; sand tigers and mackeral sharks. However if you go down river from the beach entrance, past the duck blind and around the point you'll find some very nice turretella caste (4"-5"L) and ostrea shells. The C&D Canal- I've never been there but it is mentioned in the book I referanced and the last I heard (3 monthes ago at our clubs annual swap-meet) it was still available. By far, the best collecting I've found in the MD/DE/VA/PA area for these type, Miocene Era marine fossils, is down here south of Richmond on the James River. Just outside of the town of Surry, VA. I've found everything from Meg/Mako/tiger/sand-tiger/cow/snaggle-toothed shark's teeth; whale & porpise teeth and bone; dentalium/olive/cone shells; Ecphora shells (big as grapefruits), chesapectens (10"-12"); placopectens (5"); limpets; and one lady with a manatee tooth she had just found! I'm even leading a trip down there this weekend for the club I belong to. I know its a long way from home for you but if you ever decide to give it a try just get in touch with me and I'll see about taking you down there and filling up your car for you! Check out that book by Jasper Burns I mentioned, its full of much more helpful info! (sorry about all the errors-I nevr did lurn tto spel two gud) :-) Good Luck! Mark
10th Jan 2006 20:18 UTCasdaven
11th Jan 2006 11:31 UTCAnonymous User
Whew! lot of questions! Let me give a caveat first-all my ref. books are still packed up due to my move so everything dealing with forms., geographical structures and the like are going to be from memory. Tips on finding large teeth? Patience, time, and location. Mostly PATIENCE! Out of the hundreds of teeth I've collected over the years, I only have a handful that are over 2". Understand that only a handful of shark species ever developed large teeth. So if only 1 out of 50 species in a given area developed large teeth what are your chances of finding one? Make sure that the area you're searching is the right age and has the right forms. for large teeth. One trick is to look for cetacean remains. Since the megs/makos co-existed with them at least you know you're in the right area.
Westmoreland SP is on par with Calvert Cliffs SP-few more teeth, few less shells.
For the turretellas at Purse SP-follow the beach and check for low tide schedual. It'll take about 30-45 mins. walking down river to start finding them in the bank or washed out on the beach. Its a different form. than Calvert Cliffs so the fossils are going to be somewhat different, as well.
The fossils from around here in Richmond are very close in age to the ones found at Aurora/Lee Creek/PCS (whatever you want to call it). Same era and even one of the same forms. crop out up here. It was a different environment however. Lee Creek's deposits were formed in a calm bay behind a barrier island according to current theory. The deposit at Surry seems to be from a fairly open bay with possibly an underwater channel or cliff face.
Anyhow...(whew! long winded for me) I'd be glad to send you some stuff. Just e-mail me with your address at mdam1960@peoplepc.com as well as any other question or comments that I might be able to help you with. Jolyon said he didn't mind limited fossil discussion on mindat but I think we're getting past the "limited" point. :-) Mark
11th Jan 2006 20:44 UTCasdaven
20th Jan 2006 07:01 UTCmichie
Another good place is along the Piscataway Creek that passes under Rt. 210. There is a cliff face there, and this time of year (winter) is a great time to go to avoid all the nasty mosquitos and overgrown foliage. You can find tons and tons of turretella molds there. That's pretty much it. Also a great area to scout for arrowheads and such from the Piscataway Indian that used to have their seate there.
I haven't been to Westmoreland State Park over in VA, but plan to go there in the spring and look for sharks teeth. It's really too bad that there is so much private land off limits to fossil seekers.
Good luck!
20th Jan 2006 22:45 UTCasdaven
14th Mar 2006 00:50 UTCPaul Howard
14th Mar 2006 04:39 UTCMatt Neuzil Expert
what was found there?
5th Apr 2006 00:33 UTC3idalienchild
4th Jul 2006 03:56 UTCMike Hudson
1st Aug 2006 04:55 UTCShane
1st Oct 2006 00:16 UTCasdaven
19th Nov 2006 08:24 UTCJoseph Lipovsky
15th Jan 2007 03:10 UTCMike Speelman
20th Jan 2007 15:31 UTCasdaven
24th Jan 2007 06:28 UTCsarah
29th Jan 2007 03:09 UTCDoug Rambo Expert
20th Feb 2007 20:46 UTChunterwebb
I was hoping to get more information on the areas in Maryland that you have visited. I would like to take my children there to do some collecting,in other words,areas that are easily accessed are optimal.
Are you aware of collecting rules or restrictions on the beaches of the Chesapeake Bay?
Any information you can supply will be greatly appreciated!
20th Jun 2007 16:48 UTCBlanka
1st Jul 2007 13:45 UTCasdaven
6th Jul 2007 13:59 UTCasdaven
25th Jul 2007 15:22 UTCSmitty Biondi
Thanks,
Smitty
29th Sep 2007 02:04 UTCMrs B
9th Jan 2008 03:08 UTCasdaven
Thanks-
12th Jan 2008 22:48 UTCChrista
Any suggestions you have would be appreciated.
13th Jan 2008 00:22 UTCJon Ertman
15th Apr 2008 02:32 UTCcarole frith
I need the directions to the creek in surry county that has been
mentioned in previous messages. I love looking for fossils but
have no clue where the creek is in surry va. or the name of the
creek.
sincerely,
HELP
18th May 2009 18:39 UTCChris Foltz
15th Jun 2009 15:08 UTCMax
22nd Jun 2009 00:43 UTCRobert Simonoff
Another post on the mindat forums asked about collecting in Maryland, it is at http://www.mindat.org/mesg-5-141424.html
~Jessica
16th Jul 2011 19:54 UTCAsh
16th Jul 2011 20:50 UTCStephen Johnson
4th Aug 2011 22:42 UTCD&L
D & L
Pennsylvania
PS Visit the St Clair site in Schuylkill County, PA. the fern fossils (white on black) are so abundant you think it's a trick! I can give really good directions for the pullover spot along the old country road where you walk in to the site.
1st Sep 2011 22:10 UTCPetra
4th Sep 2011 20:25 UTCjack treasure
15th Jul 2012 21:32 UTCDocrx
15th Jul 2012 21:50 UTCRobert Simonoff
The Delaware Mineral club, website , has historically done some fossil trips, but I am not sure if they have done any recently. They are a little far for me to travel.
In either case, contact the field trip organizers for these clubs. If there is interest, they will try to arrange something - they like to go out and explore as much as anyone.
Bob
25th Apr 2016 17:05 UTCbarker
18th Jun 2016 15:18 UTCKaren Davis
Karen Davis
Mindat.org is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 19, 2024 02:29:05
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2024, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: April 19, 2024 02:29:05