Bones?

[josh bernhard]

I was browsing the Abandoned Coal Mine database looking for information on the Sego mines (Chesterfield 1, 2 and 3) and found a map showing the arrangement of the sediment layers, and some of the layers are labled as "bone" or "shale and bone". Question: Is this a mining term, or does it literally mean that those layers are rich in fossil deposits? A resident of the town in the 1920s told me that the mines were temporarily closed a few times as fossils were discovered and removed.


Image from Chesterfield No.2 maps folder, http://geology.utah.gov/databases/umsh/index.html

Thanks,

Josh B.

[acidman1968]

If I remember correctly, in several Utah coal mines, you can see dinosaur footprints along the ceilings after the coal has been removed. So I wouldn't be surprised if they were actually finding fossilized bones...

[Ossyconno]

Dinosaur footprints along the ceilings! Now that would be something amazing to look at. Anyone have pictures?

[acidman1968]

Dinosaur footprints along the ceilings! Now that would be something amazing to look at. Anyone have pictures?

Here's a link to an article that talks about the footprints in the ceilings - along with some pictures.

http://homepage.mac.com/allanmcnyc/reprints/Pdfs/parkerro.pdf

[Stuart]

While exploring some old asphalt mines up Spanish Fork canyon last year Crystal and I came across a few dinosaur prints in the ceiling of the mines. I'll have to look for the pictures.

[josh bernhard]

This didn't really answer my question as to what the term "bones" meant on the map, but I did find this entry in a 1912 issue of the Eastern Utah Advocate:

"While blasting stone here recently a large fossil was uncovered by the workmen that much resembled a crocodile. It was about fifteen feet in length."
Thanks,
Josh B.

[Therrin]

If I remember correctly, in several Utah coal mines, you can see dinosaur footprints along the ceilings after the coal has been removed. So I wouldn't be surprised if they were actually finding fossilized bones...

Whoa, dinosaurs that walked upsidedown? AMAZING!

[$ alex $]

we find fossils all the time in the coal mine i work at. there used to be a perfectly preserved fish fossil in one of the old sections, but it is gone now... i have a picture of a footprint that my professor took at a central utah coal mine. ill try to upload it now. it was easier to see in person and im pretty sure the outlining of it makes it not as cool...
fun fact: i have seen "mankillers" in the top that are actually old petrified stumps. they can fall out of the top and seriously injure people if the the area isn't roof bolted correctly. very awesome to see...

[sanpet]

coalmine

$Alex$ What coal mine are you working at?

[$ alex $]

Sufco. Do you work at a coal mine too?

[sanpet]

$Alex$ Alex I worked at Deer Creek coal mine. My oldest son worked at Sufco. John Young.

[$ alex $]

that's awesome. i really enjoy working at sufco. does your son still work there? i am fairly new so i don't know everyone, but i know most of the guys since i have worked on all the shifts since ive been there... my dad used to go to all of the mines and he talked about deer creek often. that's the pacificorp mine, right?

[sanpet]

No he don't work there anymore. He quit and is making custom made knives.

[$ alex $]

Awesome! Ill have to contact you when i am in the market for one!

[Skylinerider]

Sanpet, when did you work at Deer Creek? My old man worked there in 1980's.