|
Strata Gem Tooele Gem & Mineral July/August 2004
The Presidents Message
We had our rock break at Erla and Jay's on June 5th, about 30 people were there. Thanks to Larry and Ardith for bring their son, daughter and some grandchildren. It was a nice day and we got about 1300 bags done.
Our next meeting will be at our Steak Fry on August 21st at 5:00 in the afternoon. Anyone wanting to bring a craft up on their own, come up early and feel free to do them while we visit. The dinner is free to (paid up) club members. Guests will be $6.00 each. Also, don't forget your plates, silverware and a dish. The club will furnish the meat and pop. So bring a dish for potluck.
At our rock break, Melva Scott brought another beautiful afaghan, we thank her so much. I do hope a club member wins the 2 afaghans she has made. Thanks again.
See you all at the Steak Fry.
Good Luck and Good Health to Everyone Your President Ruth Smith
From the Sick Corner
Robyn Hastings had surgery on her arm. We wish her well.
Lida Elizabeth Chapman "Together Again"
Lida E. Chapman, age 77, passed away June 15, 2004 at home surrounded by her loving family. Born August 27, 1926 in Elk City, Oklahoma, daughter of Sharon Samuel and Hazel Olive Rohrer Byerly. She married James E. Chapman on January 1, 1957 in Alamosa, Colorado; he preceded her in death in 1995.
Mom was a retired Telephone Operator. She was also a member of the Tooele Gem & Mineral Society and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She enjoyed spending time with her family.
She is survived by her sons: James C. Chapman, Dennis E. Chapman and David A. Chapman; three grand-children; brother and sisters: Mary R. Enos, Charles S. Byerly, Ellen McCormick and Wanda Negley. She was preceded in death by her husband; brothers, John F. and Benjamin Byerly; and sister, Esther Markham.
Funeral services were held Monday June 21st, 11:00 a.m., at the West Valley 6th Ward, 3963 So. Peachwood (3480 West). Friends and family may visit, Sunday, 6 - 8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road, and Monday at the church, 10 - 10:45 a.m. Interment, Valley View Memorial Park.
Thank you to the club for the flowers, cards & good wishes. The club meant a lot to both my parents.
Hints & Tips:
editor’s note: Just a reminder!!!!!!! Shop tips that are featured in this bulletin have not been evaluated for safety or reliability and could be unsafe or could cause damage to your project Please use caution and safety when trying out any new idea.
Poisonous Malachite Did you know that malachite is very poisonous in its raw state? Never lick the material to see the color. Don’t even repeatedly lick your finger and apply. When you grind, wipe the contaminated oil off your skin right away. If you smoke and the taste becomes very sweet you are absorbing the malachite dust. The copper oxide dust is mixing with the moisture in your mouth and reacting to the tar in the tobacco, turning it into saccharine. Needless to say, you should take some immediate steps to stop the Inhalation. From Amador Nugget 7/00 via Chips 7/00
Unknotting Knotty Chains A fine chain can be very frustrating when it knots. Put a drop or two of salad oil on a piece of waxed paper. Lay the knot in the puddle and work at it with two straight pins. The knot should come apart quicidy. From Amador Nugget 7/00 via Chips 7/00
Plastic Spray To get a better polish on material that will undercut, such as sagenite, moss, plume agate, and porous wood, etc. try this: 1. Elevate the slice on a small object such as ajar ring. Completely cover the slice with water in a flat pan with some detergent and a shake of Comet cleanser. Boil about 10 minutes, keeping the slice covered at all tunes. 2. Remove the pan from heat, leave slice in pan until water reaches room temperature. 3. Go through fine sanding, clean well, and spray with a coat of clear plastic. 4. Let dry, fine sand again lightly with polish.
This 4 step process fills in the porous spots in the material enabling you to polish the surface. You will end up with a beautiful polished piece. For example, this thin coat over the iron in picture wood almost eliminates the shiny iron streaks. From Breccia 10/98 via Chips 6/00
If this hint works let us know. It sounds good! If you are camping and have no dry kindling around your wet and windy campsite: Open a bag of corn chips. They will light quickly, and stay lit long enough to start that damp campfire. (Leora Alexander say’s she might try it sometime if she can pry his corn chips out of Jim’s fingers From Field & Stream via Beehive Buzzer 8/00
When Polishing Peridot Apply a drop of lemon juice or vinegar to speed things considerably. The slight acid seems responsible for the improvement. Rinse laps and splash pans with plain water when finished. From Burro Express 99 via Gem Time 8/99
Mother-Of-Pearl For inlay work can be softened by soaking in white vinegar. It then can be easily cut.
Remove Carbonates One way to remove carbonates, such as calcite from quartz and amethyst, is to cover the specimen with fresh vinegar and allow it to stand overnight. Repeat if necessary. Wash and then place crystals in washing type ammonia for 8-12 hours. Remove, rinse thoroughly, wipe and air dry. From Nodule Nugget via Gem Time 8/00
Glue A good all-around glue for gluing bails, pin backs, bell caps, etc. is Elmer’s Stix-All. It is a non-toxic, non-flammable, flexible and strong, as well as impact resistant. While it sets up fast, complete curing takes 24 hours. Elmer’s Stix-All can be purchased at most gem shops, hardware and variety stores. Owyhee Gem News 7/98 via Rockhound Rumblings 4/00
Polish On Turquoise If you are running into trouble getting a good polish on turquoise, use a piece or organdy on the wheel. It seems to be more effective than felt.
Electric Motors When was the last time you took a look at your electric motors? Take a little look, then clean off the outside and blow out the dust from the inside. Check the wiring that may have become oil-soaked and look to see if the insulation is bad. Check the oil and grease cups over the bearings or at the shaft ends. While you are at it, see if the drive pulleys are still tight and aligned with the machine pulley. from Breccia 9/99
Tip Use old phonebooks for wrapping your small specimens. It can be kept in your trunk so the pages can be torn out as needed.
Cutting Palm Wood There are three ways to cut palm root and each will give a different effect. All Palm roots seem to have a ring of agate around the eye and a colored center. 1. Cutting down the center gives a striking wood stained effect but does not show the eye. 2. Cutting across the center brings out the round eye. 3. Cutting diagonally across the roots produces an elliptical eye effect. Original source unknown via Northside Gem & Hobby Club News 8/00
via Golden Spike News 9/00
Hints On Setting Up Your Display Case
Editor’s note: Since our show is very rapidly approaching final stages I thought the following tips on displaying might be of help to you.
1. If you are going to wash your specimens do it two or three days in advance because the heat from the lights can cause moisture to steam up the inside of the glass. 2. Be sure whatever you are displaying is clean, polished, dusted or whatever applies to the item. A silicone cloth or paper used just as stones are placed in a case gives last minute brilliance. 3. A soft thin glove worn when placing specimens in your case will prevent finger marks on polished surfaces. 4. Don’t crowd your case. If you are new at this use the show as an opportunity to evaluate other cases and take note of how many items are in the best cases. 5. If you are displaying silver pieces, conceal a camphor bar in your case to delay tarnish time. Be sure to place it in a small dish, as it bleeds. 6. Arrange your items so the eye easily goes from one piece to another, or from one group to another. If arranging groups of items, one large specimen can be balanced by a group of smaller ones. The eye is trained to read in a straight line or follow a curved, graceful line. The case should look uncluttered and uncomplicated. Large items should go toward the back, the more spectacular specimens toward the center and small items in the foreground. 7. Labels are important because they provide information for the viewer and make the case more educational for children. Labels might be used to tell what the item is, what it is made of, where it is from, etc. Labels should be uniform in size and typed or printed. They should be placed parallel to the front of the case if it is not a competitive case, but if you don’t want your name there that’s OK too. Names cannot go in competitive cases. 8. If your case does not have a liner and you are covering the inside with cloth, don’t use bright or printed colors as it takes the attention away from the specimens. However, rules can be broken and you may sometime see an outstanding exhibit of Jade carvings against bright red satin. An off-white is usually used but some other pastel shade may be more to your liking. 9. If your items need stands, you can purchase stands or make them. If the bottom of your case is covered with cloth you can slip an appropriate size object such as a block of wood or a can under the cloth to make a riser. You can make stands out of 4-prong drapery hooks. You can take both ends out of tuna cans and spray paint them off-white. You can heat plastic cups until they start to soften and mold them into stands. Stands can be made out of coat hangers. (These ideas are for non-competitive displays.) 10. Here is a list of supplies you might find handy when you set up your case: Polishing cloth, glass cleaner, paper towels, push pins or tacks, scotch tape, lint-free gloves for handling display items, scissors and an extra light bulb. The club cases have overhead lights but if you are putting in extra lighting you may need a multi-outlet plug and extra extension cord. 11. Anyone putting in a competitive case should consult rules for competition and suggestions specifically for competition. Suggestions given here are for non-competitive cases in which instance you can really do anything you want. The cases that get the most attention and give the most pleasure are usually the most original ones so if you are displaying for the first time, feel free to act on your own instincts.
Via Golden Spike News 12/01
Quartz Crystals & Rain
Probably anyone who has gone to Arkansas and bought quartz from one of many dealers who have quartz crystals sitting on tables in their yard has noted the big variations in quality and prices, not only between tables but between dealers. The cause of this variation is usually based on the quality sorting which the dealer has done to set his prices. What characteristics do you look for that make up quality? Naturally, size is important, a large crystal will cost more per pound than a small crystal with the same characteristics. Also considered under quality are crystal form and perfection and the lack of breaks and dings or other damages from underground movement and mining. Clarity and color are obvious factors to consider. Any inclusions or colors that distract from the crystal lower its quality. Distinct phantoms and other inclusions can add to it. A slightly smoky, yellow, or purple tinge may enhance the quality, but too much may lower, it. These are obvious characteristics that anyone can spot and then use to rate the quartz.
Two factors may be more subjective, but these can separate the beginner from the well experienced. Aesthetics can be extremely important, particularly for crystal groups. Do the crystals stand upright? Will the crystal groups stand without assistance? Are the best crystals going to be viewed when the crystal groups are placed in their best sitting position? Is the group symmetrical, or is some other artistic quality displayed when it is viewed? Does it have a minimum of matrix that distracts from it and adds to its weight? These are just a few things to consider when viewing specimens for aesthetics. To me, the thing that sets off a good crystal or crystal group and makes it a great one, is its brightness. Some have it, some do not. However, if you buy crystals in the rain, they all have it. So never buy quartz crystals in the rain --- I guarantee a big disappointment for you when you unwrap them later.
..from a page from a Collector’s Notebook by Art Smith, in Stoney Statements 2/2001 Via The Glacial Drifter 4/04
Lawsuit To Challenge New Forest Service Regulations
The Forest Service has been busy lately, promulgating rules and regulations that will negatively impact small miners and prospectors. Public Lands for the People (PLP) is taking action to put a stop to it.
In “Forest Occupancy Decision Stands—US Forest Service Withdraws Appeal,” (January 2004), we reported on the Lex-Waggener decision (US v. Ronald O. Lex and Ken Waggener; CR S-01-559 LKK; May 14, 2003).
In this case, Judge Lawrence K. Karlton, US District Court in Sacramento, reversed a lower court decision which wrongfully concluded that the miners were required to file a Notice of Intent for occupying their mining claim for more than 14 days in California’s Klamath National Forest.
Judge Karlton said that section 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), subsection 261, does not apply to miners who are camping on their claims while engaged in activities related to mining, rather it was meant to cover recreational activities. He stated, “As the regulations are currently structured, so long as no earth moving equipment or tree-cutting is involved, a miner can camp on his claim indefinitely…”
The Forest Service, fearing a loss of control that they never legally possessed, published an interim rule to address the above issue, under 36 CFR 228, in the Federal Register on July 9, 2004. The Federal Register Notice is entitled, “Clarification as to When a Notice of Intent and/or Plan of Operation Is Needed for Locatable Mineral Operations on National Forest System Lands.”
According to the Federal Register notice, the emergency rule will be effective August 9, 2004, though comments will be accepted until September 7, 2004.
The Forest Service states they will soon require a Notice of Intent “in any situation in which a mining operation causes a surface disturbance, regardless of whether that disturbance is caused by mechanized earth moving equipment or the removal of timber.”
“After a Notice of Intent is submitted, the District Ranger determines whether the proposed operations will likely cause a significant disturbance of surface resources. If the determination is that the proposal will likely cause a significant disturbance of surface resources, the operator is notified that a plan of operations is required.”
It is our opinion that the emergency rule would place severe restrictions on small operators if it were allowed to stand. Small miners, at the very least, would be subjected to the time and expense involved with the filing of a Notice of Intent for a minimal disturbance. The Forest Service cannot currently respond to applications in a timely manner, and delays would be inevitable if they receive hundreds or even thousands of Notices. Worse yet, some miners could be subjected to the long delays and excessive costs involved with a Plan of Operation and financial guarantees (bonding) for minimal disturbances, all at the discretion of a District Ranger who may or may not be favorable to mining. Merely bringing camping equipment onto a mining claim could be considered a significant disturbance in the mind of a District Ranger.
We have reviewed the emergency interim rule with Public Lands for the People (PLP). Jerry Hobbs, president of PLP, stated there are numerous avenues open to challenge the interim rule. These include non-compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Regulatory Flexibility Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, and others. After much discussion, it appears the best course of action is to file suit against the Forest Service to stop the interim rule, and a mining attorney has already been retained.
This should be a concerted effort on behalf of miners and prospectors, rather than a disjointed effort involving lawsuits filed by small entities with limited funds. Several mining and prospecting companies have already started the fundraising effort, including ICMJ’s Prospecting and Mining Journal, donating thousands of dollars to PLP to pay for the legal fees that will be incurred in this case.
Special thanks goes to Keene Engineering for starting the ball rolling with a $5,000 donation.
Much more will be needed. I encourage you to support this effort personally, and by bringing it to the attention of any clubs or associations to which you belong.
I have personally met with the PLP board on several occasions. I have been very impressed with their knowledge of rules and regulations, and the ability of their members to apply this knowledge to successfully litigate government agencies. I encourage all miners and prospectors to support their efforts on behalf of all of us.
Contributions can be sent to: Public Lands for the People, 3700 Santa Carlotta St., La Crescenta, CA 91214.
A direct link to the Federal Register notice can be found on our website (www.icmj.com) under the Pending Rules, Regulations, Projects section. The Federal Register notice can also be located online at www.regulations.gov/freddocs/04-15483.htm
Concerned readers in need of further information can contact Sam Hotchkiss, Minerals and Geology Management Staff, at (703) 605-4852.
Comments can be
emailed to:
Via Robert Cranton 7/17/04
Jasper Or Agate? By David Olsen Via Owvhee Gem 1:95 Selected by Leta Fox
Jasper and agate are the rocks we hobbyist deal with most often in pursuit of our goals as lapidaries and collectors. Do we really understand the difference between the two?
Both jasper and agate are composed of extremely fine interlocking quartz crystals called cryptocrystalline quartz As such, they are both members of the fine-grained quartz family referred to as chalcedony, Chalcedony occurs through out the world in beds, bands, nodules, geodes, botryoidal masses, as a replacement of fossils, wood tissue or other minerals, and as a cementing material. It is deposited from silica-rich waters, often carrying other impurities.
It is the presence of these mineral impurities which stain the micro-quartz grains to produce the wide variety of colored patterns, banding effects and inclusions, that differentiate the basic “gem" forms of cryptocrystolline quartz - jasper and agate - from ordinary drab chalcedony.
In general, agate is a transparent to translucent form of chalcedony in which the coloration takes the form of regular bands, rings, clouds, wispy inclusions or distinct groups.
Jasper, on the other hand, can be somewhat translucent, but it is most often opaque with color usually much darker then agate and. totally random with respect to distribution and pattern.
Via Rock Chips 7/03
Original Salt Mine
The miners employed at the Morton Salt Mine at Grand Saline, Texas find salt mining anything but a back-breaking, pick-and-shovel affair. One official says, "The difference between coal mining and salt mining is like black and white." When the mining started here in 1929 it was necessary to dig the salt out with a pick and shovel and carry it out by wheelbarrow. Now the mine is highly mechanized and compares favorably with aboveground construction work.
The Grand Saline Dome is an immense underground mountain of solid rock salt, deposited by an ancient sea and subsequently pushed up into a dome shape by pressure, probably volcanic. This dome, with a diameter of about a mile and a half at its narrow top, is estimated to contain enough salt to supply the world's needs for the next 20,000 years at present consumption rates, even if it were only mined to about one-fourth of its 16,000 feet depth. And there are another 400 or so domes around the country, though only about 18 mines are operating.
The dome was discovered by Indians, who used its surface water to collect salt. Since 1929, the miners have picked and blasted through some 18 million cubic feet of salt, leaving behind 14 miles of corridors and galleries at a 700 foot depth. (This was the figure for 1978.)
The mining is done by a simple, room-and-pillar quarrying process, which requires little skill or training. The men work on a wall about 75 feet long and 25 feet high, carving a 10 foot deep notch along the bottom of the wall with a diesel undercutting machine. A power drill then honeycombs the wall with holes, also 10 feet deep, which are packed with explosives. One blast and the wall crumbles into a 1,200 ton heap of rock salt, which the miners load on a conveyer belt with earthmoving equipment. Any crew worth its salt can complete this entire process in a day.
Mined rock salt is used primarily in agriculture (animal feed) and in the chemical industry and winter ice-control on roads. Table salt, which amounts to only a pinch of salt of the world's salt production, is extracted by pumping water down and up through the dome and then evaporating the resulting brine.
Despite large fresh-air circulation systems, the miners complain of headaches and blame them on diesel fumes. Rashes are another problem. The men also complain that they really do get salt in their wounds, creating irritations. Still another problem is "brown bumper". The salt eats up equipment, by rusting, in about 5 years. Cars in the mine s parking lot are soon peppered with rust. So far, no one has come up with a solution to the rust problem.
Salt miners earn substantially less than most coal miners, who face greater risks and are better organized. The more than a thousand salt miners in the U. S. suffer few of the hardships associated with coal mining. They don't have to bend over in damp, 24-inch-high seams (the lowest ceiling in the Grand Saline is 10 feet) and salt mines rarely contain explosive gases. No one has ever been killed in the Grand Saline though there have been fatal accidents in the above ground processing plant. Nor, it is believed, is there any disease equivalent to the coal miner's black lung.
At one time, a few bags of salt would have been ample compensation to the miners; Romans paid their soldiers in salt, which led to the word "salary" from the Latin, sal, for salt. But with modern mining methods, salt isn't so valuable any more. The contents of a box of table salt is worth less than the package and the cost of marketing it.
Excerpted from Wall St. Journal, From The Glacial Drifter 11/85 & 6/00 via Grant County Beacon, 10/03 via SCRIBE Oct.-Dec., 2003
Tooele Gem & Mineral Annual Crafts & Steak Fry Settlement Canyon PavilionAugust 21st
The Park is about 2 miles up the canyon, first right after the cattle guard. The pavilion is at the top of the park. Camping for those who wish is in the old rodeo grounds at the bottom of the park.
Crafts in the morning (bring your own lunch), Dinner at 5:00 PM. You will need to bring potluck dish, plates & utensils and if you want chairs. The drinks & steaks will be supplied by the club (if you wish to bring a guest it will be $6.00 each for the steak).
Reservations need to be made before August 15th , so we can get your steak and your pass up the canyon. Reservations can be made by calling
What is a ROCK? By May E. Hansen
A rock to a boy is something to throw. A rock to a jeweler has value like gold. A rock to a gardener is an ornament for flowers. A rock to a farmer is a burden when plowing. A rock to a fisherman makes a fine seat. A rock to a sailor is a landmark at sea.
But of all the meanings it has been to man Since the world’s creation and it all began, Surely, no value can hardly be measured, Nor can a rock be so highly treasured As that rock, the rockhound holds in his hand. A specimen so great, a specimen so grand Be it pyrite, topaz, jade or a geode, After digging and digging, that rock he holds Has a value unmeasured, much higher than gold, For the discovery of nature is an experience untold.
From Rockhound Ramblings 11/90, via The Sooner Rockologist 1/02 Via Osage Hills Gems 3/02 |