Summer is a great time to be a rockhound. With the snows mostly gone in the high country, all of Colorado opens up to the rock collector. The club has
 already gone on several great trips and there's plenty more planned in the next couple of months. Details can be found in this newsletter. Also, the monthly
 club meetings, Jr. Geologist nights, and the August picnic are coming.

There will be no Board meeting in July. 

****************
June Club Meeting - Thursday, July 8

Video Program "Instructions on Faceting Gemstones", by the Ultra-Tec Mfg. Inc. in California. The program co-chairs have reviewed the video and found
 it to be most informative. 

The program co-chairs wish to thank Emily Epstein for her work on possibly getting a bead-making demonstration and will try to re-schedule that for a
 different venue/time. 

****************
 

Jr. Geologists - Thursday, July 15 - Rock Formations

July's Jr. Geologist night will be a field trip to study some of the rock formations outside of Boulder. Within a short distance of town, one can find rocks
 ranging in age from 70 million years to 1.5 billion years.  This month, we will see many of these and try to determine how they were formed.

The Jr. Geologist program is open to FMC kids and parents. For July's meeting, plan to meet outside the Sol Azteca restaurant at 28th and Iris
at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 15.  Bring a rock hammer if you have one. For more information about the Jr. Geologist program,
call or e-mail Dennis Gertenbach.

****************

More Field Trips!

Paul Boni

A couple of new field trips have been added, or dates set--here is the latest trip schedule. Check your newsletter and the club's web page each month for
 changes and additions. I want to thank every one who has volunteered to lead a trip this summer. Your participation has greatly increased the number
 and quality of field trips.  Thank you.

Troublesome Creek Petrified Wood

July 18, Near Kremmling CO

Trip Leader; Bill Eeds, (303) 661-9857

Contact Bill for meeting time and location. Troublesome Creek is host to a very nice black fossilized wood with a tan weathering rind. The wood is attractive
 as specimens and is also a quality lapidary material. Bill has cut some very nice cabochons and has set a few in silver. This will be a day trip. Driving time
 is about two hours, each way.

The Contin-Tail show

August 12-15

Mt Antero (Aug 14)

Aquamarine, smoky quartz, microcline, topaz, phenakite.

Trip leader; Paul Boni

The Contin-Tail Show is one of the highlights of the year. If you have never been, you should try to make it. It is a rock and mineral show, similar to all the 
other shows one can attend ... except that is held out of doors and includes a lot of rockhounds who dig and sell their own stuff. It's a lot of fun, a gorgeous 
mountain setting, with everything a rockhound could want. The show is held at the Buena Vista rodeo grounds. Camping at the rodeo grounds is free and 
there are porta-potties in good numbers. Motels and restaurants are available in town and the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs is just down the road. Nearby 
collecting sites include Ruby Mountain, calumet iron mine, a brachiopod site south of Salida, and others.

Mt Antero: We will have a collecting trip up Mt. Antero on Saturday, Aug 14. Meet in front of the concession stand at the rodeo grounds at 7 a.m. sharp. It's 
early but there is no other way. The weather can close in very quickly and afternoon thunderstorms are not to be ignored up there. Low range 4-wheel drive 
is required. The road is a moderate and technical 4-wheel drive road. If you have problems with altitude and narrow roads with steep drop-offs, this trip is not 
for you. Good hiking boots (absolutely no sneakers!), hardhats, eye protection, rain gear, proper clothing, jacket or parka, food and water are required. 
Children must stay with parents at all times. Participants must be in good physical condition.

Hahn's Peak Quartz Crystals

August 28, 2004

Trip Leader: Melinda Thompson

Call Paul Boni for information: 303.415.0495

Time: 9:AM (allow 5 hours driving time from Boulder to meeting place)

Meeting Place: Steamboat Lake State Park visitor center.  Four Wheel drive is required to access the collecting site.  We will car pool from the meeting
 place.  If you will need a ride to the collecting site, mention this when you pre-register.

This site produces some very nice quartz specimens. Crystals range in size from itsy bitsy cute little things to finger sized. They occur singly or as
 clusters,on a quartzite matrix or loose. The site is right at timberline and the scenery is breathtaking. Camping is available at Steamboat Lake, a state
 run campground.The campground is very popular so reserve your site early! There is also plenty of national forest for those who prefer more primitive
accommodations. Due to the long drive and the meeting time of 9 am it is suggested that one camp in the area or book a motel room in Steamboat Springs.
You will need: Hard hats for the slide area, sturdy hiking boots, pick, shovel, hammers, pry bars, chisels, screwdrivers, spray bottle, etc OR you may
surface collect. Special Instructions: Everyone must call Paul or e-mail Melinda to register for this trip. Children under 12 must be in the constant 
supervision of an adult. We don't want anyone to fall off the mountain. You will get more information and directions to the meeting place when you call 

or e-mail.

McCoy, CO

Sept 11.

Trip leader; Dennis Gertenbach

Fossils; crinoids, brachiopods, gastropods, and others

This is a famous locality for the above-mentioned fossils. Crinoid stems can literally be found by the sack full. But you don't need that many anyway. The 
point is that this is a site where anybody and everybody can find fossils. Preservation quality of these fossils is very good and a few pieces belong in every 
collection. This  is a great trip for the kids! The site is usually hot. Lots of water, hat, and sunscreen are a good idea for this trip.

Trips unscheduled as of this writing: The following are trips that will happen this summer, but have not yet been scheduled. We are working on other field 
trip ideas and will announce them when the details are worked out.

Lien Quarry

Trip Leader; Connie Hauser

Calcite Crystals.

The reason that this trip is yet unscheduled is that the quarry operators have not hit a seam of calcite crystals lately. The plan is that when they do, they 
will call Connie and Connie will call all who are interested. The field trip will then be on. Please leave your name and phone number with Connie if you are 
interested. Lien Quarry calcite crystals are often UV fluorescent.

Caribou Silver Mine
Trip Leader; Ray Horton

Ray has spoken with Tom Hendricks who has graciously agreed to allow us to pick over the mine dumps at the famous Caribou Mine. The main attraction 
here is the chance to find wire silver specimens. Other mine dumps attractions are always things like quartz and pyrite crystals and specimens of ore 
minerals. This is a beautiful site and well worth the trip, even if just for a pick nick lunch! At this time we do not have a firm date with Mr. Hendricks. 

 ****************
 

Denver Museum Events
 

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has some interesting events scheduled in the next few months.  Here are some highlights:

Messages in Stone, Dr. Vince Matthews, Colorado State Geologist, US Geological Survey. Book sale and signing. Thursday July 22, 7:00 PM, Ricketson
 Auditorium, $10 member, $13 non-member.  Learn about the unique geology of Colorado’s most treasured and dramatic landscapes, with specific
examples of Colorado’s geologic diversity and its impact on humans—through water and economic resources—and on geologic hazards.

Regional Geology of the Western United States, Dr. Bob Raynolds, research associate, Earth Sciences Department. Class, Thursdays, Aug 5-19,
6:30-8:30 PM, El Pomar Space classroom, $60 member, $70 non-member.  Examine the geological evolution of western North America with emphasis on
the plate tectonic influences and regional geological forces that have sculpted the landscape, including forces ranging from the San Andreas Fault to the
Yellowstone Hot Spot to the Rio Grande Rift Valley.  Come to learn more about Colorado’s setting in this array of regional geological phenomena.

Pawnee Buttes Geology Bus Trip, Saturday, Aug 21, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, $50 member, $75 nonmember.  Join Earth Sciences research associate Dr.
Bob Raynolds on a bus trip that takes you back into the Oligocene and onto the high plains where a huge plume of dust blew in and draped the area in a
natural sarcophagus for millions of critters.  Search for modern badgers and fossil rabbits.  Ages 8 and up.  Bring sack lunch, and meet at the museum.

****************

From the Library

Ray Gilbert has volunteered to take over the club library.  The library will move to his home in June, and will be open for business in July. With over 400
books, the library has a book on just about any subject of interest in the earth sciences. 

A new list of the books, videos, CDs, and magazines in the library will be available later in June.  If you would like a copy, either e-mail Dennis
Gertenbach for an electronic copy or pick up a printed copy at the club meeting in July.

Please Bring In Your Library Books At The July Meeting!!

****************
 

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

****************

Club Show Case at Denver Show

The Flatirons Mineral Club will enter a showcase at the Denver Gem and Mineral Show in September. Bill Hutchinson is taking the lead on this project. If 
you have good specimens that you have collected on club excursions and would like them to be part of the showcase, contact Bill or Paul Boni. Also, 
photographs of club activities and field trips are needed. Bill is going to a lot of effort to construct an artistic display. Please don't wait until the last minute 
to submit specimens and photographs. All specimens submitted will be returned after the Denver Gem and Mineral Show.

****************

Denver Gem and Mineral Show Mini Report June, 2004

Judy Knoshaug, Secretary     

Are you a club member who also acts as a dealer from time to time by selling specimens or hobby related items? Would you like to participate as a small 
dealer in the Denver Show? The Show has a place for you!  For $125 for one table you can participate as a small dealer in the Colorado Marketplace at the 
show. The Colorado Marketplace will be a special room for all such small (one table) dealers. The Colorado Marketplace may replace the International 
Room and so may include some international dealers as well. The final outcome will depend upon the response received. If you are interested, contact 
Carol Smith at 303-466-5863 or smith72@attglobal.net.       

June 30th is the deadline for turning in your club's information to Club Liaison, Martin Hannu, 303-429-2519 or icd55mph@qwest.net. This includes your 
club's request for working exhibits table space in the club area.   Your club surely wants to be represented in the club area at the show. The information 
about your club (club name, meeting night and location, and contact phone number) is also due to Program Chair, Cheri Dougherty, 303-789-3889 or 
donnxcheri@earthlink.net.   

The list of volunteer workers should be returned to Martin Hannu by June 30th. Please don't let these deadlines go by without submitting the information 
for your club.  It is important that every club participate actively in the show. It is the cooperation and participation by all the club members that makes our 
show so great. Working on the show is fun and a rewarding experience.

Some additional positions on the show committee are open for new persons. Martin and Sharon Hannu will be moving to the Trophy responsibility so there 
is a need for a new Club Liaison. If you are interested, call Martin. An assistant is needed for Hospitality. If interested, call Glen Smith, 303-693-0790.  And 
people are still needed for publicity. Call Regina Aumente, 303-978-9926 or raumente@aol.com, if interested.

Respectfully submitted,

****************

Zeolites

The theme of this year's Denver Gem and Mineral Show will be "Colorado Zeolites" (esp. those from North Table Mountain in Jefferson County). There are 
two excellent articles and many photos of specimens in the July issue of Rocks & Minerals, and the following article will also be of interest:

Zeolites Have Many Uses

By James F. Hurlbut, RMFMS Mineral Technical Chair (from Rockhound Ramblings, June 2004)

Zeolites are members of the aluminosilicate family. Most mineral collectors have examples of them in their collections. They are found in most geologic 
type environments on most of the continents of the world. This vast variety of sources demonstrates that zeolites are much more than rare, prized 
collectable minerals. They are one of the more abundant mineralogical species on the earth. Zeolites have their beauty at the atomic level as well as in the 
crystalline forms. To date, more than 90 zeolite and zeotype structural frameworks have been fully characterized. These structures have many industrial 
uses.

The largest tonnage use each year of zeolites is because of their ability to act as highly selective cation exchangers. Foremost is the ability of the 
synthetic zeolite A to take up calcium, which accounts for over 500,000 tons per year being used in household detergents (liquid and powder) as a builder 
to soften wash water. Its use in this manner has significantly reduced the release of phosphates into the environment by replacing the more traditional 
sodium tripolyphosphates as washing agents. This has produced some clever manipulation of the crystal habit as zeolite A crystallizes as near perfect 
cubes, so synthesis design has produced powders of the same size but with chamfered edges. These are less likely to cling to fabric fibers. Do you know 
what crystal shape this is? A new product on the market contains synthetic Gismondine, which has a higher capacity per unit weight for calcium. The 
natural zeolites Clinoptilolite and Chabazite can be substituted in detergents but their natural off white color is less acceptable to our western world. 
Molecular sieving is one of the most well known used properties of zeolites. Another is the use of zeolites as catalysts in the petroleum industry. An 
adjunct to zeolite ion-exchange properties is in its addition to animal feeds to attain a balanced pH in the gut, improving weight gains and improved health.

In the future increased use of natural zeolites for environmental clean-up can be expected. It has been proven to remove traces of pesticides and biological 
mutagens from drinking water. Clinoptilolite also has the desirable property of being able to selectively remove radioactive Cesium and Strontium from 
aqueous solutions. Planes dropped tons of Clinoptolite on the Chernobyl reactor to prevent the spread of radioactive Cesium.

The theme mineral for the September 2004 Denver Gem and Mineral Show is Zeolite. In the current Fleisher's Glossary of Minerals there are listed 93 
zeolite minerals. How many do you have in your collection? Have you ever displayed them? How about an educational case? Source: Rocky Mountain 
Federation News, May 2004

****************

Show Publicity Volunteers Needed

Once again this year, the Denver Council/Show Committee will  participate in two events that provide an opportunity to tell people about the  show, our  
clubs, and the hobby. We need your help!!!  We can also use more giveaway rocks. 

Saturday August 7 - Dinosaur Ridge Discovery Day.  From about 9 a.m. -  3 p.m. We need a few people to talk to folks, pass out flyers, give out  rocks, 
and have a good time.

Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6 - Taste of Colorado. We will again have a table in the Mining Foundation tent. This is really a lot of fun.  Again, we'll have 
rocks to give away. Tent is open from 11 a.m. to 6 or 7  p.m. (These would also be good opportunities to pass out FMC Fall Show flyers!)

Volunteers, call (303-978-9926) or email Regina Aumente (RAumente@aol.com). 

****************

Blazing Stones From The Sky
By Wally Ford (From The Agatizer 5/99, via Tumbler 1/03, via Golden Spike News, via The Glacial Drifter 10/03)

As I gaze upon the fragment of a meteor that fell in Namibia, West Africa, resting in my hand, I am reminded of the staggering complexity of the universe 
and its time, distance, and space, far beyond our minds to comprehend!

What a thrill it is to hold something 4.6 billion years old, as old as the Solar System. Millions of tons of cosmic debris consisting of pieces of rock, iron, 
ice, and dust along with the planets and moons about the sun, travel at the incredible speed of 12 to 80 kilometers per second! Think of this as the wreck 
of a "cosmic destruction derby".

The Earth, in its annual journey around the sun, "sweeps up" thousands of tons of debris, drawing it into the atmosphere where frictional heat will melt and 
vaporize most of it. As we peer into the starry sky, the "shooting stars" we observe are meteors, incandescent material in the process of being consumed. 
At times, smaller bodies will vaporize and explode as a fireball. Once on the ground, the survivors are known as meteorites.

Each year, approximately 10,000 tons of dust-sized particles rain down on Earth. Tiny particles only a fraction of a millimeter will strike us as we go out of 
doors. In fact, one eats and breathes this cosmic dust!

In the distant past, individual and swarms of meteors have impacted the Earth's surface, creating craters pocking the landscape. Because of the evolving 
atmosphere, most of the craters that were formed millions of years ago have been destroyed by erosion. However, some more recent ones have survived. 
The Arizona crater was formed 22,000 years ago by a 25 meter, 100,000-ton metallic meteor with a speed of 10 kilometers per second that left behind a 
crater 1.2 kilometers wide and 800 meters deep.

A simple classification for meteorites is as follows: 

(1) metallic or iron nickel, 

(2) Stony, composed of mainly plagioclase feldspar and iron magnesium silicates 

(3) Mixed stony and metallic

About 90% of the stony types contain rounded silicate grains (chondrules), consisting of serpentine and organic compounds such as amino acids, carbon, 
and hydrocarbons. 

The Namibia iron meteorite discovered in 1842 has a composition of 7.6% nickel, 1.98 parts per million of gallium, 0.1 parts per million of germanium, and 
2.4 parts per million iridium. The crystalline pattern consists of lines parallel to the face on an octahedron known as Widmanstratten lines.

The Antarctic Ice Shield is one of the best places to find meteorites, not only because of the great contrast in color with the white snow, but because the 
moving ice acts as an endless belt dredging up the stones and transporting them to the glacier's terminus.

Brian Mason points out that prior to 1969 only four had been found. Then a Japanese expedition found nine in the Yamoto Mountains. One appeared to be 
from the moon and one from Mars.

One human note: In 1954, a Mrs. Hodges was awakened from a nap to discover a badly bruised shoulder. Lying on the floor nearby was a metallic 
meteorite!

****************

Man Made Diamonds

By Steve Weinberger (ABC News, September 25, 2003. (From Gem Cutters News, 10/03, via The Glacial Drifter 10/03))

Man-made diamonds are not new. They've been produced by companies in the United States and Russia for a number of years. Because of the expense 
involved and the small size of the stones produced, the production thus far has gone into the industrial market.

Now, two small companies, Apollo Diamond in Massachusetts and Gemesis Corporation in Florida, each have produced a new type of lab-made diamond 
that is difficult, though not impossible, to distinguish from natural diamonds.

Both Companies insist that their man made gems--to be sold at lower prices than natural diamonds--will be labeled so that they will not be confused with 
natural diamonds. Many experts say that the average retail jeweler would not be able to tell the difference on their own without the use of gemological 
laboratory equipment that allows both synthetic and natural materials to be identified.

Natural diamonds are formed of carbon that has been exposed to immense heat and pressure over billions of years. Synthetics have the same physical 
properties, but they are created in a laboratory.

The new manmade diamonds from Apollo are created in a few days by a machine through a process called chemical vapor deposition. Diamond crystal is
formed when a plasma cloud of carbon is deposited onto diamond wafers. The wafer seeds grow into diamond mini-bricks, rough diamonds that are sliced 
into wafers, and cut and polished into diamonds.

At Gemesis, synthetic diamonds are created through a high-pressure, high-temperature technique that mimics the geologic conditions under which natural 
diamonds are formed. In a capsule placed under high temperature and pressure, graphite--a form of carbon—breaks down into atoms and travels through a 
metal solvent to bond to a tiny diamond seed, crystallizing layer by layer. Three or four days later, the stone that is formed is then removed form the 
chamber and cut and polished into a synthetic diamond.

The two companies' products are bigger, better and brighter than their synthetic predecessors.

The stones being marketed today are canary colored and sell for approximately $3,250 per carat, about 30% less than natural stones of the same color.

Reference: Diamonds--The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide: How to Select, Buy, Care for Diamonds With Confidence and Knowledge by Antoinette Matlins.

****************

Earth Sciences And The Lead Pencil

By Jack Summerson (From Maplewood News, 3/99 via Gem Cutters News 9/03 via The Glacial Drifter 1/04)

The term pencil in the past did not have the same meaning as it does today. In the past, a pencil could refer to a chunk of raw earth chalk or a charred 
willow vine or what we would now call a brush. What we now call a pencil did not exist until 1761 when the first pencil factory came into existence. The 
terms "pencil lead" and "lead pencil" are misnomers on a number of counts. The most common explanation is that lead when rubbed on paper leaves a 
mark similar to that made by the modern pencil. As far back as the Roman Empire, lead was used as a marking device by quarry workers and stone 
masons to make a mark on stone that would survive through changing weather conditions--charcoal or chalk could be used indoors, but for outdoor use, 
neither of these would hold up in a rain storm. Modern lapidaries follow a similar practice when they use an aluminum stylus to mark a pre-form on a rock 
slab.

What we call pencil lead today is really graphite. Like diamond, it is composed of the element carbon. The ancients had two terms for lead: white lead 
which is the same as lead today, and black lead which they thought was lead so oxidized it would not remelt, which was really graphite. What most people 
mistake for pencil drawings of the Renaissance masters is really silver point. Artists tried to use lead as a writing implement, but it would bend out of shape 
due to hand pressure and would not keep a point for any length of time. Silver was the next material chosen, but it tended to scar the surface of vellum and 
paper. Although it did leave a mark it didn't bend out of shape and kept a good point. The problem of scarring the surface was solved when Marco Polo 
returned from the Far East with a form of opaque watercolor called China White. When vellum or paper was given a coat of China White, it produced a 
surface with enough tooth to easily remove silver before damaging the paper or vellum. As silver wire comes in various widths the Renaissance artist now 
had the ability to do precise technical drawings. The silver point technique became the first training techniques for apprentices entering the workshop 
schools. One to two years would be spent on silver point before the student ever used pen and ink, brush and paint.

Anton Faber was a carpenter by trade who made use of a rectangular piece of graphite stuck sandwich-style between two pieces of wood crudely bound 
together. This crude object was used to mark boards for cutting and was the ancestor of the modern carpenters pencil.

Kasper Faber was Anton's son and he became a cabinetmaker. It was Kasper who refined the idea of his father's and made the first true carpenters pencil, 
as we know it today. By using a round dowel and a piece of rounded graphite rod, he developed  the first writing pencil. Realizing he now had a product, he 
quit building cabinets and in 1761 built the world's first pencil factory in Nuremberg, Germany.

Upon the death of Kasper, Lothar Von Faber took over the factory. Not satisfied with the product, he worked to improve it using all means available to him. 
Lothar added a hexagonal shape to the pencil to prevent it form rolling. It was Lothar's discovery concerning graphite that developed the modern pencil. He 
created a grading system for graphite that is still in use today and became one of the first European manufacturers to mark his product with a brand name. 
All Faber's pencils were signed A.W. Faber Pencils. Soon he had factories in China, the Middle East, St. Petersburg, Vienna, Paris, London and Nuremberg.

In 1849 he sent his brother Eberhard to the U.S. for the sole purpose of importing pencils to the people of North and South America. When Eberhard entered 
the U.S., his first deal involved exporting American cedar to European factories. After receiving his American citizenship, Eberhard broke his family ties to 
Europe. This forced his brother to obtain his wood from South America. It is due to Eberhard that pencils now are available with erasers on them as he 
discovered rubber could be used to erase graphite.

Upon the death of Lothar Faber, Ottalle Von Faber became the heiress to the pencil empire and married Count Alexander Von Castell. At this time the A. 
W. Faber pencils were no longer marketed; the name of all companies became Faber Castell and used a new logo based on the count's coat of arms. The 
Eberhard Faber Pencil Company is still doing business and is the leading producer in the United States.

****************

Upcoming Events, Nearby & Elsewhere

July 14 -- Free USGS Map, Compass, and GPS Classes will continue to be given on the second Wednesday of each month, through November, at
Building 810 (Map Sales area), Denver Federal Center, off Kipling between Alameda and 6th Avenue. To register (Map Reading & Compass Class in
the morning 9-12, GPS Class in the afternoon 1-4) please call 303-202-4640.

July 19-20 – Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Show, Rushmore Civic Center, Rapid City SD

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.

Sep. 17-19 -- Denver Gem and Mineral Show at the Denver Merchandise Mart, 58th Ave. at I-25.  See http://www.denvermineralshow.com/  

Check our own web site for additional events, and further details: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/fmc/fmctk.htm 

****************

Protect against West Nile Virus Infection

(Source: The New England Journal of Medicine, v. 347)

Summer is upon us, and we rockhounds are often out at dusk, camping, or trying to collect just one more specimen. So we should be concerned about 
mosquitoes and the possibility of becoming infected with the West Nile Virus. It only takes one bite to get infected.

Everyone (young, old, healthy, or ill) is at risk of being infected with West Nile Virus (WNV).  20% of those infected will develop a debilitating illness that 
can last anywhere from one week to three months, and potentially longer. However, out of those infected, approximately 1/150 of those infected develop 
severe neurologic symptoms. There is no cure and no standard treatment for WNV. Prevention is the only way to protect yourself. You can be bitten by 
an infected mosquito between dusk (after the sun is no longer visible but when there is still daylight) and dawn.

Use insect repellants. Those containing DEET are highly effective at preventing mosquito bites. Higher percentages offer longer protection. A product with 
10% DEET will last for less than 2 hours, and one containing 25% DEET will provide an average of 5 hours of protection. For instance, if you expect to be 
outside, between dusk and dawn, for only one hour, you may not need to use a product containing 40% DEET. Repellant products with 2% soybean oil 
(Bite Blocker for Kids) can also protect against bites for an average of 1 1/2 hours, similar to products with a relatively low concentration of DEET (4.75%).  
Another repellent product using oil of eucalyptus (Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent and Fite Bite Plant-Based Insect Repellent) proved to protect 
for 2 hours. Citronella products (such as candles and sprays) do not prevent mosquito bites. Also, wristbands containing DEET offer no protection. Keep 
in mind that DEET is not recommended for infants less than two months old; children should use only those products containing 10% DEET or less. 
Wear long pants & long sleeves. Mosquitoes generally don't bite through thick fabric. However, it is advisable to wear spray-on repellant on top of your 
clothes to protect against bites between dusk and dawn, especially if the material is thin. Be sure to use DEET on exposed skin areas even if you have 
sprayed your clothes. Drain & report standing water. Mosquitoes lay larvae in stagnant water. Eliminating sources of standing water eliminates their ability 
to multiply.  

****************

Minutes of the Board Meeting, June 7, 2004
Emily Epstein, Secretary

Present: Paul Boni, Alex Cook, Emily Epstein, Ray Gilbert, Dorothy Horton, Ray Horton, Charlotte Morrison, Gerry Naugle, Lew Yoder.

Ray Horton reported that this month's scheduled speaker died unexpectedly. The program for the June meeting will be on blowpipe analysis of mineral 
specimens. We need to find out whether flame will be an issue with the Senior Center.

Gerry Naugle gave the Treasurer's report. The club is still solvent. He will be attending the next Denver Council meeting to present his grant application for 
the gold extractor. He will start a club bottle, and at the end of the season the gold in it will be split between the club and the scholarship fund.

Charlotte Morrison reported that Dee Belcher donated $50 to the scholarship fund in memory of her son, Dan Belcher. Charlotte has begun a maintenance 
project on the newsletters we receive from other clubs. The ones of substance will go into the library, many others will be discarded.

Alex Cook reported that the show is on track. He has submitted an article to Facets. We have 9 dealers signed up, all that we have room for. We are 
starting a wait list. The show will have speakers and classes, and a fluorescent room. We still have to buy the grand door prize. John Hurst is negotiating 
with Paul Moot to buy a $300 specimen. The next show committee meeting will be July 13 at Charlotte's house.

Alex was at the last Denver show meeting. They are trying to get flyers out. He will circulate a volunteer signup sheet at the next meeting. Discussion 
ensued. We will bring the "Touch Me" rocks for our display. Paul Boni talked to Bill Hutchison about the club case at the Denver Show. Bill has agreed to 
put it together.  Alex will take care of the forms. We will need specimens and photographs of club trips.

We received a request from Jan Stoneman for someone to give a talk or demo for a mining day in Lafayette on July 3rd.  Gerry volunteered to do a gold 
panning demo.

Alex suggested putting coupons redeemable for a free rock at our show in our grab bags for the Denver Show.The board thought this was a good idea. 
We will alter the club identification slip that we put in the bags to include the coupon.

Paul reported that we have a lot of field trips planned, but attendance has been low.

The August meeting will be our club picnic on Saturday, August 21. We will need a head count. An RSVP list will be circulated at the July meeting. 
Discussion of problems with the site and organization of the event last year ensued. We have North Boulder Park from 4 p.m. to close. The club should 
have insect repellant available at the event. We need to spread the work of running the picnic out more. Charlotte has a volunteer list. Material for grab 
bags needs to be transported there, and there will be 32 flats of grab bags going back into the shed. Paul Boni volunteered to coordinate hauling. Alex 
volunteered to arrange for ice for the picnic.

Ray Horton asked for club business cards.

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Updated 7/12/04