Andrew Newman wrote an extensive piece on pyrite decay based on his
experience at the Great North Museum (Hancock). It's attached here, from the
GCG Journal. It's from 1998 so a little old but the chemistry is still
correct!
-----Original Message-----
From: The Geological Curator's Group mailing list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nigel R. Larkin
Sent: 16 October 2012 10:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Predicting pyrite decay - your help requested, please.
As there isn't a definitive guide one can turn to that lists sites yielding
specimens likely to suffer from pyrite decay if storage conditions are less
than ideal I would like your help to put together some guidelines that could
be published in the Geological Curator / NatSCA or somewhere similar.
If you have had fossil or mineral specimens suffer from pyrite decay please
get in touch (see below) and give me the details. Also, tell me about any
sites and/or geological horizons that you know yield specimens that suffer
particularly badly or easily from pyrite oxidation, even if you know of only
a few examples. This includes minerals as well as fossils. A locality name
is essential (as detailed as possible, but if all you have is 'Whitby area'
that will do) and include as much stratigraphic information as you have. It
would be useful if you could indicate the sort of material, i.e. 'ammonites'
or 'marine reptiles' etc and (it is usually unlikely one would know the
following) whether the pyrite decay is active only in the matrix surrounding
the specimen, or only within the specimen, or in both.
Also, please send me references for any published papers you know of
relating to pyrite decay. Please ask ex-curators and other relevant
colleagues for their input. The more people that contribute, the more
reliable and useful the end result will be.
I will put all the information together and will publish a list of sites
known to produce particularly susceptible material. This would be a useful
starting point for curators either wanting to round up material to put in a
better (low
RH) microclimate or those wanting to check targeted parts of their
collection once a year.
Please reply off-list so we don't clog-up everyones' mailboxes. Many thanks
for your help.
Nigel Larkin.
Email: [log in to unmask]
Nigel R. Larkin BA MSc
http://norfolk.academia.edu/NigelLarkin
http://www.natural-history-conservation.com
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Natural-History-Conservation/11934679809517
7
Research Associate (Geology),
Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, Shirehall, Market Avenue, Norwich,
Norfolk. NR1 3JQ.
http://www.museums.norfolk.gov.uk
Associate Member of the "Ancient Hominid Occupation of Britain Project"
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ahob/
Telephone: 07973 869613
---------------------------------------------------
This mail sent through http://www.easynetdial.co.uk
|