Paleonet: keeping extra coal samples

[James Mahaffy]

My original message was in html and was apparently too large so I will 
try plain text Sighhh!!!!!

Folks,

I recently retired from Dordt College. I am currently cleaning up a 
lap.  I would like feedback on the advisability of tossing a bunch of 
coal samples from  palynological projects

This research was a palynological study using incremental profile 
sampling of two coals (Herrin No. 6 and Springfield No. 5).  This study 
resulted in my PhD thesis and a couple of publications.
See http://homepages.dordt.edu/~mahaffy/homepage/profact3.html

The slides used for analysis were deposited in the type slide collection 
of the University of Illinois (Urbana) and I have kept the extra slides 
in my personal collection.

I am thinking of getting rid of the following:

1.      Extra coal samples (only a small portion of each coal sample was 
needed for analysis)
2.      I had saved the extra macerated and stained samples (only a 
small portion of these was needed for making the         slides)
3.      The course portion of the maceration  (I only used the 
microfossil portion <210 microns)
4.    The silt portion left over from heavy liquid separation


I really don't see anyone needing this material, since they can always 
get the type slides that I originally used. Do you agree that these can 
be tossed so I don't need to find a place where they will sit unused for 
years