LABORATORY Functions The Laboratory and Preparation Room of the Richmond Marine Fossil Museum carry out all fossil processing and identification of fossils. The Curator and assistants use a combination of mechanical and chemical techniques to ready embedded fossils for display. Tools that are used include dental drills and pneumatic hammers. The main chemical used to dissolve the limestone around fossils is formic acid. The cycle of preparation of a fossil includes preparing the fossil for acid treatment, coating it with paraloid glue and placing it in acid for up to 24 hours. In this period of time 1mm of limestone will have been removed. The fossil is then washed in water for the same period of time |
The Laboratory at the Richmond Marine Fossil Museum |
to remove acid crystals from the fossil's bone structure. The fossil is then allowed
to dry, and the newly-exposed bone is then coated with paraloid. The
cycle is then repeated. The facility also has a large outdoor acid process facility for processing large and heavy fossil specimens. |
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