ROKTOK - JULY 2017 DGMS prepares for its 60th gem show this year! The DGMS s purposes are to promote: 1. Interest, knowledge, lapidary art skills, and metal-working (embodying the use of polished gems and minerals when appropriate). 2. Interest in rock and mineral collection, and increase knowledge of geology and related earth sciences. This includes holding annual shows, sharing common interests, and a better understanding of member activities. 2017 No part of this newsletter may be reproduced without DGMS s permission.
2 President: Steven Buehler First vice president: Second vice president (shop): David Pirnie Treasurer: Jack Sorrow Secretary: Sean Neeley 6 th member: Mike Russell Appointed positions: RokTok editor: Sean Neeley Weekly items editor: Burt Breedlove Monthly meetings are the 3 rd Tuesday of every month at 7pm at The American Legion Hall, 10205 # 104 Plano Rd., Dallas 75238. Shop address & phone number: Dallas Gem & Mineral Society PO Box 550395 Dallas, TX 75355-0395 214-349-2022 (Only answered during shop hours.) Lapidary workshop hours are Mondays & Thursdays, 6-9pm, Saturdays, 8am-1pm.
3 Table of Contents Meeting Minutes 4-6 Debbie Sands s Tribute....7 DGMS Social Media 8 DGMS Buy & Sell 9 You Rock Facts..10 Noteworthy July Dates......11 DGMS Rock Stars.....12 Classes at Our Shop....13 July Birthdays... 14 July s Birthstone... 15 July Field Trips & Events 16 Other Local Gem & Mineral Clubs.17 Shop Rules 18-19 Call for Newsletter Submissions....20
4 JUNE MEETING MINUTES Dallas Gem & Mineral Society General Meeting 10205 Plano Rd. Suite 104 Dallas, TX June 20, 2017 Called to order by club president, Steven Beuhler at 7:03 pm. Presentation: Bill Thompson too the floor at 7:07, and did a presentation on his book and passion: Fossil Echinoids of Texas. He passed around sea urchin fossils, sand dollars, and other fossils. Bill has found 46 new fossil species. He told us where he found them, and how he named them. Bill also explained the arduous task of taking and reproducing the color photos of earth s treasures. For more information, he told us to go to echinoids.com, or contact bill@echnioids.com. The presentation ended at 7:55pm. Then the members broke for the potluck supper. Birthstone (pearl) cupcakes were a hit. We reconvened at 8:35. Then we voted in The Catron family. Stuart Nolan won the door prize a labradorite cab then we did the raffles for rocks. Announcements: 1. Mollie Cutting discussed Gerald s details on the Colorado trip. 2. Steven reminded us about the next qualifying class on July 12. 3. Brian Bowles passed out postcards for the Pine Country Gem & Mineral Show in August.
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6 Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM. Attendance: 44 members signed in 7 visitors Raffle income: $37 Minutes submitted by Sean Neeley
7 It is with sadness that I report that Dallas Gem & Mineral Society member, Debbie Sands, had a brain aneurysm on Thursday, June 22, 2017, and and passed away on Friday, June 23, 2017. Debbie, we will miss your quick smile, and all the beautiful geodes you cut and shared with us. Diana Case suggested the club send flowers, or take a collection box at the shop for flowers. The service is Thursday, July 6 at Episcopal Church 8787 Greenville Ave., Dallas, at 11am.
8 Please engage in our social media pages. The links are below. Just click! DGMS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/dallasgemandmineralsociety/ DGMS members-only Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1506041006085431/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dallasdgms
9 Debra Lindsey is selling a GIA GEM POLARISCOPE, Model # 415, for $125 and a GEM Instruments DUPLEX 11 REFRACTOMETER for $150. If purchased together, the price is reduced to $250. Please call 972-742-3097 if interested. Looking for gems and minerals to buy/trade, selling some, or know of a place to get some? Please email Sean Neeley at msseanc@aol.com.
10 The largest gold nugget was found in Australia in 1869, tipping the scales at a whopping 156 pounds. Although gold is a valuable mineral, it s very soft, as opposed to its less valuable brother, pyrite, which is harder. Gold s symbol on the periodic table is Au.
NOTEWORTHY JULY DATES Ø Tuesday, July 4: Independence Day Ø Wednesday, July 12: Next qualifying class (See class schedule page for details) Ø Tuesday, July 18: DGMS monthly meeting Ø Mondays: July 3 (day before a holiday; please verify), 10, 17, 24; shop open 6-9pm. Ø Thursdays: July 6 (2 days after a holiday; please verify), 13, 20, 27; shop open 6-9pm. Ø Saturdays: July 8, 15, 22, 29; shop open 8am-1pm. 11
12 I would like to take a moment to recognize some DGMS shining stars. Steven Buehler, for coming up with awesome door prizes at meetings every month. Gerald Pennington for getting us guest speakers, and alerting me about goings-on in the rockhound community for this newsletter. Did another DGMS member go above and beyond the call of duty? Email me about it at msseanc@aol.com. Cheers, Sean
13 Please call to register, or put your name on the list to be called when the class is scheduled. Most classes take a minimum of 4 people to make. Feel free to call the following to register, too, or with questions. Johnnie: 972-881-0104 The shop: 214-349-2022 Other Wire Wrapping Classes: 1. Basket bezel 2. Braided bezel 3. Gem tree, standing 4. Gem tree, necklace 5. With cabs 6. With prongs Other Crafts: 1. Beading 2. Kumihimo, Japanese braiding 3. Metal-smithing 4. Metal clay 5. Molds ***We will hold the next series of qualifying classes, starting July 12 and for the next 3 Wednesdays. Hours are from 6-9PM, each Wednesday. Lee Creel will teach the class. We have 3 signed up right now, but could take 3 or 4 more.*** The shop qualifying fee is $40. It is for 4 classes, 3 hours each.
14 Please wish the following Cancers and Leos in our club very happy birthdays! Paul Bowman July 2 Beth Spinks July 3 Karyn Young July 5 Mollie Cutting July 10 Donald Baty July 10 Richard Thacker July 10 Sherrye Naser July 12 Joan Sheppard July 14 Sherrie Karram July 16 Janet Castillo July 20 Greg Anderson July 22 Aaron Bard July 29 Carol Kauffman July 31
15 July s birthstone is ruby. Cancers and Leos share this fieryred, precious gem that represents passion and energy. It also stands for love, health, and wisdom. Rubies were believed to bestow good fortunes to its wearers. Rubies are particularly popular in Asian countries. There s evidence that China s North Silk Road traded rubies along with silks as early as 200 B.C. Chinese noblemen decorated their armor with this gem because they believed it would protect them in battle. Even though rubies have been around for centuries, they weren t classified as a form of corundum until 1800. Red spinels, tourmaline, and garnets were thought to be rubies. This applies to The Black Ruby, one of England s famed crown jewels. It was considered one of the largest cut rubies until it was determined to be a spinel.
16 July 01-02, Grapevine, TX, Arlington G&MS show, Grapevine Convention center. July 12-13, San Antonio, TX. Amateur Rock, Gem and Jewelry Show, put on by local people. 4703 Shavano Oak, Ste.100; Sat. 11-6, Sun. 12-5; Free Admission.
17 Arlington G&M Club, 1408 Gibbons, Arlington, 1st Tuesday, at 7:30 pm Cowtown Gem, Mineral & Glass Club, 3300 Bryant-Irving Road, Ft Worth; 2nd Tues., at 7:00 pm Dallas Bead Society, address pending; 3rd Thursday at 7:30 pm Dallas Gem & Mineral Society, 10205 Plano Rd, Dallas; 3rd Tuesday, at 7:00 pm Dallas Paleo Society, EMGI (Bldg. H, Brookhaven College, 3939 Valley View Ln); 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 pm Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Club, 3545 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth; 4th Tuesday at 7:30 pm Lockheed-Mar n Stone Steppers, 3400 Bryant-Irving Road, Fort Worth; 2nd Tuesday at 7:30 pm
18 A. Manipulation of shop equipment for commercial purposes will not be tolerated. The on-duty Shop Supervisor shall ensure all persons shall have access to the shop equipment. Exchanging of monies inside the Workshop for private enterprise must first be approved by the Workshop Supervisor on duty. B. Only current members in good standing of the Dallas Gem and Mineral Society may use the workshop and equipment. C. Members can not remove equipment and supplies from the workshop for their own personal use. D. All members will be required to attend and complete the appropriate classes to be determined by the Workshop Committee, prior to the use of any piece of equipment in the workshop. E. No equipment is to be used unless a Workshop
Supervisor or Class instructor is present. F. All classes will be scheduled. No other activities will be performed in the workshop while classes are in session unless approved by instructor and workshop committee. G. All classes held in the workshop are considered Club Functions. Instructors holding classes in the workshop are expected to volunteer their time. H. If the class instructor travels in excess of 100 miles, one way, to teach a class the instructor may be reimbursed for expenses to a maximum of $150.00. The instructor must submit an expense estimate in advance. The class fee will be increased to pay these expenses, and any reimbursements must be approved by the Board. 19
20 We re always looking for juicy geology information to put in front of our club members. Please send your stories about gem and mineral discoveries, events, lapidary information, and related information about said subjects to me at msseanc@aol.com to appear in RokTok. The deadlines are the 27 th of every month. Thank you! Sean