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President’s Corner
Paul Boni
I’d like to use my front page privilege to draw attention to one of FMCs
most vibrant programs, Junior
Geologists. This program is a
big part of our success as a mineral club. Yes indeed, it was seven years
ago that Dennis Gertenbach started Junior Geologists. Dennis and our Junior
Geologists are still rolling along, stronger than ever. Attendance averages
12-15 youths each meeting with a steady stream of new inquiries. In fact,
most of the club’s new membership applications come from families with an
interest in Junior Geologists.
Our program has its roots in the
Future Rock hounds of America, an initiative of the American Federation of
Mineral Societies. Participants attend classes and gain hands on experience
through participation in various activities. Their efforts are recognized
as they earn badges covering a variety of topics which only a rockhound would
love. Topics include earth resources, fossils, gem lore and legend,
collecting, showmanship, rocks and minerals, field trips, and many others.
Those who earn 6 or more badges are awarded a special rockhound badge.
Our Junior Geologists meet once
a month at Charlotte Morrison’s home on the third Thursday of each month.
There are also youth field trips to museums and field collecting sites
throughout the year. Dennis is assisted by Anita Colin, Gerry Naugle, and
Charlotte Morrison. For more information contact Dennis Gertenbach.
Rock on Dennis!
****************
Upcoming Club
Meetings
May
13—Ed Raines is speaking on the Minerals of the Creede Mining District as a
preview to the theme of this year's Denver Show in September.
June
10—program to be announced.
****************
Our 2010 Summer
Field Trip News
The summer is approaching and Anita and Gabi have put together a fun
schedule of trips for which we hope you’ll sign-up. Details for some trips
are still being worked on and we’re always looking for trip leaders. Field
trip information and sign-up sheets will be available at the May and June
meetings.
Places
To Go and What to Find!
Topaz: Park
County
Agates: Tour de
Wyoming
Smoky Quartz:
Devil's Head
Fossils:
Florissant
Garnets and More:
Salida
Epidote,
Sapphires and More: Calumet
Agates: Del Norte
Charlotte's Back
Porch
Peridot: S Park
County
Quartz, Pyrite,
Barite: Montezuma
Amazonite:
Crystal Peak
Kimberlites:
Virginia Dale
Orthoclase Twin
Feldspar: Leadville
Contin-Tail /Rock
Show: Buena Vista
Mt Antero
(Subject to Change)
Amethyst: Red
Feather Lakes
Fairburn Agates:
Crawford, NE
Fossil Wood,
Calcite: Yellow Cat, UT/ Book Cliffs, Grand Junction
Jasper, Agates:
Tour de Arkansas Valley
Fossils: Tepee
Buttes
You
must be a FMC member to join our trips. If you are not a member you can
apply to join the club 1) by filling-out a membership application at one of
our meetings, 2) by calling Gerry
Naugle to get an application sent to you, or 3) by downloading it from
our website at: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/community/fmc/. The last
opportunity to join FMC in order to go on field trips this summer is during
our June meeting on 6/10/2010. You cannot join the club on the day of the
field trip. Don’t miss out. You can always contact the Field Trip Coordinators:
Anita and Gabi.
****************
Jr. Geologists
May’s
meeting will be on the 20th at 6:30 at Charlotte’s home (290 Seminole Drive
in Boulder). We will continue working on the Gemstone Lore and Legend
badge, studying gems and gemstones. This month you’ll get to search for
your very own gems to take home with you. Be sure to bring answers to the
gem card you took home last meeting.
Once
summer is here, it’s field trip time. On Saturday, June 19, we’re heading
to Florissant National Monument to join kids from several other clubs for a
tour of the geology and fossils of the park. Afterwards, we visit a private
quarry outside the park where you can dig for fossil leaves and insects to
take home. Be sure to sign up with Dennis for the trip.
The
Jr. Geologists program is open to all Flatirons Mineral Club families. Each
month we learn more about geology, plus earn badges for different earth
science activities. For information about the Jr. Geologists program,
please contact Dennis Gertenbach.
****************
North Table Mountain Field Trip
Eighteen
club members, plus another 8 from the Colorado Springs club, collected
zeolites on North Table Mountain outside of Golden on April 17th. Zeolites
are a group of aluminum silicate minerals with varying crystal shapes. The
Golden site is world-famous for the specimens that have been found there.
Analcime, thompsonite, and chabazite are the most common zeolite minerals
found at the site, but a number of other zeolite minerals can also be
collected. The zeolites are found in cavities in the basalt flow that caps
North Table Mountain, formed from successive crystallizations from hot
solutions that penetrated the basalt millions of years ago.
It
was a nice morning for our first outdoor collecting trip of the year. But
the weather took a turn for the worst in the early afternoon and the rain
chased us back to the cars. Still, everyone found lots of great specimens
to take home.
Club
members looking at the zeolites at the site
Two
of the Jr. Geologists looking for specimens
A
beautiful pocket of zeolite crystals, along with several dog-tooth
calcites, opened up this trip
****************
Find FMC on Facebook!
FMC
has a Facebook
page where club events are listed and Facebook members can leave
messages on the Wall. You don't need to have an account to look at the
page, although you can set up your own Facebook account and help spread our
club's presence--it's free and super-easy. Let's see how many Facebook
members we can get to "Like" our favorite rock and mineral club's
page!
Follow
our club at our Flatirons Mineral Club Facebook Page!
Thanks
to Kristi Traynor for hosting
the FMC Facebook account.
****************
March
Field Trip to CU Museum
Club
members visit the fossil storage area at the CU Museum
****************
Why we love the
Junior Geology Club
From a Jr. Geologist Parent
When
I got an invitation to the annual towel show three years ago, I thought my
nine-year-old son would enjoy going, so we went. It was fun, but I didn’t
feel the need to join FMC until I was told they had a junior club just for
kids. OK, it sounded like it was worth a try. A little nervous (people we
don’t know!), my husband and I took our son Charles to Charlotte Morrison’s
house for his first juniors’ meeting and asked when we should pick him up.
We were told, “About eight, but you are welcome to stay”. “Why should we
stay?” we thought, and left to do some shopping. The next time, I decided
to hang around. The meetings turned out to be very fun and educational for
all. Dennis Gertenbach runs the juniors’ club and always has something
interesting in store. There are cool things to see, activities to do, and
rock specimens to bring home. Dennis asks the kids questions, but there are
never any wrong answers, as
Dennis
will provide the right question to any answer! In addition to the monthly
meetings at Charlotte’s, Dennis leads several field trips every year. Some
are just a couple of hours in Boulder County and others are three days in
Wyoming. No matter where we go, we all have a great time and come home with
way too many rocks. And Dennis has just one rule: “Don’t die!” Since we all
agree to this rule, we head out with the feeling that we will, indeed, come
back safely.
The
Junior Club will be meeting at 6:30 PM on Thursday May 20 at Charlotte
Morrison’s house. We will be finishing up our Gem Lore badge by learning
how rocks are polished and sifting through mine tailings for tourmaline
crystals. A field trip to a topaz mine is scheduled for Sunday, May 23.
This is a good trip for kids as it just involves raking through mine debris
and finding all kinds of crystals. The cost is $40 per family and you will
be given a bag of gravel from the mine to take home as well. The mine is
located north of Lake George, a town about 50 miles west of Colorado
Springs. Email or call Anita Colin
for more details and to sign up.
****************
Recent Activities Summary
MARCH
On
March 27, seventeen club members were treated to presentations on fossils
of the Burgess Shale by Dr. Diane Brown and fossils of Florissant by Ms.
Mel Barton. After the talks, we got to spend quality time with the fossils
themselves and were also given a tour of the Museum Collections Building on
the CU campus by Ms. Kathy Hollis. It was interesting to see so many
fabulous fossils and meet their dedicated caretakers!
APRIL
On
April 10, five families from the Juniors’ Club made the steep climb to the
top of Haystack Mountain (northeast of Boulder) to enjoy the excellent
weather and great view. Although we didn’t find much in the way of fossils,
outcrops of Pierre Shale were evident on the east and west sides of the
peak. Since Haystack is privately owned, we want to give many thanks to the
family that owns Haystack Mountain Golf Course for giving us permission to
climb the peak. By the way, the Native American name for Haystack means
“hill in the middle of nowhere”. It really is a peculiar little remnant of
the ice age.
****************
Denver Gem & Mineral Show 2010
Judy Knoshaug
The
Denver Gem & Mineral Show is only a few short months away. Don’t forget
the dates September 17 – 19, 2010 and the theme “Creede Mining District”.
There are sure to be many outstanding exhibits. Perhaps one of them will be
yours. Hopefully many people and clubs have started planning their exhibits
and other activities for the show. The exhibit application forms and volunteer
sign-up sheets are out. Each club should have theirs so that members can
sign up to help with the show. Over 400 volunteers are needed at the show
so please be sure to help in some area. There are many to choose from and
some are easy “sitting” jobs. In addition, your club will want to plan
their club table because many new members are attracted and gained from the
club table at the show. Even though volunteering time at your club booth is
important, volunteering in other areas for the show is equally important.
The show cannot operate without enough volunteers. And all those
volunteers, we do appreciate and love’m. The Hospitality Room is there to
serve them with treats and a place to relax.
Jordan
Sawdo is planning unique trophies for this year’s show using Creede
sowbelly agate. Sowbelly agate is gorgeous as we all know. Jordan is
looking for some lapidary people to help with the cutting and flat lapping
of pieces for the trophies. If you can help, contact Jordan.
Please
remember a new Grab Bag Chair is still needed. If you like kids and would
like an easy job at the show, consider taking on the Grab Bag Chair. This
job is the sales tables for grab bags, pins and posters. Former chair, Ray
Story, cannot continue because of ill health. However, he has the job
organized and it would be easy to step into it. We can’t disappoint the
kids with no grab bags for sale.
Respectfully
submitted,
****************
Creede Mineral
Symposium
Sponsored
by the Colorado Chapter, Friends of Mineralogy
September
10-12, 2010, Creede, Mineral County, Colorado
Call for Papers
and Topics
“Minerals
of the Creede Mining District and Mineral County, Colorado” will be the
theme of the 2010 Denver Gem and Mineral Show (Sept. 17-19, 2010). The weekend
preceding the show a companion event, the Creede Mineral Symposium, will be
held in Creede, Sept. 10-12. The Program Committee invites prospective speakers
to submit titles of papers related to this theme for presentation at the
symposium. The audience is anticipated to consist of around 75 primarily
nontechnical attendees, mainly mineral collectors plus persons interested
in Creede geology and mining history. Titles should be closely related to
the minerals found in that area or to its economic geology. The symposium will
include a short welcoming session Friday evening, presentation of papers on
Saturday, and a field trip on Sunday, as well as a tour of the local mining
museum.
Proposed
titles for presentations should be submitted by e-mail to the Program
Committee for review no later than June 1. Several invited lectures are
already planned; there are a limited number of spaces available for
additional speakers. If your topic is selected, a digital abstract or
extended abstract of 250-750 words will be required by July 1 for inclusion
in our abstracts/proceedings volume. Each abstract should contain the
names, affiliations/addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers for the
speaker and all coauthors. Please clearly indicate the name of the presenter
and any anticipated equipment needs. If your topic/abstract is selected for
the conference your symposium registration fees will be waived (for the presenter
only) and you will receive a one-year complimentary membership in the
Friends of Mineralogy.
We
look forward to hearing from potential speakers with the titles of their
suggested presentations. Submissions and inquiries may be sent directly to
either of the following Program Committee members: Bruce Geller or Pete Modreski.
Details
about registration, lodging options, and the symposium schedule will be
forthcoming as soon as they are available.
****************
The Niederwoerresbach, Germany Agate Market March
6 & 7, 2010
John & Jeanne Hurst,
Europe
on $10 a day? Maybe in 1973 or 1985, but today you might need to add a
couple of zeros—especially if you find beautiful and unique agates hard to
resist. So where is Niederwoerresbach? It is a village of one to two
thousand inhabitants, if you throw in all the surrounding farm families. Or
Herrstein? It is a neighboring village just about the same size. These two villages
lay just over the hill from Idar-Oberstein in the heart of Rheinland-Pfalz.
It is the state that lies West of Frankfurt am Main about half way between
the Rhein River and France, a.k.a. the Hunsruck.
How
was the agate hunting? It was the “Worst winter in 50 years” according to a
local that was pushing forty five. The weather impacted our hunting plans
in the woods and fields, but we still managed two forays of one hour each
in the wind and the mud. So it was possible but challenging to find an
agate.
Our
hosts, Klaus and Regina Schaefer of Vollmersbach not only made sure that we
knew where to look for our “first” German agate, but they also took us to
see several remarkable agate collections in the region. This was no small
task, considering that all the public roads in and out of Vollmersbach were
closed to public traffic.
The
rains gave us the opportunity to check out the changes in the local
museums, a public museum in Idar and a private museum in Oberstein, which
we hadn’t visited since the mid 1980’s. In the 1980’s, the town of
Oberstein channeled the Nahe stream right under the main street, today the
main street is a pedestrian mall or “Fussgaengerzone”. It seems as if every
third shop is selling agates, minerals and jewelry. The museum displays are
even better than earlier—awe inspiring! In one nearby town, you can buy a
wheelbarrow of Brazilian agate for just 40 Euros. As much as we wanted to
take them up on the offer, we just couldn’t squeeze any more in the
carry-on luggage.
During
the week leading up to the “Achat Boerse”, Klaus and Regina hosted an
“Agate Party” for notable guests to get acquainted with the movers and
shakers of the Agate dealers and collectors from Germany, Austria,
Switzerland, Holland and the U.S.A. We all enjoyed Klaus and Regina’s
collection of fine agates while sipping “Weizenbier” and enjoying a variety
of German snacks.
The
10th Annual Agate Show was downright impressive. They filled two gymnasiums
with about 70 dealers. They were kind to treat us as “Guests of Honor” for
the two days. Their 12.50 Euro show program or “Katalog” was a totally
professional magazine on the “Jasper” theme, complete with photos of the
jaspers of the world. This was accompanied with a three cabinet display of
polished jaspers, evening slide shows, and a Saturday evening “Wine
tasting” with world class munchies.
The
food tent with roast pork straight from the barbeque spit and “Weizenbier”
were “melt in your mouth good”! It was simply the best food we have ever
encountered at a rock show in 40 years.
What
about Agates??? There was so much eye candy— prices from .50 to 910 Euros
(multiply by 1.382 for the dollars).The German names—Juchem, Freisen,
Waldhammbach, Baumholder, Eckersweiler, Setz, Goettschied, the Windradbau
and more were a great test of the memory cells. The best deals were the
German and Moroccan agates, the priciest were the Lagunas. The nicest surprise
was an agate from the Juchem Quarry that fluoresced bright red under
mid-wave Ultra-Violet light.
Club
members are welcome to give us a ring if they would like to come by and see
the new items in our agate collection from across the ocean.
****************
Fossils in the News
Dennis Gertenbach
Two Bizarre Cambrian Creatures Found
Those
who attended last month’s field trip to the CU fossil collection got a
taste of some of the bizarre Burgess Shale animals that emerged during the
Cambrian Explosion. Two new creatures have been recently added to the list
of strange creatures that lived during this time.
Herpetogaster
collinsi was a little more than an inch long and had tentacles growing out
of its head. Its fossils were found in the famous 505-million-year-old
Burgess Shale of Canada. Paleontologists think that this small invertebrate
may have attached itself to sponges with a stick-like appendage called a
stolon, where it waited for tiny prey to drift into its tentacles.
The
other newly discovered creature was Kiisortoqia soperi, found in early
Cambrian rocks from north Greenland. It was an arthropod, like trilobites
and insects, but had two long appendages in front of it to grab prey. The
unusual aspect of these appendages was the row of spikes on them. How this
creature used these spiked appendages to feed is not clear.
Herpetogaster
collinsi by Marianne Collins from Caron et al., 2010 through Wikimedia
Commons
Kiisortoqia
soperi from Stein, 2010.
Shark Bitted
Crocodile Poop Fossil
Yes,
you are reading this correctly. Paleontologists have found two crocodile
coprolite (poop) fossils, both with impressions of shark teeth. Found on a
beach along the western shore of Chesapeake Bay, one is fist sized and the
other is a bit larger. So why did a shark take a bite of crocodile poop?
Researchers think that the fecal matter was still inside the shark’s prey,
and when the shark bit down on the croc’s disemboweled intestines, the
teeth impressions were made.
Another Crocodile
Fossil Find
This
time, the crocodile was the predator, not the prey. Fossil evidence
suggests that a 19-foot horned crocodile leapt out of the water and grabbed
early humans. Fossils of Crocodylus anthropophagus (Latin for eater of
humans), 1.84 million years old, were found in Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge,
famous for early human (hominid) fossils. Crocodile bite marks have previously
been found on hominid bones from the gorge. Based on this newest fossil
find, scientists suspect that this crocodile ate our ancestors. For these
early hominids, coming to rivers and lakes to get water would have been
quite dangerous with 19-foot crocodiles lurking in the water.
How Did Sauropods
Eat?
Sauropods,
the largest animals to walk on earth, include dinosaurs that most of us
know, like the giants Diplodocus, Brachiosaurus, and Apatosaurus (formally
known as brontosaurus). They ate leaves and smaller plants, and
paleontologists believe that they evolved their long necks and large bodies
to reach leaves in tall trees. This allowed them to gather food that was
out of reach of other animals, so they did not have to compete for this
food source. However, their large bodies required tons of leaves each day.
A new
study of the skulls of four sauropods recently found in Dinosaur National
Monument has shed light on how these animals were able to eat so much food
each day. Instead of chewing their food, like most other dinosaurs and
living animals (and what your mother told you to do), sauropods just
grabbed their food and swallowed. Their heads were too small and they
needed so much food, that they did not have time to chew their food to
start the digestive process.
Snake that Ate
Baby Dinosaurs
Continuing
on this theme of what ancient creatures ate and who ate who, scientists
have made another startling fossil discovery, this time of a snake that ate
hatching dinosaurs. Discovered in western India, this 67-millionyear-old
fossil was found preserved in the nest of a sauropod dinosaur. The snake,
named Sanajeh indicus, was coiled around a recently hatched egg, next to
the remains of a hatchling sauropod. Fossils of other snakes near egg nests
were also found in the area, indicating that this newly discovered snake
routinely ate young dinosaurs. Sanajeh was a large snake, over 10 feet
long, and was capable of swallowing a 20-inch sauropod hatchling. The site
is unique, as it appears to have been rapidly buried, nearly instantly
preserving the activities of the animals in the area.
****************
Obituaries
from Pete Modreski
Two
local persons well-known in mineral and fossil circles sadly passed away
recently. Terry Hiester, a geologist who volunteered with several local
earth science groups, passed away on Mar. 24. Terry had been listed as a
co-presenter for the DMNS April 5 talk by Dr. Emmett Evanoff at DMNS,
"A Bad Day in the Field: Things to Do (and Not Do) During a Field
Emergency" (joint Western Interior Paleontology Society + Colorado Scientific
Society meeting). Because of Terry's untimely death, the presentation title
was changed to "A lecture in honor and memory of Terry Hiester, whose
fast actions and clear thinking made the rescue go quickly and saved Emmett’s
life."
Tom
(Howard H.) Odiorne, a geologist by profession and a well known and well
liked longtime local mineral collector, passed away on Mar. 30 at the age
of 87. Tom was a 40-plus-year-member of the Littleton Gem and Mineral Club,
helped locate that club's mining claims for amazonite and smoky quartz near
Harris Park, and was the author of the book, Colorado Amazonstone, the Treasure
of Crystal Peak, published in 1978
****************
Upcoming Events, Nearby
& Elsewhere
Ongoing -- USGS Free GPS, Map, & Compass Classes on the second Friday
of each month, next class May 14, 2010. The sessions are held in Building
810 on the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood; Map & Compass sessions are
in the morning, 9-11:30 a.m., and "Using GPS with Topo Maps" in
the afternoon, 12:30-5:00 p.m.; you may sign up for either or both classes.
Free to anyone, but reservations are required and space is limited; call
303-202-4689 or email.
Monday,
May 3, 7 p.m. "Death in High Places: the Geology and Paleontology of
Porcupine Cave, Colorado"; Ricketson Auditorium, Denver Museum of Nature
& Science; a presentation by Drs. Sue Ware and Bob Raynolds at the
monthly meeting of the Western Interior Paleontological Society (WIPS). No
charge and all are welcome to attend. "Porcupine Cave in South Park,
Colorado, is the highest fossil trove found in North America. The cave
excavation was a major WIPS project for 5-6 years and involved over 50 WIPS
members. Fossil bone was discovered by the son of one of the Society's
members, Don Rasmussen. Together with another long-time member, Dr. Elaine
Anderson, Don and many others excavated the cave, plotted the stratigraphy,
recorded the geology and sorted the bones. This provided the Denver Museum
of Nature & Science with thousands of scientific specimens including
the oldest date for snowy owl, coyote, and black-footed ferret. Under the
leadership of Don and Elaine many people were introduced to Colorado's rich
paleontological history. Whether bone-picking, excavating, listening to the
nighttime lectures, dissecting a badger on the hood of a car, or enjoying
the gourmet dinners cooked by nature writer Craig Childs, Porcupine Cave
was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for professional and amateur alike. It
was a large scale scientific discovery and research project that is still being
studied at the museum, and new and exciting finds are being discovered
daily. Doing field work there was scientifically important...AND...it was a
lot of fun!"
May
8 (Saturday) - Colorado Mineral Society Silent Auction, Holy Shepherd
Lutheran Church, 920 Kipling St., Lakewood; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. All are
welcome.
May
15 (Saturday) - Friends of Mineralogy Silent Auction, to be held at Clement
Community Center, 1580 Yarrow St. (near Colfax & Wadsworth), Lakewood, noon
to 3 p.m. All welcome!
May
15-16 (Sat and Sun) - Cheyenne Gem & Mineral Show at the American
Legion Post, 2001 E. Lincoln Way, Cheyenne, WY. Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. Contact
Carroll Schell, 307-632-7688, for more information.
May
17-26 (Wednesdays and Fridays, plus a field trip on Saturday, May 22)
Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Introduction to Rocks and Minerals by
Lou Taylor is designed for beginners who want an introduction to the world
of rocks and minerals. This course offers an opportunity to explore the
identification, classification, and value of rocks and minerals. Experience
hands-on geology in class with a lecture and lab format, then apply class
principles and explore local geology in a daylong field trip. $110 member,
$140 nonmember.
May
27-31 (Thursday-Monday) Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Geology by
Canoe on the Green River. Bob Raynolds will lead a 60-mile paddle on the Green
River, from Crystal Geyser to Mineral Bottom, just north of Canyonlands
National Park, where vast side systems and water channels branch out in all
directions. This is one of the longest stretches of quiet wilderness water
in the lower 48 states. You'll enjoy hiking and exploring this beautiful
area, where you'll see ancient Fremont Indian petroglyphs etched in the
canyon walls and experience western history in an area first documented by
John Wesley Powell in 1869. $575 adult, $550 child (age 8-12)
May
29-30, Natrona County 2010 Rock and Gem Show and Sale, Natrona County
Fairgrounds, Industrial Building Casper, WY. Contact: Randy Sternberg
1-307234-6156
May
28-31, Scottsbluff, NE. SW Nebraska Rock Swap Riverside Zoo Campground, S.
Beltline Highway, Scottsbluff, NE. Contact: Sherman Lenhart
Sat.,
June 19, Annual Mineral & Fossil Home Sale, at GEOdyssey. All specimens
are a minimum of 10% off, with bigger discounts for volume purchases.
Drinks and snacks provided. 15339 West Ellsworth Drive, Golden; go south on
Indiana St. from 6th Ave., into Mesa View Estates; turn right at the first
street (McIntyre Circle) and right at the next street (Ellsworth Drive). We
are about midway down the street on the left. 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.;
303-279-5504.
June
19, 20, Wyoming State Show Shoshone Rock Club Sat. 9-7, Sun. 9-4, Park
County Fairgrounds, 655 East 5th St. Powell, WY. Contact: Jane Neale,
1-307754-3285
June
25-26, some may be interested in a South Park Symposium on history and
natural resources of South Park, to be held at Fairplay RE-2. Talks will
include local history and historic preservation, "Sheepherding", "South
Park Salt Works 1862-1883", "Miner's Partner-the Burro",
"Evolution of Colorado water use and laws", and an afternoon
field trip to see Ice Age landforms in South Park. One can register for a
half day, full day, or both days; complete 2-day registration is just $15. Contact
Pete Modreski (pmodreski@usgs.gov) for an e-copy of the program &
registration flier.
Sat.-Sun.,
June 26-27, Rock Fair at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry,
Colorado Springs, cosponsored by the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society;
a mini-mineral show with related activities, in tents outside the Museum.
For more info see http://wmmi.org/.
July
9-11 (Friday-Sunday) Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Dinosaurs by
Canoe on the Colorado River will explore a path through the ancient home of
dinosaurs that roamed Earth 65 million years ago. This adventure will
include fascinating geologic formations that hold dinosaur footprints and
fossils. You'll paddle past amazing remnants of ancient metamorphic rock, camp
along the riverbanks, explore a natural amphitheater with ancient Indian
rock art, and hike into deep box canyons. $350 adult, $315 child (age
6-12).
Aug.
12-15, "Contin-Tail" mineral show and swap, Rodeo Grounds, Buena
Vista, CO.
Aug
21 (Saturday), Flatiron Mineral Club’s annual picnic, details to be announced.
Aug
20-22, Lake George Gem & Mineral Show, Lake George, CO. For more info
see http://www.lggmclub.org/.
Sep.
11-12, Creede, Colorado, Mineral Field Symposium, to be held in Creede, CO,
sponsored by the Colorado Chapter, Friends of Mineralogy, and the Colorado
School of Mines Geology Museum; a two-day symposium with lectures and field
trips
Sep.
17-18, Denver Gem and Mineral Show, Denver Merchandise Mart. For more info
see http://www.denvermineralshow.com/. The theme of the 2010 show will be
"The Creede Mining District".
Sep
15-19, Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show, Holiday Inn - Denver Central, 4849
Bannock St.
****************
For Sale
Price
Reduction - 18” DOUBLE DECK VIBRATING LAP by Diamond Pacific. You can do
rough grinding and finish polishing at the same time! The machine is made
of non-rusting aluminum castings. It weighs 50 lbs. It has never been used
– is in its original crate. It is assembled and ready to run. List price is
$1290. Will sell for $849 – a savings of $441 (a reduction of 34%)! Call Bob
Smith at 303-819-3523.
****************
Blueribbon
Coalition Land Use Update
Ric Foster, Public Lands
Department Manager, Blue Ribbon Coalition, 208-237-1008 ext 107
Dear
BRC Action Alert Subscribers in Colorado,
On
Thursday, March 11, 2010, H.R. 4289, known as The Colorado Wilderness Act
of 2009, was heard in the U.S. House of Representatives National Parks,
Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee.
Rep.
Diana DeGette has been pushing this bill for over a decade, but this is the
first time it has been heard in a House Committee. Conceivably, the hearing
on could pave the way for the bill's ultimate passage.
Thanks
to the gang at Colorado Off Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO), BRC got an
early review of the bill's impacts to recreation. BRC believes that the impacts
of DeGette's bill to snowmobiling, OHV and mountain bike recreation would
be HUGE. COHVCO and other state and national OHV and snowmobile advocacy
groups are finishing up their official testimony for submission to the
Subcommittee. We'll pass along as much info as we can to our Colorado membership.
In
the meantime, we are asking our members to contact their U.S. Congressional
representatives and let them know your position on DeGette's bill. You can
easily find the contact info by clicking on BRC's Rapid Response Center and
entering your zip code: http://www.sharetrails.org/rapid_response/
Testimony
can be viewed on line by accessing the Subcommittee's webpage: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=58
Thanks!
****************
Calendar
of Events
May
13 FMC CLUB MEETING, 7:00 PM, WEST BOULDER SENIOR CTR, 9TH & ARAP. Ed
Raines will speak on the Creede Mineral District
May
20 JUNIOR GEOLOGISTS MEETING Charlotte Morrison’s house, 6:30 pm. Contact Anita
Colin, 303-440-6283
May
23 FMC FIELD TRIP TO JOE DORRIS’ TOPAZ MINE NEAR LAKE GEORGE Contact Anita
Colin, 303-440-6283 $40 fee per party required
May
24 FMC BOARD MEETING Alex Cook’s
house, 7:12 p.m.
June
10 FMC CLUB MEETING, 7:00 PM, WEST BOULDER
SENIOR CTR, 9TH & ARAP. Program to be announced
June
17 JUNIOR GEOLOGISTS MEETING Contact Dennis Gertenbach
June
19 JUNIOR GEOLOGISTS FIELD TRIP TO FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS Dennis Gertenbach,
leader
July
8 FMC CLUB MEETING, 7:00 PM, WEST BOULDER SENIOR CTR, 9TH & ARAP. Program
to be announced.
****************
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Updated 6/10/10
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