Ancient Sea Bed

[fossis]

We have an area close to me in the mts, that I found by accident while deer hunting, also an 'old timer' told me once about when they built the train track, they bulldozed out huge rocks that were full of 'marbles'.
He wasn't far off, the conglomerate boulders are remnants of 'ancient sea beds', all are full of different colored 'nodules', some of the black looks like 'flint rock', but one knapper said it was a 'low grade' for knapping arrowheads.
The colors range from grey, rust color, to black, & sometimes the small 'nodules' weather into the creeks & roll even rounder, then they do look like marbles.
Shells are not found very often, but one rock had a tail of a small 'Trilobite', ( pic with finger pointing).
also Herkimer Diamonds are found in association with these , (posted on Rocks & Minerals).

Fossis..............

 

[Cappy Z.]

Definitely metamorphic and representative at least in part of an ancient seabed. Great place to hunt for 'collectibles'.

Nice clear pics. Thanks for posting.

 

[fossis]

Definitely metamorphic and representative at least in part of an ancient seabed. Great place to hunt for 'collectibles'.

Nice clear pics. Thanks for posting.

Thanks

Fossis............

 

[RPG]

Those are awesome pics you've been posting Fossis. You are lucky to live in such a nice part of the country.

I been admiring that rifle also.

 

[fossis]

Those are awesome pics you've been posting Fossis. You are lucky to live in such a nice part of the country.

I been admiring that rifle also.

Thanks, I am blessed, don't even think about my 'trusty rifle', it's not much, but it's better than pointing my finger & saying 'bang bang'.

Fossis...............

 

[Harry Pristis]

Good images!

The rock with the marble-like inclusions is a sedimentary deposit known as a conglomerate. The marbles are stream-rounded pebbles that have been cemented into a matrix.

 

[fossis]

Good images!

The rock with the marble-like inclusions is a sedimentary deposit known as a conglomerate. The marbles are stream-rounded pebbles that have been cemented into a matrix.

Thanks for 'the correction' Harry, I meant to say conglomerate, instead of concretion.

Fossis...........

 

[scotto]

Yeah buddy, neat stuff. Boy that new camera you've got now sure takes some purty pics!

Save some of them rocks for me!

 

[fossis]

Yeah buddy, neat stuff. Boy that new camera you've got now sure takes some purty pics!

Save some of them rocks for me!

I brought you one out today, we can get lots more for your 'stonehenge'.

Fossis...............

 

[Solius Symbiosus]

Definitely metamorphic...

Why

The only thing in that part of the country that could be called "metamorphic" are some very low grade meta-sediments from the Paleozoic(and their expanse is very limited), and some Cryptozoic meta-volcanics.

His rocks are obviously Paleozoic carbonates and clastics(rhychonellid and strophomenid brachiopods, and proetid trilobite "tail"), so that rules out the Cryptozoic stuff. And, the very low grade stuff requires a thin section to see any chemical changes.


Fossis, those rocks looks very similar to the carbonates and clastics that are found along the flanks of the Appalachian Mnts.

The carbonates are full of chert nodules and look very similar to the Newman Fm, or St Louis Lm.(they used to be part of the same group, but the stratigraphy has been reclassified)

The conglomerates are remnants of stream channels and river beds that meandered through the large delta that formed in the Pennsylvanian.

 

[fossis]

Definitely metamorphic...

Why

The only thing in that part of the country that could be called "metamorphic" are some very low grade meta-sediments from the Paleozoic(and their expanse is very limited), and some Cryptozoic meta-volcanics.

His rocks are obviously Paleozoic carbonates and clastics(rhychonellid and strophomenid brachiopods, and proetid trilobite "tail"), so that rules out the Cryptozoic stuff. And, the very low grade stuff requires a thin section to see any chemical changes.


Fossis, those rocks looks very similar to the carbonates and clastics that are found along the flanks of the Appalachian Mnts.

The carbonates are full of chert nodules and look very similar to the Newman Fm, or St Louis Lm.(they used to be part of the same group, but the stratigraphy has been reclassified)

The conglomerates are remnants of stream channels and river beds that meandered through the large delta that formed in the Pennsylvanian.

Very intresting, it seems I read somewhere that the Ouachita mts were once part of the Appalachian's, so that may explain some things.
The formation of the 'coal' & petrified wood were supposed to have formed by the rise & fall of 'shallow seas', I have found pyritized ammonites & sea shells in some mine tailings similar to the one shown below.
One 'puzzling thing' to me is some of the nodules, (grey) , are filled with shells, see the one on Rocks & Minerals, (Herkimer Hunt),
it is a 'fantastic world' we live in, I am constantly amazed at it all.

Fossis............

 

[Solius Symbiosus]

Very intresting, it seems I read somewhere that the Ouachita mts were once part of the Appalachian's, so that may explain some things.
The formation of the 'coal' & petrified wood were supposed to have formed by the rise & fall of 'shallow seas', I have found pyritized ammonites & sea shells in some mine tailings similar to the one shown below.
One 'puzzling thing' to me is some of the nodules, (grey) , are filled with shells, see the one on Rocks & Minerals, (Herkimer Hunt),
it is a 'fantastic world' we live in, I am constantly amazed at it all.

Fossis............

Yes, the Ouachita Mnts, and the Appalachians' are intimately related; during that time, the eastern and southern part of North America(Laurentia) was under going a mountain building phase do to the collision of Laurentia and Gondwana(the southern continent).

That collision was part of the final stages in the formation of the super continent Pangea.

If you wish to learn more, "google" north american orogenies.


If what you are referring to in the "Herkimer Hunt" thread is picture #5, Those are bedding planes in the large boulder.