by Museum Supervisor & Lab Manager Leya D. Collins
Here at the Western Science Center we do a fair amount of fossil preparation in order for our paleontologists to conduct their research! The job of a fossil preparator is to remove a fossil from its field jacket and to clean the matrix (dirt) off of it so that the scientist can fully visualize all the distinct features of a fossil to identify the species or, in a lucky few cases, a new species. Preparators must be very careful not to scratch the specimen during the matrix removal process so that they don’t obscure or confuse any marks left behind by animal interactions that occurred either before or after the animal’s death. Due to the detailed and careful nature of fossil preparation, completion of just one specimen can take months or even years, and storage space in a laboratory is always a hot commodity!
Space is always a need in a Preparation Laboratory, so there have been lots of moves and reconfigurations of our lab spaces over the years. When the Western Center Academy’s new buildings meant that one of our labs would no longer be needed as a classroom space, it was time to move! This was an exciting task for me as the Lab Manager since the museum had previously combined the 3D Printing/Casting Lab with the Prep Lab; this move enabled me to separate out all the replicas from the fossils. This separation is ideal due to the paints and chemicals used in replica making that could taint the fossils transversely the dust caused by the preparation work can taint the replica making process. This move also added many new workstations for our fossil preparation volunteers to work on fossils with a variety of techniques. In fossil preparation we always work from the least invasive methods first (water, acetone, & brushes) to more invasive methods such as Exacto knifes, dental picks, and then up to air scribes. Another method of matrix removal is the use of different types of acids (acetic & sulfamic) to remove matrix and the addition of the fume hood in the Prep Lab has been essential in beginning this process. We have begun application of sulfamic acid to our Pacific mastodon bones and it has been successful in removing the tough calcium carbonate that is adhered to them.
The move and separation of the labs also caused us to gain running water as there are three sinks in the Prep Lab and none in the casting lab! The preparation program also gained dust collectors that are attached to the ceiling and have outside flow to remove the fine matrix from the air thus saving our lungs. Silica (dirt/matrix) is considered hazardous in large quantities therefore unsafe for a person’s lungs over time so the addition of this equipment to our fossil cleaning process is ideal for all involved - although PPE (personal protection equipment) such as eye glasses and masks is always encouraged for safety. The current pandemic has also encouraged me add more dinosaur masks to my collection!
Reconfiguration of the 3D Printing/Casting Laboratory was also an added benefit of the addition of the high school buildings on our campus. We currently run several LulzBot printers for various 3D printing applications such as making mask clips for hospitals during the pandemic and for outreach events or exhibits. We also make traditional resin casts which we sell in our store. We now also have an entire table - now safely away from the fossils! - dedicated to the messy process of resin and silicone pouring. We use clay and Legos to build a mold then fill it with silicone after it dries for 24 hours, we are able to take two liquid resins and combine them in the mold make a solid resin cast of a fossil which we then paint. A good preparator must learn to also make copies of the fossils for education as well as for posterity. If we have a plastic or digital copy of the fossil, we are much more likely to retain the knowledge the fossil has to offer should tragedy befall the original specimen.
All in all, the moving of the laboratories was a fulfilling and enjoyable task for staff and volunteers alike as the new areas have enabled us to expand our program’s efficiency by making more workstations for completing fossils as well as replicas. More room also means we more space for new volunteers and after pandemic restrictions are lifted, we will be looking for new additions for our team!
