If you enjoy trivia then the No such thing as a fish podcast could be for you. It's produced by the researchers behind the QI TV panel show. One of the items in episode 141 was about coprolite, which is fossilised dinosaur faeces. Apparently there was a thriving industry mining it in the 19th century as it was high in phosphates for fertilise. One on the centres for this in England was the village of Shillington, which is just a few miles from me in Bedforshire. Miners could earn a lot more than other jobs in the countryside at the time.
Image from WIkimedia
The largest collection of coprolite belongs to a guy in the US. Good specimens can be worth a lot of money.
Coprolite is still highly sought after in the rock, gem, and mineral society. I have several pieces in my store and in my collection.
I'm sure it is, but is there still any large scale industry digging it up?
That I don't know. I do know that the multi-colored coprolite ass well as agatized petrified wood is sought after by jewelers.
hahahaha
How cool I never heard about this before.