Deposits Magazine - International rock and fossil, glossy 52 page publication

Geology of Essex

To the northeast of London lies the county of Essex, which extends out to the east coast of England. Although not usually noted for its geology, it does have quite a bit to offer the amateur geologist. In addition, there is a significant body of published geological research on the area and, in this article, I will discuss some of the geological work (focusing, in particular, on the London Clay) that amateur palaeontologists and collectors have undertaken in recent times to show that amateurs really can make a difference to the earth sciences. Admittedly, Essex does not have an abundance of fossils or geologically rich, ancient sediments from the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic, like elsewhere in the UK. Notable exceptions include exposures of Mesozoic Chalk from the Cretaceous, which are about 80myrs old. However, Cenozoic sediments can prove just as interesting and worthy of investigation, particularly those dating from the Pleistocene (the ‘Ice Age’), which occur as...

The fossil beetles of Bognor Regis, West Sussex

In his recent article in Issue 32, Alister Cruickshanks describes fossil collecting from the London Clay (Eocene) at Bognor Regis in West Sussex. It was here that I spent my teenage years (a long time ago) and it is still a locality that I regularly visit and to where I also lead fossil hunting expeditions. Having said that, like many foreshore localities with no eroding cliffs, there are times when beach sand hides the underlying geology and a casual visitor can be very disappointed. Alister describes the London Clay around the sandstone ‘Bognor Rocks’ and their many fossil molluscs, but he also briefly mentions that fossil beetles have been found at this locality. Bognor is one of very few places in Britain where Eocene fossil insects can be found and I...

Agios Georgios Cave, Kilkis: 50 years of history, 30,000 years of prehistory

In northern Greece, 45km north of Thessaloniki, one of the few public caves in Northern Greece is situated in the Agios Georgios Hill, near Kilkis. The cave is famous for its stalactites and stalagmites, its cave environment and thousands of fossilised bones. Since 1986, approximately 80,000 people have visited this cave and guided tours are provided by the municipality of Kilkis. During the Late Pleistocene, around 30,000 years ago, this cave used to be a hyena den and remains of Late Pleistocene megafauna have been recovered in the sediments of the cave. These fossils tell a fascinating story about the landscape and its wildlife. In September 2012, a new natural history museum was opened to the public: displaying 50 years of history, and 30,000 years of prehistory...

The geology of East Greenland

The collection of cobbles on any beach on the lakeshore represents a distribution of materials from nearby submerged reefs and outcrops of basalts and, to a lesser extent, all parts of the entire Lake Superior Basin. There are small beaches, which are only 10 to 20 feet long and a few feet wide that are visited by collectors for the loose cobbles from the immediate reefs and surrounding basalt outcrops. Sedar Bay is large and nearly all one beach. The result is a very diverse selection of cobbles for the collector to choose from, some of them unusual and a few unique. From Calumet and the Tamarack copper mines to the level of the lake at Sedar Bay...

Plus...

The geology of East Greenland

Shear zones – natural laboratories of rock deformation and mineral alteration

Location profile: Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire

Treasures from the beaches of Sedar Bay: part 2

And much more...