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Strata Gem May 2005
President's Message
I want to thank all those who came to our March meeting and also those who attended our last fieldtrip. It was a big success. Ruth Smith is at home recovering from her recent back surgery. Don says she is doing okay. The date for our grab bag fill has been changed to June 4th. It will be at Jay and Erla's house at 9:00 a.m.
See you at our next meeting. Bob Titus
Tooele Gem & Mineral Tooele Senior Citizens Center April 12th 2005
The meeting was called to order by President Bob Titus every one was welcomed. The minutes of the last meeting was read and approved, the treasurers report was read and approved. Kymberly wanted to thank everyone for the help we gave her so she could go back to Washington she worked hard but she had a real good time. Janet reported on the Gold Show that she attended in Spanish Fork, a big crowd of people attended, and it was a lot of fun. It appears that the Chamber Of Commerce will be supporting the INDIAN POW-WOW again this year, so the FESTIVAL OF THE OLD WEST will have the TOOELE GEM & MINERAL the MOUNTAIN MAN RENDEZVOUS and the INDIAN POW-WOW, as in the previous years. Janet has had our flyers printed and has passed out some of them. We need to list all officers and the show committee in our bulletin; we will furnish a list to Dennis so he can add them. Janet will have the tickets printed in time to pass them out at our grab bag fill. It was decided to have Dennis print some more show posters we think bright lime green will show up best. Don’t forget our field trip for honey onyx April twenty-third see our bulletin for details. Other field trips that we might go on was discussed we decided to pick a destination for our next field trip at the next meeting. It is David Haag’s birthday today, we all sang happy birthday to him. We will have a new demonstrator for our show this year, it will be about Opal. It was discussed and decided to change our grab bag fill to June fourth it will be at Jay Woods Home. Jay said we need someone to break up rock for the grab bag fill. Mickey Miller has some polished rock for sale it was decided we should buy it. Larry Higley brought up the fact that we need more people to do demonstrations at the schools this fall. We should be working on a presentation so that we know what we need to do it. Ardith Higley won the door prize. Bob Titus will bring the treats next month, the meeting was adjourned.
Minutes submitted by, Larry Wilson, Secretary
Member’s News
I don’t know if the next newsletter will get out in time. Reminders: · Next Fieldtrip: Come to the next meeting to find out the details. · Grab Bag Fill: Will be on June 4th at Jay & Erla’s, I don’t know what is needed except you!!! You will need chairs, plates & a potluck dish, if it will be like in the past.
Especially For Juniors Mammoths or Mastodons? Which was which? by Pat Rutkowski,
Even after many years of studying and collecting fossils, when someone mentions something about mammoths and or mastodons, I have to stop and think...which was which?
Both animals were of the elephant family, and it is easy to think about the differences between the two species that live today, the African and the Asian elephant. There were also very pronounced differences between the mammoths and mastodons. Mastodons resembled the mammoths, but only superficially. In fact they were as different as cats and dogs. Mammoths and the American mastodon had different shaped heads. Mastodons had a flat "pig-like body contour, whereas the mammoths had domed heads and a sloping lateral outline.
Mammoth tusks projected almost vertically downward from sheaths on the skull. Mastodon tusks protruded horizontally. Their tusks and molar tooth structures were remarkably different. Males of the American mastodon species even had two short tusks on the lower jaw (remnants from the days of the ancestral "shovel-tuskers"). Mammoths, who were grazers, didn't have these. Mastodons, which had knobby teeth were browsers If I study the above enough, I may remember in my mind's eye, the different animal when someone mentions mammoths or mastodons, for they are truly two different creatures.
Fossil News, 11/2000 via Glacial Drifter 3/03 Via Golden Spike News 6/03
Old News Is Still Good News
I hope the club is getting some good out of these old Utah Newspaper articles. In this months article it talks about changing the colors of gemstones. I know today they can change a Smokey Quartz into something that can pass for Citrine, change Topaz blue or yellow. Who knew, over 100 years ago they were changing the color of gemstones.
Says He Can Color Diamonds Dr W C Fuchs Announces Discovery Of A New Use For X Rays
Diamonds of the purest white and most dazzling brilliancy will soon be within the reach of the smallest wage earner if W C Fuchs X ray process of changing the color of gems proves to be all that experiments indicate. Mr Fuchs who is a Chicago man hopes that with the perfection of his process he will be able to bleach poor yellow stones to a clear white. Mr Fuchs has been laboring for five years and he is now able to announce that he can change a diamond to any color desired. In his experiments during which he has used $1,000 worth of stones he has changed a one and one-half carat diamond to a brilliant green with added luster. He also produced a stone of a rich brown similar to the $25,000 gem in king Edwards crown and further changed a six carat white stone to black. The coloration is permanent it desired though Mr Fuchs can return the stone to its original color. Topazes, pearls and other gems submit readily to the treatment a yellow topaz having been changed to a deep green by the process. The method consists in directing the X rays through the substances from which the color is to be obtained before the rays touch and penetrate the diamond Mr Fuchs declares that it is a known fact that a diamond has large pores and that it is partially through these that the particles are able to pass into the body of the stone.
Eureka Reporter 1903-09-25 via Utah Digital Newspapers
Wolfram C. Fuchs (1865-1907) was an electrical engineer by training, but converted to a "radiographer" following a visit to Germany shortly after Roentgen's announcement. He is credited as being one of the first to radiograph gall stones, renal calculi, and the hip joint.
Your Solder Won’t Flow By Alice Davis
Sometimes when you are trying to solder your bezel on the flat piece of silver, which forms the base plate your solder just won’t flow. Don’t hang in there until death do us part. Stop. Drop the whole works in the pickling solution. Incidentally, your pickling solution is going to work a whole lot faster and better if it is hot. If you have a hot plate with a very low setting, this will do just fine. It is not recommended that you let it boil or bubble on top of a kitchen stove. It is an acid and it will ruin the top of your stove. After your silver is clean, rinse it in cold water. Then try again. If you are really having problems, try this. After pickling and rinsing, sometimes your silver looks spotty. I have a little container with some powdered pumice in it. Make a paste of it and scrub up your silver with the pumice and an old soft toothbrush. Then take the last step - really scrub up your hands good. Only handle your silver on the edges. Sometimes your solder is dirty. This can mess you up. Be sure to flux your solder. I prefer to solder the bezel to the base plate with the flame under the whole works. It prevents the bezel from melting. I have a little stand that holds the item up and it has four stainless steel wires stretched across it, on which I place the piece to be soldered. Remember the solder flows to the heat. So if you are soldering from above, a lot of times the solder will climb up the bezel instead of flowing around the bottom like you want it to. This is why it’s a good idea to apply your heat from underneath. Author unknown, Original source Boulder Buster Press date unknown
via Quarry Quips, 1/05. Via The RockCollector 4/05
The Chemists' Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies: Ingredients: 1.) 532.35 cm3 gluten 2.) 4.9 cm3 NaHCO3 3.) 4.9 cm3 refined halite 4.) 236.6 cm3 partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride 5.) 177.45 cm3 crystalline C12H22O11 6.) 177.45 cm3 unrefined C12H22O11 7.) 4.9 cm3 methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde 8.) Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein 9.) 473.2 cm3 theobroma cacao 10.) 236.6 cm3 de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10)
To a 2-L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1) with an overall heat-transfer coefficient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr, add ingredients one, two, and three with constant agitation.
In a second 2-L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm, add ingredients four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogeneous.
To reactor #2, add ingredient eight, followed by three equal volumes of the homogeneous mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add ingredient nine and ten slowly, with constant agitation.
Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may be the result of an exothermic reaction.
Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer, place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm).
Heat in a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first order rate expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown.
Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25C heat-transfer table, allowing the product to come to equilibrium.
via The Funny Bone, April 20, 2005
Having Fun Junior Activities by Jim Brace-Thompson, Jr. Activities Chair
Honoring Service to Juniors: Kempton Roll’s “For Young Rockhounds” Series
This month, I continue efforts to honor those who are going above and beyond in introducing youth to our hobby. My hope is that sharing their experience might guide our own efforts. In response to my request for names and stories, Diane Dare and Gayle Graham have singled out Kempton Roll of the Southern Appalachian Mineral Society. He wrote a series entitled “For Young Rockhounds” that carried a humorous disclaimer: “Warning – for young readers only. Parental discretion advised. Parents may read at their own risk.” This informative, fun-to-read series had several field trip features including “What Am I Looking For?” and “What Did I Bring Home?” and also covered “Show Business.” Part Seven, entitled “Stuff You Did Not Want to Hear,” was on safety. Kemp’s interest in minerals began in grade school when he enjoyed making model airplanes. The local model dealer also happened to be a mineral collector. After returning from a trip to Herkimer, NY, he put a display of his “diamonds” in the store’s showcase. Kempton saw them and was trapped—intrigued by their naturally created beauty. Encouraged by his parents, he learned as much as he could about minerals from library books and field guides and persuaded his father to take him on trips, including one for those Herkimer “diamonds.” But events relegated rockhounding to the backburner: getting educated, WWII and an aircraft carrier in the Pacific, a job in metallurgical engineering, and raising a family. But with retirement, Kemp relocated to Asheville, NC, in the heart of a unique gemstone district known for rubies, sapphires, emeralds and gold. He soon became active in the gem and mineral museum presently known as the Colburn Earth Science Museum as well as the Southern Appalachian Mineral Society. His interest in rockhounding regenerated, he gave talks and wrote articles for collectors. His series of articles about the history and recent discoveries of emerald finds in North Carolina earned him First Place recognition in the Southeast Federation in 2002. The AFMS awarded him Second Place in Adult Articles-Advanced in 1998 and 2002. However, Kempton could see interest in the hobby diminishing. The rockhounding generation was aging and the young generation seemed preoccupied with computers, TV, and the pressures of getting educated. He felt youngsters were being deprived of the exhilaration and joys of discovery that rockhounding offers. The hobby seemed destined for extinction. That concern, coupled with a sympathetic SAMS newsletter editor, Gayle Graham, and a supportive Board of Directors, triggered his decision to write about the hobby of rockhounding in general and procedures for getting started in particular. Kemp wrote the articles in a style to appeal to a young but smart readership. He covered safety measures and distinctions between ordinary rocks and collectible minerals in ways to build interest. He described geological aspects in ways young readers (and adult neophytes) could understand without getting lost in jargon. Ten articles were printed in the SAMS newsletter, Mountain Mineral Monthly, starting July 2002 and concluding January 2004. To obtain copies, contact editor Gayle Graham (mailing address 861 Pennsylvania Road, Arden, NC 28704; email address Gayle_Graham@compuserve.com). Gayle is happy to email copies to interested parties. My thanks to Diane and Gayle for sharing Kempton’s story, and to Kempton for his efforts to encourage interest in our hobby. I welcome more stories! Please send names of individuals, their club affiliations, and a brief description of their accomplishments to share in these pages. (Send to: Jim Brace-Thompson, 7319 Eisenhower Street, Ventura, CA 93003; email jbraceth@adelphia.net; phone 805-659-3577.) As 2005 progresses, let’s celebrate those among us who are teaching and guiding our kids in the hobby while—as always—having fun!
Via AFMS Newsletter 4/05
How Obsidian Is Formed
The mineral called obsidian is glossy black glass. It is an igneous or fire-formed rock made by volcanic fury in the earth's crust. In the fiery fury, quartz minerals were boiled and melted. Quartz is the hardest of the common minerals, and makes most of the gritty grains of sand, and quartz sand is one of the ingredients used in man-made glass. A few million years ago, volcanoes raged in our western mountains. Some of them poured forth rivers of molten quartz minerals. Some of this seething lava cooled into glassy obsidian. In many places, lumps and great chunks of obsidian are found on the ground and in a few places, whole cliffs are made of this natural glass.
Hard Rock News 5/03 via Yakima Gem & Mineral News 5/03 Via Golden Spike News 5/03
Think about This:
· A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well. · It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats
Internet Via Golden Spike News 6/03
Copper Bracelets?: Is it true that copper bracelets relieve arthritis? This folk remedy has been in disrepute for several years, but now researchers have discovered there may be something to it. Copper, they have found, reacts with the skin chemicals to produce an anesthetic called "ethylene" which can be absorbed into the body.
Post Rock 5/02 via Magic Valley Gem News 2/02 Via Golden Spike News 6/03
Here We Go Again - A New Paleo Preservation Bill by Marion Zenker
Once again a Paleontological Resources Preservation Act has been introduced into the U. S. Senate (we are watching for reintroduction in the U. S. House as well). The number of the Senate bill is S 263 and was sponsored by the same senators as the bill introduced in the 108th Session of Congress with Prime Sponsor being Daniel Akaka of Hawaii. The new bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and has already passed out of committee without amendment for action on the floor. Plans appear to have the bill passed by the Senate by a simple voice vote. We have already alerted our entire Congressional delegation in South Dakota about this introduction and urged them to vote against such a strategy. The best defense at this time is to immediately (today) alert the Senators from your state to watch for this strategy and request their help in blocking any passage by voice vote on the floor of the Senate. If enough Senators are alerted this move can be averted and then we have an opportunity to provide some testimony in committee and possible block Senate passage. It is certainly worth a concerted effort. So ask as many people as possible to contact your Senators at once with this request. As of this writing (in early March), I have not yet read through the entire bill, but it looks to be nearly identical if not completely so to the bill introduced into the 108th Congress in 2003. We need to rally the troops to try to stop this in the Senate if possible.
AFMS Newsletter 4/05
Coprolite, Or, Iris Dung Is For You By Brett Whitenack
This article deals with a subject that some people find rather offensive and vulgar. Others find it quite amusing. There are a few people who find it extremely fascinating and worthy of study. What could exhibit so many varied reactions? I'm speaking if petrified poop, dino doo, fossilized er, ah, pardon me. I don't wish to offend anyone reading this article. I'm talking of the much maligned, the lowly, the humble, coprolite. "What is a coprolite?" I'm glad you asked. Coprolites are fossilized feces, dung, scat! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, coprolites are the extruded remains of meals that prehistoric animals deposited. "But how can these be fossils?" You must remember the definition of a fossil as the remains or traces of plants or animals that lived prior to historic times. As you can see, a coprolite is what is known as a trace fossil. I guess if you wanted to get technical, you could say that coprolites are the remains of plants and animals, though they are somewhat altered. The oldest coprolites are some 400 million years ago from the Silurian Period and are from fish. The most recent coprolites are from Ice Age animals and may still contain much original organic matter, a fact your nose may discover if the coprolite gets wet! Coprolites form just like any other fossil. They must have been buried rapidly in fine-grain sediment and kept away from biological agents that could destroy them, I.e., scavengers or the environment. Groundwater percolating through potential fossil must be of a correct nature, not too acidic, and full of minerals that can replace the soft materials. Of course, these requirements only pertain to those coprolites that are petrified. Some younger coprolites have been found desiccated in southwest caves and date from the last Ice Age. Being of soft nature, dung doesn't preserve as readily as bones, teeth or scales. However, coprolites aren't exceedingly rare by any means, and you too can easily own a piece of this most interesting geologic wonder. Given its detached nature, a coprolite can't be identified to the exact species of animal that left it. In some instances, coprolites from sharks can be determined from their grooves and markings on them, as sharks have distinctive spiral valves in their intestines. By studying the makeup of a coprolite, one can tell if the animal was a carnivore (meat eater) or herbivore (plant eater). It is interesting to note that carnivorous coprolites are more readily preserved due to their higher mineral content from the bones the animal ate. Other things that can be told studying coprolites are such thing as the paleoenvironment where the animal lived, what other organisms were associated with it, and how this animal interacted with its surroundings. The "coprolite" has two sources - one fact. the other fiction. During the "bone wars" of Professor O. C. Marsh and Professor Edward Drinker Cope during the latter part of the last century, Professor Cope's men apparently stole an allosaurs skeleton from a quarry of Professor Marsh's. This incensed Professor Marsh, and to "immortalize" Professor Cope, Professor Marsh named the fossilized fecal remains "coprolites" to get even with his archenemy. A quaint legend, but entirely untrue. The name coprolite has more humble and mundane origins. The English geologist William Buckland deduced their true nature and named them from the Greek kopros, "dung", and lithos, "stone", literally dungstone. Buckland thought they would be important in agriculture as a source of fertilizer due their high calcium content. In addition to the information they can tell us, coprolites have become fashionable as cutting material. Believe it or not, some coprolites exhibit beautiful colors when cut and polished. It has been said that the reds are from the meat the animal ate, brown from the nuts and seeds, green from the plant material, and black from the juices of blackberries. Actually these colors come from the minerals deposited by groundwater and percolated through them as they were fossilized.
From the Stone Chipper, August 2003 Via Serendipity Gems, February 2005 Via The Rock Rustler's News 4/05
What Is A Good Mineral Specimen? By Barbara & Alan Lundgren
First of all: what is a mineral? A mineral has been defined as a "naturally occurring element or compound with definite physical properties and chemical composition." Regardless of where it is found, a mineral generally has the same properties and composition. Although minerals occur without any apparent crystal form (massive, granular, or cryptocrystalline), collectors usually want crystals, in which a mineral's external faces are shaped and related to each other with geometric regularity. In other words, minerals with a distinctive shape! All crystals belong to one of six crystal systems. Each mineral has its own set of distinctive shapes. For instance, quartz always belongs to the hexagonal (6-sided) system, even though twinning or other growth distortions sometimes change its outward appearance.
In looking for a good mineral specimen you need to consider several aspects: · Esthetics — Does the specimen appeal to you? Is it pleasing in shape and form? This often is one of the main determinants of price. · Size — Is it typical of its class? Is it smaller or larger than usual? Minerals are usually classed as thumbnails (up to 1 inch), miniatures (1-2 inches), or cabinets (over 2 inches). Crystals of many minerals are found only as micros, which are tiny specimens that must be viewed with a microscope or hand lens. Usually the larger the specimen, the more expensive, other things being equal. · Perfection — Look for as perfect a specimen as you can afford. A dinged or nicked crystal has a lower value. Quartz can be a lovely specimen, but with a damaged point or edge, the value may be practically gone. Dealers will sometimes sell a repaired specimen, but this should be clearly indicated on the label. Some minerals are very fragile and may be sprayed with acrylic to preserve them. This, too, should be indicated on the label. All dyed or color enhanced minerals should be avoided. · Rarity — The rarer the mineral, the more expensive! Fluorite, for all its beauty, is fairly common and will never approach the price of a good tourmaline. · Gem Quality — The best quality of the harder, rarer crystals are often used as gemstones for jewelry. A high quality gemstone that is good for faceting may be worthless as a crystal specimen because of a flawed crystal form. · Association — When two or more minerals are associated on a single specimen, the result can be a more interesting and valuable piece. For example, one of the prettiest specimens we have is a green fluorite perched on milky quartz and pink rhodochrosite, from Silverton, Colorado. Some of the nicest specimens from Pint's Quarry in Iowa are those with fluorite perched on calcite, and are much favored over the plain calcite specimens. · Location — For most collectors it is important to know where a mineral came from. The location of specimen should be indicated, and the more precise the location, the better. Keep your labels and records, and make sure each specimen is identified! A mineral from an unknown source, regardless of condition, has its value sadly diminished.
In choosing a mineral specimen you need to consider these factors. The same principles hold for self collecting in the field. Keep the best you can find, I care for them so they do not become damaged, and identify them as accurately as possible.
Via The Rock Rustler's News 4/05
The First Marble Building By Jim Connolly - Michigan Mineralogical Society
Like all prototypes, the first marble building had its share of problems; for one thing, it had a tendency to roll away. That problem was easily solved by bedding it in sand, which they bought dirt-cheap. In the planning stages the architect was selected by a drawing. The original scheme was for 40,000 stories, until the Library Commission realized that they couldn't afford that many books at one time. The low bidder for the plumbing contract was from Flushing, Michigan. The electrical contractor considered the installation of the floodlights, illuminating the dome, as the highlight of his career. He proposed the use of circuit breakers, but the Owner refused. A monitoring system was installed so they could keep track of current events, and an emergency Intercom System was installed for close calls. The lobby featured a fountain made out of a molehill. A sculptor was hired for some additional lobby decorations because he did chip work. The sculptor was later honored when all of the other workers chipped in and bought him a marble cake. It was intended that the interior decorators provide a contemporary decor; but they went Baroque, and filed for bankruptcy. The installation of the windows turned out to be a real pane in the sash, but the escalator was definitely a step in the right direction. The toilet room fixtures were made by a retired Navy blacksmith who had always aspired to forge ahead. A shady character furnished the Venetian blinds. The first furniture had originally been made for royalty, but was throne out. The exterior was landscaped with fruit trees, but they were vandalized by someone who wanted to hatchet the berry. Labor strife caused some temporary problems. The landscapers picketed, passing out leaflets and petaling flowers. The janitors union demanded sweeping reforms; and then a splinter group drove a wedge in the carpenter's union. One of the carpenters had to be laid off because he had a bad habit of biting his nails. The first tenants were two ophthalmologists. This paradox turned the building into a site for sore eyes. Not long after the construction activity was completed, all of the problems had been resolved, and the building was fully occupied, the public seemed to accept the concept and, eventually, took it for granite. Taken from The Show Me Geode, Show Me G&M Club, St Charles County Missouri, April 2003 - Happy April Fool’s Day!
Via Rocky Mountain Federation News 4/05 |