B.C. Vol. 13 Winter 2010 RockhounderWinter 2010 | 3 B.C. Rockhounder The Rockhounder is a beautiful,...

Winter 2010 | 1

RockhounderB.C.

Editor:Win [email protected](250) 376-4878#6 - 2401 Ord Rd.Kamloops, BC V2B 7V8

Cover Photo:Brazilian Amethyst Cathedral/Dogtooth Calcite Crystals Photo By Harley Waterson

Vol. 13 Winter 2010

Design & Layout:Mike [email protected] - (250) 682-9134Kamloops, BCV2C 5C2

Printing:Sure Kamloops Print & Copy Centre(250) 554-1322552 Tranquille Rd.Kamloops, BC

Published Quarterly By the British Columbia Lapidary Society

20739 39th Avenue, Langley, BC V3A 2V7 Tel: (604) 532-0582E-mail: [email protected]

ContentsPresident's Message 2Diamond Digging Dog 3Canadian Perspective: Termites 4Shop Hints 4The History of Beads 5Costa Rica 7Jasper or Agate: Distinction 8Silicon, Silica, Silicates and Silicone 9Making a Rock Slab Stand 9Adventures in Brazil 10The Chilcotin War 15Adhesives for Minerals 17Electric Mineral Cleaning 19Opal Essence 21Anthropocene Stratigraphy 22Chapite: Dudy Groves was Right! 23A Story for Junior Members 26Summer Camp 2010 27Rendezvous 2010 29Club News 30Club Shows 35

Submit articles for the next issue by May 30, 2010 to:

Win Robertson6 – 2401 Ord RoadKamloops, BC V2B 7V8E mail: [email protected]

Share your trips and knowledge by sending an article to the Rockhounder

"My thanks to all that have submitted articles and club news for publication. They are greatly appreciated and enjoyed by our readers."

2 | B.C. Rockhounder

President’s Message

Lapis Gems LapidaryPrecious, Semi-Precious Stones & Minerals

Mohammad YarzadehM. Homayon

27 Roy’s Square(Yonge & Bloor)Toronto, ON M4Y 2W4

Tel: (416) 944-3123Fax: (416) 944-3309

Ken DewersonAuthorized Dealer

TesoroMetal Detectors

#338-2330 Butt Rd.Westbank, BC V4T 2I3

[email protected]

I sent a survey to the clubs, to obtain some feedback on how the BCLS Executive is doing with attending to the clubs needs and running the business of the BCLS.

I have heard, in only the most polite and sincere way, the response, “I don't know what the BCLS does.”

So rockhounds, I will tell you.

The BCLS has the following events, for the enjoyment and benefit of the members of the various clubs in B.C.

B.C. Gem ShowThe Gem Show is the largest of it's kind in Canada, and the largest in the Northwestern U.S. as well. We have dealers from all over Canada, demonstrations of rock related activities. The show is held in the first half of April, at the large Ag-Rec Building in Abbotsford. We had 3800 people come to the 2009 show, the best turnout ever. It's a show to be proud of, and the Show Committee, headed by Chair, Cam Bacon, is an efficient and hard working team of people, dedicated to making the show a success. The show gives the members in all the B.C. clubs an opportunity to showcase their work.

RendezvousIn May, during the long Victoria Day weekend, the newly appointed BCLS Rendezvous Committee co-hosts the Rendezvous, along with one or some of the Interior Zone clubs. The committee consists of Win Robertson (who has been instrumental in organizing and arranging all the previous Rendezvous!), Pat Boden, (BCLS liaison), Lorne Morris, Ken Dewerson and myself.

May 2010, it will be held in Lillooet, for the first time in many years. We have a hall in which to meet, and field trips will be going out on Saturday and Sunday. There is a pot luck on Friday evening, a rock auction on Saturday night, and our AGM banquet and meeting on Sunday night. We have a pancake breakfast on Monday morning, before we all go our separate ways. The Rendezvous attendance is usually 140 to 180. The Rendezvous gives all B.C. rock club members an opportunity to get together, visit and share ideas.

There are also two other general meetings, one in September, and one in February. This is an opportunity to hear reports on what the other rock club zones are doing, and to visit, share refreshments and hear a good speaker. These meetings are open to ALL rock club members, and ALL members are welcome. Just to clarify, only your club rep will be voting on the motions.

Summer CampRockhounds gather in an area that is farther off than the Rendezvous, and explore new territory for collecting rocks. We have five days of field trips, and fun events in the evening, such as hobo stew night, dessert night, wiener roast/s'mores night, ugly rock contest, and more. There is good camaraderie around the campfire, and lots of sharing of rock finds and information about rocks and their locations. This all happens at the start of the B.C. day long weekend in August. We have an excellent turnout and a good time, when all rockhounds from clubs all over B.C. can get together. 2010 Summer Camp is going to be in Little Fort. Summer Camp is organized by WinRobertson and her team of helpers.

Winter 2010 | 3

B.C. RockhounderThe Rockhounder is a beautiful, glossy magazine, filled with information about rocks and rockhounding areas, shop tips, BCLS events, and local club news. Editor, Win Robertson, is an insightful and experienced rockhound and an accomplished silversmith.

Field TripsTwice yearly, the wagonmasters from various clubs, meet to organize one or two field trips per month, under the organization of the BCLS Wagonmaster, Bob Morgan. The field trips are posted on the BCLS website, and listed in the individual club newsletters.

Web SiteThe BCLS has an excellent resource in our web site at lapidary.bc.ca. There the information about all the club's shows, the BCLS field trips, the B.C. Gem Show and more are listed, and linked by our web master, Win Robertson.

BCLS TrailersThe BCLS has a long trailer filled with equipment, showcases and other necessities for handling the events of the BCLS. Additionally, we have a storage area of organized shelves and bins filled with rocks and minerals for our rock auctions, managed by Arn Hamelin, Frank Tierney, and Luis Porc. The money from the rock auction is used to support the various BCLS events.

Library and Book SalesThe BCLS has a DVD library with topics of suitable interest for all rockhounds and for loan at local meetings. Sharon Hamelin artfully manages the books and DVDs, loading boxes of books for book sales at the various events. Talk to Sharon. She has books available on every rock craft you can imagine, and she is always shopping for more. We all are continuously educating ourselves.

Within our own clubs, we have expertise, ideas and talent. When clubs get together we form a strong group, sharing a common interest. The BCLS helps to further that education and growth, in the ways I have mentioned above. New ideas are always appreciated.

De Morgan,President, B.C. Lapidary Society, Jan 26, 2010

Diamond–Digging Dog Finds +1 Carat Stone

DEX Online Staff Reporter,Submitted by Dave Barclay

In late May, Gerald Brown visited Diamond Crater Park in Arkansas. What Brown didn't expect was his companion, Trigger, a two-year-old Yorkshire terrier to outshine him.

As Brown sifted dirt in the park's diamond search area, he noticed his dog chewing on something. "I thought she had a wasp or some sort of bug in her mouth," he said on the dog's actions, "and I went over to get a better look at what she had." As Brown approached Trigger, the dog dropped the object and the sun flashed on its shiny exterior.

At first glance, Brown thought it was a piece of glass. "I reached down and tried to get it from her and she started growling at me, so I knocked it away and then picked it up. After I really got a good look at it, I said to myself, 'this has to be a diamond!"

The white stone weighs 1.11 carats and is approximately the size of a pencil eraser. Similar to other rough stones, it has an octahedral crystalline shape.

After showing the find to park officials, the staff presented Brown with a card bearing the finder's name, Trigger. The card certifies the stone as a genuine diamond from Crater of Diamonds Park.

Arkansas has the world's only diamond crater open to the public. The 37 acre plowed field is part of a state park located on the eroded surface of a diamond-bearing deposit. The park has consistently yielded diamonds along with amethyst, garnet, peridot, jasper, agate, calcite, barite and quartz.


C&D GemcraftCustom Made Gemstone Jewelery & Repairs

David BarclayAccredited Gemologist (C.I.G.)

Phone/Fax: (250) 766-4353Email: [email protected]

Box 42015, R.P.O. NorthWinfield, BC V4V 1Z8

CANADIAN

PERSPECTIVEThe Termite's role as exploration drillerBy: Marilyn Scales

Termites, those destructive creatures feared by North American homeowners, play an important role in mineral exploration. By disturbing the local ground and piling the excavated material into mounds, these ambitious insects can create stacks of fine-grained material as tall as nine metres. The mounds provide a ready source of material suitable for geochemical analysis.

Merrex Gold of Halifax has taken advantage of the termites' ready-made sample material to study a 10-km strike length at the Siribaya mega-structure in West Mali, Africa. The company says that geochemical testing of the mound material has identified new anomalous gold zones that were unidentified during earlier surface sampling. The mound samples also confirmed previous surface geochemical survey results and earlier drilling results.

The Siribaya project is highly prospective, according to Merrex. The company struck a deal with

IamGold in October 2008 whereby IamGold can earn a 50% interest in the property by providing $10.5 million over four years of exploration expenses. Merrex will be the operator for two years or until IamGold's investment reaches $5.5 million. A joint management committee has been created.

"Merrex is new to using termite mounds," president and CEO Greg Isenor told CMJ, "but other companies have been testing them for a long time." Some of the mound assays have been "spectacular", but he was reluctant to mention grades until the targets have been drilled and a new resource estimate compiled.

How handy to have a drilling crew of termites. Unlike a mechanical rig, they don't malfunction or need maintenance downtime. Unlike human crews, they don't stop working at mealtimes or for rest. And, if our readers will pardon the pun, they work "dirt" cheap.I'm sure some researcher somewhere is working on nanobots that might do the same thing as a termite colony. But why reinvent the wheel? Explorationists are far smarter to take advantage of the hardworking termite.

From the Calgary Lapidary Journal, Nov. 09

SHOP HINTS

Hint 1Never test to see if a grindstone is turning with your nose - it is only an expression

Hint 2 if your opal turns red you are probably grinding your finger tips

Hint 3It is never a good idea to test the readiness of dop wax with your finger tip. It really sticks on good!

Hint 4Linear speed of a cab that has come off the dop during polishing is always exceeded by the speed of profanity.

Hint 5The ease of losing a stone in the shop is directly related to the value.

Hint 6Waterproof aprons aren't.

Rockhound Shop

777 - Cloverdale Avenue, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8X 2S6

E mail: [email protected]. (250) 475-2080 (Tues - Sat.) Fax (250) 475-2083

Owner: V.I. Rockhound Shop Ltd.(Tom & Gerry Vaulkhard)

Winter 2010 | 5

The History Of

BeadsRay McCallum

The glass seed beads, sometimes referred to as trade beads, played an important, if not somewhat of an ignominious role in the colonization of North America. Columbus' first trade with the people of the Americas was done with the use of red hats and string beads to gain the confidence and admiration of the indigenous people.

In the years following Columbus, the conquistadors set the pattern for trade with the use of trade beads. Along with the pots, pans and muskets, the bead became an indispensable part of the goods to be traded for items of greater value.

The history of beads dates as far back as 40,000 years with the advent of modern people. They have been made by every culture since then.

Every society has had the basic technology to make beads consisting of items from plant seeds to various stones. Plant material required the least technology to produce beads and was a widely available medium. In contrast, the material from gems, semiprecious stone and bone required a labour intensive production process.

In North America, the use of beads and their manufacture was limited to a difficult production in gold, jade, bone, blue-green stone turquoise and hand polished shell beads. Thousands of years prior to European contact, geographical location determined the kinds

of beads produced. Prehistoric Southwestern cultures traded turquoise throughout the western regions and into Mexico. Marine shells from the Florida coasts were traded north and made into beads in Illinois. They were distributed to the agricultural societies of the Mississippi, Ohio and Illinois River valleys about A.D. 1100.

All types of raw materials were used for ornamentation and to decorate clothing in North America. Objects were crafted to serve a host of functions, both secular and sacred. Prior to European contact, the use of porcupine quills by most woodland and plains cultures was common. Dyed in various colours, quills were used on baskets, footwear and clothing. Other means of decoration on clothing came in the way of painting and animal fur arranged to create patterns.

With the advent of European trade, the First Nations market opened with the advantage going to the Europeans. In Canada, French merchants supplied manufactured beads of such varied colours that they became the principle medium circulating to all the First Nations people along the St. Lawrence and Mississippi rivers.

Later, the Hudson Bay Company added beads as part of their standard trading commodity. Over the course of 300 years, the Hudson Bay Company traded with trappers and middlemen, who in turn supplied the northwest frontier with beads.

Through the fur trade, glass beads had a significant effect on First Nation life. The availability of these small beads, along with the introduction of trade cloth and steel needles led to the decline of age-old decorative techniques, including quillwork. Beadwork rose to become the predominant craft.

While some beadworkers followed traditional motifs from quillwork patterns, many others recreated themselves by incorporating their own ideas into European designs. This blend of European designs and materials became particularly successful on the plains in about 1860. Many plains groups created beaded adornment for themselves and their horses. First Nations cultures developed in ways that reflected their natural environment.

The designs created by First Nation's people throughout North America are as varied as their

geographical locations. People of the woodlands used floral patterns in beadwork where the curvilinear motifs had traditional roots in quills.

Just as floral designs expressed the nature of

woodland people, the geometric expressions defined the character of plains people. The beadwork of the plains was decidedly abstract and consisted of triangles, rectangles and diamonds that were often bilaterally symmetrical. There were at least a few basic patterns -the border and hourglass, border and box, feathered circle, checker box steps and bilateral-symmetrical designs.

Elaboration of designs came with the availability of trade beads. Traditionally decorated portions on clothes became larger and short narrow strips became wide bands. The specifics of geometrics are many and the symbolic design

Thousands of years prior to European contact, geographical location determined the kinds of beads produced.


depended largely on the maker, community and region.

Although First Nations people were identified by geographical styles, they were not confined to one stylistic expression. Styles and designs often crossed inter-tribal lines. The woodland people who created floral beadwork also incorporated geometric designs. Likewise, while geometric designs were predominant on the plains, floral beadwork was also seen.

The technique of beadwork is fairly basic and straightforward. It requires neither extensive training nor is it difficult to accomplish. However, it does require patience as beadwork can be very monotonous.

Historically, beadworking was part of a social pastime where friends and family would bead together at the same table and discuss the issues of the day or just socialize.

Today, cosmopolitan issues generally overtake friends and families and the individual must find time for the craft.

There are a few techniques in use in the creation of beadwork. Many more other techniques are being applied to beadwork that were not common historically. For First Nations people, the basic methods of stitchery have supplied at least 500 years of various ways to reinterpret themselves through beadwork. Now, when people think of First Nations, the association with beadwork goes hand in hand.Although all First Nations have a concept of themselves as a people, tribal characteristics took

on new meanings with the arrival of the trade bead. Glass beads replaced the quills and natural beads as the medium of choice owing to their availability, flexibility

and variety of colour. Stylistic influences were reinterpreted from Euro-American expressions and designs.

The elements that make up a cultural society

include continual growth and expansion borrowing a bit here and a bit there. To state that beads and Euro-American influences took away the national identity from First Nations is to deny their intelligent capacity to grow.

The ignominious bead that first insinuated itself through Columbus has become a cultural icon that continues to display the flamboyance of First Nations cultures to this day.

Styles and designs often crossed inter-tribal lines.

Winter 2010 | 7

On the 30th of November I left for Mexico City and the next day on to Costa Rica mainly for a family reunion. Yes a family reunion you see I was born and raised in Costa Rica, and plan to retire there, my goal Is after I turn 65! After all the family parties were all done with, I went to the Orosi Valley.

The valley is where I grow up, and where my first school is. I stayed with my second cousin Janie and her husband Franz, they have a B&B called Ambrosia en la Montana (ambrosia in the mountain). nice place with 2 cabins. Orosi has the oldest church currently in use in Costa Rica, it was built in 1734.

On the 8th of December me and Franz went for a 4 hour hike to see the country side and hunt for Shell Fossils, it was a good day we found several Fossils and also saw some rubber trees or rubber plants which grow wild in Costa Rica. On the on the 9th I went to my good friends Juaquin and Elsa Ortega for two days. The Ortega’s were our family’s gardener and maid back in the days of my childhood.

On the 10th we went to see if we could find the onyx outcrops, we did and I got some samples. On the same day we stopped and had some cerviche and a cerveza or two and then we went to the Tapanti area and stopped river bar to check it out. There was jasper, feldspar, Shell Fossils, pyrite, and others of which I got some samples. Next time I go there I will have my gold pan with me as legend has it there is gold in the valley i.e. Orosi translated means Gold yes!

When I was at Janie and Franz B&B you could also see the Turrialba volcano which was erupting steam. The Turrialba Volcano had its last major eruption in 1866, but in January 2001 it started displaying strong fumaroles at the center craters and this January it started emitting ash.

The Orosi Valley

Costa RicaBy Doug Murray

Shell Fossils

Onyx outcrop

The Turrialba Volcano

Gravel bar, Orosi River


Jasper or AgateA Simple Distinctionby Dave Olsen

Jasper and agate are the rocks we hobbyists deal with the most often in pursuit of our goals as lapidaries and collectors. Do we really understand the differences between the two?

Often confusion arises when attempting to describe a specimen as either jasper or agate. Both jasper and agate are composed of extremely fine interlocking quartz crystals called cryptocrystalline quartz. As such, they are both members of the fine-grained quartz family referred to as “chalcedony”.

Chalcedony occurs throughout the world in beds, bands, nodules, geodes, botryoidal masses, as a replacement of fossils, wood tissues or often other minerals, and as a cementing material. It is deposited from silica-rich waters, often carrying other mineral impurities. It is the presence of these mineral impurities which stain the micro-quartz grains to produce the wide variety of coloured patterns, banding effects and inclusions that differentiate the basic “gem” forms of cryptocrystalline quartz—jasper and agate—from ordinary drab chalcedony. So what is the difference? In general, agate is a transparent to translucent form of chalcedony in which the colouration takes the form of regular bands, rings, clouds, wispy inclusions or distinct groups. Agate containing straight or concentric bands is referred to as a fortification agate. Moss agate contains wispy or lacy inclusions of colouring materials, often the green mineral chlorite which penetrated cracks in the silica gel

matrix prior to hardening. Now they remain as fine picture-like images. Agates are usually named by employing the geological area where it is found with a descriptive adjective, as :Priday Ranch Plume Agate”.

Jasper, on the other hand, can be somewhat translucent but is most often opaque. The colouration of jasper is usually much darker than that of agate and is totally random with respect to distribution and pattern. Finely divided hematite gives the colour to reddish jaspers, and another iron mineralgoethite- is responsible for yellows and browns. Chlorite and nickel minerals contribute to green colouration. As with agate, jasper comes in many colours and displays almost an infinite variety of patterns. Because of these properties, it is an extremely versatile material for cabs, scenic “pictures” to be framed, and other functional and decorative purposes. It is truly the bread and butter “gem” of our hobby.

Crystals Books Cut Stones Minerals

Sterling Silver/Gold Filled Metals Classes in Silversmithing & Wireworks

New & Used Equipment

Mountain Gems Ltd.Lapidary & Jewellery Supplies

4611 Hastings StreetBurnaby, BCV5C 2K6

Phone: 604-298-5883Fax: 604-298-2669Toll Free: 1-888-593-1888

Tues—Sun: 10am—6pm Closed Mondays and Holidays

[email protected]

Winter 2010 | 9

Silicon, Silica, Silicates and

SiliconeDr. Bill Cordua, U. Wisconsin- River Falls

People get confused about the differences between silicon, silicate, silica and even silicone. What is it exactly that we collect, cut and polish?? Silicon is a chemical element, one of the 97 natural building blocks from which our minerals are formed. A chemical element is a substance that can't be subdivided into simple substances without splitting atoms. Silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth's crust, making up about 27% of the average rock. Silicon links up with oxygen (which makes up 55% of the earth's crust) to form the most common suite of minerals, called the silicates. Quartz, feldspars, olivine, micas, thomsonite, jadeite, and prehnite are all silicates. There is so much oxygen around that pure native silicon is almost never found naturally. Silica is a bit trickier concept. It refers the combination of silicon plus oxygen. The mineral quartz is silica. But so are the minerals tridymite, coesite, cristobalite and stishovite which are mineral forms of silica that are stable at high temperatures and pressures. All these minerals are also silicates. In other words, quartz is a silicate made of pure silica. But feldspars contain sodium, aluminum, potassium and calcium in addition to silicon and oxygen. Thus feldspars are silicates but they aren't pure silica. Geochemists also use the term "silica" to refer to the overall silicon and oxygen content of rocks. This is confusing, but stems from the fact that in rock analysis and sample is dissolved, the

solution treated, and the amount of silicon present is determined by precipitating it as silica. So a geologist may say "This rock is 48% silica". A rockhound will look at the rock and say "How can that be? I don't see any quartz in it!" Both are right. The rock will not have the mineral quartz because the silicon and oxygen are tied up with other elements to make silicate minerals like feldspar. Its a bit like looking at a cake and saying "I don't see any eggs in there!" The eggs are cake ingredients but are present now in different forms. Now, what is silicone? Its a synthetic polymer of silicon with carbon and oxygen that could be in solid, liquid or gel form. It has all kinds of medical uses, such as in antacids, artificial joints, pacemakers and implants of various notoriety, but is not, as far as anyone knows, found in rocks. Can pure silicon be found in Nature? Yes, rarely. Recently Russian geologists were sampling gasses from Kudriavy volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Here they drove quartz tubes into vents jetting out gases of over 900 degrees C. Their tubes filled with minerals precipitating from this gas. Among them were pure silicon metal embedded in masses of salts such as halite. The silicon formed crystals up to 0.3 mm across. It was associated with pure aluminum metal, Si-Al alloys and other rare minerals. This find was unusual enough to warrant a note in the prestigious science journal, Nature.

So unless you are in Russia sampling hot volcanic gases, you can be sure that what you are finding are silica and silicates, but not silicon or silicone.

-Reference: Korzhinsky, M.A., et. al., 1995, "Native Al and Si Formation", Nature, vol. 375, p. 544.

Making a Rock Slab Stand

Step 1Cut a wire coat hanger at each end of the bottom as shown in Fig. 1 (below).

Step 2Bend the straight piece of wire at a 90 Degree angle at two points, each bend being made one inch from the wire's midpoint (Fig 2).

Step 3Next, bend both ends evenly at 2 to 3 inches and with pliers curl up each end (Fig 3).


By De Morgan

Dedication:I would like to dedicate this article to the memory of Al Evans, who was among the first to sign up for the trip, but tragically, passed away a month before we were to leave.Our condolences to his wife, Virginia, and his family.

Part 1, FIPP Expo and the Pegmatite MinesTwo years earlier, at the spring BC Society Gem and Mineral Show, Walter Ekins gave a talk and power point presentation about an Adventure tour in Brazil. The focus was on a Brazilian Show called FIPP, and tours of the local pegmatite mines in the surrounding area of Minas Gerais, (pronounced: Meenus Jer-ice). We were hooked! “Sign me up”, I said...”but not this year. I need to save my money and allow the holiday time.” And they needed at least 8 confirmed people to do the trip.

By keeping in touch with Adventures Abroad, and talking with our rockhounding friends, arrangements were made, and, finally, there were 19 of us in all, hurtling through the skies for ten and a half hours, on our way to Brazil, on August 23rd, 2009. We transferred planes at Sao Paulo, and met our local guide, Regina Wallner, at the Belo Horizonte airport. She took us to a luxurious coach, which would be our means of travel for the next week. After meeting our Adventures Abroad Tour Guide, Alistair Smith, we turned in for the night in our hotel in Belo Horizonte.

Next day, we travelled north, by bus to the townof Teofilo Otoni, host of the world famous FIPP Gem Show. We passed rolling hills, with quaint farm houses surrounded by palm trees, iron mines of red, iron-rich soil, and hills of eucalyptus cultivated to make coals to fire the iron smelters.

On the way, we stopped at a small town called Nova Era, with very friendly people who gathered around the bus on our arrival, offering the opportunity to buy emeralds they had mined. We walked the short distance to the mine, and saw the primitive hole, reinforced with logs to prevent a cave-in. For a fee of $10, we could climb into some straps around the leg and be lowered by motorized hoist, about 60 to 70 feet onto the muddy, wet floor of the mine. Ten or so of our group went down the black hole. They couldn't see emeralds in the walls, but there have been some nice ones taken from that mine in the past.

The people walked with us, back to the bus, hoping for one last sale before we had to leave. I took a woman's picture, with her consent, and gave her a piece of nephrite jade from B.C. After an explanation from our guide, she was visibly excited about the gift, and I was glad I had brought some items from home to give away. We had a long way yet to travel, and too soon, we were back on the road again.

In the evening we went for dinner at Governador Valadares. Our tour guide from Adventures Abroad was Alistair Smith, and he was amazingly conversant with the restaurant and refreshment possibilities in every town. The restaurant had food by the kilo, smorgasbord style, and was very good. We could choose whatever we wanted, as Alistair and Regina explained about the local food and delicacies. During the meal, a local man on a bicycle, outfitted with a metal container on the back, provided us with cardboard cones filled with salted peanuts. Alistair told us to pay for them if we want them, but otherwise, leave them alone, and the man will come and collect either the peanut cones or the money. I tried mine, and they were hot, salty and very good.

That evening, we arrived late at Teofilo Otoni. After a comfortable night in the hotel, we wakened in the morning ready to shop for

Adventures in Brazil

Winter 2010 | 11

the crystals and precious gems of Brazil! There were displays of minerals and gems in the lobby of the hotel. We shopped there, and then walked down the street five blocks to another mine owner's gem and mineral collection. There were beautiful gems, many set, and bowls of loose, faceted stones. Bob bought an exquisite spessartine garnet specimen, a beryl (aquamarine), and I bought a blue topaz crystal. Others shopped for rings or faceted stones of citrine, imperial topaz and amethyst to set into jewelry at home.

At ten o'clock, the FIPP Expo was to open, so we walked back to the Expo gates. Regina arranged for them to give us tags, and in we went. There were booths, filled with piles of pink tourmalines in matrix, rubellite, watermelon tourmaline, blue tourmaline, agates, quartz crystals, heaps of yellow lepidolite, amethyst stalactites, and lots of rutile. Too many to list. I bought a very beautiful rutile hematite on clear quartz, some stalactites, and some finished stones there. It was an exciting and very different show to visit. We all spent the full day there and enjoyed it.

In the evening we went to a talk about the miner's association, and the very poor conditions in which they work. The miners are trying to organize themselves to increase safety and working conditions in the mines.

After the talk, we walked to a restaurant with Alistair and Regina. The food was great! Furthermore, I have to personally thank Alistair for introducing me to the liquor called cachaca, a kind of local rum made from sugar

cane. The Brazilians use it in a drink called a caipirinha, made by crushing limes with sugar in a glass, adding crushed ice to fill the glass, then pouring in the cachaca. I'm not much of a drinker, but this is a very smooth and tasty drink, which was enjoyed by all... with no after effects the next morning... if you just have one!

We headed south the next morning, stopping at an aquamarine mine, in a town of very friendly people. Here the people had made cloth bags for us, and some of them were decorated beautifully. The most colourful bag went to Kelley Meares, and the people circled their smiling faces, pointed to Kelley and said “Bonito"... ie, Kelley is beautiful...and she is!

We divided into the, “Hard group” and the, “Easy group”, and set out in cars and vans, to go to the mines. Along the way, we again

noticed the stark red colour of the iron rich soil. There were cotton balls growing, magnificent scenery with a church in the background, and a boy with a cow-cart, who was only too pleased to have his picture taken!

We drove up the hill to an adit and climbed the last part of the way up. A local farmer showed us the taro root, and even peeled it and took a bite to show us how tasty it was! Regina, our guide, picked up a piece of the

hardened, reddish clump that came from the termite mound that had been taken over by ants. The nest was about 3 feet in diameter, and 2 feet high.We climbed up the winding path to the mine, and surveyed the area on top. I found some alligator quartz pieces in their granite tailings, and saved them for souvenirs. (a tip of 20 reals made the miners very happy!)

The men showed us how the acetylene lanterns worked, and we took turns in groups of five, going into the dark, narrow, unreinforced adit of compacted, completely weathered granite, about 40 feet in length. It opened to a widened area where they had been digging, and we could see the quartz vein in the wall of the mine. The pegmatite dikes have been decomposed by chemical weathering, and, thus, the minerals are easy to dig out. Being a little claustrophobic, and more than a little concerned about cave-in possibilities, I soon left and continued to look for more alligator quartz specimens in the crushed granite around the mouth of the adit.

We drove back to the larger town of Paraiso, and stopped for lunch which consisted of a feast of local dishes. I went for a walk while the others were


eating, and saw an open market, a recycling depot, and a garage, along the palm tree lined street. It was a beautiful little town, and there was a lot of pride taken in keeping it neat, painted and orderly.

After spending the night at Governador Valadares, we went in search of three more mines known to Regina.

The first had the most amazing boulders of yellow, lithium-rich mica (lepidolite), strewn around the top of the mine site. There were as many as a person could pick up, but there was no way to get them home on an airplane! They were magnificent, and I will never forget seeing them there for the taking! The mine had a winding road, twisting down into it. Along the way, white massive quartz was strewn liberally about. Against the white of the quartz were beautiful dendrites. Again, the most beautiful, large one was left behind, and only taken away in the form of a picture. At the bottom end of the road, was a dug out area with overhang, like a cave. Wolfgang Behrenbruch took a pick, and was hammering at a seam of either aquamarine or slightly blue amblygonite. He shared it around, and I have a small sample to remind me of that place. This is the location of the 44 pound smoky quartz crystal, found by Wolfgang. Bob Morgan,

my husband, was told by Alistair, that he could have it if he promised to take it home to Canada. I can't describe the faces of the officials, as the bag went through the x-ray machine at the airport, but there was a lot of excited Portugese shouted about, and many, many more officials brought to see this “Gift” from the people of Brazil. ....and wonder what to do about it!

Soon we were off to the next mine. It was an abandoned mine, with lots of tailings. Among

the tailings were shiny, clear pieces of amblygonite. I quickly collected a sandwich bag of them, before the horns were honking, telling me it was time to go. The next morning we were on our way to Ouro Preto, and nearby, we made a stop in the open pit mine containing Imperial Topaz. The locals were ready to show us pieces they had mined, that we could purchase. We werealso allowed to pick through the soil to see what we could find. The sticky, silty soilstayed on our hands, making us very dirty. I donʼt think anyone found much there, butwe bought many attractive pieces of imperial topaz from the Brazilians.

Part 2: Ouro Preto, A View of Brazillian Portugese HistoryOuro Preto is a historical place where the Brazilians go when they want to holiday. Our bus was too big to navigate the narrow, winding cobblestone streets of Ouro Preto, a colonial town filled with baroque belltowers and old world charm. Our driver left us at the top of the hill, and we enjoyed seeing

the night sights as we made our way down to our hotel, just off the main square. The town was aptly named, Ouro Preto, which is Portugese for black gold, because of the grains of gold, coated with blackened palladium, that began the gold rush in the 1700's. After dinner, and a restful sleep, we began our next day with a tour of the Church of Sao Francisco di Assis, purported to be the most exquisite of all the architectural work in Minas Gerais. It had a beautiful painting called “Our Lady taken to heaven by a choir of Angels,” on the ceiling, by Master Athaide.

Following our tour of the church, we went to the outdoor market, which was filled with all sorts of colourful craft work done by the local people. Touring the streets, our guide, Regina,

pointed out the distinctive, Brazil wood carvings. She told us the history of “Tiradentes”, who went to the King of Spain to ask for freedom for Ouro Preto, and the king sent back only his head, to be displayed in the town square, thus discouraging any others with similar ideas. The mineral museum was also in the main square, and is several floors of amazing minerals from

Winter 2010 | 13

the area. We saw world-class specimens of Brazilian gems: beryl, emerald, tourmaline...an entire room full, and more, much more! Following our tour of the mineral museum, we went to visit some of the many shops with minerals and jewelry. I found an emerald specimen with one very translucent green emerald, and several opaque specimens on matrix. There were many shops and street vendors with samples of the Imperial Topaz for sale. They are a dazzling golden amber colour, with the crystal form, and some were terminated. Here, Terrry Bacon is bargaining for a beautiful bracelet with all the gemstones of Brazil set into it.

Part Three: RioOur next stop, by plane, was Rio de Janeiro, famous for Sugarloaf Mountain, and Christ the Redeemer, a statue, situated on the top of Corcovado Mountain, and nearby, Petropolis, the summer home of King Pedro III. We saw all of these tourist experiences, but the highlight for me, was the tour of the mineral collection of Mr. Jules Roger Sauer.

The first evening, we were invited to see the famous gem and mineral collection of Amsterdam

Sauer, located just down the street from our hotel. There we saw the most magnificent specimens I have ever seen. My three favourites: a giant 90 pound clear topaz crystal with perfectly formed prism sides and terminations, a boulder loaded with pink and green terminated watermelon tourmalines plastered all over it, and an emerald cluster the size of my fist, translucent, and green, green, green!

To set up the museum, they had made areas like a mine, and placed huge crystals in life-size gem pockets as found in nature. No rockhammers allowed!

Part Four: SoledadeAfter a short flight, lengthy coach ride, and a stop at a winery, we finally reached the city of Soledade. (pronounced so-la-dach) There, while staying at a pleasant hotel, we toured many large warehouses filled with amethyst cathedrals from an area about 360 kilometers away. We would have liked to see the mining areas themselves, but the roads were muddy, nearly impassable after recent rain, and we were not able to go.

The warehouses had amethyst cathedrals, citrine, rose quartz, agate and more. I selected a small, terminated crystal of Brazilianite there, and an amethyst flower with parts of

bright purple, and a rubellite in matrix, among many other numerous treasures.

After so many shopping trips to warehouses, we were ready for a change, and it was time for the group to split apart, some to go home, and the remaining 11 to soldier on to Iguacu Falls, located at the meeting of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.

Part Five: Iguacu FallsWe spent three nights as Iguacu Falls, a spectacular series or falls about five times the length of Niagara. The spray is white water, but it is easy to see the brown from the high iron content in the soil there. One thing of note: on both the Brazilian and Argentinean sides of the falls, you can walk along a path and see excellent, clear views of the falls. There are four foot high fences, lit with butterflies, along the path, and signs saying “Life is precious”, to discourage those who think about jumping!

The footpath is built up on cement pillars, so that you walk right over the top of the falls, and see the birds flit in and out as they nest under the thundering falls. Near the end of the path on the Argentinean side, there is a


Texada Island hosts a unique geology amongst the Gulf Islands of BC, namely poly-metallic skarns special to island-arc terranes. With it’s 100+ years of colourful mining history to present-day operations, Texada is world famous in the mining community but remains an enigma to most. The 193 page book includes maps, unique mineral transition charts, 100 colour photos of mineral specimens, descriptions, fossils and historical overview with sites of interest. An additional metaphysical section provides a ground-breaking analysis of the properties of skarn mineral combinations. Limited supply. $36 (tax included) + shipping Call Amanda: 604-486-7552

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walkway about 200 feet out over the falls. The spray is so heavy, and the wind from the falls is so strong, that we were soaked after the first few feet. Wet and happy to have seen this wonderful sight, we gathered back at the bus.

The next day, we were on our way home, enduring an exhausting twenty-four hours of planes and

airports before reaching our own comfortable beds.

We had a wonderful trip! Seeing Brazil with nineteen rockhound friends was an amazing experience that I would highly recommend to any of you with a love of rocks, a yen to travel, and cheerful rockhound friends to go with you.

Record SettersRubyIn 2006, a 8.62 carat ruby sold for US$3,600,000 ($425,000/carat). This set the record for the highest per carat price for ruby. The previous record, set in 2005, was US$2,200,000, or US$274,656 per carat, for a 8.01 carat ruby.

EmeraldIn 2000, a 10.11 carat Colombian emerald set in a ring was sold at auction for US$1,149,850 ($113,734/carat). This set the record for the highest per carat price paid for an emerald.

SapphireThe Rockefeller Sapphire, weighing 62.02 carats, sold at auction in 2001 for US$3,031,000 ($48,871/carat). This set world records for total price and per carat price for a single blue sapphire.

For comparison, the record setting auction price for diamond was set in 1988. A 52.59 carat D-colour Internally Flawless diamond sold for US$7,479,981 ($142,232/carat).

It is interesting to note that the record setting ruby and sapphire both came from the Mogok mining district in Myanmar (Burma).

Gold One troy ounce of gold can be drawn out to a wire thread more than 50 miles long!On the entire earth’s crust, only 3.5 parts per billion are pure gold!

CENTURYSTONES

Gary RichardsEmail: [email protected]

604 944 6131By Appointment

Winter 2010 | 15

THE CHILCOTIN

WAR

Alfred Waddington had a dream of railroads for and to, British Columbia but that would be out of question at this early date. The Colony was only six years old and so a toll wagon road would fit the bill. Anyone looking at a map of the colony could see the shortest way to the Gold Fields of Williams Creek was straight across from Bute Inlet!

Waddington is not just a name of British Columbia's tallest mountain. No Alfred Waddington was an entrepreneur and a man with vision. Victoria was jealous of the goodly amount of goods, trade and activity heading to the Cariboo Diggings through New Westminster. You just had to look at a map and see the shortest root to the Gold fields was straight in from the coast. Alfred told, Victoria’s movers and shakers how they could capture the bulk of the Gold Rush trade. They would use a toll road, this new road would start at a new town he had already named "New Aberdeen". The road would go up the Homathko River Valley and up onto the Chilcotin Plato. It all looked so very good on paper that Alfred had no trouble getting the land and other concessions from the Government. He was presented with a charter and the wrights to charge a toll, and he and his company would be able to do this for years.

In the summer of 1863 the road crew, supplies and foreman, were landed up the Bentinck arm, past the old first Nations Village and settlement of Bella Coolla. The road was beset with difficulties right off the bat. The river Valley was swampy at it's mouth and required log corduroying that is logs cut and laid sideways. Very labor intensive and pricey.

Then when they finally got out of that they hit perpendicular cliffs, that required drill holes and blasting powder. The cost and estimates were now through the roof. But the profits to investors would be great. Alfred Waddington went back to Victoria to hit the Government up for more money but this was to no avail. So more stocks were issued

and more investors came on board, but with better terms then the original Investors. Not only the money in the first summer ran out but shipping delays and tough going labor unrest. The native packers were wanting more, and to top it off the Coastal Natives did not get along with the Inland Chilcotin's.

The next summer, supplies and construction moved much faster. Up the newly completed section came the packs with the food, tools and everything needed to proceed. The Chilcotin packers not being able to feed their families by hunting and fishing took to stealing food from the road crew stores. When a Foreman caught

them, his slip of the tongue sealed his fate, and that of his road crew. The Foreman told this sub Chief, "you remember two years ago how the Natives suffered with the Pox? Well you steal and I will put the pox back on you". This the naive foreman thought would fix the theft's. But back at the Village Klatassine talked up his people to war. They would fix it so the pox would never return to them.

The native population out numbered the Colonial settlers and miners by over 30 to one. In the back of settler's minds was, what if?

In 1864 "what if" really happened!


It was still dark when the camp cook was up at the fire preparing breakfast for the road crew still stirring in their tents. Suddenly a sharp retort came from the trees and the cook fell dead. The Chilcotin war had started. The party came on and cutting the tent ropes with the effect of locking the men inside. Death came to all but one. The war party advanced up the road to get and kill the advance road party. Even the ferry man at the river crossing was killed. Before word could get out about the Native war, Settlers and supply horse, pack trains were also hit. Clifford Alfred Higgins a young man working his passage to the Cariboo Diggings with a pack train was not aware of the war. He was shot and killed. Two Survivors from the main road camp attacked brought out word of the massacre. They had survived only because they were thought dead at first. These two men not aware of each other, had made it to the river, one of them being wounded by a musket ball, to the wrist.

Governor Frederik Seymour worried that it may be a major up rising or at least may start a wholesale uprising. It was imperative to put this war down. The call went out for volunteers. That was answered from Williams Creek, and Lower BC and Victoria. Some left on a war ship up to the Bentinck Arm others overland

from the Cariboo. Hoping to catch the warring Natives in-between. But it was not to be. Two leaders of the rough and tumble Cariboo's volunteers were Charles Brew and Donald McLean. Brew was head of the BC Constabulary, and McLean a former Factor for the HBC at Fort Kamloops. McLean was thought of as invincible over twice being shot in the chest, only to come out without a scratch. It was discovered after that poor McLean was shot in the back the reason for his fame, quite simply was a piece of sheet metal he wore under his jacket. The death of this fiery little Scotsman would live on in his son's and cause grief to another generation, but that’s a whole other story. Read "The wild McLean's"

The uprising ended after some more ambushes and near misses. In the end the Natives came to the Brew camp to negotiate and surrender, but the Policeman put them under arrest. To him it was a clear case of murder but to the Natives it was war.

The trial was for three of the four the Colony had determined as the ring leaders. In the end after a trial under Mathew Begbie, a guilty verdict was handed down. Three of the four were hung and the 4th was sentenced to life, but escaped on the way down from Quesnel Mouth (Quesnel) and was never seen again.

The war/uprising/Murder, had cost the cash strapped Colony much. They could ill afford it. The Governor invited the Chief's of the Inland Tribes to come down to New Westminster. A large feast ensued and medals were given out for their loyalty to the Crown. This is just a thumbnail of the story in a great book "THE CHILCOTIN WAR" by Mel Rotenberger (Great Grandson of Donald Mclean)

1993 Judge Anthony Sarich, wrote a report commissioned by the government of British Columbia, for an inquiry into the relationship between the Aboriginal community in BC and the justice system. The resulting

recommendations in the report, was the Attorney General apologized for the hanging of the Chilcotin Chiefs. The British Columbia Government provided funding for the archaeological excavation of their graves to ensure a proper First Nations Burial.

Professional training courses leading to “Accredited Gemmologist (C.I.G.)”

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•Diamond Expert (C.I.G.) Certificate•Fine Jewellery Appraiser Program•Gem Study Tours

For more details visit our website at www.cigem.ca or write to C.I.G. PO Box 57010, Vancouver BC, V5K 5G6604-530-8569 toll free: 1-800-294-2211

Suddenly a sharp retort came from the trees and the cook fell dead. The Chilcotin war had started.

Winter 2010 | 17

Adhesives for Minerals

Adhesives for use with mineral specimens, either to repair, stabilize or to mount your specimens is a very touchy subject. Many curators of collections and experts in the field abhor the use of any material foreign to the natural state of a mineral specimen. Yet very few mineral specimens are of museum grade or of such value that using an adhesive would hurt them. But the primary mantra or rule for using an adhesive on any mineral specimens is : "Make sure it is reversible!"

And I'm not kidding about this - make sure the adhesive is reversible. There is nothing more frustrating than to watch a repair go bad, discover you used the wrong adhesive or applied so much it is destroying the look of the piece. There is also the case of reversing a repair for other reasons, especially if the piece needs to be tested. Whatever you decide to use, make sure there is always a method of reversing a repair and that the reversal method is also safe for the specimen.

Two Basic Types of AdhesiveThe most common types of adhesive use a solvent to suspend the adhesive, evaporating to "harden it." These solvent glues are actually my preferred method to do repairs. A solvent in the glue can be anything that can evaporate, including water, alcohol, acetone, toluene, etc. The one everyone is familiar with, white glue, uses water to keep the glue suspended.

The other type of adhesive uses a chemical reaction or temperature (energy) curing to harden the glue.

These are the epoxy, superglue and thermoplastic types. Many variations exist of this type of adhesive and most are a specialty application. Exact formulation and amounts are mandatory to obtain good results. Most everyone is familiar with the two part expoxy type and the superglues. Still, most of the commercially available brands are of very poor quality and should be avoided at all costs. Most cause problems which are difficult to reverse.

Mineral TackAnother adhesive in common use with mineral collectors is the putty like material, actually a plastic based putty) to mount a specimen in boxes or upon a stand. Two types are commonly in use, the tack in blue and another in white. The blue type can still be found at hardware and office supply stores. Often under a different brand name, this photo is of just one brand still available. It is no longer sold through most mineral shop sources and has gone into disfavor among collectors. The white colored material is called "Mineral Tack" and has excellent qualities. Upper most of these are that it will not stain a specimen, will not harden, remains "tacky" and holds specimens securely in most cases.

To Remove Mineral TackA tip to remove mineral tack that is stuck to a specimen is to wad up a ball of the same material and dab it onto the material stuck to you mineral. Keep dabbing at the mineral and the wad will pick up the mineral tack even in the crevices. Although this article will not detail the mineral tacks, make sure you use one of these two brands mentioned above and not other types of putty or caulking material. Most use an oil to keep

them pliable and this will damage your specimens and this damage usually cannot be removed.

Vinyl Acetate or White Glue AdhesiveWhite glue wouldn't appear to be a great adhesive for minerals, but for a temporary bond it is perfect. Elmers it the most common brand and offers a consistent formula from bottle to bottle. It can be used full strength or diluted for many different application. And best of all, it can be reversed with water. Since it is a water based adhesive, it cannot be used to fill major cracks or very tight fitting joints easily. Other glues are best for that. It does shrink in volume when dry. The best use for Elmers I have discovered is for stabilizing a mineral specimen out in the field. Often I will encounter a mineral specimen in distress out in the field, where it is either coming apart, cracked or still in the solid ledge. I have found that if you dilute Elmers with water, 50-50%, and poor some of this into cracks, let it dry thoroughly, many specimens survives the extraction or trip home.

ExamplesI developed this method when I found a specimen exposed in the solid ledge and in order to get it out, I had to remove the surrounding matrix. To insure the specimen (which showed signs of cracks) remained intact, I dribbled this diluted Elmers on these cracks and let it soak in. Before the surface dried, I wiped off the excess with a wet rag. Once dry, I repeated this process to ensure that enough actual glue was within these fissures. When finally dried, I proceeded


to remove the enclosing matrix and the specimen from the ledge with hand tools. The process was time consuming, but much more successful than any other method. Little fragments which normally would have fallen off and be lost, remained in place. In another example, a shattered smoky quartz crystal was found in place within a pocket and it actually looked like it was intact. But when touched I could see it was badly broken. By pouring the diluted Elmers over the specimen and then letting it dry, I could easily "pick-up" the entire specimen and transport it home for a better repair.

For porous materials like clay specimens, use the same dilution or thinner if you wish and add a touch of soap. Totally immerse the specimen and let it absorb as much as it can - about 30-60 minutes. Remove, let drip dry for a minute or two, rinse off the surface quickly and pat dry. Leave the specimen on an absorbent surface for a few minutes more and wipe again (dab) with a damp cloth. Let it dry for a day or two before moving. This will bond the mass and no glue will be seen.Using white glue does take time, often a day to make sure the glue is dry before any further extraction or manipulation takes place. But so far it is worth the wait.

To reverse Elmers, soak the specimen in water with a small amount of soap added. If the specimen can withstand heat, use warm water. With the smoky quartz crystal mentioned above, I taped the entire piece with water proof tape, soaked it in changes of water to remove the white glue, let it totally air dry and then used a better adhesive injected into the cracks to permanently keep the specimen intact.

Plumber's GoopThis is my favorite, permanent glue. When a mineral specimen is to be repaired or mounted permanently, this is the perfect adhesive. It can be diluted/thinned, it is colorless, it does not decompose or turn color with age, the smallest amount will hold a great deal of weight, it is "slightly flexible" when dry, it is reversible in most cases, withstands occasional heat of up to 150° F, is waterproof, resistant to dilute acids and it can be rejuvenated when it thickens in its container. The only negative is its Set Up Time: 30-60 minutes. It’s Complete Cure Time: 24-72 hours, dependent upon humidity and temperature. It far out-shadows epoxy and Super-Glue adhesives.

All Goop is not the same. The manufacturer makes several types of Goop Adhesive, but you will want to get the Plumbers Goop. Plumbers Goop is a solvent based adhesive and it uses toluene as the solvent. When buying this Goop, make sure you can read on the package that it contains toluene. This is important later on.

Once you open a tube of Plumbers Goop, it doesn't take long for the tube to start hardening up and you would think it was useless. It is not! Find a suitable small jar with a cap that is air tight and will not be affected by the solvent. Squeeze all of the glue into the jar and cap it. Then purchase a quantity of toluene, a pint will last a long time. When the Goop gets to thick to use, add small amounts of the toluene to the

jar and let it set for a day or two. The Goop will return to its normal consistency and you’re ready to go again. I generally put a fresh tube of the glue into a jar and rejuvenate it when needed - and you can do this as many times as you want. As long as the cap is air tight, it should never dry up. This way you end up using the entire tube of Goop and none is wasted.

My favorite applicators for Goop are round dowel-like hardwood sticks, around +1/8 inch in diameter and 4 inches long. I make these from dowels. To make a point on it, I just sharpen them in a pencil sharpener. When the point gets clogged with glue or broken, you just resharpen it. For micro work, a needle, common pin or metal probe works perfectly and precisely.

Straight from the bottle for repairs!The simplest repair is to glue together a broken crystal. Use the Goop that is slightly thinner then straight out of the tube. You will want to take the smallest amount possible and place on one end of the crystal, but in the middle. It should be an amount which will not squeeze out of the crack when the two pieces are pressed together. You do not need a lot of this glue and experience will dictate the amount you use. If it does show up at the crack and squeeze out, this can be removed, but wait for it to set up first - get slightly hard. If you try to remove it when "fluid", it will make a mess on the specimen. I usually wait until the specimen is stable and will not come apart - about 20-30 minutes. At this point, use a pair of tweezers or a pointed wooden stick and gently remove the glue that came out of the crack. The excess should be hard enough that you can grab it with tweezers and pull it off the

Winter 2010 | 19

specimen cleanly. I often grab it with tweezers and then slowly rotate the tweezers and the unwanted Goop will wrap itself around the end of the tweezers. When done correctly, you will see no adhesive at all on the outside of the specimen.

This glue tends to shrink wet it dries, so don't use it as a filler. But since it is slightly flexible - think of it as a harder rubber- like cement, it will withstand a lot of weight to the bond. This is a very strong adhesive! Dilute it more and make several consistencies for different jobs!

What is especially useful is that you can create another jar of Goop and dilute it even further than the original consistency. You can make it almost as thin as water. Now with the use of a syringe or even the sharpened piece of wood (like a pencil), you can precisely place this adhesive in the cracks of a mineral/

crystal and it will be absorbed by osmosis into the crack. The more that is absorbed, the stronger the repair and you can repeat this process as needed. The same rules apply to the material left on the surface - wait until it stiffens up before you attempt to remove it. This keeps the surface clean.

If micromounting, this diluted Goop can be placed in the smallest amount on your post or specimen and you only need a micro amount to hold the specimen in place. Keeping the specimen in place while the glue sets up is the hardest part of the process, but the bond is permanent and invisible when done right.

Reversing GoopI have had great success reversing Goop by using either acetone or solvent alcohol. It does take time, but the Goop will lose its adhesive quality, granulate and can be

removed with pickups or other mechanical means. It can easily be "scraped off." On the other hand, I only use it on specimens I am confident I want to remain intact. Still it is good to know it will come apart cleanly. I once assembled a 19 cm long tourmaline crystal in multiple pieces just to photograph it. Afterwards, I soaked the specimen in solvent alcohol for two days and the pieces separated and with tweezers I could remove the granulated adhesive. The specimen was as good as new after I removed the Goop.

There are many methods and uses for this adhesive, but experience with it is the best teacher. Each specimen usually deserves different treatment and the same holds true for any adhesive. But without Plumbers Goop, I don't know what else is easily available for repairs.

Electric Mineral

Cleaningby Ray Sprague

The mantra of cleaning any mineral specimen and preparing it for collection or display is:

Do the minimal, necessary amount of cleaning, trimming and repairing.

Do no harm in this process.

Only do what can be reversed.

Of course reversing the cleaning process is not possible, but cleaning with the minimal amount of chemicals is always advisable. Beyond air, the least invasive chemical to use in the cleaning process is usually water. When

needed, water is often used with a soap (called a surfactant) to act as a lubricant to loosen and suspend dirt, muds and clays. My preference is Dawn Dish Detergent. The third ingredient often used in this sequence is a means of scrubbing the mineral with a brush, along with the water and/or soap.

Always on the lookout for a "softer, gentler and quicker" way of cleaning minerals, I stumbled onto two unique products which fit the bill. The first is a soap which contains a mild abrasive and the second is the new battery powered electric toothbrushes. Alone or in combination, you can tailor these tools to your particular mineral specimen's needs. And the costs for these items is extremely cheap for the benefits.

Soft Scrub Cleanserwas directed to Soft Scrub by

a fellow collector, Gene Bearss. Having cleaned a number of purple fluor-apatite specimens by other methods (chemical), I was happy with the results. But Gene suggested using Soft Scrub, with a tooth brush to "brighten" the crystals. The results were fantastic. I even tested it upon specimens fresh from the mine and the results were just as good. Often I didn't have to use the other chemical cleaning methods to prepare the specimens.

Researching why this was working, I found that Soft Scrub has an abrasive compound suspended in a mild soap. The abrasive used is Calcium Carbonate, which has a Hardness of 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs scale. Since the fluor-apatite crystals have a Harness of 5 to 5.5, the Calcium Carbonate cannot scratch them. On the other hand, the clays, muds, oxides and stains on these specimens all have a


Hardness of 3 or much less. These are gently removed by using this cleaner. And in the process, the crystals are gently polished, removing all traces light staining, residues left behind by other chemical cleaning methods and even the water itself (water spots).

As a bonus, the soap used in this product is a very mild surfactant, which rinses away completely and easily. The most difficult part in the rinsing process is to make sure that the abrasive compound is also rinse completely away. As a final step, I always ultrasound the specimens one final time to make sure everything is removed.

Battery Electric Toothbrush You can use a "manual" brush or toothbrush with soap and Soft Scrub in the specimen cleaning process, but I have recently found that the battery powered electric toothbrush is a fabulous new tool. It is not only useful at home, but now I can take one out into the field with me. Usually running on two AA batteries, they are cheap to purchase and operate. You can find these now for as little as $6.00 and a 4-pack of batteries will run you $4.00. There are different styles and types of these cheap electric brushes and even rechargeable ones if you have more money to spend.

What is so fabulous about these tooth brushes is that they are tailored made for using with Soft Scrub. The back and forth scrubbing action of the bristles gently scrubs a mineral specimen without much danger of damaging it. Quite often using a manual method of scrubbing, you can easily brush too hard and break a delicate piece. The cleaning action is also faster than the manual method. It is important to say that you should let the electric toothbrush bristles do the work. Don't press down hard at all when cleaning a surface. Let the tips of the bristles do the work. When you are after a crevice, then press down, but only to the point where the tips of the bristles reach the level you want to clean. When used with Soft Scrub, make sure you completely rinse the brush on the outside and internally. The abrasive will collect inside the replaceable brush. You can of course use other soaps with these toothbrushes, again I prefer to use Dawn Dish Detergent, but you can also use them with just plain water. Replacement brushes for most of them are available, but they are much more expensive. Found at any supermarket, department store or pharmacy, they come in many fun shapes! There is nothing like brushing your mineral specimens in the field with a Cell Phone Tooth Brush! And, by getting replacement brushes, you can still use the unit to brush your teeth.

The only negative I have found so far is that the brush head is difficult to get into some places on a specimen. There are some "angled" brushes out there, but they only offer limited help. Some of the high end rechargeable brushes do offer a variety of cleaning tips and brushes. When I am rich, I will try them.

Some Do's and Don'tsOnly use the original Soft Scrub, or •the Orange or Lemon. Do not use the other varieties with bleach and other chemicals.

Use it straight out of the bottle, with a •wet toothbrush and specimen. A little goes a long way.

Make sure your mineral specimens and •the matrix are harder then 3 on the Mohs Hardness scale and what you want to remove is 3 or less on the scale.

Don't try this with cleansers like Comet •or Ajax, the abrasive is about 5-6 on the Mohs Harness scale. Besides, these cleansers contain harsh soaps and chemicals like bleach.

Want an alternative? Use any regular •toothpaste, not the gels. It has a very mild abrasive, in an even milder soap.

Winter 2010 | 21

OPAL

ESSENCEBy Randy Lord

The definition of opalescence is the quality of being opal like either by showing a play of colour or being milkily iridescent. This optical effect found in precious opal is due to the diffraction of visible light by an ordered array of uniform layered silica spheres. This is not mysterious or so I thought until recently.

Every opal lover has bought small jars or bottles filled with flashy opal chips in water. Generally, they sit on a shelf for a long time and are admired. I had one such mini vodka bottle filled with what I believe was white base Coober Pedy chips that sat for about 40 years. The cap was airtight so it appeared to be in equilibrium. To my amazement, when I emptied the opal chips the inside of the glass bottle exhibited a white opalescent coating. Distinct colours of red, green, blue and purple can be seen flashing in a microscopically thin layer. I did not consider this remarkable, as silica is obviously soluble in water under standard surface temperature and pressure conditions. The many ways that opal fills or replaces subsurface openings make that obvious. The mechanism of silica emplacement is well understood, hence man made opal.

I believed most opal folk had this awareness until a trip through Australian gem fields in early 2009. Their extensive opal deposits are thought to be the product of deep chemical weathering with dominantly kaolinized and silicified components. When noodling on some open cuts and dumps at a friends claim north of Coober Pedy, my pal and I found exposed

man made debris from the earlier underground tunneling days. Being miners, this naturally included plenty of empty bottles. All except one were fragments and many showed a distinct opalescent coating. Shops in town even had on display a few of these flashy, iridescent bottles.

When I mentioned this phenomenon at the Australian Opal Center in Lightning Ridge, staff were interested and surprised. This must-see museum has many amazing one-of-a-kind opal and fossil specimens and will one day rival Alberta’s Royal Tyrell. They have the best of the best and are presently downtown LR. Showing our sole intact bottle prompted photos and even a call to an “authority”. Unfortunately I was unable to leave a sample having tossed the sharp fragments (luckily I was able to donate my last cab of Whitesail matrix opal mined in BC instead). Although not common in LR, I assured the folk that there were many pieces of opalescent glass to be found from Andamooka to Mintabe.

As usual, just when you believe you have a simple answer to a mystery the story changes. An internet search yielded a report (www.dmg-home.de/DMG-CD/filedir/12_abstract.pdf ) that scientists had examined samples of South Australia opal fields opalescent glass using an electron microprobe and radiogenic isotope methods to determine if opal precipitation had occurred. Their results showed no opal layer at all. Rather, the colour effect resulted from thin film interference in surface alteration layers characterized by surface parallel cracks. Sub-micrometer plates with perfectly even surfaces peel off the glass surface with the distances between the parallel plate-to plate interfaces in the range of the wavelength

of visible light. The chemical process is described as similar to lateritization ( the dissolution of easily soluble elements with a rise in the concentration of less soluble notably iron and aluminum) There is some enrichment of the surface layers with the largest increase being aluminum oxide (Al203) from 1.2 to 4.5wt%. These surface layers also contained about1wt% chlorine (Cl) versus .05wt% in unaltered glass. So the beautiful iridescence on this locality glass is a product of weathering.

According to the local opal miners this effect only happens to bottles buried in the “opal layer” where precious opal is found. The scientists analyzed clay and laterite samples (note: many laterites contain resilient relic quartz from parent rock) from this horizon and determined that the isotopic shift at the glass surface indicated mixing with pore water components. Since it is extremely unlikely that the water drained from my mini bottle of opal chips originated anywhere other than a tap here in Canada it leaves me to question if the effect I see is a result of this process. As I do not have access or experience with the sensitive equipment these scientists employed I am going to work with the assumption that there are many ways for this most noble of gems to present itself.

It pays to never ignore or discount local knowledge. But also consider that naturally most of these now iridescent Australian bottles were left at the opal layer as this was the miner’s target. Other horizons were not excavated in those days. Precious opal is where you find it. If there is a lesson here it is always to be curious and keep asking questions.

Showing our sole intact bottle prompted photos and even a call to an “authority”.


Anthropocene Stratigraphy

It's an old cliché among geologists that humans will leave their mark in the rock record of the future as a layer of petrified garbage, and stratigraphers will call our age the Broken Glass Epoch. Paul Crutzen put it more formally in 1990 with the proposal to name a new geologic age called the Anthropocene, starting with the rise of large-scale industry.

Geologist Kyle House lives the cliché seriously, having actually used the "Budweiser Horizon" method to date young flood deposits. "I always take pictures of beer cans in geologic and archeologic contexts," he says. On his blog he shares with us a true Budweiser horizon he encountered last week near Dayton, Nevada.

The Budweiser Horizon... a key Anthropocene marker bed Some call it 'urbanite', maybe 'anthropostone', but the minute I heard a colleague call it the 'Budweiser Horizon', I was sold. I collected beer cans when I was a kid in Texas, and my dad owned a beer distributorship in Oklahoma. I spent a lot of time working there becoming famiilar with container innovations. Once I

started mapping Q deposits in the desert, my interest was renewed. I actually parlayed my extensive beer can knowledge into a paper published in Water Resources Research in the late 90s. In that paper, I used beer can seriation to develop flood chronology in the middle of nowhere in western Arizona. It really works. Beer cans are freaking everywhere in the American desert (also other deserts of

the world. Found one in a flood deposit outside of Elat, Israel in 1999).

There are a surprising number of can and label related characteristics that can be used to develop a beer can chronology. The opening is a key example. Also of value is the chronology of breweries listed on the can, the presence of a metric volume statement, the surgeon general's warning, an awareness of a problem with littering, and some type of new brand or recipe (remember Ice and Dry?) etc. Maybe I will put together a post about all of this. I always take pictures of beer cans in geologic and archeologic contexts.

But for now, I wanted to share the sheer beauty of encountering a true Budweiser Horizon in the field. In this case, the cans sit on a paleosurface at the base of an active aeolian sheet. I found them on a field review outside of Dayton, Nevada last Friday. Even though the pull-tab started phasing out in the late 70s, these cans list a brewery that went online in 1983. Thus, no geochronological method is particularly satisfying.

THE GEODE MAN

Ivan & Wendy Leversage

604-535-9005

17315 29th AvenueSurrey, BC V3S 0E8

Please phone for an appointment

-Faceted Montana Sapphires-Cut Geodes-Brazilian Agate-Thundereggs-Rough & Polished Slabs-Petrified Wood

Specializing in

[email protected]

An old tobacco tin

Winter 2010 | 23

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ChapiteDudy Groves was Right!

How I found chapite in a Maine pegmatite.A fictional mineral story from a fertile imagination.

By Rocky Ledges,

POLAND, Maine -

This is a story about how I came to discover the first known occurrence of the rare mineral chapite in a Maine pegmatite during the summer of 2005 - a find of a single loose crystal that remains intensely controversial in the mineralogical community at this writing. But the story really begins in the pavilion at Poland Mining Camps several years earlier. I had just returned

from guiding a party of mineral collectors to the Emmons Quarry on a hot summer day. The group was seated at the long dining tables, pulling apart lobsters with abandon, sipping lemonade, and admiring their specimens from the day's digging. I had found a beautiful cluster of blue fluorapatite crystals with dozens of tiny bertrandites perched on them, using an infallible technique cultivated over hundreds of field trips: I had tripped over the rock and fallen flat on my face. Those who have accompanied me on past outings in the Maine pegmatites will recall that a similar stumble led to my discovery of a beautiful gemmy blue beryl crystal in spar-garnet matrix at Mount Mica in 2001. In 2003, I found a world-class eosphorite specimen at Black Mountain when my boot got caught under a foot-long spodumene prism and I fell into the main pit, fetching up, as they say in Maine, on a large eosphorite-bearing block of vuggy albite. Collectors familiar

with my technique always watch me walking about the quarries, and they come running if I should happen to fall down. Not to help me, but to inspect the rocks in the vicinity of my mishap.

So, on this long-ago evening with a happy chorus of voices and lobster shells cracking in the background, I was showing Dudy Groves, the beloved proprietor of Poland Mining Camps, my fluorapatite-bertrandite specimen. I could tell he was impressed by

Dudy Groves


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the way he snorted, rolled his eyes, and gazed down at his dog, Mica, who was snoozing at his feet. Dudy mumbled something that sounded like "…seen better specimens in the ditch along Route 26…" but I can't be sure that's what he said. Then the look on his face changed and became a countenance I had come to recognize as the one he wore when he was about to impart a wonderful secret from his many years as a pegmatite miner.

He looked slyly around to make sure no one was watching. Then he beckoned me closer and whispered, "Ever find any chapite up there?""Chapite?" I was shocked, and the word flew from my lips - in too loud a voice, as I could see from the tickedoff look on Dudy's face. "Chapite?" This time I whispered it. "Really? In pegmatite?" Dudy nodded. "It's up there," he said. "Gotta be. All

the signs are right." Then he laughed and added, "Even Sprague don't know about it. But it's there." I filed away the information for the next time I was called upon to lead a sortie to the Emmons Quarry. But soon the season came to an end. Winter dragged along endlessly and my thoughts

turned to other subjects. When spring came, I had forgotten about Dudy's prediction (and anyway, all the next year's collectors wanted to do was dig the old dumps at Mount Mica and fill tiny plastic film cans with small shards of green tourmaline). In the summer of 2005, I received an email from Ray Sprague inviting me to come to the Emmons Quarry and Dudy Groves pick through some rubble from blasting he and his partner had done recently. To find out what he really wanted,

I had to read the last line of his email message: "Please stop at the Lake Store on your way to the mine, and bring me a bag of donuts." This was something of an inconvenience, as the Lake Store was 25 miles off my route to the mine, but I knew from experience that an early morning arrival at the Emmons might not move Sprague to get out of bed and make coffee, whereas the sound of a bag of donuts rebounding off the mine trailer door would produce quick results.

After coffee and donuts on the comfortable milk crate lounge chairs on the trailer's veranda, Ray showed me smoky quartz and fluorapatite specimens extracted from a new pocket the previous day. Very nice material!"Go on up and see the pocket," Ray said. "I'm going back to sleep for a while."I walked past the lower pit, past "Dottie," his trusty excavator, and up to the ledge, where a basketball sized cavity showed in the wall. Buckets of smokies

Rare Chapa-Apatite

Winter 2010 | 25

stood nearby, and Styrofoam coffee cups and other mining detritus lay scattered about. One of the Styrofoam cups lay on its side just outside the pocket. Inadvertently I stepped on it as I knelt down to look inside. Along with the snap of the Styrofoam I heard something rattle inside the cup. Then a round, blackish object rolled into view. At first I assumed it was a smoky quartz crystal. But already through the dust and mica flakes clinging to its side, I could see that this was something possibly very special. I picked it up, and dipped it in a bucket of water.

My heart caught in my chest as I held the object up to the light of the morning sun: It was a perfect, prismatic black chapite crystal! Dudy Groves had been right! Still encased in its plastic outer wrapper and bearing a price sticker ($1.29) the identification was simple. It could be nothing else. Chapite had been found for the first time in a Maine pegmatite. And as usual, I had made the discovery with my foot.

The news traveled like wildfire. Back at Poland Mining Camps that night, Frank Perham inspected the crystal and commented on its similarity with an unusual chapite occurrence in pegmatite near Quito, Ecuador. But the skeptics were quick to make their feelings known, too. A mineral collector who had been at the Emmons Quarry the previous day claimed that a chapite crystal he purchased at a well-known jewelry and mineral store in West Paris, Maine, had rolled out of the pocket of his LL Bean vest some time that day, and that he had been drinking coffee out of a similar coffee cup to the one I stepped on. Geologists demanded to know why no matrix remained attached to the crystal; they suggested

in their widely distributed article "Pegmatite Chapite: History, or Hoax?" that glacial transport was responsible for its presence in the pegmatite quarry. A geology major with his own blog proposed in jest that a Maine Chapite Park be created on the grounds of the Emmons Quarry. I even received an anonymous telephone call (from Massachusetts) suggesting that I had planted the chapite crystal near the pocket for the notoriety it would bring. That is where matters stand. At this point I am relying on a chemical analysis to be performed by the Maine Pegmatite Workshop to determine the origin of the chapite crystal. It is my hope that critics, now licking their dry lips with glee at denying me my day of mineralogical recognition, will be silenced. Of course, additional discoveries of chapite in pegmatite pockets will go a long way toward resolving the enigma. In the meantime, I am comforted by knowing that Dudy Groves "called it" years ago, when no one else was even dreaming that chapite would be discovered in the pegmatites of Oxford County, Maine.

Field Guide Description

Chapite Chapite:Amorphous to tetragonal pyramidal

Environment:Almost exclusively a pocket mineral but sometimes found in box-like clusters on drugstore and supermarket checkout Chapite crystals in pocket assemblage counters or rolling loose in urban gutters.Crystal Description:Usually in rounded prismatic crystals with

rotatable bases and white, cap-like terminations. Also as a coating of other pocket species and even the pocket walls, especially when the chapite crystals are found with the capped terminations floating loose in the pockets or missing altogether. In its usual environment chapite is associated with lintite, loosechangeite and occasionally, matchbookite, which may alter to fizzleite after receiving a coating of chapite.

Physical Properties:Commonly black-sided prisms, but also blue, red and other colors are found in the same occurrence. Sometimes fruit-flavored. Weight: 0.15 oz. Luster: metallic. Hard exterior surface but waxy interior typical. Waxy interior melts when left in an ashtray or glove compartment with the windows rolled up.

Composition:a complex oxide of goop, grease and petrolatum. Tabular varieties contain bee's wax and are harder to open.

Tests:Apply to chapped lips. If they feel better, it's chapite - if not, it's probably lipstick so watch out. Or it's an empty shotgun shell and you need to work on your field identifications.

Distinguishing Characteristics:Chapite is the only mineral with a brand name appearing on the


side of the crystal, and with a rotatable base. It is also one of the few species that may be bought in perfect, wellterminated colorful crystals for less than two dollars apiece.

Occurrence:Chapite it is most commonly found among the contents of a pocket that have been dumped out on a night table, usually accompanied by loosechangeite and on occasion, gumwrapperite on which the chapite may have formed a thin coating. Chapite is usually a late mineral, being added to the pocket assemblage as weather conditions become hotter and drier. A tabular variety that resembles a foil-wrapped chocolate coin contains bee's wax, is difficult to open,

and is less heat-resistant than the petrolatum-based crystals with the long prismatic habit. It is also more expensive and frequently, mentholated. One of the best single chapite crystals known, still bearing it plastic wrapper and a price sticker, was discovered in a Styrofoam coffee cup with a peel-back lid at the Emmons Quarry, Greenwood, Maine in the

summer of 2005 just outside a newly exposed pocket containing large smoky quartz crystal clusters, magnificent hexagonal blue fluorapatites perched on ball muscovite, and vuggy albite. However the absence of other chapite crystals in the numerous pockets found there, and in other coffee cups, has created heated controversy centering on whether the chapite formed in the pocket, rolled out of

a mineral collector's LL Bean goose down vest, or was glacially transported and discovered during the post-detonational desludgification (mucking out) process (PDDP). Further study is needed.

Warning: If cap is not sealed, do not purchase.

A Story For Our Junior Members

Original Author Unknown From Glacial Drifter and Oregon Rockhoundand Calgary Lapidary Journal

Papa and Mama Quartz Crystal belong to a very large family of rocks. They are called the Quartz-Crystal family to distinguish them from Uncle Agate’s family and Aunt Opal’s family, and a whole raft of cousin Quartzes.

Then, too Mama Quartz’ maiden name was RockCrystal. They came from Herkimer County, New York, and Papa often called her his little “Herkimer Diamond”. She was very lovely - nicely shaped and perfectly clear and sparkling Papa Quartz was Milky Quartz and while he was nicely shaped, he didn’t sparkle like Mama.

Papa and Mama Quartz had quite a large family. First there was lovely Rose Quartz. She often bemoaned the fact that she was dumpy and didn’t have Mama’s nice figure. But she was so sweet

and a rosy pink that no one cared about her shape. She got her colour from eating her Titanium every morning when she was a baby crystal.

Next came Amethyst. She took after Mama Quartz with her nice shape and sparkling, clear colour, except that Amethyst was just the colour of violets. She hadn’t cared for Titanium when she was a baby but she loved Manganese, which gave her the lovely lavender hue.

Smoky Quartz was the oldest boy in the family. Mama Quartz had a time at breakfast with her babies; each one liked a different food. Smoky wouldn’t eat anything but Carbon, so he had a grayish colour.

Little Citrine Quartz started out tolook just like her sister Amethyst, but one day, in the hot summer, she got overheated and her lavender colour turned to deep yellow. But she didn’t care, really, because she was different from the others and still quite pretty.

The Quartz-Crystal children had a younger brother whose name was Ferruginous Quartz, but almost everyone called him “Ferry”. He was quite a handsome boy with an attrac tive red colour which Mama Quartz insisted was because he was such a good child and ate his portions of Iron eagerly.

That’s just about all the Quartz- Crystal family except for the Ghost.

He was known as Phantom Crystal and he looked like all the rest of the family except that you could look right through him and see another crystal inside.

The Quartz Crystals were all quite important people: Papa Quartz was content to do ordinary things but Mama was a brilliant actress and little Rose, Amethyst, and Citrine Quartz- Crystal all grew up to be lovely jewels. Smoky and Ferruginous, the boys, took after their father and worked at ordinary jobs. Papa and Mama Quartz-Crystal were very proud of their big family.

Tri colord chapite

Winter 2010 | 27

August 2 - 7, 2010 Telephone: 250-677-4392, Toll free: 888-893-1628, [email protected]. Box 66Little Fort, BC V0E 2C0 Known as the Hub of the North Thompson, the small community of Little Fort is located in the North Thompson Valley region of British Columbia, Little Fort is west of the Thompson River on the Yellowhead Highway 5, at the junction with Highway 24, between Barriere and Clearwater.

Summer Camp 2010:

Overlander Stopping Place

LOST HORSE MOTEL 137 Hwy 24, PO Box 41, Little Fort, VOE 2CO Junction of Hwys 5 & 24 1 hr north Kamloops. Single, double & queen beds; kitchens; combination baths; satellite TV; phones; wireless internet access; Smoking Policy: non-smoking rooms available; Cash, DC, MC, Travellers Cheques, VI; Pet Policy: pets allowed, call for details; CP: 5 days.

250-677-4288, Toll Free 866-567-4677For more information visit: www.littlefort.ca5 Units - $55-75; Add'l 5; LS Rates

OVERLANDER STOPPING PLACE4 km south of Little Fort,85km north of Kamloops. Grassed & treed sites; pull throughs; full & partial hookups; firepits; laundry; sani-station; rock & gift shop; washrooms, coin showers; toilets; heated pool; horseshoe pit; pay phone; playground; Cash, DC,MC, Travellers Cheques, VI; 40 Sites - per vehicle $17-28

Accommodations:For accommodations information in Clearwater or Barriere

Check the BC Accommodations Guide.

THE RIVERMOUNT MOTEL & CAMPGROUND

4462 Hummingbird Rd Hwy 5 S, PO Box 68, Little Fort, VOE 2CO4 km north of Little Fort on Hwy 5. Sleeping units; Combination baths; satellite TV; RV parking campsites; flush toilets; showers; firepits; firewood; picnic area; sani-station; licenced restaurant; home cooking; Smoking Policy: smoking in designated areas only; Cash, DC, MC, VI; Pet Policy: pets allowed, call for details; CP: 3 days.250-677-4477, Toll Free 866-816-7912,[email protected] Units-$60-75; Add'l $7, 13 Sites - per 2 persons $14-22


Planned activities:

Friday afternoon and evening: - Registration and setting up of display cases.Friday pm: 6:30 - ????, Pot Luck DinnerSaturday AM: - Field trips, Rock Auction at 7:00PMSunday AM:- Field trips, Bucket Raffle at 5PMSunday 6:30pm - Catered DinnerThe Annual General Meeting of the British Columbia Lapidary Society will be held after the dinnerMonday morning - Pancake breakfast

Club members are invited to display their collections and demonstrate their skills. If you require a Society case please contact Win Robertson;Tel. 250-376-4878 or E-mail [email protected]

KOMAREVICH ORIGINALS LTD.1510-7th Street S.W, Calgary, AB T2R 1A7Will be the dealer at Rendezvous, If there are any special requests for items we carry please contact:Mike at Phone: 403-244-3244, Fax: 403-244-3424or E mail: [email protected]

Visit the store at: www.komarevichoriginals.com

Rendezvous 2010The British Columbia Lapidary Society

May 21 - 24, 2010Elks Hall,

640 - Moha Road, Lillooet, BC

Hosted by the Interior Zone

Help OutDonations for the bucket raffle and the rock auction are needed and greatly appreciated.

Field trips will be posted at registration

Lillooet is located along the banks of the Fraser River at the Junction of Highway 99, Highway 12 and Highway 40.

It is conveniently accessible to the Lower Mainland, Whistler, Kamloops, and the Cariboo.Jade is part of the geographical history of the region and can still be found on the shores of the local rivers and in the surrounding mountains.

Directions:

Free dry camping is available at the hall for the weekend.

Winter 2010 | 29

Rendezvous 2010Accomodations

4 PINES MOTELBox 36, 108 - 8th AvenueLillooet,BC V0K 1V0Tel: 250 256-4247,Toll Free: 1-800-753-2576Fax: 250 256-4120Located in the heart of Lillooet, 19 brand new units, suites with jet tubs, units with twin, double, queen or king beds direct dial phones, all rooms air conditioned. Kitchenettes with fridge and microwaves, complimentary tea and coffee, smoking and non-smoking units47 units - $55 - $125, additional person - $17.For more information visit www.4pinesmotel.com

GOLDPANNER HOTEL250-256-2355, Fax: 250-256-0228Toll Free 888-256-2354,639 Main St, PO Box 70, Lillooet, VOK 1VOWith queen, doubles, twins; free high-speed wireless internet; secure access, phone system, cable TV, movie channel, air-conditioned, in-room coffee/tea, fridges, full bath, continental breakfast(seasonal); hotel built in 2003; non-smoking facility;Major CC, Cash, DC, Travellers Cheques; Pet Policy: no pets; CP: 48 hrs no refund.22 Units-$63-95; Add'10For more information visit: www.goldpannerhotel.com

MILE "0" MOTEL250-256-7511, Toll Free, 888-76-4530,Fax 250-256-4124E mail: [email protected] Main St, PO Box 219, Lillooet, VOK 1VODowntown; centrally located; quiet, spacious units; view of mountains & Fraser River; air-conditioned; kitchenettes; 2 room suites; honeymoon suite; balconies; jetted tub; 46 cable channels; complimentary coffee; ice; smoking and non-smoking rooms available. Major CC, Cash, DC, Travellers Cheques; pets allowed, call for details; CP: 24 hrs notice.36 Units-$50-95; Add'$10For more information visit www.mileomotel.com

HOME & AWAY GUEST HOMES250-256-0009615 Summer St, PO Box 1754, Lillooet, VOK 1VOAt Lillooet Esso, turn right on 7th, left at Summer.Exclusive, modern 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes; large rooms; comfortable living rooms with extra sofa beds; spectacular Eraser River & mountain views from decks, patios; fully equipped kitchens with microwave, dish- washer; laundry; satellite TV; private; secure heated garage; monthly rates; Smoking Policy: outdoors only in designated areas;Cash, Personal Cheque, Travellers Cheques;Pet Policy: pets allowed, call for details; CP: 30 days. If 2 Units-$85-115; Add'l $14 For more information visit www.homeandaway.ca

STURGEON BAY B&BRod and Michelle Graham130 Haylmore PlacePO Box 1130, Lillooet, BC V0K 1V0Phone: (250) 256-7792Studio: (S) $80.00 (D) $90.00Suite: (S) $80.00 (D) $90.00Three people/Two rooms $120.00Four people/Two rooms $150.00Queen size Futon available add'l $10.00

BUMBLE ROOT B&B250-256-0332104 - 9th Ave, Lillooet, VOK 1VOMain St, turn left at Lou's Family Restaurant. Your own private home away from home; fresh baked goods every morning; kitchenette; private entrance; non-smoking facility;Major CC, DC, Travellers Cheques; Pet Policy: pets allowed, call for details; CP: 24 hrs.2 Units-$85-95; Add'l $20For information visit www.bumblerootbandb.com

CAYOOSH CREEK CAMPGROUND250-256-4180, Toll Free 877-748-2628,E mail: [email protected], Hwy 99, PO Box 1548, Lillooet, VOK 1VO(Apr-Oct) East side of Fraser River, below Lillooet on Hwy 99.Spacious riverside setting, pull through RV-sites; hookups; treed & grassed tent sites; deluxe on-site RV rental; firepits; clean washrooms; 'free hot showers; reservations welcome; DC, MC, Travellers Cheques, VI; Pet Policy: pets allowed, Elec, Water & central dump-station Inc42 Sites.Per 2 persons $19-24; Add'l $2.5.For information visit www.cayooshcampground.ca


Burnaby Laphounds ClubDecember was our Christmas dinner and social; members and guests enjoyed a fantastic potluck supper and as usual there was way too much food. We tried our best but just could not finish all the delicious dishes. Julius once again played his violin and harmonica and we all attempted to sing along. Lorna called out Bingo and we seemed to have a few repeat winners. Hope they bought lottery tickets! We also collected $59 to donate to the local Food Bank. Thanks go to Ed and everyone else who made our evening so festive and fun.

Welcome back to Gordon and Roberta Calderwood, who have rejoined our club.

RockhounderB.C. Around the Clubs

Creative Jewellers Guild of B.C.

Alberni Valley Rock & Gem Club

Abbotsford Rock & Gem Club

Courtenay Gem & Mineral Club

Cowichan Valley Rockhounds

Hastings Center Rockhounds

Club Contact: Nacy Dickson (604) 444-4464

[email protected]

Club Contact: Maria Tomsich(604) 224-1951

[email protected]

Club Contacts: Dave West (250) 723-0281

[email protected]

Club Contact: David Williams(604) 870-1024

[email protected]

Club Contact: Jack Boyes(250) 337-8461

[email protected]

Club Contact: Gene Leavitt(250) 246-4571

[email protected]

Club Contact: Linda Foy(604) 421-1068

Burnaby Laphounds Club

Creston Valley Prospectors and Lapidary Club

Club Contact: Wally Remin, (250) 428-0413

[email protected]

Fraser Valley Rock & Gem ClubClub Contact: Robert Brown,

(604) 794 - 7296 [email protected]

Dunbar Lapidary Club

Stan Lapham, a founding member of the Dunbar Lapidary Club has died, age 99 on Jan. 3 2010, at Delta Hospital after a short illness.

Stan ran the club shop for many years, taught the juniors and supported the Society at shows and Summer camp.

After he and his late wife, Gwen, returned from Afghanistan, he continued rock-hunting and joined the Facetors Guild.

They began rock hunting on Vancouver Island and were one of the first to explore Hill 60. He stopped faceting only when he moved out of Vancouver after Gwen died in 2001.

Lakes District Rock & Gem Club Lakes District Rock & Gem Club "came into being" in November, 2000 when eleven people with similar interests in Rock Hounding met together and decided to form a club.

The purpose of our club is to promote and encourage the study of rocks and other geological materials as a hobby. Our summer activities will be mainly out in the field; hiking, climbing up hills, digging, and scouring along river banks and lake shores to find the perfect rock or fossil.

We hope to learn how to identify the rocks we find and learn which ones are hard enough for polishing, which ones are soft enough for carving, and which ones are best left where they are. Our dreams include owning a small workshop and machinery for doing lapidary work. Meanwhile, some of our members have rock tumblers and have tumbled some nice stones. One member will be teaching us the art of wire wrapping.

Other member interests center around the study of fossils and geological formations.

Lakes District Rock & Gem Club is affiliated with the B. C. Lapidary Society and the Gem and Mineral Federation of Canada.

Club Meetings take place on the first Thursday of each month except for July, August, September, and January. We schedule field trips over the summer months.

Winter 2010 | 31

Club Contact: Lita Hansen(250) [email protected]

Club Contact: Dale Daignault (250) [email protected]

Winter 2010

Richmond Gem & Mineral Club

Thompson Valley Rock Club

Ripple Rock Gem & Mineral Club

Selkirk Rock & Mineral Club

Port Moody Rock & Gem Club

Victoria Lapidary & Mineral Society

Yellowhead Lapidary Club

For More Information

Club Contact: Eric Kemp(604) 278-5141

Club Contact: Derek Neumann, (250)[email protected]

Club Contact: Emily Faak(250) [email protected]

Club Contact: Maureen Kromha(250) 367-9605

Club Contact: Andrew Danneffel(250) 942-0617

Club Contact: Cameron Speedie, (250) 385-0597 [email protected]

about the BC Lapidary Society or a club near you, visit us onlinewww.lapidary.bc.ca

Maple Ridge Lapidary ClubClub Contact: Walt Pinder(604) 826-2342

Lakes District Rock & Gem ClubClub Contact: Leanne Miranda, 250-698-7337 [email protected]

Vernon Lapidary & Mineral Club

Lakes District Rock & Gem Club has published 5 brochures for self-guided rockhounding tours in and around the Burns Lake area. Each brochure costs $2 or you can purchase all five at a bargain price of $7 (+shipping). They can be purchased by contacting any of the executive.

Club Meetings take place on the first Thursday of each month except for July, August, September, and January. We schedule field trips over the summer months. Guests are always welcome.

For more information please contact:

Jack Kortmeyer, President692-4135(h) 692-4206(w) [email protected] Olinyk Vice President [email protected]

Directors:Richard Brown [email protected] Mercer 692-3410 [email protected] [email protected]

Richmond Gem & Mineral Club

Can you believe the turn out for our Christmas Social? Over sixty members, guests and walk-ins attended. The Festive table was laden with delicious goodies of all type and flavours. The prizes on the Ways & Means table wereOver flowing and wonderfully gift wrapped. But, the biggest surprise was the response to

the “Show, Sell, and Swap” theme. The meeting had to be held up for ten minutes because everybody's attention was diverted to the Show, Sell, and Swap tables. Hopefully, we will have as many members at our January 8 general meeting. On behalf of our members, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Festive and the Ways & Means tables. Special thanks to Dean and Karen of Rockabout Gems for their generous gifts, and to Trapper for allowing us the opportunity to obtain one of his wonderful works of silver.

For those members who bought their crafted items, slabs, books, and other materials to show, sell, or swap; you made a wonderful evening even better. Many members left with Christmas gifts for themselves and others. This is an opportune time to thank all of our members who have donated their time in 2009 to put on training courses. Thank-you Trapper, Eric , Louie, Annie & David, George, and David Freeman.

Field TripSunday, January 10, 2010Yale BarSubmitted by Livia Waterson

Approximately 25 people attended the field trip to Yale Bar. Weather was dry with a slight breeze and there was very little snow on the ground. The Fraser River was low, and after crossing a short distance of mud-slick rounded rocks, we were able to spread out and access a few acres of clean and almost dry rocks. The sound of the rushing river was only interrupted by the occasion “whack” of a rockhammer, and the sound of falling rocks and


Our shop was open about once a week throughout the summer. Various members took turns opening on these days. Presently we are back to openings three days a week. Fall rockhound trips included the Adams River, Meade Creek, and the Gordon River at Port Renfrew. All trips were well attended.

BEBA had a wire wrap class on sunday, December 6th. Three club members attended and each was able to make one pendant. Here is a picture of their accomplishments.

Elections:Doug Murray will be moving from Vice Pres. To PRESIDENT.

Gordon Burkholder was nominated for Vice President and accepted. Elected.

Secretary; Pat Doyle nominated and elected. Treasurer; Lisa expressed a willingness to serve another year. Elected.

Wagon Master; Dorothy Young was nominated by her husband, after volunteering. Elected. She will be assisted by Jack Boyes, Terry and Paulette Egeli, Don

Around the Clubsice above the highway. Several pieces of serpentine, mutton-fat jade (silimanite), marble and jaspers were spotted; a few were brought back to the vehicles. One piece of jade was found (that we know of). And one agate. Several backpacks and buckets came back with very interestingly patterned rocks which members were keen to see if they would cut and polish. In all, a successful rockhunt!Next field trip will also be to Yale Bar

Ripple Rock Gem & Mineral Club

President's Report

The year is quickly drawing to a close. Everyone is busy getting prepared for the festive season – shopping, shopping, and more shopping. As I made a summary report half way through 2009 this report will simply cover our last 6months.

Our annual rock and gem show in mid June was a great success once again. Attendance wasdown from previous years, however our fund raising was pretty well equal to other years.The summer barbecue and auction held at Charlie and Lena’s property in late June was well attended. Thank you Charlie and Lena for providing a great place for a picnic once again. All auction items were sold and we realized a good return for the club. Most of the auction items were donated by the family of the late Ken Bennett – a thank you goes out to them for their generous contribution to our club. July and August proved to be relatively quiet, most members were enjoying the very hot weather as best they could.

Dawson, and Ron McBurnie, each of whom has volunteered to lead at least one trip. Show Chair for the 2010 GMFC Show is Gordon Billings.

Our club has been invited to participate in the Campbell River Community Science Celebrationagain this year. The event takes place on Saturday, February 13, 2010. This is the 4th annualcelebration and the format is similar to a tradeshow, with a number of booths set up in a halleach showcasing a different aspect of science and/or

technology. We are looking for ideas on

We had the shop open to members a total of 145 days. The number of members thatvisited the shop was 601 including the shop supervisors.New wheels were added to the Genies and the old stockpile was eliminated as

members took advantage of a sale of very well used wheels. There are a few more wheels that will need to be replaced but there is no rush on these.

Harry Kerr, our new shop foreman at our Christmas potluck dinner.

Winter 2010 | 33

Winter 2010What Is Chainmail and Where Does it Come From?Chainmail began in medieval times as a method of weaving metal to create armour for knights, but today it is used to create elegant metal jewelry from various metals.

The roots of chainmail jewelry predate the 5th century, when it was used by the ancient Celts to make armour for the warriors of the time. The name "mail" is derived from the French word "maille", which comes from the Latin word "macula" which means, "mesh of a net".

Making armour consisted of linking iron or steel rings and then closing them by either pressing the ends together, welding them or riveting them into place. Rings were often stamped out of sheets of iron and then linked into alternating rows to form some of the patterns which can still be viewed in museums today. Today chainmail is used to create beautiful and elegant jewelry for both men and women.

Artisans often incorporate gems and beads into jewelry pieces and some still practice the art of making armour. There are several basic chainmail patterns most commonly used today.

Here is a link to a web site that Jan Boyes found for some good tutorials and more informationabout chainmail tools and kits.www.davidchain.com/index.htm

Selkirk Rock and Mineral Club 2009Submitted by Maureen Krohman

Selkirk Rock and Mineral Club has interested members from the West Kootenay. The group meets every second Tuesday

of the month to plan trips to old mines and historical sites. In the spring, summer and fall, there are trips to collect rocks, minerals and fossils and to enjoy the outdoors.

In April , 7 adults and one child visited Cottonwood Falls Park in Nelson BC and saw lots of granodiorite pieces of the Nelson batholith. Nelson is built mostly on the Cottonwood Creek fan where porphyritic granite with large feldspar crystals had cut through the green Rossland volcanics. In the downtown area there were folds in the marble of the old Courthouse and the War Memorial made of pulaskite from Ymir.

In May a trip to Deer Park along the Arrow Lake enjoyed by 7 members.Several scrapers were found.5 people visited local sights in or near Trail, Gyro Park, Rock Island and the Montrose Hill. 6 people attended an interesting trip to the Pend ‘Oreille to collect aragonite and concretions.

In June high clearance vehicles were needed to travel to Bear Creek and Bear Lake where the group found pegmatite dykes with large mica and feldspar crystals.

Summer flowers were enjoyed on a trip to Grand Forks and Greenwood to the local mines. Members were able to collect magnetite, chalcopyrite, and specular hematite. The Phoenix cemetery was an interesting highlight of the trip.

The Selkirk Rock and Mineral Club joined the Kokanee Club for a trip to Shannon Creek where they collected hornfelsed phyllite with Chiastolite crystals. Chiastolite is a variety of the hard pink metamorphic mineral

andalusite that contains crosses of graphite so that there is a black X in the cross- section .

On a sunny day in September ,the group traveled on the ferry across Kootenay Lake to Riondel where thy toured the museum . A trip was made up to the Mt. Loki trailhead where they collected some nice books of mica.

At the end of September some club members attended the Evening Star, the Monte Christo and the Kootenay Columbia mines near Rossland . Good samples of pyrrhotite were found.

On the last day for collecting fossils, several members visited the Stonerose Quarry at Republic, Washington. An interesting flower and some flower parts were found.

The Selkirk Rock and Mineral Club is putting together local samples to trade with the Federation Rock Swap in the USA.

The annual Christmas party was a success and enjoyed by all.

At the AGM in January the executive remains the same

President– Maureen Krohman

Vice President- Joan McKenzie

Treasurer- -Ron Nielsen

Recording Secretary – Lesley

Killough

Newsletter- Dianne Robinson

Photo Album-Bette Michaux

Library- Bill Michaux


Around the ClubsThompson Valley Rock ClubHappy New Year fellow Rockhounds!

Just a quick note to let you know the club is moving along quite nicely with the Rock Shop busy with grinding and cutting rocks of all kinds.We've had two meetings so far to discuss the business end of things and I really appreciate everyone’s input.I did receive an email from the BCLS president De Morgan, looking for consideration of the purchase of the 2010 beautiful calendars. They have a stockpile of about 200, and really need to sell them off. The calendars cost the BCLS $14.00 to produce and ship, so there is no huge mark-up.Please consider the support of our hobby and think of buying one of these calendars for yourself or family or friends. If every rockhound family bought one calendar they would be sold out fast.If the calendars do not sell, and you do not support this endeavor, then there will not be a rockhound calendar in the future. The calendar represents our hobby, and it would be a loss to all of us who enjoy the rock related hobbies. Please consider this request and do your part to support this calendar.On a positive note, Jack should be getting together soon with fellow trip advisors to discuss what trips we will be going on this year. I can't wait to hear what comes from that meeting. If you know of any new spots that might be of interest please let Jack know.Hope all of you are looking forward to spring as much as we are and after reading about the Brazilian trip in the rockhounder, anticipating the spring will be

Wagonmasters FieldtripsWinter 2010 of the British Columbia Lapidary Society

coming soon so we can get out and find our own treasures.Speaking of Treasures... on the Travel Network 527 satellite... we are really enjoying the new show Cash and Treasures. Kirsten Gum gets to travel all over the world and finds Rocks and anything related to Rocks. It is a great show, (that I think she stole from me..I could be that girl, if any of you have been on a trip with me you'll know what I mean.) Usually 6:00pm Sunday evenings but with repeats. You should check it out!Until next meeting.Warmest Regards.Helen Lowndes

Interesting Websiteswww.mineralienseite.de/Anleitungen/Taking_Photographs_of_

Minerals_and_Gemstones.pdf Some really neat tips for taking pictures of : rocks, minerals, crystals gems.

www.mineraltown.com/wallpaper.phpInteresting site with free wallpapers you can download.

www.jewelryplus.net/info/gemstone_reference.htmlVery good information about gemstones

www.benchtube.comBenchTube - Jewelry Making Videos BenchTube is Ganoksin video sharing area for jewelers and metalsmiths (and for those interested in jewelry and gemstones). Participation is absolutely free!

Field Trip: Harrison Lake, east sideLeader: TBADate & Time: March (details, TBA)Meeting Place: Happy Prospector parking lotMaterial: garnets in mica schist

Field Trip: Harrison Lake, west sideLeaders: Gord and Walt PinderDate & Time: April 25th, 2010, 9:00am.Meeting Place: Sasquatch Inn, on Highway 9, between Mission and AgassizMaterial: buchia, belemnites, ammonitesContact: Gordon Pinder, 604-870-4779or Walt Pinder 604-826-2342, E mail:

Send your ad to:Win Robertson 250-376-4878E mail:[email protected]

Club Members may place a free classified ad in the

Rockhounder

Winter 2010 | 35

BRANTFORD LAPIDARY & MINERAL SOCIETY Inc.

Annual Gem & Mineral Show and Sale April 10 - April 11, 2010Sat. & Sun. 10 AM - 5 PMThe Paris Fairgrounds, Paris, OntarioAdmission:Adults $3.00,Children – 12 years and under free.

For information E mail: Bob Parry: [email protected] Visit the club web page: www.brantfordlapidarymineral.ca

Club Shows Spring and Summer 2010ALBERNI VALLEY ROCK & GEM CLUB

March 7th & 9th ,2010“Annual Rock & Gem Show”Sat. 10 am–5 pm, Sun. 10 am–4 pmCherry Creek Hal, corner of Moore Rd &Cherry Creek Rd, Port Alberni, B.C.Displays, Dealers, DemonstratorsAdults $2.00, children under 10 free with an adult

For more information contact Dan Mooney at 250-724-2832 or e mail: [email protected]

VICTORIA LAPIDARY & MINERAL SOCIETY

March 19–21, 2010”Annual Rock & Gem Show”Fri. 1–9pm, Sat. 10am–6pm,Sun. 10am–4pmLeonardi Da Vinci Centre195 Bay Street, Victoria, BCDisplays, Dealers, Demonstrators,Admission: Adults $5, Students& Seniors $4, Family of 4 $10,Children under 6 free

For more information contactDon Myer 250-381-3356E mail: [email protected] or visit the club web page www.islandnet.com/~vlms

HASTINGS CENTRE ROCKHOUNDS

March 27th & 28th ,2010“Gem & Mineral Show”Sat. & Sun. 10 am – 5 pmHastings Community Centre,3096 East HastingsVancouver, B.C.Admission by Donation

For more information contact: Linda Foy, 604-299-3903

VERNON LAPIDARY & MINERAL CLUB

Mall Show & SaleApril 23 & 24, 2010Village Green Mall27 Street & 48 Avenue Vernon, BC

For more information contact Dale at 250-260-6603 Or E mail: [email protected]

CALGARY ROCK & LAPIDARY CLUB

50th Annual Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show May 1 & 2, 2010Sat. May 1, 9am - 6pm, Sun. May 2, 10am - 5pm West Hillhurst Arena 1940 - 6 Avenue NW,Calgary. AlbertaAdmission: Regular $5, Seniors $3,Students with ID Cards $3.00Children 6 & under FREE (if accompanied by an adult)

PENTICTON LAPIDARY & GEOLOGY CLUB

Demonstration Daze May 7 & 8, 2010Friday 10am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 6pmMain Street, Penticton, BCFor more information contact: Gloria Bordass at 250-493-1027


THE GEM AND MINERAL FEDERATION OF CANADA

and the RIPPLE ROCK GEM and MINERAL CLUB 21st ANNUAL SHOWSaturday June 12th 2010 - 10am.-5pmSunday June 13th 2010-10am-4pmTimberline School Gymnasium1681 South Dogwood StreetCampbell River, B.C.Adults $2.00, Children under 12 free (accompanied by an adult.)

Contact: Gordon Billings, 250-286-6600Or e mail: [email protected]

SHUSWAP ROCK CLUBShow & Sale/Open House July 10, 2010 9am - 4pmToad Hall, Trans Canada Hwy, Sorrento, BCAdmission is Free

Contact Pat Boden at 250-675-2849 Or E mail :[email protected]

THE 1120 ROCK CLUB of KELOWNA and THE VERNON LAPIDARY & MINERAL CLUB

4th Annual Okanagon Gem Show featuring "Fossils, Footprints of the Ages"July 17 & 18, 2010Winfield Memorial Hall, 3270 Berry Road, Winfield, BCSat. - 9am - 5pm, Sun. 10am - 4pmAdults - $4.00 Children 12 & under - $2.00

For more information contact:Dave Barclay - 250-766-4353, E mail: [email protected] Dewerson - 250-707-0618, E mail: [email protected]

Club Shows Spring and Summer 2010VERNON LAPIDARY & MINERAL CLUB

Aaaa’Mall Show & SaleSeptember 10 & 11, 2010Villiage Green Mall27 Street & 48 Avenue Vernon, BC

For more information: contact Dale at 250-260-6603 Or E mail: [email protected]

INTERIOR ZONE TAILGATE SALE

Tailgate SaleSeptember 18, 2010, 9am - 4pmSwan Lake NurserylandHwy 97, Vernon, BCJewellery, Beads, Crystals, Rocks & Used Equipment

For more information contact Pat Boden at 250-675-2849

PENTICTON LAPIDARY & GEOLOGY CLUB

Mall Show & Sale October 22 & 23, 2010Friday 10am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 6pmMain Street, Penticton, BC

For more information contact: Gloria Bordass at 250-493-1027

VERNON LAPIDARY & MINERAL CLUB

Mall Show & Sale November 5 & 6, 2010Villiage Green Mall27 Street & 48 Avenue, Vernon, BC

For more information contact Dale at 250-260-6603Or E mail: [email protected]

B.C. Vol. 13 Winter 2010 RockhounderWinter 2010 | 3 B.C. Rockhounder The Rockhounder is a beautiful,...

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