Fossils located in the phosphate mines of the Causses du Quercy, such as those of the Cloup d’Aural, attract paleontologists from near and far. They are primarily looking for fossils located in parts not affected by mining. Those are contained either in movable clays or caught in calcified blocks. It is an arduous, and sometimes dangerous occupation, that is predominantly practiced by specialists. The material collected is then transported to laboratories to be studied.