This EarthCache takes you to the outside of The Mint, which is in Holbeck, Leeds. It is an urban area, so please if you are challenged be honest about why you are here - to look at fossils.
I have heard many a person saying that they live in a city, and will never see any fossils, or that they cannot physically get to fossil sites in the Dales as they are not able. Well, no need to worry, there is plenty to see in the city of Leeds itself. This EarthCache is suitable for the disabled, those with strollers and children. It is meant to be interesting and educational.
So what are we here to see? Well we are here to look at the limestone clad pillars at the entrance to The Mint. You may argue that Yorkshire has plenty of limeston, which it does, but this limestone comes from a different geologial era and location in the world.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock.
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the deposition and subsequent cementation of that material at the earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle in place. The particles that form a sedimentary rock by accumulating are called sediment. Before being deposited, the sediment was formed by weathering and erosion from the source area, and then transported to the place of deposition by water, wind, ice, mass movement or glaciers. Sedimentation may also occur as minerals precipitate from water solution or shells of aquatic creatures settle out of suspension.
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate. Many,but not all limestones are composed of skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral, crinoids and molluscs.
This type of limestone is known as Jura Limestone, and it comes from Bavaria in Germany.
This type of limestone was formed during the Jurrasic period, which is also known as the age of reptiles, during this time, a shallow tropical sea covered the area now known as Bavaria. In the limestone was can see evidence of some of the creatures that once lived in this sea, and we are here to look for a specific type of fossil - Belemnites.
A fossil is trace or remains of a plant, animal or other organisms. However, there is more to fossilization than just bones, or remains of a T Rex.
There are many EarthCaches which can teach you about the whole process of fossilization, what we are concerned with is this certain type of fossil.
Belemnites, which are now extinct, are related to the squid family, but unlike their modern day relative they had a internal skeleton, which is what is often preserved, in the form of a rostrum, or 'bullet'. It is shaped like a bullet, and this was part of the rear of the animal possibly as a form of a counter balance. Some belemnite fossils can be seen with two sharps prongs at the rear, these are the remains of what is known as a Phragmocone, which was a chambered conical shell, that connected to the rostrum.
At the EarthCache location are some Belemnite fossils.
This being an EarthCache, in order to log it, I ask that you answer the above questions. Please send them to me, and do not include them in your log. You can send them to me by using the message facility or email, both of which can be found by looking at my profile.
(1) How many complete belemnite fossils can you see at this location?
(2) Please measure the length of the longest belemnite fossils, from the end of the phragmocone to the tip of the rostrum, how long is it?
(3) What colour is the rostrum of the belemnite?
(4) Please describe the colour and grain size of the Jura Limestone.
(5) To the side of the EarthCache location are two grey pillars, each with a pipe coming out of the top. Please take a picture with your GPS infront of these.