1) a shale splitting session with Florissant and Douglas Pass shale pieces (lots of fossils in them). Or,

2) have a general mineral-related talk. Or,

3) have the Sept. meeting be the Denver Show. If it is 1) or 2) from above, the meeting will need to be be the 3rd Wed or Thurs of Sept due to the time conflict during the second week with setting-up of the Denver Show for the 3rd weekend. Let me know your thoughts on this topic at: 303-591-2830 or: gnaugle@earthlink.net.

The second polling is to see if there is an overall preferred night of the week and a date each month to possibly move the monthly FMC meeting to due to school-children testing schedules. The club currently meets on the second Thursday of each month, except for July, Aug and Dec.

Again, let me know your opinion on this topic. 

Thanks, Gerry Naugle

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Spring & Summer Meeting Schedule

Terry O’Donnell has set up an excellent series of talks for our upcoming spring and summer meetings. Here is a brief list, so you can put these dates on your calendar:

May-June 2008

May 8, Ed Raines on Leadville, the EPA, and Me (and Beyond). Ed will tell us the story of the controversy involving the EPA, the city of Leadville, the Colorado State Historical Society, and his own involvement.

June 12, Dr. Robert Amerman (Ph.D., geophysics) on Undersea Movements and their Geologic Aftereffects. Dr. Amerman is a recent graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, and will tell us about some of his interesting research.

July (date to be determined), A joint meeting at the RAMs claim???? See July newsletter for announcement.

August 23 (Saturday), Our annual picnic, North Boulder Park main pavilion, 11:00 AM. Details will be published in the July newsletter.


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Junior Geologists Activities

Earth Processes Badge: The Junior Geologists have been working on the Earth Process Badge over the past three months, where they have been learning about igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate tectonics; and the rock cycle. Activities have included studying how each type of rock is formed. Volcano night was a great success; each child made their own volcano and then used them to show both a quiet lava flow and a more explosive eruption.

Boulder County Field Trip: As part of the Earth Processes Badge, the juniors spent the afternoon of April 27th visiting various rock formations west and north of Boulder. Sedimentary rocks range found in our area range from the Pennsylvanian Fountain Formation through the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation. We also
stopped at a Precambrian pegmatite outcrop to look at both igneous and metamorphic rocks in our area. Rocks, minerals, and fossils were collected during the day. For those juniors who missed this trip, we have scheduled a second trip to visit the same sites on Saturday, May 10th at 12:30.

Ed Raines teaching Charles Mock, Perry Chesebro, Ricki Runions, and Billie Anna Runions about how  sedimentary rocks are formed.

Charles Mock and Nico Caballero looking at the fossils and calcite crystals in the Niobrara Formation north of Boulder.

The Jr. Geologists showing off their volcanoes they made for the Earth Processes badge.

Katie Runions collecting mica in the pegmatites west of Boulder.

Next Jr. Geologists Meeting: The next Jr. Geologists meeting will be Thursday, May 15 at 7 pm at Charlotte’s house. We will begin working on a new badge, plus will have a featured mineral of the month and great give-aways. The Jr. Geologists program is open to all Flatirons Mineral Club families.

We meet on the third Thursday of each month, plus have special weekend activities from time to time. For more information about the Jr. Geologists program, please contact Dennis Gertenbach or Todd Shannon.

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Gerry Naugle Receives Club Awards

Gerry Naugle, our Flatirons Mineral Club president, was given two awards at the March, 2008 club meeting. The first award was a trophy topped with a piece of Barite from the Stoneham area. Gerry told us that he spent a lot of time in that area as a kid and was particularly fond of the Barite that is found there. The inscription on the trophy’s plaque read, “For your work and dedication to the Flatirons Mineral Club.” This trophy was presented to Gerry by Bob Smith. The second award presented to Gerry was a “Doctor of Rockology” certificate. This certificate was presented to Gerry by Dennis Gertenbach.

Over the years Gerry has held several offices in our club and has put in a lot of time and effort so that the rest of us can enjoy the benefits of the club. In recent years he has served as club treasurer. When the club was unable to find someone to serve as president, Gerry stepped up and offered to do the job. He has taken a major role in helping our club’s annual show take place. And it isn’t just the big jobs that Gerry does. He often volunteers to do the smaller jobs that no one else offers to do.

As president, Gerry has made a point of seeing that other club members who have contributed much to the club, both in the past and in the present, have been recognized for their efforts and service. Now it was time to give him the same recognition that he has made sure others have been given. Gerry, thank you for all that you have done for our club!
 

Gerry receives his “Doctor of Rockology” Certificate

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New UV Display at Hursts’ House

All Flatirons Mineral Club members are invited to visit the Hursts to check out the new Ultra-Violet display with 75 shortwave specimens as well as a couple of flats of midwave specimens and four flats of longwave specimens. Please call before you drop by in, to be sure we are at home. We are looking forward to sharing the joy and fun of this aspect of rock collecting. Hope to see you soon. --John & Jeanne H.

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Field Trips

North Table Mountain

The club spent Saturday, April 12th collecting zeolites and other minerals on North Table Mountain outside of Golden. This was the best attended trip to North Table Mountain in years, with 35 club members and three members from the North Jeffco club enjoying the day collecting specimens

North Table Mountain is a world-renown site for collecting zeolites, with thomsonite, analcime, chabazite, and mesolite commonly found there. Calcite and a host of other zeolite minerals can also be found. Zeolites are a family of hydrated aluminum silicate minerals, each with a different crystal structure. Zeolites have several special properties that are used commercially as molecular filters, ion exchange materials to soften water, and as catalysts for manufacturing gasoline. Although some commercial zeolite mines are in operation, most zeolites used in manufacturing are produced synthetically.

Everyone had a great time and many nice specimens were found during the day.

   
Club members collecting zeolites at the quarry on North Table Mountain

Upcoming Field Trips

Here are the trips planned so far for the summer:

May 24-26 (Memorial Day Weekend): Wyoming to collect Kemmerer fossil fish, Wamsutter turitella
agate, and perhaps Blue Forest petrified wood. We will visit one of the fossil fish quarries (pay site) to collect
the fish you see in all of the rock shops. The turitella agate is quite unique, with fossil snail shells in a hard
agate, and can be cut and polished. Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach.

July 26: Dotsero area to collect pseudomorphs of goethite after pyrite and silica after calcite. Paleozoic
invertebrate fossils can also be found on the trip. Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach (gertenbach@comcast.net
September 6: Tepee Buttes, east of Pueblo, to collect Cretaceous marine fossils. The Tepee Buttes are unique structures, formed at methane vents under the Western Interior Seaway that covered much of Colorado during this time. These vents supported an ecological community which has been preserved as fossils. Trip Leader: Dennis Gertenbach.

September 6: Tepee Buttes, east of Pueblo, to collect Cretaceous marine fossils. The Tepee Buttes are unique structures, formed at methane vents under the Western Interior Seaway that covered much of Colorado during this time. These vents supported an ecological community which has been preserved as fossils. Trip
Leader: Dennis Gertenbach.

We have several other potential collecting sites that we would like to schedule this summer, including:
• Mount Antero to collect aquamarine on several claims.
• Cotopaxi Mine to collect chalcopyrite and other minerals.
• McCoy to collect Pennsylvanian age marine and plant fossils
• Picketwire Canyon, south of La Junta, to visit the site of the largest dinosaur trackway in the US.

However, we need trip leaders to plan and lead these trips. Also, we would like to be able to offer additional trips, if we have trip leaders. See the note below about leading field trips.

Be a Field Trip Leader

Do you have a favorite place to go collecting that you would like to share with club members? Would you like to explore a new place with others in the club? Would you like to lead one of the field trips listed above that need a leader? If so, consider leading or co-leading a trip for the club. Leading a trip is pretty simple, you just need to select a place and date, promote the trip and get club members to sign up, collect the liability releases from participants, and go out and have a good time. For more information about leading a trip, please contact Dennis Gertenbach.

Remember, the more trip leaders we have, the more field trips we can have this year.

Planning Your Own Field Trip

Colorado is blessed with many, many areas of geologic interest. When planning you summer trips to visit our beautiful state, consider adding a stop or two to learn more about Colorado geology and perhaps do some collecting. One resource for discovering is the Colorado Geological Survey’s publication, Rock Talk. This newsletter is devoted to “Colorado’s Magnificent POGIs” or places of geological interest. There are 20 pages of place to go and see dinosaurs and fossils, minerals, mining history and mine tours, scenic geological sites and activities, and cave tours.

If you would like to find collecting places in Colorado, Pete Modreski of the USGS has published a great article. The article describes many collecting sites in the state, plus recommends several books that list collecting localities. Another source of collecting places is http://www.peaktopeak.com/colorado/index.php3, which lists areas by location and mineral. And, don’t forget one of the best sources for collecting ideas – our own club members.

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Grand Canyon Older Than Previously Thought
Dennis Gertenbach

Geologists had thought that the Grand Canyon began to form about six million years ago. A new study recently published in the journal Science by researchers at the University of New Mexico shows that the origins of the Grand Canyon started 17 million years ago, making the mighty canyon 11 million years older than previously thought.

Their study involved dating calcite deposits inside of nine caves located at various levels in the canyon. These dates were then used to determine water levels as erosion carved out the canyon. They concluded that the canyon began from the west as small streams began to erode sediments. Later, other streams began to form a second canyon to the east. About six million years ago, the two canyons joined, forming the Colorado River, which continued to carve the canyon we see today. The place where the two canyons joined in the Kaibab Arch area can be seen on a map of the Grand Canyon, where the Colorado River bends from flowing south to west.


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Colorado Gold Mining Increasing
Dennis Gertenbach

With recent gold prices peaking at over $1,000 an ounce and currently over $900, Colorado is experiencing a mini gold rush. Five years ago the Cresson gold mine near Cripple Creek was the only commercial gold mine in Colorado. Now there are at least five mines operating or preparing to open in Colorado, the most gold activity Colorado has seen in decades. And the growing international demand for all minerals, including gold, will likely spark more gold mining activity in the state.

The Cresson Mine near Cripple Creek is operated by AngloGold Ashanti, an international gold company. It is the state's biggest gold mine producing 282,000 ounces of gold in 2007. AngloGold had announced closing operations in 2013, is now studying extending the mine life three to five years as lower quality ore becomes
economic to mine.

The Cash Mine on Gold Hill west of Boulder produced about 1,000 ounces of gold this past year. The mine is operated by Mount Royale Ventures, with 30 employees at the mine and mill.

Another Boulder County startup is the Consolidated Caribou project near Nederland at the historic Cross Mine. Prospectors lead by Tom Hendricks have been exploring this area and assembling claims since 1984. Calais Resources hopes to begin gold and silver production this summer.

Wits Basin Precious Minerals plans to restart the historic Bates-Hunter Mine in Central City. The company estimates that the mine may contain as much as 1.1 million ounces of gold, plus further exploration is hoping to expand this reserve.

After suspending operations last year, LKA International plans to restart the Golden Wonder Mine near Lake City this year. The mine has produced 134,000 ounces since commercial production began in 1998.

Colorado is the nation's fourth-largest gold producer, behind Nevada, Utah and Alaska. Besides gold, the world-wide shortage of minerals is sparking the interest in mining other mineral commodities in Colorado. Molybdenum, used to harden steel and make oil-refining catalysts, was Colorado's top mineral in 2006, with
production value of $982 million. By comparison, Colorado’s gold's production was $185 million. Colorado also has a number of coal mines and several companies are involved with reestablishing Colorado’s uranium industry.


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Upcoming Events, Nearby & Elsewhere
 

GOLD -an exhibit at the Denver Museum and Science through June 8.

You do not want to miss the largest collection of gold ever exhibited in Colorado. Organized by the American Museum of Natural History and sponsored Newmont Mining Corporation and Wells Fargo, the exhibit has more than 600 extraordinary geological specimens and cultural objects that trace the path of gold from the
depths of Earth to glittering jewelry and artifacts that have captivated civilizations for centuries. Gold also has played a starring role in Colorado’s history. The allure of gold—and the chance to strike it rich—brought thousands of people to Colorado in the late 1800s. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science houses a top-notch collection of crystalline gold, including the famous Tom’s Baby, the largest single mass of crystalline gold ever found in Colorado. Visitors will see more than 80 natural specimens, 170 cultural objects, 400 coins and gold bars, and a spectacular 300-square-foot room with walls and ceiling completely covered in just three ounces of gold, flattened to exquisite thinness. Among the exhibition’s featured artifacts are marvelous specimens of crystalline gold and gold nuggets; Pre-Columbian jewelry and some of the ancient world’s first gold coins; rare doubloons from sunken Spanish galleons; an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy, and other golden symbols of prestige.

GOLD also describes the mineral’s amazing physical properties, such as its extreme ductility, malleability, reflectivity, and conductivity that make it invaluable for technological uses from telephones and televisions to satellite circuitry and astronaut visors. The exhibition explores where and how gold is deposited in the Earth
and how it is detected and extracted from hard rock. GOLD also features exhibits that compare historical mining to the processes of today. Contact the museum at or 303-322-7009 for more information or to make reservations for the exhibit.
 

Friday, May 9. Denver Gem & Mineral Guild Silent Auction. The auction starts at 7:30 PM at Berthoud Hall, 1516 Illinois Street in Golden, on the Colorado School of Mines campus. All are welcome.

Wed., May 14, 7:00 PM. Crocodiles in Greenland and Hippos in London: A Fossil-Fueled Tour of Past and Future Climates, Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Dr. Kirk Johnson, PhD, chief curator and vice president at the DMNS, was the club’s speaker in March, where he gave a fossil travelogue through the western United States. You can hear him again, this time talking about how the earth’s climate has changed over time. The Earth’s climate is driven by the interaction of solar energy with land, sky, and oceans.

While this has always been the case, shifting positions of continents and the ever-changing chemistry and currents of oceans and air have created a world with a complex history. This history is written in stone and told by fossils. Fossil plants from 50 million years ago show that the polar regions were ice free and densely forested and that tropical rainforests reached middle latitudes. Johnson will take you from the Amazon Basin to the High Arctic and into Deep Time as he explains Earth history by visiting fossil sites on different continents and using them to reconstruct lost worlds, extinct biomes, and ancient climates. The cost is $12 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Call 303-322-7009 for reservations.

Saturday May 17. Silent Auction sponsored by the Colorado Chapter, Friends of Mineralogy. Public welcome and all invited; to be held at the Clements Community Center, 1580 Yarrow St., Lakewood, 1:00-4:00 p.m. For more info contact Pete Modreski.

Saturday May 17, 10 to 7. Colorado Rockhounding and Prospecting Seminar, Western Museum of Mining and Industry in Colorado Springs. Catch the fever and discover the secrets of mineral collecting and gold prospecting in Colorado’s world famous geology. With the assistance of the Gold Prospectors of Colorado, the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society, the Lake George Gem and Mineral Club, and the Friends of the Florissant Fossil Beds, experts in Colorado geology will teach an introduction to mineral collecting and gold prospecting. Starting at 10 a.m., this event-filled course will include a practical hands-on session in the morning, a classroom session in the afternoon and a keynote speaker in the early evening. The morning session will include the demonstration of placer gold mining equipment, metal detectors, global position satellite systems, map reading and orientation, and mineral collection organization and display. The afternoon classroom session will cover Pikes Peak regional geology and Colorado gold: where and what to look for (structural and deposition geology and mineral ID), what tools and equipment to use, mapping applications, and the legalities of mining (how to file a claim, leasing mineral lands, and opportunities associated with county tax sales). Finally, as part of the Museum’s Heritage Lecture Series, Dr. Peter Modreski, with the USGS, will speak at 6:00 pm on Mineral Collecting in the Colorado Rockies! With the generous support of the above referenced organizations, this event is intended to be a fundraiser for the nonprofit Museum’s education mission. Members are encouraged to donate $5 per person, and a $10 donation is encouraged for all nonmembers. For an additional $10 per person, a box lunch may be reserved or attendees may bring their own picnic lunch to be enjoyed on the Museum’s grounds. Space is limited, so please RSVP to the Museum at 719-488-0880. For more information about the seminar, go to http://www.wmmi.org/calendar/index.htm or call the museum.

 Sat-Sun, May 17-18, The mineral collection of Dick Holmes will go on sale May 17, Sat., 8:00 - 4:00 and Sunday the 18th, noon to 4:00. Dick was a miner and a mine inspector, with a collection spanning 1925 to 1986, and he was the author (with M.B. Kennedy) of "Mines and Minerals of the Great American Rift" (publ. 1983). There will be over 1,500 specimens, mostly Colorado minerals, many from the San Juan and Leadville areas. Cash only; Rain or Shine; no pre-sales. 2980 S. Vine Street, Denver, 80210 (south of Denver University). There will be many specimens under $100, Perky boxes in various sizes, and hand-size minerals up to large crystal plates. A complete collection of "The Mineralogical Record" from the first issue to 1989 is for sale - inquire day of sale for a viewing appointment. Contact daughter Judy Holmes, 303-758-5547.

Sat-Sun, May 17-18, Cheyenne, WY--10th Annual Cheyenne Gem and Mineral Show, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the American Legion Post at 2001 E. Lincoln Way in Cheyenne. Admission $3. Roughly 85 miles from North Boulder--An excellent show with 10-12 dealers-worth the drive!

Tues. May 20, 7:00 p.m. A History of Colorado Gold Production, Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Those of you who enjoyed Dr. Bruce Geller’s tour of the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum will have the opportunity to hear Bruce again in May. The words “gold mining” are nearly synonymous with the words “state of Colorado.” Join geologist Bruce Geller as together you explore the fascinating geological history of Colorado gold mining. There will be some surprises: Did you know that Colorado’s cumulative gold production is estimated at more than 42.5 million troy ounces? Did you know that our largest gold producer was one of the last giant deposits to be discovered? Did you know that some of our richest deposits contain gold in compounds that don’t even resemble the refined yellow metal? Would you believe that a significant amount of Colorado’s gold production came from the mining of “fool’s gold”? The cost is $12 for museum members and $15 for nonmembers. Call 303-322-7009 for reservations.

Fri-Mon, May 23-26. Scottsbluff, NE--4th Annual Panhandle Gem and Mineral Clubs' Rock Swap, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Riverside Zoo Campground, 1600 s. Beltline Highway (West). Adm. FREE. Roughly 200 miles from Boulder--It is a fun outdoor swap. Plenty of room to camp.

Sat-Sun, June 21-22, Colo. Springs: Pikes Peak Gem & Mineral Show, at Phil Long Expo Center, 1515 Auto Mall Loop--Adm. $5.00 for adults, $2.50 for Children.

Sat-Sun, June 28-29. Casper, WY--61st Annual Show of the Natrona County Rockhounds Club, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Parkway Plaza Hotel, I-25 & Center St. (SW corner) Adm. $3. Roughly 265 miles from Boulder-About 20 dealers--different than Colo. shows--good place to find WY rocks such as jade. Usually worth the drive and the overnight stay.

Thu-Sun, August 7-10, Buena Vista, CO. Contin-Tail Continental Tailgate rock swap, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Rodeo Grounds, Buena Vista, CO. Colorado’s largest outdoor gem and mineral show. Free to the public. For more information see www.coloradorocks.org, or call 303-833-2939 or 720-938-4194.

Note: sign-up sheets for carpooling to some of these more distant shows will be available at our regular club meetings on May 8 and June 12.

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Take a Trip to . . . The Western Museum of Mining and Industry
Dennis Gertenbach
 

Traveling on I-25 just north of Colorado Springs, one sees a head frame and other mining equipment and buildings to the east. This is the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, a wonderful place for families and history buffs to visit and learn more about mining in Colorado and the American West.

Steam-powered scoop and other mining equipment at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry

The museum has a great collection of artifacts from early mining in our state, with an emphasis on the technological history of metal mining and metallurgy, as well as the social history of the American Mining West. Included in their displays are mining equipment such as steam engines, drills, and pumps in actual operation, scale models of equipment and mines, and a re-created mine providing a glimpse into the life of the underground miner.
 

Working steam engine, run every day for visitors

Mining history is brought to life through a variety of daily guided tours, which are included in the admission. These tours, along with hands-on interactive exhibits and gold panning, really bring home to both kids and adults the difficulties and dangers miners faced every day. Also seen in the museum are photographs that illustrate home life in mining communities. The daily guided tours are scheduled at 10:00 am and 1:00 pm each day, so schedule your time to be there at these times. Outside there is 37 acres with displays, equipment, and picnic facilities, a great place to have lunch when the weather is nice.

The museum is located just off Interstate 25 at the Gleneagle Exit, #156A. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and students 13 years or older, and $4 for children 3-6. The museum is opened Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. For more information, call 719-488-0880 or check their website at
http://www.wmmi.org/html/index.htm. On their website is an internet coupon for $1 any adult or senior admission.
 

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Fossils in the News
Dennis Gertenbach

One-Ounce Monkey from Mississippi

Researchers announced the discovery of the fossils of a tiny primate, Teilhardina magnoliana, found in Mississippi. This 55.8 million year-old fossil is the oldest primate ever found in Europe or North America and suggests that primates migrated to the New World across the land bridge between Siberia and Alaska during a global warming period at this time. Because primates only inhabit tropical and subtropical forests, scientists can deduce that both Siberia and Alaska had a wet, muggy climate during this time, known as the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. The closest relative to these tiny primates are mouse lemurs, found in Madagascar. Giant Bat Fossil Bed Found in Africa Scientists recently reported in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology about the discovery of six new bat species
found in the Fayum district of Egypt. These bats lived during the Eocene, about 35 million years ago. Some of these species are related to the most common and widespread group of living bats. Previous thinking was that Old World bats originated in the northern hemisphere. However, this find indicates that many modern families of bats can trace their ancestors to Africa, including some of the most common living bats.

Teenage Dinosaurs Butting Heads

Pachycephalosaurs, dinosaurs that lived 80 million to 65 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Period, are best known for their thick, bony, domed heads. Recently reported research indicates that during their teenage years, these dinosaurs may have butted heads during violent clashes. This study used computer simulations to show that the skulls of these young dinosaurs were designed to compress and rebound after a blow. Such a design would have prevented brain damage during head butting. These researchers speculated that these dinosaurs may have clashed over mates, food, or territory. Other researchers dismiss this idea, claiming that these domed heads were used to attract mates or for visual communication. Those who have raised teenagers may not be too surprised by to hear about teenagers butting heads.

Elephants from the Swamps?

Researchers from Oxford University and Stony Brook University reported their
study of ancient elephant ancestors that lived 37 million years ago. These two species, Barytherium and
Moeritherium, were thought to be similar to today’s tapirs. The fossils were found in northern Egypt, which
at that time was a subtropical rainforest covered with swamps. Chemical analyses of their teeth indicate that
these animals grazed on plants found in rivers or swamps, similar to hippos today, suggesting that elephants evolved from aquatic animals, rather than terrestrial ancestors as previously thought. The researchers are not clear about why elephant ancestors left the water to live on land. One theory speculates that as the earth cooled at the end of the Eocene, swamps and rivers dried up and animals were forced to become terrestrial.

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Recent USGS Publications
Pete Modreski

 Geologic Time Chart: Posted on the USGS web pages is a new and up-to-date chart of geologic time; prepared by the USGS in collaboration with the International Commission on Stratigraphy. The chart can be viewed and downloaded online as a two-page pdf file, the first being a description of it and the second page the full-color chart. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3015/ or, direct to the pdf file at, http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3015/fs2007-3015.pdf. As you probably know, the nomenclature and exact ages of all the geologic time periods (Eons, Eras, Periods, and Epochs) are continually revised and updated as new and more precise data become available; this chart gives the most current data for all of geologic time. From it you'll see, for example, that the most current and most precise dates for the duration of the Pleistocene Epoch are from 1.806 +/- 0.005 million years, to 11,477 +/- 85 years, "b.p." (before present; and, "present" is defined as the year A.D. 1950 for purposes of uniformly expressing geologic ages). The chart is designated as USGS Fact Sheet 2007-3015, published (online) in March 2007.

Precambrian Time--The Story of the Early Earth is another excellent new USGS brochure--for those who think geology is cool stuff. This 6-page brochure contains text, photos, a time chart, and references, about the early history of the earth. It is USGS Fact Sheet 2007-3004, published June, 2007, and can obtained free of charge as a glossy-paper copy at the USGS Map Store on the Denver Federal Center, or it can be viewed and downloaded online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3004/

Geologic Map of the U.S.: another new USGS publication is USGS Circular 1300, "About the Geologic Map in the National Atlas of the United States of America", by John C. Reed and Charles A. Bush. This is a 48-page booklet containing text and color satellite images, describing the kinds of geologic features that can be seen on the geologic map of the U.S. This Circular is free, if you request it at the USGS Map Store in Building 810 on the Federal Center. The map it refers to can be purchased over-the-counter or ordered, for $7.00; ask for USGS map product #207470, Geology, the National Atlas of the United States. This is a poster-sized map depicting a simplified geologic map of the conterminous U.S. + Alaska and Hawaii. The map is described online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/atlas/geologic/, including a link to a pdf file of the map (viewable at different scales) at http://pubs.usgs.gov/atlas/geologic/usgeoplot.pdf.

The Map Store is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; all items can be purchased directly over-the-counter, or, there is a $5.00 handling charge per order, for orders mailed to you. For orders or questions call 1-888-ASKUSGS, or locally call 303-202-4675 to reach the sales counter.

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 Tucson 2008
John and Jeanne Hurst

Quartzite, Tucson, Deming plus Apache Junction Rock Club show ---what more could a serious rock collector ask for? The answer is obvious—more spending money.

If you thought the price at the pump is over the top, how about the mineral dealer from India asking $1800.00 for a 1.5 inch Powellite on quartz crystal matrix? The answer is obvious—it is out of our price range. It is the same story second verse for Owyhee and Bruneau jaspers at $25 per pound or Ruby in Zoisite at $200.00 per pound, or polished Brazilian Agate slabs at $55 per pound. The weak dollar caused all the foreign dealers’ prices to skew upwards to the point of absurdity. One dealer had a great sense of humor—selling Amazonite by the gram, are you kidding me? It meant that one just had to work harder to find bargains this year, because prices may spike even higher in 2009. Admission at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show (TGMS) increased from $7.00 to $9.00 per day, according to two Austrians, this fee is cheap compared to the Munich Show.

Some of the surprises—some really nice Boulder Opal from Quilpie, Queensland showed up at the Q.I.A. show in Quartzite. Also a fine green turquoise, sold as Broken Arrow Turquoise, was being sold by the gram. A relatively new find, “Sonoran Sunrise”, is a cabbing material with the colors of red, turquoise and black that
makes dramatic stones—how does $45.00 per pound for the rough cutting material sound? The bargains in the rough were “Squirrel Rhyolite” and Rainbow Hickoryite, both with strong graphic banding. How about grab bag fabric at $1.00 per yard.

The rock shop in Lordsburg had the new jasper find from the Sierra Madres in Mexico if you saw it in the January 2008 Rock and Gem”—how about $12.00 per pound? It makes me want to shout “Shattuckite” from the nearest mountain. In Deming, the Australian agates have gone from $5.00 up to $10 a pound. The $5.00 per person field trip from two years ago, now costs $10.00 for a day at the “Big Diggins’”

All that aside, can we ask you to help the “experts”? Whether it was lack of time, foreign languages, dyslexia or writing price signs before the dealer was fully awake, there was an outbreak of misspellings and not just fluorite and amethyst. The following list is only two days worth of collecting. How can our younger geologists learn things correctly the first time if they see the incorrect spellings? So,….break out your Webster’s dictionary or at least a 1901 Funk and Wagnall’s version of the same and correct some of these unbelievable goofs:

Calsite, Paradot, Corral, Paradot, Malikite,Calcedony,
Brazillian, Flurescent, Gaspite, calcefied, Varacite,
Berryls, Psilameline, Smokie Quartz, Sugalite,
Obsedian, Cocoanut, Heisi, Amythest, Flourite,
Heimitite, pendent.

We hope you have fun with these. Come by and talk rocks with the Hursts anytime.

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Tucson 2008 Slide Show

And, on the subject of Tucson, Pete Modreski has put together a slide show of photos from his 10-day visit to the goings-on. Click (or ctrl-click) on the link below to open the "aol Pictures View Share" page. You do not need to register or log in or anything, just click on "View album as guest". You will have a choice to manually "view" all the pictures, or to click on "slide show" which will scroll through them all at a default speed of 5 seconds per slide.

http://pictures.aol.com/ap/viewShare.do?shareInfo=esv4e%2b9w77lUeivWfnm7tdZgUpZnIMVQRL9HkbMLqP 9WGd%2bBXiXp6w%3d%3d
 

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Denver Gem & Mineral Show – Grab Bag Issue


The Denver Gem & Mineral Show Committee plans and operates the Denver Gem & Mineral Show on behalf of the nine mineral, fossil and bead societies that make up the Greater Denver Area Gem & Mineral Council. The Show Committee endeavors to operate the show at all times in accordance with the wishes of the clubs. An issue has arisen on which the Show Committee feels the decision should be made by a majority vote of the clubs. The committee requests that each club votes on this issue at a membership meeting and submits the results in writing to the committee in a timely manner. The issue concerns increasing the price of grab bags at the show. A grab bag is a cloth bag containing ten specimens, which are individually bagged and labeled. Mineral clubs provide bags containing mineral specimens, the Western Interior Paleontological Society provides bags containing fossils, and the Rocky Mountain Bead Society provides bags containing beads. For years, these bags have been sold, mostly to children, for $1. A proposal has been made to increase the price of the grab bags to $2, except on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The exception on Friday is to accommodate the school children, who attend the show on Friday. Other teachers desiring grab bags at the reduced price may make special arrangements with the Grab Bag Chair. Not everyone is in agreement with the proposal. This should be an important issue to the clubs since it is they who collect or buy the specimens, bag and label them, provide the cloth bags, and put all together for the Denver Show.

Important Facts. The primary purpose of the grab bags is to interest youngsters in the mineral, fossil and bead hobbies. This is the purpose for which grab bags have been made and sold at the show for a long time. Proceeds from the sale of grab bags are remitted to the Colorado School of Mines to provide a scholarship for a geology student. The scholarship is a secondary purpose. Proceeds from the sale of grab bags do not affect the profitability of the show in any way nor are any of the clubs reimbursed for the cost of providing the grab bags.

Arguments for retaining the $1 price of grab bags. As mentioned above, the primary purpose is to interest kids in the hobbies. For $1.00, parents, grandparents and kids themselves can easily afford to purchase a grab bag. Many a time a child will come to the grab bag table, dig deep into his or her pocket and pull out a folded dollar bill that has been saved for the purchase of a grab bag. The child then stands there at the table fingering every bag until he or she finds just the right one. Parents of several children might find the price of $2 prohibitive to purchase a grab bag for each, especially when that money would help to buy a beverage or food for the thirsty and hungry kids. In these days of rising prices for so many items everywhere (including necessities such as food, health care, heat, electricity and gasoline), it is nice to find a bargain at the show, one price that has not increased. Some of the grab bags are worth a dollar, but many of them are not. For $2, a child could easily purchase a nice thumbnail specimen in a perky box with a label from several of the dealers. It is important to interest youngsters in the hobbies because they are the future of the clubs. How many of the clubs are experiencing membership numbers that are increasing?

Arguments for increasing the price of a grab bag to $2. Increasing the price of grab bags to $2 for a major portion of the show will increase the amount of funds remitted to the Colorado School of Mines for a scholarship to a geology student. Increasing the price may also have the effect of slowing sales so that enough bags remain for sales on Sunday. In the past, grab bags have frequently been completely sold out by noon on Sunday. With the loss of the Gates Club, this could be important, as we may have fewer grab bags to sell at the show this year and fewer dollars to provide for the scholarship. It is not feasible to increase the number of grab bags required from each club because some clubs, such as WIPS and RMBS, are already operating this program at a deficit. The question arises as to how many kids this increase would impact. Although some children attending the show during the $2 time period may not be able to afford a grab bag at this price, others, having greater disposable income and affording items such as IPods and computer games, can afford the $2.

Summation. The question each club’s membership needs to vote on is: Should the price of grab bags continue to be $1.00 as it has been for a long time; or should the price of grab bags be increased to $2.00, except from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday to accommodate the school children. After 2 p.m. on Friday, a school teacher may buy bags for students at the $1.00 price by special arrangement with the Grab Bag Chair.
 

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Calendar of Events

May 8 FMC Club Meeting, West Boulder Senior Center, 9th & Arap., 7:00 PM Ed Raines, on “Leadville, the EPA, and Me”
May 15 Junior Geologists Meeting, 7:00 PM Charlotte Morrison’s house
May 28 FMC Board Meeting, 7:15 PM, Ed Raines’ house (above Jamestown)
June 10 2008 Show Committee Meeting, John Hurst's house: Boulder, 7:13pm
June 12 FMC Club Meeting, West Boulder Senior Center, 9th & Arap., 7:00 PM Robert Amerman on “Undersea Movements and their Geologic After-effects”
June 19 Junior Geologists Meeting, 7:00 PM Location to be announced
June 30 FMC Board Meeting, 7:15 PM Location to be announced

 

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Updated 7/8/08