What equipment is needed to collect fossils ?

What equipment is needed to collect fossils ?

ÜA: It all depends on where you're going and what you plan to collect. Some fossils may be effortlessly picked up from the ground; many paleontologists carry a geologist's hammer; rock slabs may be split with this hammer or with this hammer and a cold chisel. Soft sediment may be screened for fossils by being sifted through a screen of appropriate size. Soft-bristled paint brushes are useful for brushing dirt from your finds. When working in hard rock areas, eye protection is a very good idea. Hard hats and steel-tipped shoes may also be called for at certain sites; at some working quarries, you are required to wear these. A hand lens is quite useful for examining specimens in the field. And never go into the field without a notebook and pen or pencil, for writing down the location and local geology. Of course, if you're going to be working in a remote area, you should pack water, food, first aid, maps, sunscreen, and so on.

ÜMost invertebrate fossils may be wrapped in paper or placed in bags for transport; delicate fossils may require more care. Large vertebrate fossils may require special techniques and teams of people to get them out of the ground without damage or destruction. If you should find a large vertebrate fossil, we urge you to leave it where it is and make an accurate report of its location to the nearest natural history museum or university department.

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