Project turns up old bones
Scientists have discovered a fossilised Titanosaur sauropod dinosaur femur and a number of knapped flints at the Rio Colorado Potash project site in Argentina. The discoveries occurred in May 2004 during a standard paleontological and archaeological ground examination at the excavation for the project's gas pipeline.
The finds were transferred to the regional museum in Marlargue, where they were catalogued and inventoried for further study. Local and regional scientists were funded by Rio Tinto to record the heritage of the area.
Although such finds are fairly common in the vicinity, special care was taken to ensure their safe delivery to the museum. Basic roads cut across remote landscape and the delivery journey is seven hours. To prevent damage in transit the fossilised bone was wrapped in plaster jackets, which were made on site.
Sensitive areas of the project have since been mapped and the report, with detailed findings, turned over to provincial authorities.
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