Strata Gem

February 2003

 

President’s Message

 

I would like to thank all that came out to the January meeting. We had 15 members there, it was short but a nice meeting.

 

I hope everybody comes out and supports the club, we have one of the best clubs in the state.

 

We talked about just having our Steak Fry Dinner (without crafts). We can make our crafts at home or buy some for our wheel. Think about it. That’s what we used to do and everybody enjoyed the dinner better.

 

I hope this finds everyone well and happy.

 

Good Luck Always

Ruth S. Smith

President

 

Tooele Gem & Mineral

Tooele Senior Citizens Center

January 14, 2003 7:30 PM.

 

The meeting was called to order by president Ruth Smith everyone was welcomed. The treasurer’s report was read and approved. The November minutes were not read, Ruth Smith reported that Mildred Davis passed away, Saturday January 11, 2003, Mildred and her husband John (Roy) were long time members of the Tooele Gem and Mineral club. Selma Jockisch became ill on December 19th she was taken to the emergency room for treatment, she is doing better now but still is suffering some ill effects. Karen Wilson had knee surgery and is now recovering.   

 

Henry Chavez has reserved the pavilion in settlement canyon for our steak fry, we have it reserved for August 14th and 15th the steak fry will be on the 15th. Henry found out that we could have storage at the senior citizens center, so Don Smith procured a storage cabinet and lock, and made a stencil for it, we will use it to store our library books and other things as necessary. Mat Hitesman said he would like to be considered for the job of making our fabric signs. Ruth brought to our attention that we need to pay our rent for this year. Arnold West won the door prize. Michelle Wedekind will bring the treats next month. 

 

Minutes submitted by

Larry Wilson

Secretary

 

Member’s News

 

Get Well Soon:

Marlene Peterson had back surgery on the 15^th January.

 

Selma Jockisch became ill on December 19th she was taken to the emergency room for treatment, she is doing better now but still is suffering some ill effects.

 

Karen Wilson had knee surgery and is now recovering.   

 

We wish them all speedy recovery.

 

 Letter From The Editor:

I see I had a problem on the address labels last month. There were several labels listed as (02) when they should have been (03). I went though and compared the roster & I think I have fixed everything. I don’t think I have received the list of people that paid their dues at the Christmas party yet (hint hint). If there is anymore problems see page 2 on how to contact me (Dennis Chapman).

 

I am going to be on the road the last week and a half of February. This will be interesting how I can get the paper out on time, so if I’m late sorry. I was wondering if there is one of the members with email, acrobat reader & a printer? All you would have to do is print it out & mail it to the person that does the copying. The size of the files would be between 1/3 to 1 meg. If I have to I will take my printer, but I don’t know how easy it would be to get to a post office. If you can help, email me at ---------.

 

In Memory of Mildred Davis:

One our old Rockhounds members past away recently. Her & her husband where members for many years.

Ruth Smith

 

Mildred Davis passed away, Saturday January 11, 2003, Mildred and her husband John (Roy) were long time members of the Tooele Gem and Mineral club. Our hearts go out to her family.

 

Rockhard Criminals

George Loud

 

Last May two rockhound buddies were collecting agatized coral in the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area (WMA) known as the "Coral Lands" or "Western Slough" area in Jefferson County, Florida. They were arrested by an officer of the Fresh Water and Game Commission locally referred to as a "game warden." The rockhounds spent 10 hours in a cold jail cell before being released on bond. This particular WMA is described as having Indian burial mounds within its boundaries and a number of "preserved sites" where the presence of artifacts has been noted. The site of the rockhound dig was neither in an Indian burial mound nor in a "preserved site." The only posted prohibition against collecting covered only Indian artifacts. The rockhounds were charged with violation of the Florida State Criminal Code, specifically "Criminal Mischief," a misdemeanor. The Public Defender's Office in Jefferson County, Florida advised me in telephone conversation that they knew of no Florida statute or agency rule governing the removal of rocks and minerals from state lands for recreational purposes. Further, I was told that the rockhounds would have a good defense if the case were to be tried because of lack of notice and to doubts as to whether or not the digging of a hole and the removing of rocks amounted to what would be regarded as "criminal mischief." However, the charges were eventually dropped and the matter never went to trial. At present, I know of no statute, agency rule, legal precedent or even stated policy covering collecting of agatized coral or other rocks and minerals on Florida state land. However, we do know that the aforementioned arresting officer is still plying his trade in the Aucilla WMA area and can be expected to treat other collectors he might encounter in the manner described above. Accordingly, unless we can obtain a favorable policy decision from the Florida state agency having jurisdiction over the land, rockhounds should avoid the area.

 

From AFMS Loud and Clear, 12/02.

Via The RockCollector 1/03

 

The Goldstone Story

High Country Gleaming, ML. Johnson editor, Volume 23, Edition 2, February 2001

 

For hundreds of years, men everywhere have tried to transform base metals into gold. In olden times, monks of a northern Italian monastery were also engaged in this task. For many years these monks labored to recover the precious metals in their retreats. Then, about 1590, after years of effort, the monks happened to make a very beautiful, sparkling material with innumerable gold specks. The monks had failed to make gold, but they did succeed in producing a marvelous specimen, which they properly named “goldstone”. Goldstone was used for decorative purposes until 1899 when it was imported to the USA, after it was found to be suitable for cutting and polishing for jewelry. The monks called the goldstone the “adventuring” stone, as it is impossible to foretell the success of a batch for many weeks. To this day, due to lack of modern production methods, a batch of material can turn out unsuitable for use because of the uncertainty of the heating and cooling process. Production of the goldstone has remained a secret method all these years - concealed from everyone. Many have tired to duplicate goldstone, but to date no one has succeeded.

 

The bulk of the goldstone, after removal from the retorts, is shipped to the major stone cutting and polishing centers of the world. Germany is perhaps the most important cutting center, although much cutting is also done in Austria, Holland, and Japan.

 

In recent years, a blue goldstone has been developed from the same process as the goldstone. This stone has been called “Blue Magic”, some people claim it will glow in the dark after being exposed to sunlight. Goldstone will not discolor, fade, or lose its beauty in any way, making it a handsome keepsake.

 

Another new goldstone on the market is made by a slightly different process, but with the same sparkling beauty. It can be made into lovely flat-topped cabs, but is more difficult to work with when making domed cabs. We have also received news of another new goldstone, black in color called the “Midnight Stone”. It is made by the same process as the brown and blue and is a beautiful stone to work with. Goldstone is essentially glass; the inclusions are caused by copper filings.

 

From High Country Gleamings

Via Gneiss Times 10/02

 

HINTS AND THINGS

 

When lapping or polishing geodes, keep the crystals sparkling clean by packing them with damp ivory flacks. The grit or polishing agent washes right out. The remaining soap will soak right out in warm water. (via The Rock Rattler 12/95)

 

To remove a cab that is stuck in its finding, heat the finding in boiling water. Then gently tap it with a pencil. This works because metal expands faster than stone, when exposed to heat. (via The Roamin Rams 1/96)

 

Use a special buff when using oxalic acid with your polishing compound. It is a poison and could still be in your compound for a long time.

 

If you have been having trouble keeping your saw blade cutting properly, check the speed of the blade. Make sure it is running to the manufacture's recommendation. If it is running too slowly, you will have trouble cutting very hard material. The newer blades are made to run faster than 1175 RPM. If you have a newer blade, check it out. (by Dick Rathjen in Stoney Statements, via The Coral Geode 3/97)

 

If you get too much solder on a spot when making jewelry, trying to file it off takes too much time. To get rid of the excess without filing, take a narrow strip of silver 1/8 x _ inch. Cut a slit in one end. Heat the piece with the excess solder, touch the strip with the slit to the excess. The extra solder will flow up the cut. (via The Burro Express 3/97)

 

To maintain our standard of living, every day, 4,000,000 eraser tipped pencils are purchased. That is enough erasers to correct all the mistakes from 1,500 miles of notebook paper - about 129 acres of goofs. Minerals involved - graphite, kaolin and pumice. (via minerals information packet from SME program)

 

Always take precautions against dust inhalation. Talc can be carved with a pocket knife and shaped with sandpaper or sandstone rock. This can be done outdoors and is close to the way the Indians shaped their soapstone artifacts.

 

Via Deming Rock Chip 4/97

 

Learn Something New

by Ken Dearborn

 

People have been enhancing gemstones since they first picked up a colorful shiny rock and rubbed it clean. However, the recent proliferation of enhancement methods and the tendency for sales people to be less than forthcoming about the true nature of a gemstone has caused the buying public to become leery. The GIA has made it a priority to teach their students to identify enhanced gemstones. Here are a few of their pointers on the subject of Topaz.

 

·         Pink - while pink topaz occurs naturally, it can also be produced by thermal enhancement. Brownish yellow to orange “Imperial” topaz, when heated, will turn pink. This thermal treatment causes a change in the stone’s short-wave UV fluorence. A natural stone will fluoresce very weakly or “moderate chalky yellow-green.” A treated stone will fluoresce much stronger.

 

·         Green - green topaz is very rare in nature and therefore enhancement should be suspected. A recent arrival, “Ocean Green Topaz” is being sold alongside the more common irradiated blue topaz. The original topaz material is believed to have come from Sri Lanka. Like the blue, these stones, ranging from yellow-green to blue­green, are also potentially radioactive. Their color is unstable and is reported to fade back to a pale blue after less than 12 hours of exposure to sunlight.

 

As the GIA points out, the “greatest challenge faced by the gem and jewelry trade during the 1990’s was the detection, identification and disclosure of gem treatments.” Obviously this will be true in the 21st century as well. It behooves us all to be aware of the market place.

 

from Del Air Bulletin 10/01

via Golden Spike News 11/01

 

Fool’s Gold

Beth Simmons

 

Have you ever panned for gold in Clear Creek? And seen the flakes of “gold” floating away in the first two pans? Gold does not float, but mica does. Mica was the original “Fool’s Gold”. A little tale told in 1901 by Jerome Smiley, in his “History of Den­ver” (p. 258) relates how a beginning argonaut learned about mica the hard way.

 

“There was, and still is, a great deal of mica, or silica, scale in the Clear Creek districts, as elsewhere, and it is related that a German from Pennsylvania, not knowing it to be “fool’s gold” carefully washed out and secreted a large quantity of it, saying not a word to any one of the great bonanza he had uncovered, or of what he was doing. Upon learning that it was not gold, he quit the country in disgust, going back to his Pennsylvania home with­out delay.”

 

From Tips & Chips 9/02

 

Jasper....

Born Of Fire And Ice

by Donald Barr

 

Jasper is in the silica group of minerals. The silica group is divided into crystalline quartz, which includes all varieties occurring in large crystals, and cryptocrystalline, which includes all varieties in which submicroscopic crystals form granular-to-fibrous aggregates, and amorphous which does not form crystals. The jaspers fall into the cryptocrystalline group along with chalcedony, chert, agate, and flint.

 

The name jasper applies to various forms of opaque to sub-translucent chalcedony of richly colored rock consisting of interlocking crystals of cryptocrystalline quart too small to see with the naked eye. Mineralogists can discern jasper’s structure by the way it diffracts x-rays. The cryptocrystalline structure indicates how the stone came into being. Jasper has various names applied to its sub-varieties.

 

Jasper is born of fire and ice, the impact of hot lava and cold rock. Most commonly, the cold source rock is porphyry, a dark igneous rock that contains relatively large and conspicuous crystals in a fine-grained groundmass that is unstable; they melt while the other components of the rock remain solid. This produces a silica-laden fluid that flows into cracks in the porphyry where it quickly cools and crystallizes. It is the rapid cooling that prevents the growth of large crystals and thus promotes the formation of a jasper. Jasper may also form in sedimentary parent rock, again, with lava as the heating agent.

 

Jasper is frequently found near deposits of iron ore, and often it contains iron compounds and impurities. These impurities usually give a red and brown color to the jasper, but there are also yellow and green jaspers. Red, brown, and yellow colors come from the different forms of iron oxide.

 

The mossy green tones come from chlorites (minerals containing magnesium, aluminum and silicon) as well as iron oxides. It is rare to find a single color jasper. More often, the stone displays deep hues in indistinct ribbons. Jasper’s suggestive markings contributed to its ancient popularity, but also to its modern downfall. Many people nowadays find the pattern in the rock too garish for their taste.

 

Jasper has been popular in the Middle East and Europe for over 5,000 years. In ancient Egypt and Rome, craftsmen worked the jasper into magic symbols, secret signs, and large polished tablets. The Russian Czar’s winter palace in St. Petersburg had a beautiful collection of carved jasper. The maharajahs of India had many beautiful ornaments made from jaspers. Present-day rockhounds still work with the beautiful rock.

 

It is the cryptocrystalline structure of jasper with its tiny crystals, its density, and its hardness that enables craftsmen to work the jasper and get a high polish.

 

From Oregon Rockhound 3/95 via Rocky Trails 1/02

Via Golden Spike News 2/02

 

Fragments

by Catberine D. Smith

From Crack and Cab 6/98

AFMS Bulletin Editors Articles 1999

 

Fifteen fossils grace the case.

Aged wonders each in place

On Velvet tiers ‘neath hidden light

With labels listing name and site

And age to the nearest million years

And strata where the rock appears.

Each specimen preserved intact

By Nature’s layers, pressure-packed,

Now unleashed through tireless search

And welcomed to this showcase perch.

 

Gastropods and arthropods,

Sponges, corals, lycopods

Cystoids, blastoids, vertebrates

Washed and brushed and marked with dates.

In awe, we view these bits of life

Survivors of eons of strife

And earthly change and cosmic rains

And man’s invasion of terrains. .

Fragments o the choicest kind

To challenge mankind’ probing mind.

 

Via T-Town Rockhounds 7/02

 

Did You Know

There Were Glaciers In The Sahara Desert?

by Joan Ernshaw

 

When geologists started looking in the Sahara for more oil, they found places where rocks showed evidence of’ ancient glaciers, long parallel scratches and grooves in the rock surface. They also found fossils above and below the glacial layers. They were able to date the fossils and get an idea of the time period in which the glaciers were there. It was concluded that glaciers were present in the Sahara about 450 million years ago.

 

Now the Sahara is the world’s hottest place. It can reach 137 degrees F. in the shade. So how could glaciers have been there?

 

The continents drifted after the glaciation which means that the Sahara might have been located near the South Pole. Also the fossils reflect the life that was found in cooler water. The magnetic orientation of the rocks shows that at that time of the glaciation the pole was located somewhere in or near northwest Africa.

 

Underneath the sandstone layers were the remains of an ancient mountain range that had weathered away to form a plain. Traces of a clay soil were found in the products of the weathering, indicating that the mountains had been worn down under warm, tropical conditions. This shows the climate was tropical before the glaciers. The bottom layer of the sandstone shows that an arid climate followed the tropical climate. Then there are layers which show ripple marks such as would be found at the seashore. This layer is associated with tracks of trilobites. Then there is the glaciation layer, and the large boulders. Some of the boulders are ancient granite and quartzite and were too large to have been rolled along the sea floor by currents. Some of the boulders were polished on one or more sides. Only glaciers do this. The glacial “tracks” in the rocks stretch for hundreds of miles. Only a giant continental glacier could have done this.

 

References: “Marvels & Mysteries of the World Around Us”, by Reader’s Digest

 

from Pick Hammer News 7/01,

GOLDEN SPIKE NEWS 7/01

via Glacial Drifter 10/01

 

Underwater Mine

 

Akso Salt, Inc. is a big supplier of road salt for the Midwest and Northeast. Several of their operations mine an ancient salt basin that is under Lake Erie, including a mine that is just offshore from downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The entrance is within the city limits, the mine property covers 9,000 acres under the lake, and the workings are 1700 feet below ground level. A 1200 foot thick layer of limestone, capped by 340 feet of sediments separate the lake water from the mine.

 

The mining process carves out tunnels 20 feet high and 45 feet wide, and leaves half the salt in place as pillars for support.

 

(Via Tips & Trips 4 94 Via The Glacial Drifter 10/95)

Via T-Town Rockhound 6/ 02

 

Gem Show Calendar

 

If you know of any events coming up, PLEASE let me know as soon as possible. If anything is wrong PLEASE let me know as soon as possible.

 

Feb 22-23 Idaho Gem Club Show, Western Idaho Fairgrounds, Glenwood & State Street, Boise, ID.

 

Mar 1-2 Owyhee Gem & Mineral Society Show, O'Connor Fieldhouse, 2200 Blaine, Caldwell, ID.

 

Mar 7-9 Golden Spike Club Show, Union Station, 25th and Wall, Ogden, UT.

 

Mar. 14-16 Timpanogos Gem & Mineral Show, Provo Elks Lodge, 1000 So. University Ave., Provo, UT.

 

Mar 8-9 Magic Valley Gem Club Show, National Fuard Armory, Friontier Rd. (just east of CST), Twin Falls, ID.

 

Apr 26-27 Logan Rock Club Show, Logan Rec. Center, 195 S. 100^th, Logan UT.

 

May 10-11 Santa Cruz Mineral & Gem Society Show, Corner of Center and Church Streets, Reno, NV.

 

July 11-13 RMFMS Show and Convention, hosted by the Natrona County Rockhounds Club, Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center, Casper, WY.

 

Aug 8-10 Annual Contin-tail Rock Swap and Show, Rodeo Grounds, Buena Vista, CO.

 

Sep. 26-28 Tooele Gem & Mineral Show, Tooele County Fair Complex, 400 West 200 North, Tooele, UT.

 

How To Cut & Polish

Massive Ruby

(These techniques also suitable for star ruby or sapphire.)

 

Orient stone: Select a flat cleavage plane for the top (highest part) of the stone. Orientation of the "silk" is necessary to obtain the chatoyancy (sheen). If the hexagonal crystal shape can be found, then you can easily orient the top of the stone across the C- axis of the crystal. In this way, the six sides of the crystal would run down the sides of the stone.

 

Trim: Use a trim saw to shape the rough ruby to the approximate size you wish your stone to be. A true running blade is important. Though ruby is a very hard stone, diamond cuts it very easily, so don't force it. For a straight cut, use a fence on your trim saw. i.e. use a piece of angle iron C-clamped parallel to the saw blade and as many millimeters to the left of the blade as you wish your ruby slice to be thick. Use the fence as a guide, with the flat side of the ruby pressed against the angle iron as you saw.

 

Preform: Dop your ruby to a dop stick. (Large aluminum nails make ideal dop sticks because of the heat conductivity of aluminum. As a safety precaution, be sure to round off the point of any nail you will use as a (lop stick, using your grinding wheel.) Grind your ruby to shape on a smooth-running 180 or 220 diamond wheel; a coarser wheel may cause pits in the ruby which will prevent a good polish. If the removal of flat surfaces seems to be going too slowly, use as coarse a grit as 100, but on a polishing pad, not a wheel. Finish the preforming operation on a 600 diamond wheel. Alternative methods (other than 180-200 diamond wheels): Use Diamond Pacific's Nova Diamond resin disc, or an expandable drum with I carat of 220 diamond bort on resin (such as Crystallite, Gem-Tee, Raytech Rezbelt, etc.)

 

Polish: If the previous steps aren't followed faithfully, you can't polish, and if you don't get a fine polish, your stone will be a disappointment, no matter how tine your ruby is!

 

Step 1. Use 220 diamond bort on a pad with a resilient backing such as rubber. Work with this until all flats are removed. This may take 30 minutes or longer. T1 is step is vital if you hope to polish in the later steps. Bort can be applied with a clean finger. Silicone spray is also helpful.

 

Step 2. Proceed with the following diamond grit polishes: 600, 1200, 3000, 8000 and 14,000. Do not skip any of these steps!! If you are using the Diamond Pacific Nova disc, it is already impregnated with diamond. You can charge other belts or resinous pads with bort as described above for the 220 born. Stay on each grit until maximum polish is obtained before proceeding to the next step. Keep the pad cool with water. Use silicone spray to keep pad wear to a minimum. You may wish to "finish off" by doing a final polish with 50,000 grit bort.

 

Equipment: We like Gemstone Equipment Co. "Diamond Eleven" machines since they lend themselves particularly well to this technique of using a number of steps in cutting and polishing ruby.

 

Caution: Ruby can become very hot during polishing, causing dop wax to melt. This problem can be avoided by using epoxy to dop. To remove the stone from the clop when done, use boiling water, Attack, or other suitable solvents.

 

Slightly edited from the original text on a yellowed one-page flyer prepared by Dennis and Ida Mullane of Mullane's Rocks and Minerals. P.O. Box 4278. Lancaster, CA. many years ago from Pegmatite, 9/99;via Owyhee Gem, 7/02.

 

Via The RockCollector - 9/02

The Permanent Beauty of Agates

By Guy Hughes

 

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever-when it is an agate. But most other times beauty is quite transient. The sunset lasts but a few minutes; the clouds pass cross the sky and are gone; the rose blossoms for a few days and fades; but an agate lasts for all time. When St. John wrote of the New Jerusalem, the golden city to be made the home of the elect for eternity, he said that the walls will contain four agates: chalcedony, jasper, sardonyx and chrysoprase. No better testimonial could be given to the beauty and durability of these stones.

 

Agates started to form when the waters began to trickle over the face of the earth, and they have been forming ever since. Those in Oregon are said by scientists to be comparatively young-a fact which may help to explain their fresh beauty. No need to paint them like an old woman trying to be young. But though young our agates are millions of years in the making. Some of them are not yet finished. In fact an agate may never be said to be finished until it is cut, polished and mounted.

 

The beauty of agate sticks. The blossoms fade, the butterfly soon perishes, but the color of an agate, often as delicate as the most fragile flower, is as “fast” as the blue of the sky. It has been there for ages; for more ages it will stay. Shades and tints as soft as perfume were locked up in rock so hard that it grinds other rocks as if they were chalk. Etchings which took the hand of the Creator eons to make, will remain a record of His skill for further eons.

 

Agate and mineral collectors should think of this fact occasionally. Collectors of stamps soon learn that paper will fade; zoological collectors discover that insects are fragile and soon go to pieces; collectors of botanical specimens often learn to their sorrow that plants will crumple and fall prey to insects; not so with agates and a long list of other minerals. A specimen once found and cherished remains a specimen forever.

 

What a boon this permanency of minerals is to the collector. Time will come when he may not be able to indulge in field trips for more material, but he can still add to his collection and enjoy them as long as he lives.

 

Excerpted from The Mineralogist, Oct 1935

via THE RockCollector 10/02 & others

 

Is Rockhounding Genetics?

 

Truth is stranger than Fiction. Here is a series of emails I received. We start comparing genealogy the day before.

Dennis Chapman

 

Katherine wrote: My mother also wanted to point out that, we like rocks also! She belonged to the Bellevue Rock Club in the 60's and we have always collected rocks, for three generations now (my nephew on one vacation loaded his father's car up with so many rocks they could barely get home). Maybe that runs in the family from your side?????

 

Dennis wrote: LOL!!!! Maybe it does runs in the family!!!! My dad got sick of me bring home BIG rock (I could hardly carry them) & he decided if I was going to bring home rock I was going to bring home good rock, so we joined Wasatch Gem & Mineral. He really liked cutting & polishing rocks & I liked silversmithing so we made a good match. Later Tooele Gem & Mineral needed an editor & liked computers so I became their editor. Now I'm editor, Vise Prez & Webmaster, and what ever else they can volunteer me for ;-)

 

Katherine wrote: Well, see. Rocks, my mother had a small rock tumbler, my sister has it now. I used to design jewelry and now work in the publishing/prepress field! Genetics at work!

 

Dennis wrote: Now this is just getting scary :-0 LOL

 

Rockhounding

Is Food For The Soul

 

·   When you go rockhounding with a friend -that is a piece of cake!

·   If you find a rock - that is the frosting!!

·   If you find a pretty one - that is a scoop of ice cream!!!

 

Author Dee Whitney, source: chaparral Chatter 6/02.

Via Quarry Quips 9/02

Via Beehive Buzzer 10/02