Mammoth Discovery: Coal Miners Find Fossilized Tusk and Bones in North Dakota

What would you do if you found a piece of history in your backyard? That's what happened to a group of coal miners in Freeport, North Dakota, who unearthed a mammoth tusk that had been buried for thousands of years.

The tusk, which belongs to an extinct species of elephant that lived during the Ice Age, is a rare and remarkable discovery that could reveal new information about the prehistoric life and environment of North Dakota.

A Rare and Remarkable Discovery

(Photo : Tom Cooper/Getty Images)

The discovery was made during the overnight shift at the Freeport Coal Mine. Coleman Fredricks, a shovel operator, noticed a glint of white in the dirt as he scooped up a giant mound and dropped it into a dump truck.

He thought it was just a rock or something, but when he got closer, he realized it was a huge bone. He couldn't believe his eyes.

He alerted his supervisor, who contacted the local museum and the state paleontologist. They arrived at the site the next morning and confirmed that the bone was a mammoth tusk, measuring 7 feet long.

The tusk was remarkably well-preserved and intact, offering a glimpse into the prehistoric life of these majestic creatures.

The tusk was not the only fossil that the miners found. Over the course of twelve days, a team led by paleontologists from the North Dakota Geological Survey excavated the old streambed where the fossils were buried thousands of years ago. They recovered more than twenty bones from the skeleton, including ribs, a shoulder blade, a tooth, and parts of the hips.

"Most of the mammoth fossils known from North Dakota are isolated bones and teeth," said Clint Boyd, Senior Paleontologist for the North Dakota Geological Survey. "This specimen is one of the most complete mammoth skeletons discovered in North Dakota, making it an exciting and scientifically important discovery."

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A Valuable Source of Information

The tusk and the bones are now being carefully transported to the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum, where they will be cleaned, analyzed, and displayed.

The museum's director, Claudia Berg, said the tusk and the bones are rare and valuable finds that could shed light on the mammoth's evolution, behavior, and extinction.

She said the museum hopes to learn more about the age, origin, and history of the specimen, and how it relates to the other mammoths that lived in this region.

She added that the tusk and the bones could also reveal clues about the climate and environment of North Dakota during the Ice Age, and how it changed over time.

She said the museum plans to collaborate with other experts and institutions to conduct further research on the fossils

The coal miners who discovered the fossils said they are proud and excited to have contributed to the scientific knowledge and cultural heritage of their state.

They also expressed their gratitude to the museum for recognizing their role and allowing them to visit the fossils once they are ready for display.

They said they feel very lucky and honored to have found this amazing piece of history. They said it's something they'll never forget.