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March 2020 http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/

date & time:

Friday, March 20th

7:30 ‘til 9:30 pm

Speaker: Bonnie Stevenson,

Bijou Heaven

Topic: metaphysics &

crystal energies (& a short intro

to titanium & silver wire-wrapping) Extra: - 2nd auction for selenite

crystals from the Winnipeg Floodway

silent auction, member displays,

refreshments, swaps, give-aways

Contact Us

NPGS info: 289-214-1151 (Christopher White, Vice President)

general email address: npgsgeo@gmail.com

mailing address: NPGS c/o 120 South Drive, St Catharines, ON L2R 4V9

group page show page

Location: Brock University, MacKenzie-

Chown Building, Dept of Earth Sciences,

Room MCD-309, St Catharines, ON

Parking @ Brock University is free in Zones

1 & 2 after 6 pm. Please click on this link:

http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/meetings.ht

m to find out “how to get there” & Brock U

parking maps.

Followed by a workshop with

Bonnie on Saturday, March 21st

from 12 noon until 4 pm

Titanium & silver wire-wrapping

for bracelets, pendants, & rock art. See our Lapidary Events page for more details.

Location @ Legion Branch 138.

labradorite, quartz, and beaded chaos-wrapped

pendant, jewellery & picture by Bonnie Stevenson,

Bijou Heaven

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seekpng.com clipart

President’s Corner Congratulations to our new executive!! Our February AGM was well attended. We had a lot of business

to cover what with our elections and constitution updates but we also enjoyed a sumptuous pot luck

dinner. Thank you to all the cooks!

The highlight of the evening was our very own Don Lapham giving us a talk about the similar minerals

found in upper New York State and Southern Ontario with a segment on the wonderful amethyst found in

Newfoundland. I must say, the stunning pictures of pink dolomite, calcite, celestite, and sphalerite make

me want to head out to the Beamsville dig in May again this year.

Hooray! February is over that means spring is just around the corner and with spring we all know that

means planning field trips and our upcoming show! Both of which are exciting to club members and, of

course, guests.

Remember to ask everywhere if show postcards/membership postcards can be displayed. You would be

surprised at the places that say yes. If there isn’t a board or table available for the public to see, ask if

there is a lunch room where some can be displayed (Banks have lunch rooms.) The more we promote

our club the more our membership grows and many hands make light work. The show is two days,

Saturday and Sunday, but we will be needing physical help with setting up the tables on Friday and

taking them down on Sunday, please keep this in mind.

March….what an unpredictable month for weather, especially in Canada. Three things we know for sure

is the clocks ‘spring’ ahead on March 8th, our meeting is March 20th at Brock and we have a jewelry

making workshop March 21st at the Merritton Legion!

I hope to see everyone at the March meeting and remember guests are allowed to attend our workshop,

they just have to pre-register.

Here’s to ‘springing’ ahead! Patti

April monthly meeting will be on

Friday, April 17th, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

@ Brock University

Hope to see you all and don’t hesitate to

bring a friend! who is interested in rocks,

fossils, jewellery-making & lapidary.

March Board meeting was on

Tuesday, March 2nd in the back room

at the Cat’s Caboose from 7 pm onwards.

(Apologies for the late notice.)

All NPGS members are welcome at

all NPGS Board meetings!

Our beautiful birthstone of the

month is Aquamarine, which

means “sea water”.

It’s sometimes greenish (see the

next page about sky blue

aquamarines).

Coincidentally, St Patrick’s Day

is in March, a reason to feature

green minerals this month. Pakistan aquamarine crystal - image © ICA -

International Colored Gemstone Association

Do you have any green

mineral specimens in your

collections?

If you do, please bring to

our March meeting to

display!

Thank you.

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Aquamarine - March birthstone by Fred Haynes, Newsletter Editor, Wayne County Gem

and Mineral Club, reprinted by permission

The mineral beryl is hard and can sparkle with

exceptional clarity and wondrous colour when

free of inclusions and defects, clearly justifying

its lofty gemstone status.

In fact, not just one gemstone, but several

depending on the colour imparted by trace

amounts of iron, chromium, manganese, and

other transition elements. Aquamarine,

emerald, morganite, and heliodor are all

gemstones of the mineral beryl.

But it is sky blue variety that has our special

attention this month as aquamarine is the

March birthstone.

A mere 0.1 to 0.3% of ferric iron (Fe+2) is all it

takes to impart the wonderful sky blue colour

characteristic of aquamarine. Often though, an

equally small amount of ferrous iron (Fe+3)

gives us greenish blue aquamarine, even

tending to yellow green, considered less

desirable. Interestingly, heat treatments can be

used to reduce the Fe+3 to Fe+2 effectively

limiting or even eliminating the yellowish tint.

This is typically done after an aquamarine is

cut.

Most large aquamarines grow in cavities in

granites and granite pegmatites. They often

display the perfect hexagonal, basally

terminated form associated with the gemstone.

The world’s greatest most prolific source of

gem aquamarine and also the largest source of

fine mineral specimens is the State of Minas

Gerais in southeast Brazil, notably the many

mines of the Jequitinhonha Valley. However,

arguably the highest quality aquamarine

gemstones are recovered from northern

mountains of Pakistan.

Some fine gems and certainly some very nice

mineral specimen aquamarines have been

found in the pegmatites of several New

England, USA states; however, many of these

locations are now inaccessible for collecting.

Article adapted from

https://fredmhaynes.com/2016/02/26/aquamarine-march-

birthstone

There are even a few

aquamarines in New York

State. The most famous are

probably a set of 7 gems

faceted from a single stone

found in the early 20th century

in Manhattan near the corner

of 157th St & Broadway (from

Plate 1 of Manchester 1931 -

depicted by John Betts in

Rocks and Minerals, 2009,

Volume 84)

Note the effect of Fe+3 in the colour of the pair of aquamarine from

India. (Fred Haynes collection)

This gemmy 5 cm aquamarine on pegmatite matrix is from the

Reynolds Mine in Worcester Co., MA and was probably recovered

over 100 years ago. It appeared on the Central Massachusetts

Fossil and Mineral Club Facebook page (L Vanuxem Collection)

Two aquamarines from Stak Nala, Gilgit, Pakistan - note the

characteristic lengthwise striations. (Eric Elias collection)

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Malachite is a weathered copper mineral that’s

been mined since prehistoric times - used as

decorative art & funerary masks as well as paint

& makeup pigments.

Ancient Egyptians associated green minerals

with paradise, resurrection, new life, and fertility.

Medieval Europeans wore malachite talismans

engraved with Sun symbol to maintain health

and to avert depression.

Who doesn’t like

emeralds?

Emerald is

regarded as the

traditional

birthstone for

May.

Mined since

prehistoric times

in India, Egypt,

and Austria

- today, the

world’s largest

producers are

Columbia &

Zambia.

Jewellers look for

color, clarity, cut,

& carat weight.

Emerald cut is

the most popular

facet.

Emerald’s green

colour is caused

by chromium.

Jade comes in

many colours

- not just green

- and 2 different

minerals, jadeite

& nephrite.

Green

colouration is

caused by iron.

The finest quality

jadeite is almost

transparent, has

a vibrant

emerald-green

colour, and is

known as

“Imperial jade.”

Meso-American

and Asian

cultures

(particularly

Ancient China)

prized both forms

of jade.

malachite from Zambia, emeralds from Brazil, jade from a number of different locations - courtesy of & pictures from Brian Dear Collection

Celtic

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Variscite (top left) (an aluminum-phosphate mineral) is often

confused with turquoise; variscite, though, is much greener in tone

- caused by chromium. Specimens are from Utah.

Chrysoprase (2nd from the top left) is chalcedony (a quartz mineral)

and its colouring is caused by nickel inclusions. (A mineral similar to chrysoprase is chrome chalcedony - colour provided

by chromium vs nickel. Both can be confused with each other. And

chlorite-included quartz is referred to as moss agate - another chalcedony

- but not as fine-grained.)

The largest chrysoprase mine in the world is found in Poland.

Specimen is from Queensland, Australia.

Moldavite (middle left) can range from deep forest greens to olive

greens. The specimen is backlit showing off its “olive-ness”.

Moldavite is a tektite (meteoritic glass) and is found only in eastern

Europe - from the eastern European strewn field of the German

Nördlinger Ries Crater, dated to 15 million years ago. This

specimen is actually from Moldavia

Green petrified wood (2nd to bottom left) is coloured by chromium -

though cobalt or copper inclusions can cause the same

colouration. Woodworthia was a primitive Triassic conifer (found in

Arizona). (Interesting little tidbit - there’s a family of New Zealand

geckoes called Woodworthia (brown & speckled, not green)

- makes you wonder if primitive geckoes hung around Woodworthia trees

in the Triassic?)

Splintery, forest green aegerine (bottom left) from the Rutter Pluton,

French River, Ontario. (Yes, please, watch out for those splinters.

Ouch!)

Rare green opal

(mineraloid of quartz) from

Lightning Ridge, Australia.

Both Ethiopia & Australia

are neck-in-neck as to who

produces the most opals in

the world. Opals have for

hundreds of years meant

good luck (rainbow of colours

effect) but Sir Walter Scott

kyboshed that tradition

during the Victorian area.

People still believe today

that opals are the evil eye

and bad luck.

Opals are the October

birthstone.

courtesy of & pictures from Brian Dear Collection

Celtic

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Please invite all

your friends to

OUR SHOW in

June.

the month of March is

Happy St

Patrick’s Day

& Happy First

Day of Spring

clipart from ClipArt Look & Clipart Art

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Winterfest pictures!

Loads of fun, lots of people, and super enjoyable. Pictures by Christopher White, Ashley Pollock, & Melynda Broadbent.

Please note-where needed, faces have been blurred.

Ahoy there!

mateys.

Ashley

Marazzo

(dressed as

a pirate

with digging

tool ready)

inviting

everyone to

dig for

treasure.

And they

did!

Top

pictures are

Christopher

plus

Hannah &

Kendra

talking

about

minerals &

fossils and

about our

club.

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Ammolite One of nature’s rarest gemstones

In 1908 a member of the National Geological Survey team

found 70 million year old mineralized ammonite fossils in

Alberta.

“Ammolite” is an opal-like organic gemstone found primarily

along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, with

Canada being home to the only mine in the world. It is now

considered “Canada’s Gemstone” rivalling black opal for its

colour and fire. It was granted gemstone status by the

International Commission of Colored Gemstones in 1981.

Ammolite contains no water so it’s not subject to dehydration

and crazing as is seen in opal. It is commonly found in

iridescent hues of green, red and gold and in the rarer blue

and purple colors with the most desirable Ammolite

displaying three or more colors.

For those into metaphysics, it’s believed wearing an

ammolite gem turns negative energy into positive and helps

you to become more open and generous.

Adapted from Wikipedia, submitted by Brian Dear

top - Ammolite

tumbled specimens - courtesy of & pictures

from Brian Dear

Collection.

left - Ammonite fossil

- the source of all

ammolite (and even

better, found only in

Canada!) with pale

iridescent ammolite -

picture by J Forster.

bottom - Ammolite ring, pendant, & tumble

pictures by of Christopher White.

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Friday, September 20th @ Brock University

Show & Tell

Our September meeting is when we get to see who we

haven’t seen all summer and show off what we collected

during the summer. We also held elections for an Interim

Board at this meeting.

Friday, October 18th @ Brock University

Ashley Marazzo, Midgard Metal Works - intro

lapidary (a mini workshop)

Wire trees, plus pendants for windows, cars, necklaces,

& walls.

Ashley will have kits & findings available for us; but you

can also bring your own stuff.

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Interesting

Friday, November 15th @ Brock University

Joe Moysiuk - co-discoverer of Cambroraster at

Burgess Shale

Joe talked about the newly discovered Cambroraster

fossil from the Burgess Shale & the new ROM Dawn of

Life exhibit

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Spellbinding

Friday, December 13th @ Legion Merritton Branch

138 (2nd Friday)

Annual Potluck Dessert Social

& a Special auction for selenite crystals from the

Winnipeg Floodway

& demos by our members of various collections

Please bring a dessert to share. Meeting starts early @

6:30 pm (so we can eat!)

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Jolly - Food: Yummy!

Friday, January 17th @ Brock University

Michael Bainbridge - minerals & photography

Always a favourite speaker, Michael was amazing!

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Startling

Friday, February 21st @ Legion Merritton Branch

138

Annual General Meeting

& Potluck Dinner Social

& Don Lapham - Newfoundland rock hunting

Please bring a dish to share. Meeting starts early @ 6:30

pm (so we can eat!).

Elections! and constitution update.

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Icy - Food: Delicious!

Friday, March 20th @ Brock University

Bonnie Stevenson, Bijou Heaven - metaphysics &

crystal energies (& a short intro to titanium & silver

wire-wrapping)

& 2nd special auction for selenite crystals from the

Winnipeg Floodway

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Amazing

Saturday, March 21st @ Legion Merritton Branch 138

Bonnie Stevenson, Bijou Heaven - a full lapidary

workshop - cost $40

How to do beading & wire-wrapping with titanium & silver

wire for bracelets, pendants, and rock art.

Bonnie will also have extra kits & findings available for

us; but you can also bring your own stuff.

Friday, April 24th @ Brock University (4th Friday)

Kevin Kidd - Beecher’s Trilobite Beds

exceptionally preserved trilobites with soft tissue intact

Silent Auction & Member Displays: Fascinating

tentatively, Saturday, April 25th @ either Brock

University or Legion Merritton Branch 138 (location

being confirmed)

Ashley Marazzo, Midgard Metalworks - a 2nd full

lapidary workshop - cost to be announced

Ashley Marazzo is also our NEW Workshop Director

Friday, May 22nd @ Brock University (4th Friday)

Annual Auction

Please bring any rocks, minerals, fossils, gems, &

jewellery that you’d like to auction off.

Please arrive @ 7:00 pm if you are auctioning items.

Our Auctioneer and the selection will be outstanding!

Our Auction Co-ordinator will assign auction numbers.

Please contact us for auction slips & numbers.

If using blank auction slips, please ensure that you get

numbers from the Auction Co-ordinator. Thanks.

Auction rules blank Auction slips

Saturday & Sunday, June 6th & 7th @ Heartland

Forest, in Niagara Falls.

GEOventure! 2020 - our Annual Gem, Mineral, &

Fossil Show

Saturday from 10 am ‘til 5 pm, Sunday 10 am ‘til 4 pm.

Updates will be regularly posted in our newsletter, on our

website, and on social media.

And, yes, we’re looking for volunteers, please & thanks.

Annual Picnic tentatively, Saturday, June 13th from

noon ‘til 4 pm - location to be announced

We provide hot dogs, hamburgers, pop, & water.

Please bring a salad or a dessert to share as well as

sunscreen, bug spray, and a lawn chair.

Please let us know if you’ll be attending - so that we can

have accurate numbers for the food. Thanks.

Meeting & Events Schedule for 2019-20

Please note that our May meeting has been

changed to the 4th Friday. Thanks.

Buttons are active links. Please click and you’ll

open up either document or a webpage.

Irish Celtic

Craft Shop

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Hungry Hollow near Arkona, ON

• Saturday, May 2nd - co-hosted with London Gem,

Mineral, & Fossil Society

• also mid-summer CCFMS field trip - date to be

confirmed

• possibility of fall trip with London Gem, Mineral, &

Fossil Society

• mid-Devonian fossils

• kid-friendly

CCFMS Beamsville Quarry

• 2 times per year

• usually Saturday on Mother’s Day weekend in May

• plus late September / early October on a Saturday

• mid-Silurian fossils & minerals

• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older

Herkimer Diamonds near Herkimer, New York, USA

• Saturday thru Monday, May 16th thru 18th

(Victoria Day weekend)

• Cambrian-Ordovician boundary “diamonds” &

fossils

• long-weekend camping trip

• kid-friendly

• pay-to-collect

Winnipeg Floodway Miocene selenite crystals

• hosted by Mineral Society of Manitoba

• May/June (dates to be confirmed)

• probably mid-week - 2 or 3 days

• probably flying to Winnipeg with accommodations in

Winnipeg

• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older

CCFMS Bowmanville Quarry

• 2 times per year

• usually May into early June on a Sunday

• plus late September / early October on a Sunday

• mid-to-late Ordovician fossils

• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older

Beryl Pit, Rose Quartz Mine, & Smart Mine

• tentatively, Saturday & Sunday, June 20th & 21st

• mid-Proterozoic minerals

• weekend camping trip

• kid-friendly

• pay-to-collect

Ridgemount Quarries, Fort Erie, ON

• tentatively, Friday, June 26th for early-to-mid

Devonian fossils at the “south” quarry

• tentatively, Friday, August 28th for late Silurian

fossils at the “north” quarry

• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older

Thunder Bay amethyst, agate, jasper, Banded Iron

plus Lake Huron puddingstone

• tentatively, Saturday thru Saturday, July 11th thru

July 18th

• Early Proterozoic minerals & fossils

• puddingstone is 100% EXPLORATORY

• week-long camping trip

• kid-friendly

• partially pay-to-collect

Bancroft

• tentatively, Saturday thru Monday, August 1st thru

3rd

• mid-Proterozoic minerals

• partially EXPLORATORY

• long-weekend camping trip

• Bancroft Gemboree is on that same weekend - so

also an option

• kid-friendly

River Valley, Temagami, Gowgonda

• tentatively, Sunday thru Saturday, August 9th thru

15th

• Archean minerals & fossils

• partially EXPLORATORY

• week-long camping trip

• kid-friendly

Madoc

• tentatively, Saturday & Sunday, August 22nd & 23rd

• mid-Proterozoic minerals

• partially EXPLORATORY

• weekend camping trip

• kid-friendly

Toronto, ON

• tentatively, Saturday, September 12th

• special Tiffany Jewellery exhibit @ ROM from June

6th until September 13th, 2020

• minerals, fossils, dinosaurs, meteorites, amber, &

jewellery from every geologic age

• kid-friendly

• admission fee

Arkansas quartz, diamonds, wavellite, novaculite

• tentatively, Saturday thru Saturday, September 26th

thru October 3rd

• Ordovician thru mid-Cretaceous minerals

• 100% EXPLORATORY

• week-long camping trip

• kid-friendly

• pay-to-collect

Field Trips planned schedule 2020 season - some dates are now confirmed. The NPGS field trip schedule is posted on our website at http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/trips.htm.

Our field trip webpage also lists field trip Codes of Ethics, trip safety rules & equipment, as well as lots of handy info. Please click on the

buttons for dedicated site webpages (which provide loads & loads of info & maps) - you’ll be able to download documents or open up links.

A number of pages are still under construction. Thanks for your patience.

Field trip dates, as they come up, are also posted on our Facebook & Instagram pages and shared with all CCFMS clubs.

Anyone can attend any NPGS field trips as long as they are a member of a CCFMS club.

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Lapidary Events 2020

BRANTFORD LAPIDARY AND MINERAL SOCIETY

workshop facility

The cost is by punch card system:

Prices are listed on the poster.

**Please bring exact change.**

Punch card earnings go towards workshop supplies and

ensuring equipment is in tip-top shape.

Please contact & confirm with one of the following

Brantford club volunteers ahead of time of your visit

- to ensure that the workshop facility is open.

There is no guarantee that the workshop will be open -

volunteers may be ill or may have other commitments.

Workshop Chairperson Ernie Edmonds 519-583-9457

Workshop Administrator Ellen Boyington 519-753-5191

ellenboyington64@gmail.com

Lead Instructor Jordan Hill 519-717-8171

centralfire99@gmail.com

Workshop Instructors Allan Hietapakka 519-732-9825

allan.hietapakka@hotmail.com

Workshop Hours can change - please check their website

for hours - link is:

https://www.brantfordlapidarymineral.ca/workshops

Just so that you know! All CCMFS club members are

invited to use Brantford club’s workshop facility.

Bonnie will also be our

speaker - the evening

before - on Friday,

March 20th at our

monthly meeting.

You can sign up for the

workshop anytime by

emailing Ashley

Marazzo, our Workshop

Director at

npgslapws@gmail.com .

You can pay for the

workshop 2 ways:

1) Cash will be accepted

at the beginning of the

workshop or at the

Friday, Mar 20th

meeting.

2) Interac e-transfers will

be accepted, at latest by

Thursday, March 19th.

Please email your

Interact e-transfer to

npgsgeo@gmail.com

and please use the

password "geology".

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Soldering in Lapidary Soldering is one of the most useful techniques metalsmiths, silversmiths,

and goldsmiths can have.

It’s used to create new pieces and to repair damaged jewelry.

• The basic procedure calls for taking the two pieces of metal that need

to be joined.

• Solders are usually the same metal, but an alloy with a lower melting

temperature than the pieces it is intended to bond.

• When the metal is heated to a high enough temperature, the

molecules expand leaving space between them. At this moment,

the solder melts and flows into those spaces.

• When the metal cools, you have one solid piece.

Reprinted from IGS International Gem Society, article by Donald Clark, CSM IMG

Jewelry Bench Tips Identifying Unmarked Solders

There are plenty of ways to mark your sheet or wire solders, but suppose

you forgot to mark them and have a couple that you can't identify. The

answer is to compare the melting temperature of the unknowns with that

of a known solder.

What I do is take a thick scrap of copper or nickel and arrange several

solders on it. Ideally, I would have a sample of easy, medium and hard

known solders surrounding the unknown solder. Then I heat the plate

from the bottom and watch the order in which the solders melt.

Inexpensive Electric Wax Pen

You can make your own wax pen from a small soldering iron plugged into

a light dimmer switch for heat control.

Both components are easily found at a big hardware stores.

File the tip of the soldering iron into the shape you prefer or even better

get a soldering iron with replaceable tips. Then you can make several tip

shapes for different tasks. Set the dimmer control just hot enough to melt

the wax without producing any smoke.

A tip design that I find ideal for some work is a length of small gauge wire

that lets me reach in around the model to melt some wax. The wire is 18

gauge and about 15 mm long. I use Sterling wire to conduct heat easily to

the tip, and I silver solder it into a hole on the end of a copper or brass

rod that fits into the soldering iron.

Discover New Jewelry Tricks in Brad's "How To" Books @

https://www.amazon.com/Bradford-M.-

Smith/e/B009LYAE0C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Brad’s email address: brad@greenheart.com

Happy hammering, by Brad Smith

Having fun sanding at Brantford

club’s workshop facility.

Chris, Patti, Melynda, & Kendra pictures by Christopher White

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2020 Gem & Mineral shows

“FOSSILS OF NEW YORK” FEATURED AT BUFFALO GEOLOGICAL

SOCIETY’S

52nd ANNUAL GEM-MINERAL-FOSSIL SHOW

Saturday & Sunday, March 21st & 22nd,

2020 at the Erie County Fairgrounds in the Grange, Market and New York State Police Buildings

Saturday, 10 am-6 pm & Sunday, 10 am-5 pm.

Adults are $6 each, scouts in uniform and children under 12

are FREE. A 2-day admission for $9 each is also available.

Wheel chair and stroller accessible. FREE parking

• This annual show features 30 dealers selling gems,

beads, minerals, fossils, and jewelry, selling their items

from around the world and draws over 4,000 attendees

annually.

• Demonstrators - include a soapstone carver, jewelry

designers, and other lapidary artists.

• Sandy Cline, international renowned soapstone

carver from Canada, will be demonstrating his art of

carving wildlife forms and will have several carvings

for sale.

• the famous Mini-Mine for young collectors.

• the new mining operation for children and adults.

• mineral and fossil identification.

• a variety of non-profit exhibitors.

• food vendor.

For any additional information or questions, please contact

Jerry Bastedo, Show Chairman, at jcbastedo@gmail.com.

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Executive Committee positions

President

Patti Anderson

pattirocks@live.ca

Vice-President

Christopher White

289-214-1151

npgsvpres@gmail.com

Secretary & Archivist

Melynda Broadbent

npgs.secretary@gmail.com

Treasurer & Membership Chair

Ashley Pollock

905-687-6503

npgstrips@gmail.com

3 Directors-at-large

1. Janis Forster

npgsnews@gmail.com

2. Hannah MacDonald

npgsgeo@gmail.com

3. Sarah Stasiuk

npgsgeo@gmail.com

Elected at the AGM - positions not part of the

Board

Auditor

Geri Kerekes

geriarpad@gmail.com

CCFMS Council Representative

Christopher White

Appointed positions - making up the balance of

the Board

Past President - VACANT

Newsletter Editor - Janis Forster

“roving reporting - Brian Dear

both npgsnews@gmail.com

Librarian - Farzaneh Haj Soltan

Field Trip Director - Ashley Pollock

Lapidary Director - Christopher White

Workshop Director - Ashley Marazzo

npgslapws@gmail.com

Show Chair - Ashley Pollock

npgsshow@gmail.com

Social Director - VACANT however, Geri Kerekes, often brings refreshments &

goodies to most of our meetings (so we’re neither

parched nor starving!) Thank you, Geri.

If needed, the 2 following positions can be

separated:

Archivist (from Secretary) - Melynda Broadbent

Membership Chair (from Treasurer)

Committee - Melynda Broadbent, Hannah

MacDonald, Ashley Marazzo, Ashley Pollock

Other volunteer positions

Annual Auction Co-ordinator - VACANT

Touch Table Co-ordinator - VACANT

email portion - Brian Dear

npgsgeo@gmail.com

Welcomes & Thank yous! Aiden & Richard are joining us soon.

And thank you to Malcolm, Asher, and Bob & Linda for renewing.

Thank you to John Anderson and Debbie Brady for serving

on our Interim Board from September thru February.

Board & Volunteer positions

Invite everyone you know! If you know of anyone who likes to make jewellery, loves to do rock art, is crazy about collecting rocks,

gems, minerals, and fossils, please don’t hesitate to invite them to one of our meetings.

Exciting speakers, really good auctions, yummy tidbits, and fun & friendly people.

If you’re interested in volunteering some of your time - and it doesn’t matter to us if you

can commit a small amount of time or lots of time. Every little bit helps.

Many hands make small work.

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Something to sell? Something to buy?

Something to trade? Important notices? We welcome all notices & enquiries about selling, buying, and trading by our members

as well as any CCFMS club members plus other important notices.

Please contact us at our general email address npgsgeo@gmail.com. Thank you.

Annual Live Auction Hosted by the Gem and Mineral Club of Scarborough on Wednesday, March 4th from 6:30 until 10 pm

Scarborough club will be auctioning mineral specimens as well as some lapidary equipment saws &

more.

Location: Knox United Church, 2569 Midland Avenue, Scarborough

Extra details and lots of pictures can be found at:

https://www.scarbgemclub.ca/2020/02/march-4th-live-auction/

https://www.scarbgemclub.ca/2020/02/march-2020-live-auction/

Sale Clarita Demsen, wife of the late Paul Demsem, has an extensive collection of cutting material, slabs, and

cabs for sale. Paul Demsen was a well-know facetor and lapidary. Paul belonged to the Brantford

Lapidary and Mineral Club. He amassed quite a collection over the years - pics below. Prices are

negotiable. Clarita can be reached at 519-842-5180 or by email claritademsem@sympatico.ca.

Location: 238 Tillson Avenue, Tillsonburg ON

FRIENDLY REMINDER!

Daylight saving time 2020 in Canada will begin at 3:00 AM on SUNDAY, MARCH 8 (and ends November 1) The main purpose of Daylight Saving Time is to make better use of daylight.

Time to move your clocks forward 1 hour, hence why it is sometimes called ‘Spring Forward’.

clipart on this page - gavel - amazon - clock - WKYT - sky - alamy

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NPGS - NIAGARA PENINSULA GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY was established in 1962 - and incorporated on March 11, 1964 - to promote the study of earth sciences as well as the hobbies of lapidary

arts and mineral & fossil collecting.

Meetings are held the third Friday of each month, September thru May, beginning at 7:30 pm and usually ending 9:30 pm. Meetings consist

of current club business, auctions, swaps, refreshments followed by a guest speaker. Open to the public.

• September thru November, January, and March thru May, we meet at Brock University, MacKenzie-Chown Building, Dept of Earth

Sciences, Room MCD-309, St Catharines, ON.

• Our May meeting is also our Annual Auction - fast & furious bidding - and loads of laughs.

• In December & February, we meet at (new location) Royal Canadian Legion Merritton Branch 138, 2 Chestnut St East, St Catharines,

ON for our Annual Potluck December Dessert and Annual February Potluck Dinner. Potlucks begin earlier at 6:30 pm.

• The February meeting is also our AGM Annual General Meeting when we hold elections for our Board of Directors.

Each year the NPGS hosts GEOventure!, our annual gem, mineral, and fossil show. Taking place on either the 1st or 2nd weekend in June,

the show consists of gem, mineral, and fossil vendors along with NPGS member displays and demonstrations.

Collecting field trips to quarries and other locations throughout Ontario and New York state are arranged several times during the year

- along with co-hosted/partner field trips with other geology clubs - and with the CCFMS Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical

Societies.

Christopher White, our new Vice-President & Lapidary Director, and Ashley Marazzo, our new Workshop Director are working hard on re-

developing our lapidary program.

New members and guests are welcome any time. Individual memberships are $15. Family memberships are $20.

THE PINK DOLOMITE SADDLE BULLETIN is the “official” newsletter of the NPGS and is geared towards keeping NPGS members informed of club activities,

regional events, and other items of general interest to the NPGS.

The Pink Dolomite Saddle is published ten times per year - from September through June

- and distributed to members of the NPGS as part of their membership dues.

Members are requested to submit articles or reports of interest regarding earth sciences or the hobbies of lapidary arts and mineral & fossil

collecting. All articles should be submitted to the Editor before the 1st of each month.

Non-members may receive the Pink Dolomite Saddle - subscription $10.00 per year. Nominal charge for business advertisements.

Items from this bulletin may be reprinted, unless otherwise stated, providing proper copyright credit is given. Please respect copyright.

Thank you.

NPGS NIAGARA PENINSULA GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Please bring to a meeting/field trip OR mail along with a cheque payable to:

NPGS, c/o 120 South Drive, St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 4V9

OR send an Interac transfer to npgsgeo@gmail.com & please use the password geology.

Please check what applies: Family Membership $20.00 Individual Membership $15.00

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ___________________________________________Postal Code_____________________

Phone (Home): ___________________________Phone (Cell):___________________________

Email Address: _________________________________________________________________

What are your interests? __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ NPGS email: npgsgeo@gmail.com NPGS website: http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/

NPGS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392693367698780/

Membership term is from September 1st until August 31st. Membership fees are due in September & December.

Please click on this button to download a printer friendly membership form. Thank you.

The NPGS takes pictures & videos at all our events

and publishes them in our newsletter and on our website & social media.

If you don’t wish to be included in any of our pictures or videos, please let us know by emailing us at npgsgeo@gmail.com.

We have a photo release form if you wish to fill one out. Thank you.