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President’s
Corner
Evan D. Elliott
Happy New year to all. Thanks to everyone who helped with our annual Gem
and Mineral show. Ray Gilbert, as our show chair person, we especially want
to thank you.
The Christmas gift swap was a
hoot. I came away with a beautiful
Nutcracker, oddly enough I had just been considering buying one the day before. We had lots of goodies, and a
large turnout. Both, adults and kids
were really into it.
I know we can look forward to
plenty of field trip opportunities,
and fun and informative programs in the coming year. With Gabi Accatino as our program director and
Anita Colin as our field trips coordinator
we are certainly in good hands.
I personally am honored and
excited to be the new president of
our club. On behalf of all club members, I want to thank Paul Boni for his devotion to the club as our past
president. Please don’t hesitate to
contact me directly with any club related questions or concerns.
****************
Upcoming Club Programs
Jan
13—Tom Hendricks of the Cross and Caribou Mines. Make sure you come to the
January club meeting to hear Tom Hendricks speak about his mining
experiences! We are really looking
forward to hear his stories, especially after that great tour of his gold
mine back in the fall. Here is a link to his website: http://www.calaisresources.com/index.htm
Feb
10—"Rain and minerals - collecting adventures in the Pacific Northwest
Cascades" Markus Raschke, a club new member since fall 2010, is
professor of physics and chemistry at the University of Colorado at
Boulder. He came to Colorado in 2010 from the University of Washington,
Seattle. He grew up in Bayreuth, Germany and previously studied and held
positions at Rutgers, Munich, Berkeley and most recently Berlin before
moving to Seattle in 2006. He and his students use laser spectroscopy to
study extremely tiny crystals of metals and metal oxides which are
1/10,000th of the diameter of a human hair. Being smaller than the
wavelength of light they can have very special properties and behave for
example as optical antennas. The goal is to understand the fundamental
mechanisms by which light interacts with matter which allows for the development
of faster optical communication, more specific optical medical-diagnostics
devices, or new kinds of solar cells.
As
a diversion from his scientific work, Markus has developed a passion for
geology. While living in the Pacific Northwest, he ventured into remote
regions of the Cascades to collect minerals. Markus will give an
introduction in the geology of the North Cascades. He will show minerals
and their localities associated with porphyry copper and skarn deposits.
Some of these localities have produced of world class specimen.
****************
Flatirons Mineral Club Has an Exceptional 2010
Annual Show
Gerry
Naugle, Judging Coordinator
The FMC 2010 show was a record setter.
The show organizing committee wishes to thank each and every club volunteer
who worked at the show on Dec 10th-12th and who helped set-up and teardown
the materials before and after the show hours. Special thanks to this
year's Show Chairman Ray Gilbert for an outstanding job in managing all of
the aspects needed to put on such an endeavor held in conjunction with the
Boulder Model Railroad Club. We had had almost 2300 attendees on Sat and
Sun and another 180 at the FMC show on Friday for a total of almost 2500
for the entire weekend. Many club
activities were held such as the U-V room (was not to be missed), live
demonstrations of lapidary arts, mineral identification, classes and
lectures, exhibits cases and of course, the kid's area activities. The kid's area raised a record amount of
$631 of proceeds for use in the club's university-Level scholarship
endowment fund.
Extra
thanks to Craig Hazelton and Ed Raines on the excellent U-V room
displays. To Emily Epstein for
arranging the lectures, Kristy Traynor and family, and to Shaula Lee for
running the kid's areas. To Tally and Terry O'Donnell for running the
demonstrations area, to Paul Ralston for organizing the exhibits cases and
again to Ed Raines for the mineral identification area. Thanks to Dennis
Gertenbach for taking photos. To Hallie Cook for motorized support. Club
President Evan Elliott had a mineral case exhibit.
Please
mark your new 2011 calendars for Dec 9th-11th for the next show in the same
Boulder County Fairgrounds building.
Judging Results of
Exhibit Cases at the 2010 Show
Junior Cases
Fossils – Preston
Dailey
Lapidary &
Jewelry – Charles Mock
Minerals –
Clayton Maxfield
Best Field Trip –
Gavin Morrison
Best of Show –
Shealeene Kent
Senior Cases
Fossils – Hallie
Cook
Lapidary &
Jewelry – Caren Johannes
Minerals –
William Hutchinson
Best Field Trip –
Anita Colin
Best of Show –
Katy Parker
Congratulations
to all of the winners in the exhibits categories!
****************
Jr. Geologists
Activities
The
Jr. Geologists meet on the third Thursday of each month, beginning at
6:30. This fall the Juniors learned
more about fossils to earn the Fossil Badge. Come this winter, we’ll begin working on
another badge.
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.
Gavin
Morrison, Preston Daley, and Gabriel Cassidy studying fossils
Cassidy
Crittenden, Sage Simpson, and Wesley Cassidy making thermite with David
Baughman and Phil Simpson
****************
An
Elephant Never Forgets!
A
friendly reminder that the annual dues to the FMC are due on October 1st, 2010.
The dues are still only $18 per individual (and) their immediate family.
You can pay in two ways:
SEND
A CHECK MADE TO “Flatirons Mineral Club” (or) “ FMC “ P.O. Box 3331
Boulder, CO 80307 (or) pay Gerry Naugle, Treasurer (or) Alex Cook,
Membership Chair at any FMC monthly meeting. One of them is at or near the
sign-in table upon entering the room for the monthly meetings. Your receipt
is your new annual 2010-11 FMC membership card.
You can pay by
CASH at these FMC meetings. Please do not send cash to the Club P.O. Box
3331 by USPS mail. Remember you can receive electronic (or) paper club
newsletters containing the general meetings information, guided club field
trips information, annual show opportunities, silent auction opportunities
and an annual club summer picnic when you are a current member of the FMC.
The 2010-11 dues must be received by the club by Jan. 25th, 2011 in order
to stay current with the member benefits.
****************
Grab Bag
Fabric Needed!
Anita
Colin
Thanks to Adele
Accatino and her sewing machine, we have quite a few grab bags available
for filling this year, but we are in need of more fabric to continue
production. We need fabric scraps
that are 8 1/2 by 11 inches, preferably non-pink and non-flowery. (We have lots of those already!)
If
you would like to pre-cut them to this size, that would be great, or just
bring the fabric to our regular club meetings at the West Senior Center on
the second Thursday of each month.
You can also drop off your donation on the porch at 2334 Bluff
Street in Boulder. Thank you!
****************
Calling all rocks!
We
are always in need of rock specimens to put in our grab bags. They don’t need to be fancy or numerous
or tiny. Just label what they are
(if you know) and where you collected them (if you remember) and we will do
the rest. Bring them to our regular
meeting at the West Senior Center on the second Thursday of each month or
drop them off on the porch at 2334 Bluff Street in Boulder. Thank you!
****************
FMC Show Grand Door Prize Winners
Bonnie
Tibi, Longmont
William
Anderson, Longmont
Memorial
Showcase for Charlotte Morrison at the Show
Terry
O’Donnell showing how it’s done
Junior
Showcase Winner Charles Mock
****************
Show Volunteers Appreciation Party!
Any
club members and spouses who worked at least one 2-hour shift at the show
are invited to a volunteer appreciation party at the 'Clover Admin
Building' at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, start at 7:00pm on Tues, Jan 18th.
Refreshments
will be supplied by the club. Please RSVP to Gerry Naugle by the evening of the
17th so we know how many refreshments to buy & bring. Hope to see you
there!
****************
February
Field Trip: NOAA Science on a Sphere
Anita
Colin
We have scheduled
a field trip for club members to visit the NOAA Research Labs at 325
Broadway in Boulder on Friday, February 25 at 4:00 PM. The main event will be a showing of
“Science on a Sphere” by NOAA Executive Director and club member Don
Mock. The show includes
demonstrations of continental drift, ocean currents, and global warming. Don will lead an optional tour of the
facilities after the show.
You
must sign up ahead of time to be admitted to the NOAA campus. A current, government-issued photo ID is
required for entry. If you are a
foreign national, you will need your passport or green card (and let us
know beforehand). Contact Anita Colin to sign up. The tour limit is 25 people so don’t wait
until the last minute!
****************
Fossils in the News
Dennis Gertenbach
A Vegetarian Crocodile
Today’s
crocodiles look quite similar, with long snouts full of teeth to eat any
animal unfortunate to get too close.
In ancient times, crocodiles came in all shapes and sizes. A recently described, 80 million-year-old
fossil shows one 4-foot-long crocodile that had a tank-like body, a
pig-shaped nose, and a short stubby tail.
Even more surprising, this creature had teeth for grazing, living
much like an armadillo. Analysis of
the skull and teeth of Simosuchus, led by Nathan Kley of Stony Brook (N.Y.)
University, determined that the creature's shortened snout was too weak to
snatch up other animals, but served to chew vegetation. Its hide appears
exceptionally well-armored, containing a large number of armor bones, which
may have allowed it to survive bites from the bigger crocodiles and large
carnivorous dinosaurs of the era.
A
reconstruction of the armadillo-like crocodile, Simosuchus clarki (Credit:
Stony Brook University)
When Dinosaurs
Died, Mammals Took Over
New
research has shown that it did not take mammals long (geologically
speaking) to take over many of the niches that the great dinosaurs once
held. The size of mammals exploded
within 25 million years. Indricotherium,
a rhinoceros-like creature, minus the horn, stood 18 feet tall, weighed
roughly 17 tons, and grazed in forests in what is now Eurasia. It was the largest land mammal to ever
live. Close in size was an elephant relative, Deinotherium, who lived in
Africa. Modern African elephants, in
contrast, are about 3 to 5 tons.
Mammals
coexisted with dinosaurs, but were small, ranging from mouse size to a
maximum of a small dog. As
paleoecologist Felisa Smith of the University of New Mexico stated, mammals
“were pretty much the varmints scurrying around the feet of the
dinosaurs." The study lead by
Smith showed that large mammals evolved on all the continents, reaching a
maximum size at about the same time.
The scientists found that two things were responsible for the rapid
size increase of mammals, particularly herbivores. With the plant eating dinosaurs gone,
there was plenty of lush vegetation to eat.
Also, the earth’s temperature was drastically cooling and larger
animals can conserve heat better.
The
relative size of the two largest land mammals that ever lived, Indricotherium
and Deinotherium, compared with a modern African elephant and a 6-foot man.
(Credit: Alison Boyer/Yale University)
The Tale of the
Headless Dragonfly
A
100-million year old battle is preserved in amber. A lizard lunged at a dragonfly, biting
off its head. The rest of the dragon
fly was covered in tree sap. But,
the lizard did not get away with its meal.
It, too, became trapped in the sticky sap. The sap covered both, which are now
preserved in amber found in the jungles of the Hukawng Valley of Myanmar
(formerly known as Burma). This
fossil was recently described by researchers from Oregon State University,
under the direction of George Poinar and provides scientists with the
opportunity to study animal behaviors and ecosystems dating back many millions
of years. Most remarkable is this
battle that took place 100 million years ago is the same as what happens
now; every day, dragonflies are eaten by small lizards. Unfortunately, the lizard’s head was not
preserved, so it cannot be determined if the lizard still had the
dragonfly’s head in its mouth when it died.
Headless
dragonfly preserved in amber, along with the lizard (left) who ate its
head. (Credit: Photo by George Poinar)
How Snakes Got
Their Fangs
University
of Chicago paleontologist Jon Mitchell has solved this mystery by examining
the teeth of the late Triassic reptile, Uatchitodon, This animal was
closely related to both dinosaurs and crocodiles, and lived 220 million
years ago. Its teeth were tall and serrated. Early Uatchitodon species had grooves in
their teeth, but no sign of canals necessary to carry venom. Later species had venom canals, but there
was no indication about how the grooved teeth of the early species evolved
into teeth with venom canals. By
studying 26 new Uatchitodon teeth, including teeth that fell between the
early and later species, Mitchell found some teeth in the transitional
stages between the two. The grooves
became longer and deeper along the teeth until they eventually became
enclosed canals, forming fangs.
How snakes
evolved fangs has long puzzled paleontologists. University of Chicago paleontologist Jon
Mitchell has solved this mystery
****************
WIPS Founders Symposium
Spend
a weekend, or a day, in the really, really old West.
The West That Was: Exploring Colorado's
Fossil Past
February 12-13,
2011
Green Center,
Colorado School of Mines, Golden
Colorado
thousands and millions of years ago was a very different place from the
Rocky Mountain region we know today. From mammoths that grazed near alpine
swamps, to dinosaurs that roamed Cretaceous beaches, to sea lilies that
swayed in 200-million-year-old seas, our state has a rich fossil history.
Join
the Western Interior Paleontological Society for its seventh Founders
Symposium –The West That Was: Exploring Colorado's Fossil Past – and learn
more about the fascinating paleontology in your own backyard. This two-day
event on February 12 and 13, 2011 is designed for anyone interested in
fossils and earth sciences, from amateur to professional, student to
teacher.
•
Talks on Colorado's colorful geology and fossils, including the recent
“mammoth” discovery of fossils at Snowmass
•
Displays of fossils from Colorado
•
Poster session
•
Natural science art sale featuring the work of over two dozen talented
local artists
•
“Happy Fossil Hour” reception with beer, wine and food
Colorado
State Geologist Vince Mathews, Utah State Paleontologist James Kirkland,
U.S. Forest Service Paleontologist Bruce Schumacher, and Denver Museum of
Nature & Science Paleobotanist Ian Miller are just four of the 15
speakers who will take you on a journey through the geology, paleobotany,
invertebrate and vertebrate paleontology of ancient Colorado.
The
2011 Founders Symposium is presented by the Western Interior Paleontological
Society, with support from the Denver Gem & Mineral Council, the
Friends of Dinosaur Ridge and many other generous sponsors.
For a complete
list of speakers, and late-breaking updates, visit http://www.westernpaleo.org.
****************
Club
Member Betsy Lehndorff has Articles Published in National Magazine
Gabi Accatino
Board
member Betsy Lehndorff has written two articles about Cripple Creek turquoise
in the November issue of Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist magazine.
The
first story is about two families and their claims: David Graham of the Bad
Boys Mine and the Burtis family who own the Florence Mine. Betsy visited
the Bad Boys claim in June and watched Graham unearth a 3-inch slab of
turquoise from a small pit. A few weeks later, she visited Joanne and Wally
Burtis at their home south of Colorado Springs. There she photographed two
six pound nuggets they mined from the Florence claim in the 1986. The gems
are considered the largest documented finds in Colorado.
The
second article in the magazine contains step-by-step instructions for
making a sterling silver and Florence Mine turquoise pendant inspired by
Wally Burtis's dog tags from the Korean War. The magazine also featured a
Colorado-inspired sterling silver scalloped necklace Betsy made. This piece
contains Cripple Creek turquoise, Colorado smoky quartz, and peridot and
blue topaz from overseas sources.
The
magazine is available at Ead’s and at major bookstores. Magazine website: http://www.jewelryartistmagazine.com
Wally
Burtis and a grandson show off two six-pound nuggets he collected from the
Florence claim in 1986.
****************
Ringing Rocks!
Beth Simmons
The
volcanic rock called PHONOLITE is named because when struck it rings like a
telephone! (Not kidding!) There are many “phonolites” in Colorado—at
Cripple Creek and at Cochetopa Dome along Highway 114 west of Saguache to name
two. However, these aren’t the only “ringing rocks” in the country. I bet
even DGMG member Fred Olsen who has been to almost every geological site on
Earth hasn’t heard the ringing rocks! Watch these videos from
www.youtube.com to listen to the rocks ring like a bell choir!
Butte,
Montana, offers a pile of ringing rocks!
Watch: “Ringing
Rocks Montana” and “Ringing
Rocks of Montana”!
While
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, offers a scree pile of ringing diabase! Watch:
“Ringing
Rocks Concert,” “Ringing
Rocks Park,” “Ringing
Rocks Mysterious Pennsylvania”
****************
Denver Gem & Mineral Show Mini Report January
2011
Judy Knoshaug,
Secretary
Planning
for the 2011 Denver Gem & Mineral Show is well underway. Don’t forget the dates – September 16 –
18, 2011. The Show Chair is Larry
Havens of the Littleton Gem & Mineral Club (303-757-6577 or
lghavens@aol.com). The show theme is Minerals of Russia. This theme is generating much excitement
and interest about the show, especially in the publicity and exhibit
areas. Some new avenues for
publicity are being explored, and new ideas for exhibits are being pursued. If you have an interest in the show,
consider joining the Show Committee.
We are always looking for new members who wish to be involved to
help plan and operate the show. Each
club has a Show Committee Representative so talk to them about the show.
There
are several new committee members at this time: Guy
DiTorrice is the new Publicity Chair (541-961-1762), Richard Kerr the
new Fluorescent Room Chair (303-627-9305), Marjorie Payne the new Historian
(303-783-0221), Morgan Gray is
Security (281-883-8412), and Bruce
Brown is the Facebook Chair (303-691-6053). Yes, the show has a presence on
Facebook! You too could join this
group of people who help to make the show so great!
If
you have any ideas for improving the show, feel free to talk to your club
representative or any of the members on the Show Committee.
Respectfully
submitted,
****************
Upcoming Events,
Nearby & Elsewhere
Tues., Jan. 25, 10:30 a.m., USGS Rocky Mountain Area Seminar Series,
Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Walker Lane-Eastern California Shear
Zone: An Incipient Transform Fault along the Pacific-North American Plate
Boundary; by Jim Faulds, Univ. of Nevada, Bureau of Mines and Geology;
Building 25 Lecture Hall, Denver Federal Center.
Tues.,
Jan. 25, 7:00 p.m., Death of a Megapredator--Debunking, downsizing, and
constraining the record of predation in the Paleozoic, with emphasis on
showing that the famous predator Anomalocaris of Burgess Shale fame was not
a ferocious trilobite-eater, by Dr. Whitey Hagadorn, Denver Museum of
Nature & Science; Friends of Dinosaur Ridge “Fireside Chat”, held at
the Lutheran Church of the Master, northeast corner of Bear Creek Parkway,
West Jewell Ave and Alameda Parkway, Lakewood CO.
Feb
10-13, Tucson Gem and Mineral
Show, “Minerals of California”. Tucson Convention Center.
Feb.
12-13, WIPS (Western Interior Paleontological Society) Founders Symposium
2011, "The West That Was, Exploring Colorado's Fossil Past"; at
the Green Center, CSM campus, Golden; Preregister now at http://www.westernpaleo.org.
Feb.
25-27, Denver Gem and Mineral
Guild, Jewelry Gem & Mineral Show; Jefferson County Fairgrounds,
15200 W. 6th Ave. (Frontage Road), Golden, CO; 10-6 Fri., 10-6 Sat., 11-5
Sun.; "Free Parking and Free Admission".
Mar
18-20, Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Show: Treasures of the Earth TotE 2011.
Theme: BLUE MINERALS. Creative Arts
Center, New Mexico State Fairgrounds, San Pedro Dr., NE, Entrance 4. Raffles, Silent Auction, Door
Prizes. Over 40 dealers.
Mar.
25-27, Fort
Collins Rockhounds Club Gem and Mineral Show featuring Pyrite, at The
Ranch in the Thomas M. McKee 4-H building, Larimer County Fairgrounds, 5280
Arena Circle, Loveland [new location for just this year; normally in
downtown Fort Collins].
Sat.
& Sun. March 26 & 27, Hands of Spirit Gallery 14th Annual Spring
Mineral and Jewelry Open House from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. You're sure to find an incredible
selection of the finest crystal and mineral specimens, stone carvings, and
a lovely selection of jewelry. Refreshments will be served. Call 303-541-9727 for directions and
further information or visit http://www.handsofspirit.com.
April
22-24, Colorado Mineral and Fossil Show, Holiday Inn, 4849 Bannock St,
Denver. 65 top quality mineral and fossil dealers; Minerals, Fossils,
Meteorites, Gems, Beads, Decorator Items. Free admission, free parking,
Wholesale, Retail, Open to the Public.
Martin Zinn Expositions, www.mzexpos.com.
****************
Grandma
Charlotte
Poems by Melinda Morrison, Dancing on
Fire
Small and round,
Round like a
river stone
Smooth-cornered
by the force of
Life’s washing
river,
Moving around
her.
A sheltering
stone,
She is, despite
her smallness,
With a world of
tiny lives
Gathered into
welcoming curves,
Drawn into
constancy
Of her unassuming
pose.
A gatherer, this
stone. No rolling,
Tumbling creature
or mash-bash rocker,
She is the stone
from mountain-sides,
The stone of deep
places,
That moves into
shore
So a child,
finding her, will read the
Story in her
shape,
Carry her home,
and become wise.
****************
Calendar of Events
Jan.
13 FMC Club Meeting, 7:00 PM, West
Boulder Senior Ctr, 9th & Arap. Tom Hendricks on the Caribou mines
Jan.
18 FMC Show Volunteers Appreciation Party, Clover Admin Building at the
Boulder County Fairgrounds, 7:00pm
Jan.
20 Junior Geologists Meeting. Location to be announced. Contact Dennis Gertenbach
Jan.
24 FMC Board Meeting Anita Colin's
house, 7:15 p.m.
Feb.
10 FMC Club Meeting, 7:00 PM, West Boulder Senior Ctr, 9th & Arap. Club
member Markus Raschke on his collecting adventures in the Pacific
Northwest.
Feb.
17 Junior Geologists Meeting. Location to be announced. Contact Dennis Gertenbach
Feb.
28 FMC Board Meeting. Location to be
announced. 7:15 p.m.
****************
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Updated 1/13/11
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