GOLDEN NUGGET N E WS LETTER D A T E PROGRAM CORNER

Transcription

1 GOLDEN NUGGET M ONTGOM ERY GEM & M INER AL SOCIETY JUNE 2016 N E WS LETTER D A T E PROGRAM CORNER When: June 21, 2016 Where: Mureal Crump Center, 1751 Congressman William L. Dickinson Drive, Montgomery, AL 36109* Time: 7:00 P M What: Rock Tumbling Demonstration Who: Mel Barclay * Park in back. Enter through single glass door. Meeting room 1st door to left. REFRESHMENTS Snacks : James & Cynthia Wilson Drinks: Jack & Christie Kirkland Please remember to bring paper plates, napkins, and cups. Ice is available at the community center. It is your responsibility to find another member to substitute in the event you are unable to fulfill a month for which you signed up. List for remainder of the year: Snacks Drinks Jul 19 Iris McGehee Mary Lou McHugh? Aug 16 Morning Sherrod David Sherrod Sep 20 Troy & Deana Lauritson Joann Statley Oct 18 Candy Rutherford Dawn Sullivan/Sharon Ervin Nov 15 Therese Frank Jeanette Ritch HAPPY BIRTHDAY The President s Note Becky Fetzer 6/4 Viviana Gray 6/7 Erin Laurltson 6/5 Tommy Shanks 6/9 Rita Pelffer 6/5 Christie Kirkland 6/20 Mary Belmont 6/6 Terry Fetzer 6/24 Rick Williams 6/6 Frank Rowell 6/28 Gerald Threadgill 6/28 Greetings rock hounds, I now have a "new" knee and recuperation is going well. Thanks to all my friends and fellow rock hounds for all the get well wishes and words of encouragement. I don't know for how long I'll be out but I can't wait to get field trip worthy again. I won't make the next meeting but I am sure Chris will do an admirable job. If you plan on attending the event at Mel Barclay's please let Iris know so we can get an idea on how many to prepare for. Hope to see everyone soon President, Morning Sherrod Inside this issue: Program Corner Birthdays President s Message Meeting Minutes Article Articles 2 Field Trippin Article Articles 4 Shows & Reminders Links Club Information 6 1

2 Page 2 GOLDEN NUGGET Summer Fun With Kids By Dolores Osborne-Hensley School is almost out for the summer and parents are looking for fun and healthy activities for the kids. How about rock hounding? It could be beneficial for the whole family. It provides quality time with the family and promotes a healthier lifestyle. Hunting will get the entire family outside exercising, enjoying nature and taking in fresh air. The kids will learn about nature, minerals, gems as well as some minor survival techniques. The host of healthy habits and values to be learned from this recreation is endless. You don't need to start big to introduce a child to rock hounding. You can begin on the computer by looking up some great gem and minerals pictures, especially in and around the city and state you live in. You can also spend quality time with children by taking them somewhere to hunt. It doesn't need to be far away; just get them out somewhere. While equipment is a nice extra, you can just use some items from home to start up with so you don't need to sink a fortune into getting started. A $2.99 bucket with handles and a few plastic hand gardening tools is a great start. Even a very young child is capable of enjoying finding "pretty" stones. Children, in fact, seem to be quite observant and able to find great gemstones that adults will walk right over without seeing. Many parents find themselves surprised at their small child's ability to learn to identify different mineral species, as well. So get out and spend some quality time this summer rock hounding with the family. What better way to spend your time, exercising, learning, exploring and family. MONTGOMERY GEM & MIN ERAL MINUTES The meeting was called to order by president Morning Sherrod and our visitor, Jim Gundlach introduced himself. The club business was held until after the presentation. Chris Rutherford introduced Professor Bob Cook of Auburn University. Dr. Cook has just completed an updated edition of his book " Georgia Minerals - a Historical Perspective" and it is available at Amazon. Dr. Cook covered commercial exploitation of everything from kaolin in the 1700"s to the gold boom near Dahlonega that stated around He covered over a dozen minerals that have been mined for profit and gave in depth information on locations and usage of each. He included information on modern collecting sites such as Graves Mountain (rutile), Jackson Crossroads (amethyst), and Hogg mine near Lagrange (rose quartz, beryl, and schrol). He also recommended visiting the Tellus Museum at Cartersville as they have excellent examples of everything he discussed. After his presentation refreshments were served. When everyone one was seated club business resumed with the minutes approved as published in the may newsletter. Iris McGhee delivered the treasures' report. David stated that the pulley on the saw had been replaced and it was now working. It was also clarified that you receive 1/2 INSIDE point STORY for HEADLINE each hour worked at our December show. This includes Thursday preparation time and Sunday take down helping the vendors. The club also approved that anyone wishing to join the the club could do so without prerequisite. The annual get together at Mel's place will be June 25th and will include visitors from the GA. club. Morning reminded everyone of the Tannehill show June 4th, 5th. The club voted to participate as sponsor in The Alabama Nation Fair best of show at a cost of 100 dollars. chris stated that next meeting Mel Barclay would do a presentation on how to properly tumble stones. The meeting was then adjourned. Secretary, David Sherrod 2

3 Page 3 J UNE FIELD TRIPPIN Mel Barclay s Field Trip June 25th Anyone interested in going please let Iris McGehee know At the June 21st meeting Ross Creek Field Trip Gruetli Laager, Grundy Co. TN Saturday July 9, :00am central time Exit 134 off of I-24 at Monteagle, TN Meet at Hardee s parking lot at 8:00am central time Phone service is problematic For further information contact Charlie Jones LUCKY JUNE BY DOLORE S OSBORNE-HENSLEY If you are a follower of gems that represent your birth month and you were born in the month of June, then you are very lucky because June counts three gems as birthstones: Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone. We all know were pearls come from, but how unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began, however, keeping up with supply and demand, beginning around the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely been replaced with natural pearls in the market. The second birthstone for June is a relatively modern gem, Alexandrite. It was first discovered in Russia around 1831 during the reign of its namesake, Czar Alexander II. It is an extremely rare Chrysoberyl with chameleon-like qualities. Its color is a lovely green in both day and fluorescent light; it changes color to a purplish red in incandescent light. Due to its rarity, some jewelers stock synthetic versions of this enchanting gemstone. The third birthstone for June is the moonstone. It was given its name by the Roman natural historian Pliny, who wrote that moonstone's appearance altered with the phases of the moon, a belief that held until well after the sixteenth century. A phenomenal INSIDE STORY HEADLINE gemstone, moonstones show a floating play of light and sometimes shows either a multi-rayed star or a cat's eye. Considered a sacred stone in India, moonstones often are displayed on a background of yellow (a sacred color) and are believed to encapsulate within the stone a spirit whose purpose is to bring good fortune(see lucky June). Part of the family of minerals called feldspar, moonstone occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks and comes in a variety of colors such as green, blue, peach, and champagne. The most prized moonstones are from Sri Lanka; India, Australia, the United States, Mayanmar, and Madagascar are also sources. If you were born in June, Happy Birthday and consider yourself lucky, as three birthstones are better then one. 3

4 Page 4 GOLDEN NUGGET BENCH TIPS: LITTLE T HINGS CAN BITE Most jewelers treat motorized equipment with caution. We've all heard stories about workpieces coming loose in the drill press or about getting long hair or clothing caught in the polishing machine. It stands to reason that a machine with a motor of a half horsepower or so is going to win out over its operator. We all know that, and I'm not going to harp on it. That's not the point of this story. I want to talk about the smaller motor powered machines we often use, the ones with little 3 inch diameter motors. For instance, these small motors are used in flexshafts and micro buffers. They"re so small that many of us forget caution when using them. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes, and believe me it can get you in trouble. Here's what happened to two people I know. One friend had a polishing bur bend in the handpiece and then whack the thumb that was holding the workpiece so badly that it seemed the bone might be broken. The swelling was substantial, and it took several weeks to regain normal use. A small underpowered motor? I don't think so. INSIDE STORY HEADLINE Another friend was using one of the small buffing machines, the kind you can stop when you apply too much pressure to the wheel. Not to worry about such an underpowered beast you say. Wrong, it literally jumped up and bit the hand that feeds it! Buffer was set on a low table to do a quick polish, so was not mounted or clamped. A buff was installed on the right spindle, no buff on the left. Friend was wearing a tight-fitting, long-sleeved sweater. While buffing on the right wheel, the left tapered spindle caught a thread on the friend's left sleeve and started grabbing more and more threads and sleeve. Rather than pulling the arm into the machine, the light buffer quickly lifted off the table and started climbing up the underside of the friends arm. There was no way to get a hand of the on/off switch because the unit was spinning wildly and battering my friend like a club wielded by a mad man. Only when my friend could grab the gyrating power cord and yank it from the wall did the mayhem stop. INSIDE STORY HEADLINE So when you're in the shop, please think safety. Don't take even those little motors for granted. "Bench Tips for Jewelry Making" and "Broom Casting for Creative Jewelry" are available on Amazon 4

5 Page 5 J UNE SE SHOWS NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Annual show; Intergalactic Bead Show, TN State Fairgrounds; 500 Wedgewood Ave; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; Admission $4-$5; Do you love great quality and prices? Then shop The Intergalactic Bead Show! Our shows provide attendees with the world s finest and rarest beads, precious stones, gems, freshwater pearls and an exquisite collection of finished jewelry. Shop quality. Shop Intergalactic Bead Shows. ; contact Shawnna Whitson; Info@beadshows.com; Web site: REMINDERS Please let Mary Belmont or Virginia Webb know if a member needs a get well card or any other communication for which a card is appropriate. Bring spare rocks, gems, minerals to any meeting in order to prepare for the Wheel of Fortune. Show your recent acquisitions at the monthly meeting so other members can experience a variety of different materials. NOTE: the shop can be opened on Saturdays 1-4 by appointment with Leslie Amato. Call by Friday afternoon to determine if Saturday is convenient.. David Grant will also open the shop on Wednesdays at 5:30 if you call him at by Tuesday evening. Shop fee :$1 per hour or $5 maximum. Be sure to read your monthly copy of the LODESTAR which is ed. Member input is not only desired but also needed. Communicate program requests to Peggy Raines. Tell Jeff Edwards if you know of a potential site for a field trip. Talk to any officer or board member regarding the need for a class. L I N K S T O C H E C K O U T International Colored Gemstone Assn newsletter Georgia Meteorite Association William Holland Wildacres Al Mineral Locality Index GIA educational sources for young rock & mineral collectors and hobbyists KidsLoveRocks.com FL Museum Natural History (fossils) AMERICAN LANDS ACCESS ASSOCIATION, INC. (Protecting the Public Lands for the Public; A grassroots 501-C-4 Educational, non-profit organization dedicated to keeping public lands open for the public Gemstone List Arizona Geological Survey SMITHSONIAN Gemstones International Ben Clements Mineral Museum 5

6 Page 6 GOLDEN NUGGET Emeralds, the Green of Life & Love by Dolores Osborne-Hensley The green of the emerald is the color of life and of the springtime, which comes round again and again. But it has also, for centuries, been the color of beauty and of constant love. In the ancient Roman time-period, green was the color of Venus, the goddess of beauty and love. The magnificent green of the emerald is a color which conveys harmony, love of Nature and primarily joie de vivre. The human eye can never see enough of this unique color. Pliny commented that green gladdened the eye without tiring it. Green is perceived as fresh and vivid, never as dull. And in view of the fact that this color always changes somewhat between the bright light of day and the artificial light of a lamp, emerald green retains its lively vigor in all its shades. Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. Inclusions are tolerated. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds. The name emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' via the Old French 'esmeralde', and really just means 'green gemstone'. Emeralds have been held in high esteem since ancient times. For that reason, some of the most famous emeralds are to be seen in museums and collections. The lively luminosity of its color makes the emerald a unique gemstone. However, really good quality is fairly rare, with inclusions often marring the evenness of the color signs INSIDE of STORY the HEADLINE turbulent genesis which has characterized this gemstone. SHOP CLEANING MY E XPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER BY MARIA HANDZUS On Saturday March 19, 2016 at 9:00am, a small group of Volunteers came together from the Gem & Mineral Club, to Clean our Shop located on Upper Wetumpka Rd. Being a regular visitor to the shop over the past few years, I knew it was going to be a dirty job, but I knew the Pride we would experience in taking care of our cabbing machines, saws etc, would be well worth it. As volunteers, David Sherrod, Jeff Edwards, Leslie Amato & Myself began cleaning. A Picture is worth a Thousand Words I say. I took a few pictures BEFORE the cleaning & of course AFTER we were done. 6

7 Page 7 JUNE 2016 SHOP CLEANING CONTINUE (BEFORE PICTURES) SHOP CLEANING BEFORE PICTURES SHOP CLEANING CONTINUE While David Sherrod & Leslie Amato tackled 1 of the biggest cleaning jobs,. Cleaning out & replacing the oil in our biggest saw.. (I call it the Big Daddy Saw ), Jeff Edwards & I concentrated on cleaning the Cabbing Machines, organizing, purging & cleaning of other items in the Shop. As you can see from the AFTER pictures below, our Goal of Shop Cleaning day was a Success. It took a lot of time & effort from David & Leslie in cleaning our Big Daddy Saw. What was once covered in the brownish oil imaginable, the internal saw parts were now visible & clean with new oil. It was great to see Smiles of a job well done from David & Leslie. We all finished our cleaning assignments about the same time. David Sherrod took a good look around the Shop at all we had accomplished & we Called it a Day. From Wall to Wall a great job was done in cleaning & taking Pride in our Shop. It was a very tiring & long day, but it was so well worth it. 7

8 Page 8 GOLDEN NUGGET SHOP CLEAN UP AFTER PICTURES 8

9 Page 9 JUNE 2016 SHOP CLEAN UP AFTER PICTURES 9

10 MONTGOMERY GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY Club Officers for 2016 President: Morning Sherrod st VP/Programs Committee: Chris Rutherford nd V P/Field Trips: Jeff Edwards Secretary: David Sherrod Treasurer: Iris McGehee Directors: Chris Evey and Leslie Amato Board meetings are at 6:30 pm immediately before the monthly meetings. WE RE ON THE WEB! If you are on Facebook, like our page. If you're not on Facebook, you can still view our page by going to General Information The purpose of the Golden Nugget is to inform members of news about gems and minerals along with news about club, state, and regional activities of interest to our members. Most important, the Golden Nugget provides a way for each of us to share information about projects and to pass on tips that will help others enjoy our hobby. Unless members are willing to contribute, the Golden Nugget cannot meet this latter purpose. Copyright 2016 by Montgomery Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. Except for items that are specifically copyrighted by their authors, all material in this bulletin may be freely copied. Please give credit to The Golden Nugget and the appropriate author. Meetings of the Montgomery Gem & Mineral Society are held every 3 nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Mureal Crump Adult Center, 1751 Congressman William L. Dickinson Drive (U.S. 231), Montgomery, AL The annual gem show replaces the December meeting. Anyone interested in gems and minerals is invited to attend. Field trips, workshops, and classes are held at various locations. These are announced at monthly meetings. Membership dues are $15.00 for individuals and $20.00 for families residing in the same household. The Montgomery Gem & Mineral Society is a member of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information. THE GOLDEN NUGGET Official Voice of the Montgomery Gem & Mineral Society, Montgomery AL Therese P. Frank, Editor The Golden Nugget P. O. Box 801 Wetumpka, AL