#5: Olivine, Lifts, Crinoids

Today was my first official day at the United States Polar Rock Repository and Orton's Geological Museum. The majority of this week in going to be spent working with rocks, fossils and minerals. The Orton Museum has mass quantities of precious rocks and minerals from collections over a 100 years old. That being said it is difficult to keep track of specimens. Monitoring and maintaining information on the specimens is my responsibility (for this week) and other staff members. Today I worked exhibit fossils from Precambrian to Pennsylvanian. It was very interesting to see the crinoids.
At USPRR I did the same thing. However, this required a lift. Today I learned how to drive/lift a lift. It made annoying beeping sounds and I almost crashed once but it was enjoyable. Different fossils had to be put back on the 18 foot shelves thus requiring the lift. In a wooden box there was a rock slab partially covered in the beautifully green olivine. The mineral only has a Mohs scale (hardness) of 6.5 to 7, so it slightly crumbled under my touch. The little pieces that fell off she allowed me to keep.
I will attach a picture of the crinoids, lift and olivine when I have access to a working computer.