Fossils in Oakley?
Back when I was in the fifth grade, one of the Christmas presents I got was a Skilcraft Geology Lab. One of the mineral samples that came with the set was bauxite (see photograph).
Bauxite is an aluminum ore which has a pisolitic crystalline structure – the crystal aggregates are rounded about the size of a pea. (For more info on bauxite check out : https://www.usgs.gov/centers/national-minerals-information-center/bauxite-and-alumina-statistics-and-information.
After a while, I examined the sample more closely. I did some tests on that mineral and realized it was not bauxite. The little spherical shapes were not crystal aggregates, but fossils of snails/gastropods. The spherical shapes were cross sectional cuts of the shells. This is a good reminder that not all fossils are obvious.
And now for this EarthCache.
At the coordinates you will find several rocks. Obviously, these rocks are not originally from this locale and were placed here during construction of the park and flood control area. If you look closely, you will see these rocks contain fossils. There is primarily one type of animal fossil in the rocks, but you are viewing the pieces of the fossils from different angles and cross sections so, identification may present a challenge. Think in 3D. Here is a site that may help with the identification https://www.digitalatlasofancientlife.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmpyRBhC-ARIsABs2EAry-5vBzrHZC7TLUvETptSabh_n5jOle8wKVNwsAF7FLg5wPQbWYpgaApNfEALw_wcB
To log this EarthCache you must send me a message with the answers to the following questions:
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What are the colors of the rock (matrix) and the fossils?
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What type of animal are these fossils of? Use the name of the modern-day equivalent.
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Optional Bonus: What is your favorite place to dine on the modern-day relatives of these fossil critters and how do you like them prepared.
Please do not post pictures of the fossils. Also, follow Leave No Trace and leave fossils as you found them.