Pennsylvanian Mire Forest

The landscape of East-Central Illinois on the surface above the coal mines where the fossil forest was found. You can see flat fields, corn and soybeans, a deciduous forest here and there... but no rainforest vegetation! We need to travel 250 feet underground to find our Pennsylvanian age rainforest vegetation.

Coal is found "underground". Here Howard Falcon-Lang (University of Bristol) and John Nelson (Illinois State Geological Survey) stand outside the mine headquarters before putting on their safety equipment and going through safety training, prior to entering the mine.

Howard, all dressed up and ready to go. In addition to Howard's hard hat, cap lamp, reflective gear, SCSR (self contained self rescuer), battery pack and rock hammer, he is also wearing metatarsal guard boots and pants cuff straps. Don't forget your backpack, gloves, and lunch Howard!

From left to right - John Nelson from ISGS, Phil Ames from Peabody Energy, and Scott Elrick from ISGS discuss a series of geologic and geophysical logs.

John Nelson, in the mine and examining the coal "rib". In the "roof" you can see "roof bolts", which are used to stabilize the roof rock and keep it from collapsing into the area from which the coal has been removed. The roof rock and coal "rib" have been sprayed with limestone rock dust, used to help stop explosions from propagating in the mine. This is what causes many of the walls of the mine to appear white in color. It looks like John remembered his lunch.

Scott Elrick, in a mine in Illinois, examining a few thin stringers of coal above the main coal seam. Part of the 'rib' or wall of the passageway has come down, allowing us to see the black and shiny nature of the coal seam and the dull dark gray of the roof shale normally hidden by the limestone rock dust.

Bill DiMichele, caught in the act of wrapping a fossil sample in newspaper. By the end of the day, Bill will fill that backpack to the top! On Bill's left hip you can see the battery pack that powers his cap lamp.