James Mitchell Geology Museum

A few images from the museum.

Iguanadon

The Iguanodon was first found in 1821 and was one of the first dinosaurs discovered. In 1841 Richard Owen, who first used the term 'dinosaurs' noticed that their skeletons were more similar to those of birds than reptiles. Owens thought that this plant eater (it has teeth like a cow) walked on four legs, but 20 years later more discoveries made in southern England, showed that they walked on two legs. The had a large thumb spike that they used for defence. Owen originally though that this was a horn. This image is of a model of a skull of Iguanodon reconstructed from specimens found in the Isle of Wight on display in the James Mitchell Museum. 

Quartz
 

Quartz is a very common mineral made from the elements silicon and oxygen. Its chemical formula is SiO2. It commonly occurs as milky-white vein quartz, which forms rounded pebbles on beaches. It can be distinguished from other minerals as it is very hard and will, for example, scratch glass and cannot be scratched by a penknife. Quartz is piezoelectric. If it is subjected to an electric current it will vibrate - a property that is used in most modern watches. Collect two quartz pebbles and grind them together in a very dark room. Blue flashes will occur inside most pebbles - the vibration is now being turned into electricity! Quartz forms 6 sided crystals with a pointed top. Varieties of quartz occur in many different colours and because of its hardness, they are used a semi-precious stones.

Agate
 

Agate is another variety of quartz. It precipitates from circulating groundwaters that flow into cavities in rock. The different contaminants in the water colour the agate, which precipitates on the sides of these cavities. The successive coloured layers of agate gradually fill the cavity. These deposits are beautiful when cut and polished and many fine examples can be found in the JMM. 

Connemara Marble 

A piece of Connemara Marble, laid down on tropical tidal mudflats some 600 million years ago.

Fossils

Skeleto of a Ichthyosaurus in the museum.

Metamorphic Rock

A microscopic thin-section of a metamorphic rock, full of shiny micas.

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