October 2017 WEST SEATTLE PETROGLYPHS. Opal. Monthly Bulletin of the West Seattle Rock Club, Inc. Seattle, Washington

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1 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 1 Volume 52, Number 9 Monthly Bulletin of the West Seattle Rock Club, Inc. Seattle, Washington Website: Our Club: Practices the Rockhound Code of Ethics Meetings: Visitors are always welcome! WEST SEATTLE PETROGLYPHS Mike Wall, Editor P.O. Box Seattle, WA mike_wall@yahoo.com October 2017 Opal

2 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 2 WEST SEATTLE ROCK CLUB, INC. Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 16145, Seattle, WA The purpose of this Club is to promote the study and enjoyment of the Lapidary Arts with good Rockhounding and good fellowship; and to further education and lapidary skills for all; to conduct field trips for exploration and collection of minerals, gems, rocks and fossils; to promote shows and displays; to publish a monthly periodical known as West Seattle PETROGLY PHS relating to club activities. **************************************************************************************** OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2017): President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Federation Director Director at Large Mineral Council Reps Seattle Regional Reps Newsletter - Editor Current Past President Diane Christensen Hannah Roberts Sue Fox Audrey Vogelpohl Audrey Vogelpohl Ken Schmidt Katherine Koch Lyle Vogelpohl Mike Wall Rich Babcock (206) (206) (206) (206) (206) (206) (425) (206) (206) (206) **************************************************************************************** COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS (2017): Show Chair (2018) Programs Refreshments/Hospitality Membership Historian Library Chair Field Trips Webmaster Diane Christensen <Vice President> Sue Fox Mary Bentler Annette Nelson Jim Ewins <Open> Donn Ullery (206) <Vice President> (206) (206) (206) (206) <Open> (206) **************************************************************************************** AFFILIATED WITH: Northwest Federation & American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Seattle Regional Gem and Mineral Show Committee Washington State Mineral Council ALAA American Lands Access Association **************************************************************************************** Meetings are held on the Fourth Wednesday of each month, except for November which is the THIRD Wednesday and no meetings in July and December The meetings are held in Adams Hall of the Tibbetts United Methodist Church st S.W. (corner of 41st S.W. and S.W. Andover Street) Seattle, WA 6:00 PM Junior Meeting 7:00 PM Adult Meeting Dues are: $20.00 first year (including name badge), then: $10.00 per adult member per year or $15.00 for 2 adults in same family, $3.00 per junior member per year VISITORS ARE INVITED AND ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO ALL MEETINGS All material in this Bulletin may be reprinted if properly credited - Exchange Bulletins are most welcome.

3 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 3 CLUB CALENDAR October 25, 2017 Junior Meeting (6:15 pm) Program: Fossils General Meeting (7:00 pm) Program: Hyde Park (NY) - Backyard Mastodon Show & Tell: Fossils PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Not Available At Press Time OCTOBER BIRTHSTONE OPAL Mexican Fire Opal WHAT S INSIDE Club Calendar 3 President s Message 3 What s Inside 3 Program Hyde Park (NY) - Backyard Mastodon 3 WSRC Sept. General Meeting Minutes Refreshments 5 Safety Matters Kid Safety 5 Opals: Bad Luck? 6 Ethiopian Opal Honeycomb Pattern How to Spend A Week Rockhounding in Museums Field Trips 10 Boulder Opal Australian Lightning Ridge Black Opal 2017 Shows 10 PROGRAM - HYDE PARK (NY) MASTODON What to do when you find a large fossil in your backyard? We will view a video of what the Lozier Family of Hyde Park, New York, had to do to convince people that they had not found a, cow bone but a bone from a Mastodon

4 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 4 WEST SEATTLE ROCK CLUB GENERAL MEETING MINUTES September 27, 2017 Business: The meeting was called to order by President Diane Christensen. Sue Fox announced there were 17 adult members, 6 junior members and 1 guest present. The door prizes were won by Rich Babcock, Carol Jennings, Atticus Ryan, Dante Ryan, and guest Maggie Babcock. Committees: Junior Advisor Coordinator (Annette Nelson): topic: Leadership and Planning. The juniors brainstormed kid activities for our upcoming Gem and Mineral Show. Juniors will refine the list and continue with planning, budgeting, scheduling, determining materials, etc. Seattle Regional (Lyle Vogelpohl): no update Northwest Federation (Audrey Vogelpohl): Reviewed the Federation s new officers. We are encouraged to read the NW Federation newsletter. Stamps (fundraising): The nearly $500 earned since last September will be donated to the White Center Eagles group that knits knitted knockers for women with cancer. The 3-day show in Yakima coincides with the dates of our Show NW Retreat: Lyle, Audrey, Annette, and the Ewins attended Treasurer Report (Audrey Vogelpohl): our account is doing well Editor's report (Mike Wall): no update Washington Mineral Council (Kat Koch): no update Librarian (Jim Ewins): Don t forget that our library has great books and videos Refreshments for the meetings (Sue Fox): October meeting: Brooke Wagner and Hannah Roberts will bring snacks, Hannah will also bring drinks. Historian (Annette Nelson): no update Field Trips and Shows: see Petroglyphs (last page); 10/21 Money Creek trip will be relocated due to road washout; Life Forms Festival, 9/30, Lake City Community Center (gems/minerals/arts/crafts/ music) New Business: Board meeting schedule: October 4 th at Burien Azteca; November 1 st at White Center Eagles Show and Tell Blue Rocks Lyle Vogelpohl: Ellensburg Blue, lapis lazuli, holly blue from Oregon, chrysocolla, chalcocite Audrey Vogelpohl: kyanite pendant from Jackson Hole WY Ezra Babcock: mystery rock with specks of blue, quartz with pyrite Scott Ryan: petrified wood from Saddle Mt Lola Smith: blue/green mystery rock Brooke and Maggie Babcock: lapidalite (mica family) Annette Nelson: larimar slab and a wire wrapped cab Sue Fox: a geode with a tad bit of blue Amy Prehm: an agate found by Cherry Point Diane Christensen: a boulder opal pendant, polka dot agate, blue lace Ken Schmidt: blue rock from Mt Rainier, petrified wood, and tumbled materials Diane Christensen won the show and tell raffle a blue agate Program: Blue Rocks (Continued on page 5)

5 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 5 (Continued from page 4) Diane Christensen hosted an informational Q&A style program on various blue rocks The meeting was adjourned; Refreshments were served. Respectfully Submitted, Sue Fox, WSRC Secretary 2017 REFRESH- MENTS Note: The sign-up sheet is available at our meetings. Please signup. Note: All the spaces are full for this year. Thanks to everyone for bringing refreshments! If you were not able to support this year, you will have another chance next year. This Month October Snacks: Brooke Wagner (15-20) Hannah Roberts (15-20) Drinks: Hannah Roberts (30-40) - Follow-on month reminders: November Snacks: Mike Wall (30-40) Drinks: Mike Wall (30-40) SAFETY MATTERS KID SAFETY by Ellery Borow, AFMS Safety Chair Kid safety? Isn t kid safety the same as adult safety? Well, yes it is, more or less, and that is the crux of the matter the less part that is. Kids are generally less less experienced in matters of safety, less tall, less heavy, have smaller hands and overall, have smaller proportions than adults. There are thus, some safety considerations when it comes to kid safety. Namely: 1. Some safety goggles are made of hard plastic or rubber. They do not easily conform to the smaller faces on kids. Solution: try using softer vinyl framed goggles which are flexible enough to properly fit kid faces. Goggles with elastic head bands can easily be adjusted to fit kids. If one is using safety glasses with side shields make sure the temples are sized to fit kids. One would find it uncomfortable to have safety glasses keep sliding down the nose every time one looked downward - and let s face it, looking downward is a large part of rock, mineral and fossil collecting. 2. Heavy duty work gloves in either large, or sometimes medium size are easily found in most stores. Heavy duty kid work gloves are not so easily found. Solution: try looking for ladies small-size heavy duty gloves. Sometimes the more well stocked suppliers will have smaller, heavy duty gloves. 3. Hard hats for kids? Sometimes I have seen the play hard hats, but never have I send down-scale hard hats that meet all the various ANSI or OSHA specifications. Solution: check out the adjustability of the head band and suspension system. Some are more adjustable than others. Seek one that can be adjusted to fit smaller heads. The benefit is that a good hard hat can be adjusted to fit as the child grows. 4. Steel toe work shoes in smaller sizes? There again, in some specialty work clothes establishments one can find safety toe work boots that fit smaller lady-size feet. The problem there is often finding the correct width, but with a little luck one might be successful in finding a safety shoe that fits. As fast as kids grow, it will be quite a trick to keep kids in proper safety footwear. The best one can mostly hope for is just providing good sturdy work boots. Oh, there are steel and safety toe sneakers, so there may be some suitable offerings there as well. 5. Kid appropriate tools? Sure, kids love to hammer on things. Can one find kid appropriate rock collecting tools? Solution: I have found none specifically made for kids, but what I have seen are what I call travel tools, tools that are smaller -- less heavy rock picks, crack hammers, and chisels. Why does a kid need smaller tools? Well, smaller tools are more easily controlled in kid s smaller, less strong, and less coordinated hands. Mind that any use of tools should be suitably adult supervised. Along with tool use safety and first-aid kits should have kid-sized bandages packed in with all the adult-size bandages. We like protecting our kids from harm. Large, dangerous working mines, quarries, pits and other hazardous commercial operations often limit kid entry. Insurance and liability requirements in operating fa- (Continued on page 6)

6 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 6 (Continued from page 5) cilities often dictate that no one under 18 is permitted on site. Thus, kid specific safety gear is often not needed because kids are often not permitted inside. Common sense should reign in other collecting sites. In general, safety requirements are similar for kids and adults keeping hydrated, minding site specific rules and regulations, wearing safety goggles, and so on. The trick with kid safety, the one thing that makes it easier for adults is this one simple guideline: kids use adults as role models. If kids see their parents wearing goggles, they will want to as well, because it s the adult thing to do If kids see their parents using gloves, kids will want to as well. Kids learn from us, so if we adults set a good example, our work in keeping kids safe is made much easier. The bonus with that approach is that we say safe too (for our kids sake). Please be safe out there, whether you are a kid, an adult or a kid-like adult! (via AFMS Newsletter, 10/17) OPALS: BAD LUCK? ONLY IF YOU DON T OWN ONE! by Doug Augustine, Franklin Country Rock & Mineral Club No other gemstone has attracted as much superstition as the opal. It seems that diamond merchants of the mid-19th and early 20th centuries saw the amazing attributes of opal and realized that it was going to be a serious threat to their livelihood. Opal, with its stunning play of color, was increasing in popularity and represented a threat to the lucrative diamond trade now that it was being mined commercially in Africa. Supposedly, diamond traders spread the belief that opals are bad luck to protect their market by giving opals a bad reputation. They had a misinterpreted popular book to bolster their efforts. There can be little doubt that much of the modern superstition regarding the unlucky quality of opal owes its origin to a careless reading of Sir Walter Scott s 1829 novel, Anne of Geierstein. In the novel, the Baroness of Arnheim wears an opal talisman with supernatural powers. When a drop of holy water from Wikipedia... In 1913, an American writer commented: There can be little doubt that much of the modern superstition regarding the supposed unlucky quality of the opal owes its origin to a careless reading of Sir Walter Scott s novel, Anne of Geierstein. The wonderful tale therein related of the Lady Hermione, a sort of enchanted princess, who came no one knew whence and always wore a dazzling opal in her hair, contains nothing to indicate that Scott really meant to represent the opal as unlucky....when a few drops of holy water were sprinkled over it, they quenched its radiance. Hermione fell into a swoon, was carried to her chamber, and the next day nothing but a small heap of ashes remained on the bed whereon she had been laid. The spell was broken and the enchantment dissolved. All that can have determined the selection of the opal rather than any other precious stone is the fact of its wonderful play of color and its sensi- falls on the talisman, the opal turns into a colorless stone and the Baroness dies soon thereafter. Ironically, the tale actually contains nothing to indicate that Scott intended to characterize the opal as unlucky. This very popular book dramatically reduced the value of opals and caused the collapse of Europe s opal market for the next fifty years. Amazingly, this myth started by book critics so long ago persists today. Queen Victoria s love of opal is well documented. Ignoring superstition, she and her daughters made opals fashionable. The queen often wore black opals and helped the gem regain its popularity following the release of Sir Walter Scott s book, giving opals as gifts to her female children and friends and often as wedding gifts. There seem to be as many variations of the myth as (Continued on page 7)

7 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 7 (Continued from page 6) Badge of the Order of the Golden Fleece, commissioned by Queen Victoria and presented to Prince Albert on his birthday, 26 August there are people who believe in the superstition. Many believe that owning an opal is as bad as carrying a black cat under a ladder, certain death. Some say that buying an opal for yourself is only bad luck if it s not your birthstone (October is the modern opal month). Some believe that an opal is only unlucky if given by a lover or husband. Others believe that receiving an opal as a gift will cancel out any bad luck and replace it with good luck. Some say that white opals are bad luck (unless you re an October baby) but black opals are good luck.??? The Ancient Greeks believed opals fell from heaven during flashes of lightning and provided individuals with the ability to see into the future. Mythology tells how Zeus, king of the gods, wept with happiness after defeating the Titans. When his tears hit the ground they turned into opals. The Romans thought that wearing opals made one more lucid in thought and spontaneous in action. The Caesars gave their wives opals for good luck. They ranked opal second only to emeralds. The gem was carried as a talisman, as it was believed that the gem, like the rainbow, brought it s owner good fortune and would protect from disease. It was also referred to as Cupid stone because of the perfection of its beauty. The opal is the symbol of hope, purity and fidelity. Another legend claims that Cleopatra wore opals to seduce Mark Anthony (it seems to have worked). Opals were mounted in the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor and the Crown Jewels of France. The Arabs also believed that they fell from the sky in flashes of lightning which imparted their color and the Orientals referred to them as the anchor of hope, the stone of hope. Chinese put opal under their pillows to protect them when they enter the dream world during sleep. Opal is one of the stones associated with the year of the dragon (2012 was a year of the dragon). Opals are popular in Japan where they are often used for engagement rings with no bad luck associated. In the 7th century it was believed that opals possessed magical properties and centuries later Shakespeare was attributed with the description of opals that mir- acle and queen of gems. In the Middle Ages, opal was considered a stone that could provide great luck because it was believed to possess all the virtues of each gemstone whose color was represented in the color spectrum of the opal. It was also said to confer the power of invisibility if wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and held in the hand. The Bishop of Rennes in Normandy wrote that opal conferred invisibility on the wearer, who could then steal by daylight. That was not a ringing endorsement of opal-wearers especially coming from a medieval bishop. Before he designated opal as the Talisman of Thieves, only good things had been written about opal. During the Plague, people noticed that the stone s fire was brightest just before death. People saw it as an omen, that the stone was the cause rather than the symptom. Opal is very sensitive to heat, the high fever in the victim s final days caused the luster of the stone to glow stronger. As everyone in medieval Europe knew, cat s eyes glowing in the dark are a sure sign of evil. The similar glow of opal associates them with the evil eye, a belief brought to the new world by the Puritans. Nothing is as persistent as a superstition. Look at black cats, broken mirrors, spilled salt or Friday s that fall on the 13th. The funny thing is that more cultures believe opals are lucky than believe that they re unlucky. Reading about mythology that described opals forming from lightening strikes, one could wonder if that was a basis for the famous Lightning Ridge opal area in Australia. But, from Wikipedia... Lightning Ridge is a town in northwestern New South Wales, Australia. The Lightning Ridge area is a world-renowned center of the mining of black opals and other opal gemstones. Lightning Ridge has the largest known deposits of black opals in the world. The name Lightning Ridge is said to have originated when in the 1870s some passersby found the bodies of a farmer, his dog, and 200 sheep which had been struck by lightning. (Continued on page 8)

8 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 8 (Continued from page 7) The play of color you see in opal is due to millions of tiny silica Spheres of different sizes. These spheres refract light and cause the beautiful spectral colors you see in opal. The spheres have to be just the right size and of a uniform nature to create enough color for our Manager for the museum, Our specialty is the life story and life span of the dinosaurs, with emphasis on our Jurassic vertebrate paleontology collection. Pat went on to say, Our intent is to provide a great introduction to hunting for dinosaurs. I think people are most impressed with the diversity of exhibits. There is something for everyone. We are very close to Yellowstone and whether it s for the kids, for the parents or anyone else, we have something of interest for the whole family. Special exhibits for the summer include Treasure, an exhibit focusing on the history of treasure, treasure hunting, and famous treasure hunters. This exhibit runs through September 7th and includes the opportunity to drive a Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) and experiment with metal detectors. Summer hours for both the museum and planetarium are 8am - 8pm daily through September 27th. Store hours are 9am-8pm daily, and the Living History Farm is open daily 9am- 5pm. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $7 for children ages 5 to 18, and children under 5 are free. The price of admission is good for two consecutive days. For more bad-opal stories: (via Rocky Trails, 10/17; via May 2012 Franklin County Rockhounder, reprinted in July/August 2017 edition) HOW TO SPEND A WEEK ROCKHOUNDING IN MUSEUMS Article and photos by Jim Urbaniak In a previous article, I briefly touched upon the terrific exhibits at the Museum of the Rockies ( in Bozeman, Montana, on the campus of Montana State University. The quality and depth of the museum s collections are stunning, and anyone who loves great dinosaur exhibits could easily spend a week studying everything on display. The museum covers a variety of specialties including archaeology, paleontology, geology, a working 19th Century farm, and a planetarium. With items in the collection totaling 365,000 objects, more than 50,000 of these items are whole paleontology specimens, though no more than 5% of the museum s total holdings are on display at any given time. According to Pat Roath, Registrar and Collections While the museum collections are heavily weighted towards fossils, and have a good emphasis on geology from the big-picture perspective, their mineral collection is very limited. One of the great things about visiting the Treasure State, however, is you don t have to travel far to find what you are looking for when it comes to rocks, minerals and fossils. Just over an hour away in Butte, at the Montana Technical University, is the Mineral Museum ( museum/museum.asp) with more than 1,300 minerals on exhibit from a permanent collection of more than 15,000 specimens. The museum is free of charge, though donations are appreciated. Butte was once home to one of the largest copper mines in the world, so metallic ores and mineral specimens are really well emphasized. (Continued on page 9)

9 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page 9 (Continued from page 8) I challenge anyone who appreciates rocks, minerals and fossils to feel a week spent at these museums isn t a week well spent. Your knowledge and love of rocks, minerals and fossils will only be increased from the experience, and you will likely be inspired to become a better rockhound, whether it is through creating exhibits for the next rock & mineral show, improving your personal collection, or choosing a profession that takes you into geology or paleontology. (via Rocky Trails, 8/09)

10 October 2017 West Seattle Petroglyphs Page FIELD TRIPS Nov 18 Marysville Rock Club Field Trip Blanchard Hill I-5 Exit 240 Gas Mart at 9:00 am Washington Dalmatian Stone & Chert Hard rock tools contact Ed Lehman wsmced@hotmail.com h# (425) c# (425) See WSMC for additional field trips and details 2017 SHOWS Oct 28 10am-6pm Oct 29 10am-5pm Nov 11 9am-5pm Nov 12 10am-5pm Nov 11 9am-5pm Nov 12 10am-4pm Bellevue Rock Club Annual Show Vasa Park, 3560 West Lake Sammamish PKWY SE, Bellevue, WA Maplewood Rock & Gem Club Annual Show Maplewood Rock & Gem Clubhouse, th ST SW, Edmonds, WA Skagit Rock & Gem Club Annual Show Sedro Woolley Community Center, 703 Pacific St., Sedro Woolley, WA Dec 9 9am-5pm Maplewood Rock & Gem Club Sale Dec 10 10am-5pm Maplewood Rock & Gem Clubhouse, th ST SW, Edmonds, WA See the Northwest Newsletter for additional show listings and times. Available online at: How Can You Help Your Federation: Save stamps and give to our club treasurer. Your Hobby: Join ALAA. - Contact Lyle Vogelpohl Other: Volunteer to teach beginners what you are good at. To Learn More About... Cabbing contact Lyle Vogelpohl (206)