March brings the annual Silent Auction.  It is a chance for you to add specimens, jewelry, equipment, and books to your collection, plus sell some of your surplus items to others.  People come from throughout the Front Range to buy and sell at our auction, so there will be some great bargains.  Also, there is a special table where only kids can buy and sell.  See the article in this newsletter for more information. Alex Cook is heading up this year's auction; contact him if you would like to help.

As the weather begins to warm and the snows melt, it will be time to get back into the field for more collecting.  Paul Boni has a crew of volunteers that will lead field trips this year.  Be sure to watch for announcements in upcoming newsletters and at meetings about the trips.  If you have a special place where you would like to lead others in the club, be sure to contact Paul.

See you at the Auction.

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March Club Meeting - Thursday, March 11
Silent Auction!
Alex Cook

The time has come, folks, for our annual silent auction, so gather ye round for another exciting time. The date is March 11th, the time 7 p.m. Bring your items for sale to the West Side Senior center prior to 7 o'clock. So please search your basement and garage for appropriate items-we need more!  Specimens, fossils, books, videos, tools, software, beads, and jewelry-anything you think might attract buyers at a silent auction for rock hounds and lapidarists. In this bulletin you will find copies of the slips that you need to fill out, or you can obtain them when you sign in. Please fill out both the top and bottom parts, as the bottom part is cut off to be sent home with the buyer. Each seller will be assigned a number that must be entered on the sale slip. The club keeps 25% of the final bid, or more if the seller so indicates on the slip. A minimum bid price may be entered on the slip if the seller desires. If no percentage is entered, it will be assumed that the item is being donated to the club. Each buyer will also be assigned a number that will be entered beside the buyer's bid. Minimum bids are 25 cents over the previous price or whatever the seller designates. There will also be a kid's table where it is assumed that the items are donated and at which there will be no minimum bids or minimum increments.

This year we will have two rooms and fluorescent closet, so this is looking to be a very fun event.  Make copies of the flyer and post them in your school or workplace-we are looking forward to a large attendance and a large number of sellers.

The auction will start as soon after 7:00 as we are ready. The tables will be numbered, and after about an hour of bidding one of the tables will be closed and the others later at various intervals. The bidding should be over by 9 p.m. at which time the money for the successful bids will be collected. Sellers will receive their money through the mail at a later date.

All club members are requested to bring something in the way of snacks or nibble foods. The club will provide drinks, plates, cups and serving utensils.

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February Club Meeting: Musical Showcase!
Charlotte Morrison

The February "Valentine" program for the Flatirons Mineral Club monthly meeting was an evening of awards and entertainment.  Paul Boni had ribbons for the winners at the Towel Show in November.  Stefan Codrescu was the only junior present and received two ribbons.  If you were a Towel Show winner but missed the February meeting, see Paul for your ribbon.

Over the years, our program chairman Ray Horton has become acquainted with our members and their various talents, so he arranged he arranged a Musical Showcase for our entertainment.  Stefan Codrescu played the piano.  Paul Lemieux gave selections on his saxophone, and Carol Codrescu, her flute.  Edna Green, one of our senior members, brought her ventriloquist dummy "Granny" and they had a conversation that had us laughing with them.  Carol had music for a sing-along, and Paul Ralston selected a song for a solo.  Ray and Dorothy Horton and Joyce and Ray Gilbert served refreshments. Thanks to all for pleasant evening.

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Lapidary Corner: Slabbing and Cabbing at Charlotte's
Paul Boni

Well, the club's Genie (6" diamond lapidary machine) suffered a fatal blow at the club's gem and mineral show last November. We took the machine to an electric motor shop last month where they confirmed our fears that the motor is shot. It needs to be rebuilt or replaced. Either option will run about $400.00. The good news is that we were able to get a couple other lapidary machines up and running (thanks to the help of Ray Horton, Cory Olin, and Billy Eeds) so that lapidary can continue on Wednesday evenings. Our treasurer has indicated that, due to increased room rental at the Senior Center and un-renewed memberships last fall, our budget is getting tight and the $400 is not justifiable. There are other expenses connected with operating the shop, such as sanding belts, saw blades, dop wax, polishing compounds, and etc. If we are going to have the lapidary shop, we are going to have to find a way to pay for supplies and upkeep. Therefore I am proposing that users of the shop contribute an additional fee for the purchase of supplies and maintenance.

I am suggesting $20 per year. This fee would apply only to shop users and not affect those who have no use for the shop. I have talked to a few of the shop users and all are in agreement with my proposal. I would like to hear from others, any who have an opinion, for or against. Call me at home (before 9 p.m.), leave a message, or email me. Thank you.

Let me also take this time to remind one and all of Wednesday evening happenings at Charlotte Morrison's home. The lapidary equipment is in her basement and garage and is available to all club members. We have two large diamond saws in the garage. These saws are great for slabbing large rock and trimming mineral specimens.  When the weather gets warmer, we can put these in the driveway so they can be used with water instead of oil. In the basement we have two smaller diamond saws, one with an almost-new six-inch blade and one with a new four-inch blade. Also in the basement are two 8" lapidary arbors that together make a complete cabbing shop. At this time only one person can work at each machine. If we can get the genie fixed then three can work. If you are interested in learning to cut and polish rock or to cut, call me and I'll meet you there.

Upstairs at Charlotte's, is her famous table. This marvelous table is the social center of the club. This past month we have been preparing rocks, minerals, and fossils for the silent auction. Gerry has been leading a tremendous effort to get everything ready. It has all been happening at Charlotte's table. All of the neatly labeled and bagged rock and mineral specimens that go into our grab bags are processed at this table, every one. Thousands of specimens cross her table every year. Any and all help is welcomed and appreciated. If you are looking for a way to be more active in the club, wanting to learn more, do more, then Charlotte's is the place to be every Wednesday evening, 7 - 9 pm.  See you there!

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New in the Library
Dennis Gertenbach

The club has purchased a new book from the Colorado Geological Survey, Messages in Stone: Colorado's Colorful Geology edited by Vincent Matthews, Katie KellerLynn, and Betty Fox.  The book describes the different geological areas within our state, a geologic history of Colorado, and how the state's geology influenced human development. And, the pictures are fantastic.

Also new to our library are two old booklets about tungsten ores and mining in Colorado, Tungsten Mines of Colorado and The Origin of the Tungsten Ores of Boulder County, Colorado.  Anyone interesting in searching for tungsten minerals in Boulder County will find these booklets helpful.

These books, plus a wide selection of other books, will be available at the next club meeting.  Contact Dennis Gertenbach, Club Librarian if you are looking for books and other information about a rock-related subject.

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Latest Rock Talk Available

Rock Talk, the quarterly newsletter from the Colorado Geological Survey, is available on the web. The latest issue has information about the geologic maps available for our state (there are now 50), the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, underground water storage, and the efforts to make Yule Marble the official state rock.  You can receive this newsletter by e-mail by signing up on the CGS website or by calling 303-866-4762. The website also has lots of other information about Colorado geology.

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Online Mineral Database

Here is an excellent online database of minerals and mineralogy that some of us have been using lately--it's got lots of info on many topics--check it out: http://www.mindat.org

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Help wanted:

Deputy or deputies to assist with the positions of Secretary and Webmaster. Duties: taking minutes at board meetings and maintaining club web page. Available jointly or separately. Tolerance for chaos and sense of humor a plus. Opportunity for advancement. No wages, but all the glory and gratitude you can eat. Position(s) open until filled. Contact Emily Epstein to apply.

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FMC Fall Show Report: NEXT SHOW COMMITTEE MEETING
Charlotte Morrison

Our next meeting for the 2004 Flatirons Mineral Club Show will be held March 30th at 7 p.m. at Alex Cook's house. Each and every member is invited to sign up for one of the show committee slots. It is a great way to learn about our hobby and you get to network with other knowledgeable people in the club. We all learn from one another, but we need every member's ideas to make our show a success.

We are looking for help on signs, the U-V room, advertising, floor set-up, displays, ticket sales, door prizes, youth activities and a whole lot more. All you need is a willing body and an eager attitude. It is a great opportunity for some free on the job training!  See you at Alex Cook's!

Thank You!

We are receiving material from our members and friends to use for our Silent Auction and our November Show.  Thank-you's go to Harry Covey for a box of rocks and books and to Lew Yoder for books and calendars.  We plan to make gift bags with the calendars. Martha Town and her friend Betsy have a pattern for most sizes of calendars, so if you have some old calendars, they would be welcome.

Fabric has come in from Julie Schott of the Denver Council and Barbara Hauck in Illinois.  Evelyn Linch had her daughter carry finished grab bags on the airplane from Florida.

Bill Eeds gave us grab bag-size pieces of fossil wood from Texas.  Paul Lyvere brought us already bagged mica from Colorado, apache tears from Utah, and barite from Stoneham. His son and daughter prepared these for us.

Gerry Naugle counted boxes of grab bag material in the shed when he took out the Silent Auction items. We will use it all at our picnic in August at North Boulder Park.  Thanks to everyone for their help!

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Field Trips
Paul Boni

It's time to start thinking about our summer field trip schedule. This year we have a small committee working on trips. I'm excited about this idea. Fresh ideas will lead to new collecting sites and more field trip leaders will translate into more field trips. If there is a location that you'd like to visit, please let me know and we'll try to include your request. Better yet, how about leading a trip? We are intending to produce a printed schedule of trips in advance of the collecting season. Don't hesitate to get those requests in. There's absolutely no reason that we can't include out of state destinations. Next month I hope to publish a preliminary list of field trip suggestions.

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Notes from Down Under
John Hurst

Lucky Dip--can you guess? It's what we call a grab bag at our show.
Ute--they have never heard of Chief Ouray or the Ute Trail. It's simply an abbreviation for "Utility vehicle", a pickup or SUV.
Parentye--a member of the lizard family that grows up six feet in length and munches on anything it wants to, including the poisonous brown snake. We spotted one near the Mud Tank Zircon fields moving fast across the Outback. It is wise to allow the Parentye plenty of space.

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U-V Corner
John Hurst

Are you ready to collect some great, brilliant fluorescent specimens in Franklin, New Jersey? Give your U-V lamps a check-up, and then go to:  www.uvworld.org for details. What an exciting opportunity. They are going to machine excavate both the Trotter Dump and the Buckwheat Dump so that there will be plenty of fresh U-V material. The Trotter Dump has always produced super U-V specimens. See you there!

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Upcoming Events, Nearby & Elsewhere

March 4 (Thurs) 7 p.m.: Fireside Chat at the Morrison Town Hall, "Mineral Collecting at Mount Antero, Colorado", by Dr. Andrew M. Taylor. See the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge website, http://www.dinoridge.org

March 5, Friday,  A symposium at the U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Federal Center, Powell Auditorium (Building 810) on "Silicic Volcanism, Associated Mineralization, and Landform Evolution in the Southern and Central Rocky Mountains, a Tribute to the Career and Contributions of Thomas A. Steven", 1:00-4:30 p.m., is open to the public at no charge. The program will include four lectures. For details please see http://climchange.cr.usgs.gov/info/steven/. This symposium will be one of the events during the course of this year to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the USGS, which was established on March 3, 1879.

March 5-7, International Gem & Jewelry Show. Denver Merchandise Mart, 451 E 58th Ave, Denver, CO. 301-294-1640, fax 301-294-0034, info@intergem.net.

March 11 (Thurs.), 1877 Princeton Expedition to Colorado. 7:30 p.m.  Steven Veatch will give a talk and slide show about this scientific expedition that made an interesting journey through Colorado in 1877, studying fossils, rock formations, mining camps, etc.  Bimonthly meeting of the Colorado Chapter of the Friends of Mineralogy, held at V.I.P. room, Denver Museum of Nature and Science; no charge, all visitors are welcome; contact Pete Modreski, 303-202-4766.

March 11-14 (Thu-Sun), Deming NM Gem & Mineralogical Society's 39th Annual Rockhound Roundup.  S.W. New Mexico Fairgrounds.  Free admission, free parking. Door prizes, buyers market, lapidary equipment, displays and demonstrations, silent auction, live auction, guided field trips, jewelry and rock-related items. Show chair Vicky Lindsley 505-544-0839.

March 12, Friday,  Pete Modreski will give a program on "Colorado Topaz" to the North Jeffco Gem and Mineral Club, meeting at the Senior Recreation Center, 6842 N. Wadsworth, Arvada at 7:30 p.m.; as usual, all are welcome.

March 17, 6-7 p.m., Annual Meeting of the Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, at the Dinosaur Ridge Visitors Center, 16831 W. Alameda Parkway (west of Lakewood, north of Morrison, and southeast of Golden!).

March 25, Thursday, Dr. Vince Matthews of the Colorado Geological Survey, author of "Messages in Stone, Colorado's Colorful Geology", will speak on Colorado Geology at 7 p.m. at the Tutt Science Center [Colorado College], 1112 North Nevada Ave., Colorado Springs.  The lecture, sponsored by the Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds, is free and open to the public.

March 26-28 - 43rd Annual Fort Collins Gem & Mineral Show, Lincoln Center, 419 West Magnolia, Fort Collins, CO. Fri. 4-8, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Sponsored by Fort Collins Rockhounds, Inc., 970-484-6752.

Apr. 9 (Fri.) - North Jeffco Gem & Mineral Club Silent Auction, 7-10 p.m. Arvada Senior Center, 6842 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, CO.

April 23-25 (Fri.-Sun.) Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show-Spring. Holiday Inn-Denver Central, 4849 Bannock & across the street, Best Western-Central Denver, 200 W 48th Ave. FREE ADMISSION, FREE PARKING. Minerals, Fossils, Meteorites, Gems, Beads.  National and International dealers.  Fri & Sat 10am - 7pm, Sun 10am - 5pm.

Apr. 24-25 - Rocky Mountain Bead Society Bead Bazaar. Denver Merchandise Mart Expo Building (58th Ave. & I-25), Denver, CO.

May 1-2 - Gold Prospectors of America Gold & Treasure Show. National Western Complex Hall of Education 2 South, 4655 Humbolt Way, Denver, CO. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $4, kids under 12 free.

May 8-9 - Grand Junction Gem & Mineral Club's 57th Annual Show. Two Rivers Convention Center (1st & Main), Grand Junction, CO. Info.: Harold & Marge Haskins, 970-434-3215.

June 18-20 - International Gem & Jewelry Show. Denver Merchandise Mart, 451 E 58th Ave, Denver, CO. 301-294-1640, fax 301-294-0034, info@intergem.net.

June 19-20 - Pikes Peak Gem & Mineral Show. Phil Long Expo Center (1515 Auto Mall Loop, I-25 & N. Academy exit), Colorado Springs, CO. Info: Ruth Cook, 719-632-9686.

June 19-20 - 2004 Wyoming State Gem & Mineral Society Show, hosted by Rex Young Rock Club. Rendezvous Center, Hwy 26, Goshen Co. Fairgrounds, Torrington, WY. Theme: "Platte River Treasures", Displays, Silent Auction, Door Prizes, Raffles, Dealers, Grab Bags. Western History Artifact Exhibit: The Influence of Rocks on Early Native Americans. Black light exhibit, wire wrapping, faceting, flint knapping. Sat. 9-8, Sun. 9-4. Programs: Sat.: Slide show on the Grand Canyon, 10 a.m., WSMGS Delegates Meeting 2 p.m. Sun.: Field Trip: 8 a.m. $2 per day, kids under 12 free.

Aug. 12-15 - 21st Annual Contin-tail, sponsored by Colorado Federation of Gem & Mineral Societies. Rodeo Grounds, Buena Vista, CO. Colorado's largest outdoor gem & mineral show. 200,000 square feet of Rocks, Minerals, Beads, and Jewelry. Free to the public.  Fluorescent display demonstrations.  Food concession sponsored by the Buena Vista American Legion. Info:  303-709-4212 or e-mail the Federation.

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Rare Fossil Tracks Found in Golden

The rare fossilized tracks of a small mammal that lived during the age of the dinosaurs has been discovered along with the dinosaur tracks at the Fossil Trace Golf Course in Golden.  Martin Lockley, a local paleontologist specializing in dinosaur tracks, and John R. Foster recently described these fossils in the paleontology journal Ichnos as living during the Cretaceous age, about 68 million years ago.  The tracks are similar to prints found near Rifle, Colorado, and were made by a rat-sized mammal that hopped along the ground.  Only two other sites - one in Maryland and one in Argentina - show mammal tracks that date from the time that dinosaurs roamed the earth.

The Golden tracks consist of five regularly spaced tracks.  Each track, containing four toes, is about 3/4 inch long.  The same area has tracks from horned dinosaurs, upright theropods, and crocodile-like champtosaurs. 

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Scientists Identify Oldest Known Insect

David A. Grimaldi of the American Museum of Natural History in New York and Michael S. Engel of the University of Kansas recently reported in Nature that they have identified the oldest known insect fossil.  The tiny fossil was originally discovered in Scotland in the 1920s, but its significance was not known until the two researchers reexamined the specimen.  The discovery pushes back the origins of insects by 20 million years. 

Their analysis of the 400-million-year-old specimen reveals a pair of triangular jaws that are strikingly similar to those found only in winged insects today. Grimaldi said the insect was likely about a quarter of an inch long and may have looked like a tiny mayfly. This suggests that winged insects arose much earlier than had been presumed.  The oldest previously known fossil of an insect is estimated at 379 million years old, with the oldest fossil of a winged insect dated at about 320 million years old.

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Recycling for that warm, virtuous feeling-- and free stuff
Emily Epstein

One of the joys of our hobby/obsession is collecting all sorts of rocks and minerals and gems and beads and other fascinating little items. One of its headaches is coming up with ways to organize and store all sorts of rocks and minerals and gems and beads and other fascinating little items.

Rock shops and hobby stores have responded to this need with a variety of containers for storing and organizing small items. Many of them are ingenious. Some of them are relatively inexpensive, until you start figuring up just how darn many of them you need. The search for less expensive storage has sent many a nonfisherman into the fishing tackle section of K-Mart and Wal-Mart, and some of the boxes provide a useful and much cheaper alternative to the craft storage/organizers. I don't know that fishermen really are less affluent than rockhounds and crafters, but manufacturers and retailers seem to believe they are.

A versatile container available from craft and hobby stores, convenient for home storage or field trip packing, is a small nearly indestructible individual plastic container with a dust-proof and watertight snap-on: i.e. your basic film canister. Why buy when you can get them gratis? Until electronic photography entirely supplants film, plastic they can be had for the asking from photo developers.

The clerk at a Walgreen's near my home was more than happy to give me as many canisters with lids as I could carry. She said I could get that many or more any day before 8 p.m., when they put the trash out. They used to recycle the containers, but had recently gotten a corporate memo discontinuing the practice. She was almost as happy as I to send these little bits of non-compostable matter somewhere other than the landfill, but not quite. Not only was I doing my bit for the environment, I was getting storage containers for free, and that's a nice feeling.

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Minutes of the Board Meeting, February 9, 2004
Emily Epstein, Secretary

Gerry Naugle presented the treasurer's report. Alex Cook performed the annual audit, and the club is still solvent. The biggest expense category lately has been shop equipment. We recently had to buy replacement saw blades. The club's genie, which was donated to the club many years ago by the Millers, is running hot with a distinct burning smell. Gerry had diagnostics run by Boulder Electric Motor, who determined that the windings insulation, the bearings, the seals, the bushings and the armature are worn out, otherwise it's fine. A new replacement motor will cost the club ca.$400. To rebuild the motor will cost more. The board voted to purchase a new motor if a cheaper alternative cannot be found. Board members will keep an eye out for lapidary equipment at yard and estate sales and silent auctions in the coming months. If a replacement unit hasn't been found by summer, we will purchase a new motor.

Alex Cook asked about the Silent Auction in March. He felt that the minimum percentage donation to the club on each item sold should have been established by the membership at a meeting. The club needs the income to make up the difference between club income and club expenses. Expenses are going up because the Senior Center is raising its rates. Discussion ensued. Several members suggested that the club raise dues to cover at least the actual costs of meetings and the newsletter. The matter of dues was tabled. The Board will try to put the club's cut of auction prices before the membership for next year's auction. Club members who moved the shed last summer found a lot of good material, which will be sold at this year's auction, as well as 33 flats of bagged minerals specimens for grab bags.

Paul Boni is still working on the liability waivers for field trips. Melinda Thompson spoke to her insurance agent about the advisability of having one. Discussion ensued. It was decided that waivers are a good idea, and should be signed by all participants at each field trip. Paul will come up with a draft. It was suggested that trip leaders should have first aid training. Ray Horton suggested a meeting program on first aid and safety. Paul said that safety equipment should be required on all trips. Since different situations require different safety measures, required safety equipment would be listed in the published announcement of each trip and announced at meetings. Members will be responsible for providing their own equipment. Paul will put together a kit for field trip leaders, so a member lacking a required item of protective gear on a field trip could purchase it from the club at cost then and there. The Board unanimously approved this.

Ray Horton reported that the field trip to the School of Mines Museum was well attended. Gerry took many electronic photographs of specimens on the trip, which he will burn onto a CD for the library. Trip attendees included 3 couples from Fort Collins, who would like to set up a formal field trip exchange. Paul Boni will look into it.

Melinda suggested that we need a brochure or handbook for new members, to help them get the most out of the club. The matter was tabled until next month. We currently have ca. 105 paid memberships. This time last year, we had 130. Trick asked if it would be possible to print the expiration date on newsletter address labels. This will be done. Ray Gilbert suggested that since memberships are always due in October, putting an envelope addressed to the club in the September newsletter might help people remember to renew. Gerry has a list of people who did not renew their membership. Alex volunteered to contact them and see if there is something we could do to better meet needs and expectations. Paul Ralston suggested that we present introductions of five people at each meeting, which would help ensure that new members know who's who, and old members are reminded. Paul Boni suggested including 2-3 brief member profiles in each newsletter. 

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Updated 3/1/04