[NHCOLL-L:393] pyrite disease?

[T Fedak]

Hello All,

I am wondering if anyone might be able to give me a description of what pyrite
disease looks like and how to test if a whitish powder which has appeared on a
fossil footprint is pyrite disease or mold.  There is a good likelihood that the
whitish powder is salt (fossil was collected in an inter tidal area) but I need
to check to determine if it is pyrite or mold.

Once I determine what is going on, I will be putting the footprint in a sealed
container with desiccant bags to control the humidity.  At our museum we have
times of high humidity (summer) as we are right next to the ocean, and now in
the winter we have gone down to 35.

Thoughts?

Cheers,
Tim

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tim J. Fedak, Lab Manager
 Fundy Geological Museum
 902.254.3814    fedaktj at ednet.ns.ca