March 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club · is one of the featured speakers at the...

The

BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK MINERALOGICAL CLUB, INC

America’s Oldest Gem & Mineral Club F o u n d e d 1 8 8 6 I n c o r p o r a t e d 1 9 3 7

Volume 130 No. 3

March 2016

ALFREDO PETROV

SHOW INFO

ALEXANDRITE

RARE EARTHS

GRATACAP PLAQUE

GOLD & MERCURY

DUES ARE DUE! March 9, 2016

Netherlands Flint

More Show Info

See page 11!

Spring NYC Mineral & GemShow is March 5-6, 2016

Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical ClubFounded 1886 Ë New York City, New York Ë Incorporated 1937

Volume 130, No. 3 America’s Oldest Mineral & Gem Club March 2016

March 9 Meeting:th

Alfredo Petrov: “Flint from theNetherlands”

We tend to think of the Netherlands asthe land of tulips, windmills, Anne Frankand Van Gogh, and without any realmineral resources. However, at one time,the flint mines of Limburg in theNetherlands provided a material that wasmore valuable than gold to the NeolithicWorld!

Alfredo Petrov is a well-knownmineralogist, author and rare mineraldealer, as well as a highly esteemedmember of the New York MineralogicalClub. He is also a director of mindat.org,where he is involved in maintaining theaccuracy and integrity of that website’sdata.

If you would like to know more aboutAlfredo, just Google his name sometimeand you will see that he is all over themineralogical world!

He recently had the honor of having amineral named after him, alfredopetrovite.

In the past he has regaled us on topicsranging from the minerals of Bolivia, tomineral collecting on volcanic islands, topseudomorphs, to an overview of Japanesejade.

Come hear his talk at the next meetingand learn something while at the same timefind yourself being both educated andamused.

**** Final Notice ****Send in Your 2016 Club Dues

It is time to send in your 2016 club membership dues! Allmemberships run from January 1 to December 31 ofeach year (with a few exceptions).If your mailing labelsays “Status: 2015”, you owe your 2016 dues.Please take the time now to mail in your dues in order toprevent uninterrupted delivery of your bulletin. A handyform appears on page 12. Dues are $25 for individual,$35 for family. Mail to: Membership Coordinator, N.Y.Mineralogical Club, P.O. Box 77, Planetarium Station,NYC, NY 10024-0077.

By Mitch PortnoyThe annual Spring New York City

Gem & Mineral Show will take place onMarch 5-6, 2016 (Saturday & Sunday) atthe Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan (on57 Street between 9 and 10 Avenues).th th th

The New York Mineralogical Club willcontinue its bi-annual successful

partnership with the show promoter,Excalibur Mineral Corp. (Tony Nikischer,President), and host this event. Tony, willONLY be there as a promoter and not havea retail booth as in the past.

There is a discount ticket on the lastpage of this bulletin. The NYMC website

also contains a downloadable file with moretickets, show posters and other information.

A list of the diverse dealers that willbe selling their fine wares at the show canbe found on page 11. On that same pageyou can also see the lecture, one on eachday of the show.

Since we have no direct commercialinterest in the show, we do ask each dealer,however, for a donation to the Club’s

June Benefit Auction as a token of thanksfor all the work we do to help promote theShow. These items tend to be the best lotsin the entire auction so please come andpatronize these top-quality dealers.

The Club’s booth will be in its regularlocation (to the left as you enter the show).There you can obtain a free souvenir card(pictured on this page), a 2016 club meetingcalendar, or just say hi to your fellowNYMC friends. We will decorate it with theclub’s many vinyl banners plus some of thecolorful posters created (and available forsale) for this event.

The most important function of thebooth, except for directing the public to arequested dealer, is to re-sign unrenewedmembers and to try to attract new members.

In addition, we hope to raise some

money, mostly to cover our show expenses,by selling various club products andpublications such as:(1) Gem & Mineral Note Card Sets;(2) NYMC CD-ROMs;(3) NYMC Drawstring Backpacks;(4) NYMC Posters;(5) The Limited NYMC “Stamp Album”;(6) Floaty Gemstone Pens.

We have two lectures scheduled, oneon each day. On Saturday I will berepeating my popular lecture entitledMalachite; On Sunday, Roland Scal willgive a talk entitled: Caveat Emptor: Frauds

& Enhancements of Gemstones. This willbe an introduction to common fakes andenhancements used for both legitimate andless honorable reasons on gemstones.

We do ask that you remember a few

important things:

(1) You can ask for discounts but bereasonable – most of the dealers have pricesthat are already more than fair;(2) You are a representative of the New

York Mineralogical Club. Please conduct

yourself accordingly.

Issue Highlights

President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Meeting Minutes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2World of Minerals: Ceres & Vesta. . . 3The Next Resource Shortage?. . . . . . 4Club History: The Gratacap Plaque. . 5Nature Abhors a Vacuum. . . . . . . . . . 6Dutch Archeology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Collapsing Plates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7The 100: More Carbonates. . . . . . . . 8Topics in Gemology: Alexandrite. . . 9Membership Renewal Form. . . . . 10

Gem & Mineral Show Info.. . . . . . . 11Gold & Mercury. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Exoplanet Compounds. . . . . . . . . . . 14Club & Show Calendars. . . . . . . . . . 15

2 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. March 2016

President’s MessageBy Mitch Portnoy

I received a call on February 7 fromTony Nikischer informing me thatmember Mel Belsky (1927-2014) hadpassed away in August 2014 and Larry

Conklin (1933-2016) in February 2016.

Many note card sets were ordered bymembers over the past few months. I havespent considerable time replenishing thestocks so we have them for sale at theSpring NYC Mineral Show. If there is a setyou especially want, please let me knowand I will bring it with me to the Show.

We are coming to the end of the set of16 mineral color games that opened manyof the monthly meetings over the past fewyears. If you have an idea for the theme ofa new series of games, please let me knowso I can get going on creating them.

For several decades now the NYMChas periodically produced a Mineral &

Gem Almanac. (The last was in 2010 inanticipation of our 125 Anniversary inth

2011.) It is probably timefor a new one.

However, as all theNYMC bulletins areavailable online now and alarge section of eachalmanac was a reprise ofthe best articles from them,

I think we need to rethink what goes intothis publication. Ideas? Suggestions?NYC Schist Request

The Club’s website is allowing us to becontacted and found much more easily. Irecently received a request for samples ofNYC mica schist! An educator in Florida isputting together kits referencing ageological documentary about theformation of North America and wantedreal samples. I went looking along theHudson, found an example and sent it tohim to make sure we are on the same page.More on this as the story unfolds . . .

Receive Your Bulletin Electronically!Advantages� Early Arrival� Pristine Condition� Full-Color Version with Hyperlinks� Electronic Storage� Club Saves Money� Go Green!Requires� Email Request to Mitch

([email protected])� Adobe Reader (Free)Optional� Printer (B/W or Color)

Club Meeting Minutes forFebruary 10, 2016By Vivien Gornitz, Secretary

Attendance: 42President Mitch Portnoy presidedAnnouncements:

� The raffle was held (included gemstonehearts).

� A NYMC website update was given.� The naming of oppenheimerite after

member J. Robert Oppenheimer wasannounced.

� The recent passing of both Mel Belsky

and Larry Conklin was sadlyannounced.

� The day’s and month’s historicalevents were presented.

� The evening’s game about orangeminerals was played.

� Mitch reminded the group that dueswere due and that overall renewalswere doing well in general.

� The items for sale were shown with anemphasis on the 2016 calendar.

� 2016 club programs were gone overwith new information given for theMarch Mineral Show (lectures), theJune Auction (online catalog), andOctober Banquet (opal gift calendar.)

Thanks to Jesus Sanchez for his gift ofa sample of epidote from Honduras to

the meeting attendees!

Special Event: NYMC Members–

“Show & Tell”

The evening’s meeting included brief

presentations by the following members:

� Vivien Gornitz

Rutgers’ Geology Department Open HouseLectures; Antarctica Update� Howard Heitner

The Sinkankas Label Collection � Pablo Hoffman

Some Collection Favorites� Mitch Portnoy

Famous Club Members� Eric Rampello

Diverse Quartz Treasures� Susan Ritter (First Timer!)Her Jewelry Creations and Aesthetics� Richard Rossi

Recent Acquisitions� Jesus Sanchez

Central American Gemstone Tools;Collection Highlights� Anna Schumate

Les Calanques (in Southern France)� Leon Zakinov

Black Diamonds

Members in the News� Elise Skalwold, who lectured to us in

the past about Cornell’s gem collection,is one of the featured speakers at the2016 Rochester MineralogicalSymposium in April.

� Dr. George Harlow was awarded the2015 Carnegie Mineralogical Award atthe 2016 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show.

� Naomi Sarna was given an award bythe AGTA in Tucson for Best Use of

Pearls for the 2 year in a row!nd

� Alfredo Petrov reprieved his lectureabout pseudomorphs to the Bay AreaMineralogists in January.

Welcome New Members!Alissa Duffy. . . . . . . . . . . . Blairstown, NJKevin & D. G. Duffy. . . . . Sunnyside, NYAlexsandra Santiago.. . . . . . . . Corona, NY

March Color Game(This is the last of the 14 color games!)

March 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 3

The World of MineralsThe World of Minerals is a monthly column written by Dr. Vivien Gornitz on timely and interesting topics related

to geology, gemology, mineralogy, mineral history, etc.

Unveiling the Mysteries of Vesta and CeresViewed by the Hubble Space Telescope, Vesta—the third

largest asteroid, roughly 530 km (329 mi) across—displays brightand dark splotches reminiscent of the highlands and “seas” of theMoon. These marked brightness differences hint at a surface ofvaried compositions. A closer look at the spectrum of lightreflected off Vesta’s surface furthermore shows two absorptionbands around 0.9 and 1.9 nanometers (nm; 1 nanometer = 1billionth of a meter) characteristic of pyroxene. These sparse cluespointed to Vesta as the possible home of a particular class of stonymeteorites—the howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) achondrites.HED meteorites consist of volcanic and plutonic igneous rocksresembling terrestrial basalts, gabbros, and pyroxenites. Morespecifically, eucrites are composed of a calcium-poor pyroxeneand plagioclase, whereas diogenites are mostly magnesium-richpyroxene that cooled more slowly at depth. Howardites liesomewhere in between these two groups.

The Dawn spacecraft, which orbited Vesta in 2011, carries avisible-infrared (VIR) high resolution imaging spectrometer thatfor the first time mapped the surface mineralogy of this asteroid.The instrument can sample the spectrum between 0.25 and 5.01nm, spotting narrow spectral features down to 1.8 nm in thevisible, and 9.8 nm in the IR, and detect ground features as smallas ~0.7 km (0.4 mi).

Composite images of Vesta reveal a cratered surface withlarge-scale color variations. For example, the northern hemisphereis brighter, redder, with weaker 0.92 nm pyroxene bands than atthe southern hemisphere. Furthermore, the pyroxene absorptionbands grow especially pronounced near a large south polar impactbasin, Rheasilvia. On the whole, the surface of Vesta is dominatedby pyroxene-rich mafic rocks, but the spectral features suggest thatthe Rheasilvia basin region is even more pyroxene-rich, possiblywith crystals of larger average grain sizes, and/or with feweropaque minerals present.

While the spectral characteristics of much of Vesta’s surfaceappear to closely match that of eucrites, the presence of strongpyroxene bands in the south polar region suggests instead a greaterproportion of diogenite there. These mineralogical differencesaccord with a stratigraphic model of Vesta, in which the surfacehas been blanketed by basaltic lava flows (the eucrites), whilediogenites exposed in the floor of Rheasilvia basin are more mafic

plutonic rocks (e.g., gabbros, pyroxenites) that formed at deeperlevels, but have subsequently been exposed by a giant impactevent. The diogenites may represent a Mg-rich pyroxene residueof the magma from which the eucrites formed. The howardites, onthe other hand, are mixtures of both eucrites and diogenites thatwere excavated during major impacts.

The spectral properties and mineral composition providestrong evidence in favor of long-held ideas concerning the closelinks between Vesta and the HED achrondrite meteorites recoveredon Earth. Furthermore, the large color and spectral variations onVesta, often associated with different geological structures, implya complex geological evolution, more akin to a terrestrial planetthan to other asteroids. However, most of the magmatic activityprobably peaked very early in the history of the Solar System,because many craters still pockmark Vesta’s surface.

Since its historic orbit of Vesta in 2011, the Dawn spacecrafthas arrived at Ceres in the spring of 2015. Ceres, the largestasteroid in the Solar System with a diameter of 940 kilometers(584 miles), is considered by some as a dwarf planet. Dawn hasnow descended to a low orbit around Ceres, actively mapping thisdwarf planet. Initial images reveal a Moon-like crater-pockedsurface. However, unlike Vesta, the VIR spectrometer indicates thepresence of hydrous minerals such as an ammonium-rich clay.Spectra of bright spots on the surface are consistent with a type of

4 2salt–hexahydrite, hydrated magnesium sulfate, MgSO • 6H O,although other minerals cannot be ruled out at present.

The Dawn mission has produced the first detailed maps ofminerals and rocks on one asteroid and shortly, on a second. Thenew information will enable planetary geologists to unravel thehistory of the processes that created our Solar System’s “proto-planets.”Further Reading

De Sanctis, M.C. et al., 2012. Spectroscopic characterization ofmineralogy and its diversity across Vesta. Science 336:697-700.

De Sanctis, M.C. et al., 2015. Ammoniated phyllosilicates with alikely outer Solar System origin on (1) Ceres. Nature 528:241-244.

McSween, H.Y., Jr., 2000. Meteorites and Their Parent Planets,2 ed., Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.nd

Nathues, A., et al., 2015. Sublimation in bright spots on (1) Ceres.Nature, 528:237–240.

Asteroid Vesta. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA

Asteroid Ceres. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCAL/MPS/DLR/IDA


The Next Resource Shortage?By David S. Abraham

When world leaders gather in Paris later this month to forgean agreement on climate change, they will discuss ways to use lessfossil fuel, expand energy-efficient technologies and reduce carbondioxide emissions. Yet even as our leaders are pushing us to usefewer resources, their vision will force us to use more.

Though energy from the sun and wind appears boundless, theresources needed to turn it into power are not. And as we moveaway from oil, gas and coal, there is increasing demand for the raremetals that are at the heart of green technology. In the process, weare trading one resource dependency for another, and unleashinga new set of economic and environmental ramifications.

These rare metals — a group of roughly 50 that includesindium, rare earths and gallium — are produced in smallquantities, often several thousands of tons annually or less;blended with other metals; and traded in back-room deals. Butdon’t let their obscurity fool you. They are critical to greentechnology. Their unique properties make the products we buysmaller, faster and more powerful.

They are embedded in the tallest wind turbines, the smallestcomputer chip and in every battery. If we succeed in meeting theInternational Energy Agency’s minimum recommendation ofnearly quadrupling wind power capacity by 2030, growing electricvehicle use more than 100-fold by 2025, and increasing batteryefficiency, specialty metals like dysprosium and cobalt will takecenter stage.

The Department of Energy and the European Union now fretover potential shortages of these metals because the speed oftechnological innovation may soon outpace our ability to developsustainable supplies to support them. The American ChemicalSociety reports that nearly half of naturally occurring elementsface supply risks. But a sole focus on geologic supply ismisguided.

The greater concern is that miners cannot quickly ramp upproduction. Supply lines can take 10 to 15 years to develop,resulting in part from challenging mining regulations, the highcosts of opening a mine and environmental concerns. And findingthe right mix of heat and acids to produce some of these metals cantake years, if it can be done at all. Having the minerals in theground doesn’t mean these metals can be produced.

Specialty metals are rarely mined for themselves. They arebyproducts of more lucratively mined metals like copper. This

means that even if prices of a rare metal were to skyrocket,companies often have little economic incentive to produce them ifit means sacrificing some base metal production or investing innew processing equipment. If supplies cannot be produced in atimely way, these specialty metals will become more expensive,limiting their use.

This is not an abstract issue. Fears of resource shortages,caused by uncertain supply, have led companies to abandonpromising technologies. Wind power manufacturers, like GeneralElectric, shifted away from using technologies requiring rareearths, a set of rare metals produced almost entirely in China. Fearpersists in the market that Beijing would again restrict access, asit did in 2010 when it cut off supplies to Japan. When one mine orcountry dominates production — as China does for nearly half ofall critical metals — supply risks abound.

Substitution can have a hidden but profound environmentalimpact. For example, air-conditioners built without a rare earthmagnet motor are significantly less efficient. In the United States,which expends 5 percent of all the electricity it produces onair-conditioning, less efficient machines can mean significantlymore energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Until 30 years ago, many rare metals were mere chemistrycuriosities. With the advent of green technology and theproliferation of electronic gadgets, we have produced more of mostrare metals over the past three decades than we did from thebeginning of time to the 1980s.

Manufacturers will most likely discover ways to become moreefficient with rare metals, using less in each product. But even ifelectric cars, for example, use 50 percent less rare metal per car,the increase in vehicles needed to meet green energy goals willlead to vast demand.

Rather than predicting which metal we need, we must turnrare metals into commodities, by making them cheaper, moreabundant and produced with minimal environmental impact. Agood first step is government investments in science to develop acadre of mineralogy and material researchers who can help unlockthe powers of rare metals and produce them with greater ease.Governments can also foster investment in rare metals byestablishing faster permitting systems for their extraction withclear, stringent environmental standards.

Companies, too, have a role to play. Manufacturers must makeproducts easier to reuse and recycle. Internationally, theestablishment of a materials agency to publish research and datacan help bring transparency to the opaque market. And funding forinternational development initiatives should supportenvironmentally sustainable rare metal operations.

Over a century ago, we jumped into fossil fuels withoutunderstanding the ramifications of their use. We would do well torealize the resource implications of our green ambitions anddevelop a resource plan with them in mind.Source: New York Times Nov. 20, 2015

February Bulletin Corrections(1) Regarding Bill Shelton's article referencing Trumbull,Connecticut: The locality is still very much accessible. It's in atown park and any one can access it at any time. Just go onmindat.com to see where the localities are specifically in the park.(2) Regarding Diana Jarrett's article: The AGTA has had a code ofethics in place for about 15 years. Each member has to sign a paperagreeing to all terms. As a former board of directors member Iknow that the organization was in the forefront of this drive togood business practices in the industry. Steve Stieglitz

A piece of rare earth metal from a mine in Tianjin, China. Credit Sim Chi Yin for TheNew York Times


Club History:The Louis Pope Gratacap Marble PlaqueBy Mitch Portnoy

While I was organizing my personal collection of NYMCmaterials/ephemera for eventual upload to the website, I cameupon this 1-page folded brochure:

Louis Pope Gratacap, long-time curator at the AmericanMuseum of Natural History, was born in Gowanus, Long Island,New York on November 1, 1850, the son of Lucinda Benton andJohn Louis Gratacap, a merchant. Soon after his birth his familymoved to Richmond, Staten Island, where he lived in the familyhomestead for the rest of his life as a bachelor. He graduated fromthe College of the City of New York in 1869 with a bachelor’sdegree, and in 1870 enrolled at the General Theological Seminarywith the idea of becoming a minister; after a year, however, hedropped out. He then worked for a while at the National ParkBank, but left to resume his education at the Columbia School ofMines, where he studied under Dr. Thomas Egleston (a NYMCmember) and received a Ph.D. degree in 1876.

Gratacap then worked as a chemist for a gas company whilebecoming involved at the American Museum of Natural History.In 1880, he was awarded a master’s degree from his old almamater, CCNY, and was appointed assistant curator of mineralogyat the American Museum that same year (under R.P. Whitfield inthe Department of Geology). In 1886 he and others, includingGeorge F. Kunz, founded the New York Mineralogical Club, withGratacap as permanent curator of the Club’s mineral collection. Hehad no personal collections except for an extensive personallibrary.

In 1890 Gratacap was made curator of mineralogy at theAmerican Museum as well; under his watch the museum receivedthe Spang Collection (1891), the magnificent mineral collection ofC. S. Bement (from J. Pierpont Morgan) and the Tiffany GemCollection, all of which he installed and meticulously cataloged.His best known and most enduring work was his Popular Guide toMinerals (1912), which included 74 photos of specimens from theBement collection. However, he wrote extensively on many othersubjects including the geology of New York City, theologicalsubjects, politics (Why the Democrats Must Go, 1914) and evenfiction and science fiction, e.g., The Certainty of a Future Life inMars (1903) and A Woman of the Ice Age (1906).

Gratacap’s friend Gilman Stanton (another NYMC member)wrote of him: “He was always ready to help the humblest, belovedby all who knew him, cheering the discouraged, helping the sickand unfortunate often to his own inconvenience, devoting his timeto folk who had no claim upon him, ready with a helping hand orgood cheer to brighten his corner. His modesty made him reserved,but once intimate his friendship and enthusiasm knew no bounds.”

He died suddenly on December 19, 1917, and is buried in OldTrinity Churchyard in New York City. He was succeeded ascurator at the American Museum by Herbert P. Whitlock.

The written tributes to Gratacap’s after his death wereimmediate and ubiquitous. Obituaries appeared in the New York

Times, American Mineralogist and many other periodicals.The New York Mineralogical Club responded with equal

alacrity, making their next meeting on January 16, 1917 amemorial one for Gratacap. In addition, before the end of 1918, theNYMC issued a special bulletin both with original material aboutGratacap as well as reprints of some of the articles mentionedabove. (This special publication can be viewed and/or downloadedfrom the website of the New York Mineralogical Club.)

But the Club was not finished. They hired Albert T. Stewart,a sculptor, to create a memorial plaque. The, at a regular monthlymeeting of the New York Mineralogical Club held in the MorganMemorial Hall of the American Museum of Natural History, on theevening of May 13, the Gratacap Memorial Tablet was formallypresented to the Museum by the CIub and unveiled by George F.Kunz, then president of the Club, made the presentation address.

Museum President Henry Fairfield Osborn accepted the tableton behalf of the Trustees of the Museum. The Rev. Henry Mottet,a classmate of Doctor Gratacap, spoke eloquently of hispersonality and magnetism. Mr. Lewis Sayre Burchard, praised hisgifts as a writer and a public speaker. Mr. George C. Lay, outlinedthe Gratacap ancestry and told of his theological studies. Mr.Joseph L. Buttenwieser, president of the Alumni Association of theCity College, spoke of his interest in his Alma Mater and hergraduates.

Mr. Gilman S. Stanton, speaking on behalf of theMineralogical Club, related instances of his interest in andinspiration extended to boy students and collectors. Mr. Herbert P.Whitlock, who succeeded him as Curator of Mineralogy in theAmerican Museum, spoke with great appreciation of the work ofLouis Pope Gratacap as a curator. The members of the club presentand the friends and former associates of Dr. Gratacap then viewedthe memorial tablet which has been placed upon the north wall ofthe Morgan Memorial Hall, and is carved in light buff marble,harmonizing with the general color of the Hall at the time.

It bears a portrait of Dr. Gratacap, by Albert T, Stewart overthe following inscription:


In Memory of Louis Pope Gratacap (1850-1917),Scientist, Author, Educator, for Forty-One Years inCharge of the Minerals of this Museum, and for SixteenYears Curator. Erected by the New York MineralogicalClub.

“In an upright case, in close proximity to the tablet, was

displayed a selection from the published and manuscript

works of Dr. Gratacap, assembled by the Mineralogy

Department of the Museum.” (From December 1925

Minutes of the NYMC)

I assume the flyer pictured above was distributed at the event.

And What of the Plaque Sculptor?

Albert Stewart (April 9, 1900 – September 23, 1965) was anAmerican sculptor born in Kensington, England.

He arrived in America in 1908 and was orphaned shortlythereafter. Through the intervention of a wealthy benefactor,Edwin T. Bechtel, Stewart was allowed to pursue his art studies atthe Beaux-Arts Institute of Design and the Art Students League ofNew York, staples for young and impoverished sculptors of theday. Upon completing his studies, Bechtel helped him obtain someneeded commissions.

George Kunz, then vice-president of Tiffany & Co., alsoassisted him, and after his death in 1932, in his will, he bequeathedto “Albert T. Stewart, a friend and sculptor,” five shares of non-parcapital stock in Tiffany & Co.

During World War I, he went to Canada and joined the RoyalAir Force. When he returned after the war, he worked as anassistant to both Frederick MacMonnies and Paul Manship.

During the 1930s he worked as a Works ProgressAdministration (WPA) artist. Throughout his career Stewartfrequently was employed to create architectural sculptures. In1939, he was appointed head of the sculpture program at ScrippsCollege in Claremont, California at the invitation of MillardSheets. He moved to California and stayed there the rest of his life.

The Plaque Today

At some point, the plaque must have been detached from thewall, stored somewhere and forgotten. Fifty-three years after itspresentation to the Museum, Joe Rothstein, then the Editor of theClub (December 1978 Bulletin of the New York MineralogicalClub) could write:

“Unearthed at the Museum recently was a marble plaque

some two feet by two and a half . . . Carl (Krotki) will

take a shot of the plaque and eventually the club will see

the slide . . . The plaque is destined to be placed on the

wall in the new quarters of the department of Mineral

Sciences.”

It is unclear if this ever happened.In October of 2015 I asked Jamie Newman, NYMC member

and Senior Scientific Assistant, Minerals and Gems, at theAmerican Museum of Natural History about the disposition of theplaque. Unaware of its existence at first, she quickly andenthusiastically located the tablet and sent me the photograph of itthat follows.

It is currently leaning unmounted against one of the displaycases in the offices of the Mineral and Gems department. I can

only wonder with trepidation what the future holds for this historicgift from the New York Mineralogical Club.

References

Archives of the New York Mineralogical Club.Kunz, G. F. (1918) Biographical sketch of the late L.P. Gratacap.

The American Museum Journal.Mineralogical Record Label Archive.NYMC Ephemera Collection of Mitchell Portnoy.Stanton, G. S. (1918) Louis Pope Gratacap. Bulletin of the New

York Mineralogical Club.Wikipedia.org.

Plaque photograph courtesy Jamie Newman, AMNH


How the Earth's Pacific Plates CollapsedBy Staff Writers

Scientists drilling into the ocean floor have for the first timefound out what happens when one tectonic plate first gets pushedunder another. The international expedition drilled into the Pacificocean floor and found distinctive rocks formed when the Pacifictectonic plate changed direction and began to plunge under thePhilippine Sea Plate about 50 million years ago.

“It’s a bit like a rugby scrum, with two rows of forwardspushing on each other. Then one side goes down and the other sidegoes over the top,” said study leader Professor Richard Arculus,from The Australian National University (ANU).

“But we never knew what started the scrum collapsing,” saidProfessor Arculus, a petrologist in the ANU Research School ofEarth Sciences. The new knowledge will help scientists understandthe huge earthquakes and volcanoes that form where the Earth’splates collide and one plate gets pushed under the other.

As part of the International Ocean Discovery Program, theteam studied the sea floor in 4,700 metres of water in the AmamiSankaku Basin of the north-western Pacific Ocean, near theIzu-Bonin-Mariana Trench, which forms the deepest parts of theEarth’s oceans.

Drilling 1,600 meters into the sea floor, the team recoveredrock types from the extensive rifts and big volcanoes that wereinitiated as one plate bored under the other in a process known assubduction.

“We found rocks low in titanium, but high in scandium andvanadium, so the Earth’s mantle overlying the subducting platemust have been around 1,300 degrees Celsius and perhaps 150degrees hotter than we expected to find,” Professor Arculus said.

The team found the tectonic scrum collapsed at the south endfirst and then the Pacific Plate rapidly collapsed 1,000 kilometersnorthwards in about one million years.

“It’s quite complex. There’s a scissoring motion going on.You’d need skycam to see the 3D nature of it,” Professor Arculussaid.

Professor Arculus said that the new knowledge could giveinsights into the formation of copper and gold deposits that areoften formed where plates collide.

The research is published in Nature Geoscience.Canberra, Australia (SPX) November 30, 2015

Dutch ArcheologyEarly in the previous century the basis had already been laid for the collection of prehistoric tools found in Dutch soil.Acquiring the private collection of amateur archaeologist A.M. Wouters in 1994, this collection was expanded considerably.Today it is the largest collection of prehistoric artefacts in the Netherlands. The collection covers all periods from Dutchprehistory, with the center being the Paleolithic.


Collector’s Series – “The 100"The 100 is a monthly feature of interest to mineral collectors written by Bill Shelton, based upon his many years of

experience as a mineral collector, educator, author, appraiser, philanthropist and dealer. Comments as well as suggestions

for new topics are most welcome. Contact him at [email protected].

More CarbonatesLast time I mentioned this group, I covered dolomite,

malachite and rhodochrosite (May 2014). Now, let’s considersiderite, smithsonite and witherite. Here’s how they compare toeach other:

Species Formula Minor Traces Group# of

Localities

3Siderite FeCO Ca, Mg, Mn Calcite 5,467

3Smithsonite ZnCOCa, Mg,

Mn, Cd, Fe,Co, Cu, Pb

Calcite 2,089

3Witherite BaCO Ca, Sr Aragonite 210

Locality data via mindat.org suggests relatively few placeshave witherite; Dana’s New Mineralogy (1997) says “Witherite isthe most common barium mineral after barite, although a raremineral.” Barite has nearly ten thousand localities given (forcomparison), hence we can call it very common. Minor trace datalinks siderite to calcite (Ca), magnesite (Mg) and rhodochrosite(Mn) but complete solid solution series are noted only withmagnesite and rhodochrosite.

Siderite, Antwerp, New York Witherite, Illinois

A wide array of traces in smithsonite might result in the vastarray of colors noted, all in addition to colorless and white types.While they are unusual, they represent the true color of thisspecies. Pink, orange, yellow, various shades of green, blue, lightpurple, gray and brown are all well-known colors for smithsomite.Cadmium may be the culprit for yellow, especially in the Sardinianand Arkansas specimens; orange samples from Chihuahua, Mexicomay also be colored by cadmium.

Witherite, in terms of color, is mostly white or close to it;occasionally we find hints of color (yellow, green, brown) thatmay, in some cases, be due to included material. I have a yellowsample from Turkmenistan that may be among the rarestcarbonates in my Soviet collection. Siderite tends to be brownishbut yellow, green, gray and white are known. Darker colors maybe attributed to oxidation – especially if samples are left in theweather such as a mine dump pile. Roxbury, Connecticut had someexamples that show this process. As a general rule, much of thecolor seen in minerals is due to trace elements – a lot of carbonatesare examples of this.

Roxbury was a good source for siderite, mainly as massivepieces, but is no longer open to collectors as far as I know. It israther common and be encountered elsewhere in our area.Smithsonite seems to be a predominately – Western USA specieswith little to be had nearby. Witherite has been found in very finepieces in Illinois and rarely in the Northern section of New Yorkbut not in particularly good samples. One possible reason may bethe solution of witherite resulting in the widespread presence ofbarite. Organic activity may even hasten this process. S i n c e acollected sample is unlikely, consider the purchase of your piecesfrom these noted localities worldwide: many are classics – sideritefrom Erzberg, Austria, Cornwall, England, Neudorf, Germany orAllevard, France. Smithsonite might be selected from Sardinia,Italy, Tsumeb, SWA, Broken Hill, Australia, or Kelly mine in NewMexico. Witherite can be had from Fallowfield, England, AlstonMoor, England or Rosiclaire, Illinois. Some of these will bedifficult to locate; selected ones are generally relatively expensiveas well. For a great color suite, I strongly recommend smithsonite.If crystals are an issue, Tsumeb is probably the best to date.

Smithsonite, New Mexico Smithsonite, Mexico

Smithsonite, Arkansas Smithsonite, Namibia

Good gem materials are generally hard – carbonates as agroup are rather soft. In spite of that, we do find (rarely) facetedsiderite that is light brown from Portugal and Canada. Smithsonite,which has modest popularity in cabochon form (especially fineblues and greens), may be found rather readily. Pink and yellowcabochons may be available from time to time too. Again, facetedpieces are very rarely seen; the best may be from Tsumeb.Witherite adds to our impressions with faceted stones being veryrare. Finally, carbonates as a group might be considered as poorchoices for jewelry usage.

Fluorescence is especially noted in some witherite – green andyellow are typical responses. Blue-white, red, green and lavenderresponses are seen in some smithsonites. As with most iron-richspecies, siderite generally exhibits no fluorescence. Do recallfluorescence is not particularly useful in mineral identification andthat applies very much if it is used alone.


Topics in GemologyTopics in Gemology is a monthly column written by Diana Jarrett, GG, RMV, based on gemological questions posed to

her over the years by beginners and experts alike. Contact her at [email protected].

Another Source, Another PhenomenonFor bonafide gem connoisseurs, nothing compares to the

hypnotic color change variety witnessed in the alexandritegemstone. This rare and valuable jewel is actuallya chrysoberyl that naturally changes color fromdaylight to candlelight. The striking andmysterious effect is infinitely repeatable. Peopleroutinely described this stone as an emerald by dayand a ruby by night. The name Alexandrite (forCzar Alexander II) is a romantic nod to its originaldiscovery in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830.

If that’s not enough of a light show for you,the stone occasionally produces a cat’s eye effectwhen cut en cabochon. Negative crystal inclusionsand rutile silk account for its ability to create acat’s eye phenomenon from a piece of alexandriterough.

For dealers and miners working in the field,the rough crystal will show nice color change too,aiding in its immediate recognition. Unlike somegems which shift color due to pleochroism,alexandrite gains its color-changing propertiesfrom its unusual light absorption properties. Largecarat sizes of the material have always been a rareoccurrence. And until recently, its one sourcemade it almost impossible to collect.

Recently however, this stone’s scarcity hasbeen alleviated somewhat with the discovery ofdeposits in Sri Lanka, Brazil, and East Africa.

Michael Couch, owner of Michael Couch &Associates has a deep history in colored gemstoneacquisition. Almost 30 years in business, he’s anearly adapter of going to the source of these stonesfor his inventory. One of his best sellers isalexandrite from the Tunduru (or Tundura) region ofsouthern Tanzania near Mozambique. Known for itsproduction of large quantities of chrysoberyl overthe last two decades, its no wonder that alexandritehas also turned up in these deposits.

Consumers are dazzled by the different colorpossibilities on a single gemstone, considering it a‘two-fer’ with both colors being so very attractive.Couch says his retail and wholesale customers areconsistently drawn to the jewel given its phenomenaleffect.

Customer input from retailers has beenvery positive, reports Couch. “Especially when Itake the time and expense to get certs on the stone,”he points out. That matters more with pricey goods,he knows. “When stones tend to be expensive, likealexandrite, the retailer appreciates having a cert togo with the stone. It is a nice plus when labs likeGIA and AGL put both images on their certs of theblue/green phase and the red/purple phase.”

Geological conditions are often unique to an area, and have abearing on the type of gemstones produced in the region. Sologically, it can affect the appearance of the stones. Alexandritefrom Tanzania for instance has a distinct coloration, making it

identifiable to the region. Couch clarifies. “The stones fromTanzania tend to have a stronger green than the Russianalexandrite. And the stones from Tanzania tend to have a weaker

red than the Russian alexandrite although this isnot always true.” The means of recovery iscompletely different between the two types ofalexandrite. “The Tanzanian alexandrite is alluvialmaterial, and the Tanzanian material is usuallycleaner than the Russian alexandrite.”

The hardness of this stone at 8.5 on the Mohsscale means that well-cut specimens should havevery sharp facet junctions and be super sparkly; aselling point with jewelers who want to offer theircustomers something eye-catching. Couch sees thedemand for this gemstone remaining strong. Ascontrasted to Russian alexandrite, the prices arecertainly more attractive, allowing more customersto enjoy a genuine rare gemstone.

The future of such a rarity as alexandrite isdifficult to predict. When a mining area runs drythat’s it. But with regards to the alexandritecoming from Tanzania, the future looks promising,Couch believes. “I know that the amount ofAlexandrite coming from Tanzania is increasingsubstantially. It is my understanding that theproduction from other alexandrite mining areas isdecreasing.”

That detail could bode well for the Tanzanianvariety which is sourced from three alluvial river bedareas. “It is likely that public demand will increaseas Tanzanian stones are more available. I think thatone reason there is not a larger demandfor alexandrite is that everyone knows that it is hardto source,” Couch says. But the future appears brightfor this two-color wonder. “If this material becomesmore available,” and Couch predicts it will, “I thinkyou will see more retailers trying to sourcealexandrite.”

Coming Soon!


Name (s)

Street Address

City State Zip

Home Phone Work Phone E-mailPLEASE!G Send me my monthly Bulletin via e-mail.

G Individual Membership ($25.00) G Family Membership ($35) for:

Please send me a set of the following boxed Note Card Sets (Each set for $6.00 including envelopes):G Thin Sections G Mineral & Gem Bookplates G Jade G Native Elements G Crystallography G RubyG Famous Diamonds G Birthday Mineral Cards G Malachite G Quasicrystals G Quartz G LapisG Amethyst G Fluorite G Garnet G Amber G Sapphire G Pyrite G New York State G PseudomorphsG The NYMC G Einstein G International Year of Light G Mineral & Gem Textures G Emerald G Turquoise

Mail this form (or copy)with your check to:

Membership Coordinator, New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.PO Box 77, Planetarium Station, NYC, NY, 10024-0077

Please Send in Your2016 NYMC Membership Dues!

ForgetForget the hasty, unkind word:Forget the slander you have heard;Forget the quarrel and the cause;Forget the whole affair, because,Forgetting is the only way.Forget the storm of yesterday;Forget the knocker, and the squeak;Forget the bad day of the week.Forget you're not a millionaire;Forget the gray streaks in your hair;Forget to even get the blues -But don't forget To Pay Your Dues!

Please take the time to send in your2016 NYMC membership dues

if you have not already done so.FINAL NOTICE


Spring 2016 Show Dealer Roster(Subject to change)

1 New York Mineralogical Club, Inc., New York City

2 Amazon Imports, Williston Park, New York

3 AYS International, Floral Park, New York

4 Bary Gems, Hollis, New York

5 John Betts Fine Minerals, New York City, New York

6 China South Seas, Inc., New York City, New York

7 Crystal Circle, Cincinnati, Ohio

8 Exotic Russian Minerals, Moscow, Russia

9 Gems Art Studio, Brooklyn, New York & Moscow, Russia

10 Great Opals, Raleigh, North Carolina

11 Highland Rock & Fossil, Highland Park, New Jersey

12 Khyber Gemstones, Lyndhurst, New York

13 Mahalo Minerals, Takoma Park, Maryland

14 Malachite & Gems of Africa, Rochester, New York

15 Margola Corp, Englewood, New Jersey

16 Alfredo Petrov Rare Minerals, Desert Hot Springs, California

17 Raj Minerals, Jersey City, New Jersey

18 Rocko Minerals, Margaretville, New York

19Howard Schlansker, Marshfield, MA(Wholesale Only with Credentials)

Show Lecture Titles & Schedule

Booth Banner

Many Note Cards Available for Sale!

(Above is one example of 35 sets from which to choose!)

Spring 2016 Show Saturday Evening DinnerDate: March 5, 2015 (Saturday Evening)Place: Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan (Show locale)Time: 6:30Cost: $25 each (wine donation happily accepted!)Attire: INFORMAL

All members, family, friends, & dealers are invited!

� Dinner will include salad, entree, dessert, breads and beverage.Entree will be a choice of either chicken, fish or beef (subject tochange).

� Although reservations and payments can be accepted on the dayof the dinner at the show, it would be incredibly helpful if youcould RSVP to either Diane or Mitch if you intend to come tothis event. (Phone numbers and/or email addresses can be foundon the last page of the Bulletin.)

� Payments can be sent in advance to the club mailbox or givendirectly to us at the Club booth during the Show.

Free Color Show Souvenir Card!


They’re Still Here! By Popular Demand!Floaty Gemstone Pens

For Sale at the Show – $5 each

For Sale at the Show – $5NYMC Drawstring Backpack

For Sale at the Show – CD ROMs – $5 Each

NYMC Website Banner

Encouraging donations for the Club’s annual benefit

auction on June 8, 2016 of minerals, gems, lapidary arts,

books, magazines, equipment, jewelry, fossils, etc.


From Blood Diamonds to Dirty Gold: How toBuy Gold Less Tainted by MercuryBy Kristin Sippl

When a customer walks into a jewelry store, weddings orspecial occasions are usually front of mind. Rarely does thatcustomer think of where the jewelry comes from, let alone itssocial and environmental costs.

The tragedy of “blood diamonds” – illegally traded diamondsused to fund conflicts in Africa – has managed to permeateconsumer consciousness and generate change, yet most consumershave little idea of where their gold jewelry comes from or how it’sproduced.

Around 20% of the gold in a jewelry store comes fromartisanal and small-scale gold mining. And this sector is now theleading source of man-made mercury pollution in the world,emitting 727 metric tons of mercury into the environment in 2013,more than twice the amount in 2005.

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that harms the brains, musclesand vital organs of adults and especially children. While mostpeople now know about the threat from mercury in their tuna, fewknow of its connection to the jewelry on the hand lifting their fork.

Restoring luster to the jewelry industry requires understandingwhat made it tarnish. A journey to the remote mountains, desertsand rainforests housing the world’s gold deposits reveals the storyof desperate subsistence miners relying on mercury to make endsmeet.Mercury In Gold Mining

The artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector comprises15-30 million men, women and children in over 60 developingcountries using rudimentary tools to mine small volumes of gold.

In researching ethics and global businesses, I’ve dug into howartisanal gold is produced and traded using reports fromintergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizationsand academics, as well as my own interviews with activists andindustry representatives.

Mining often occurs informally, meaning that miners foregoacquiring permits to work whatever land they can find, be that landowned by large-scale multinational mining firms or ecologicallysensitive land protected by the government.

Once miners dig up a portion of promising earth frommountainsides or riverbeds, they grind it, mix it with water andthen pour pure or elemental mercury on top, which binds to thegold in the earth thanks to the chemical attraction between the twoelements. This divides the slurry into balls of a mercury-gold

amalgam and a soup of muddy mercury-laced wastewater called“tailings.”

The tailings are dumped into local waterways, where themercury is ingested by microorganisms and accumulates upaquatic food chains to end up in fish like tuna. Meanwhile, themercury-gold amalgam balls are burned with blowtorches or onkitchen stovetops, a process which vaporizes the mercury into theatmosphere, leaving behind a semipure, sellable piece of gold.

Miners use mercury because it is the cheapest, easiest andfastest way to mine gold, and because they are unaware of its risksor ways of avoiding them.

Miners buy mercury from local black market dealers andmany have no way of knowing that the invisible, odorless mercuryvapor toxin is the source of their health problems, since it causessymptoms similar to other local ailments, such as malaria andSTDs.

Some miners, such as the Aurelsa cooperative in Peru, havemanaged to save enough money to upgrade to the cyanide leachingtechnique used by large-scale mining firms, which as the recentColorado mining disaster shows, carries its own suite of hazards.

But the experience of miners in places like Tanzania,Mongolia and Indonesia is more typical: families toil forgenerations without breaking above the poverty line ortransitioning to safer livelihoods. Children often skip school tohelp their families mine, only to fall sick and never return. With noeducation, their only option is to continue the cycle of mining andpoverty as adults.A Top-Heavy Value Chain

With an everyday commodity like coffee, it’s understandablewhy producers don’t make much. There’s little scarcity in thenatural world, and consumers purchase it everyday with littlefanfare. But luxury goods are very different. Gold wedding ringsare (theoretically…) once-in-a-lifetime purchases steeped insentimental meaning. People do research and save for years inorder to buy a ring that matches their preferences.

My own research shows that the price for an 18 karat goldwedding ring of average size and width can vary from aboutUS$200 at Amazon.com to about $800 at Tiffany & Co. A typicalprice is around $500.

The value of the gold in a ring is set daily by the LondonBullion Market Association. When miners sell their gold into thevalue chain, large-scale firms earn about 98% of this value, whileartisanal miners earn at most 70%. This amounts to $74 for atypical $500 wedding ring and an average annual income hoveringnear or well below the World Bank’s measures for extreme andmoderate poverty ($1.25 to $2.50 per day). Without the money tosend children to school and invest in cleaner technology, themercury problem will persist.

A speck of gold from a mine in Liberia, Africa.

Children digging earth for gold in Liberia in 2011.


So where is the rest of the $500 going? While this varies, myinterviews with jewelry store owners in the US, UK and Canadasuggest that over 75% of the customer’s dollars go to the last twolinks in the value chain – the wholesaler and the retailer.Fair Trade For Gold

Until very recently, jewelry consumers were blind to wheretheir money went and whether it supported mercury pollution.Today, however, they can choose to see. Two new value chaincertification and labeling programs provide consumers with fullknowledge of how and where their gold was produced.

In 2011, Fairtrade International expanded its focus fromagricultural goods to minerals by partnering with the Alliance forResponsible Mining to bring the first ethical artisanal gold tomarket. In 2013, the organizations split and now offer competingprograms.

Both programs require miners to acquire permits, use amercury-reducing device called a retort, and ban children from themining site. In return, both pay miners 95% of the internationalgold price plus a social premium miners invest in theircommunities. Gold sourced in this way that is also fully traceablemay bear the program’s label. And both programs offer asemi-traceable, non-labeled option for businesses wanting to mixcertified with noncertified gold.

Where the programs differ is in their approach to drivingdemand and thus benefits to miners. Fairtrade pays miners a socialpremium of $2,000 per kilogram, whereas the Alliance pays them$4,000.

Fairtrade’s approach of keeping premiums and thereforejewelry prices low may help drive sales, as may their policy ofwaiving licensing fees for small businesses. The Alliance’s modelgives more money to miners upfront, and hopes to offset any lowersales by allowing large businesses to donate to the Alliance insteadof sourcing gold from certified mines.

Which organization’s approach will result in better povertyand pollution outcomes is an open question. Until we get moremoney to miners and other subsistence producers, pollutionproblems will continue.

Currently one in seven people in developing countries die oftoxic pollution each year, and 19 million are at risk of mercuryassociated harm worldwide. This is a horrible price for luxury thatthe world can’t afford to pay.Source: iflscience.com from December 23, 2015

Exoplanet Cores May Contain CompoundsImpossible On EarthBy Stephen Luntz

The intense pressures at the heart of rocky planets larger thanEarth will cause elements to combine in ways they never do onEarth. Modeling suggests this could result in exceptionallypowerful magnetic fields and much more rapid geologic activity atthe planet's surface.

Heavy planets still small enough to be rocky, rather than gasgiants, are known as super-Earths. Our search for worlds beyondthe Solar System has turned up plenty of them in the last fewyears. Their frequency has spurred a quest to learn more abouttheir nature, so far depending on models, since the information wecan glean from observations is almost negligible.

In Scientific Reports, Professor Artem Oganov of theSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Russia exploreswhat happens to silicon, oxygen, and magnesium at the immensepressures that would exist at the core of a planet with several timesthe mass of Earth.

“Earth-like planets consist of a thin silicate crust, asilicate-oxide mantle – which makes up approximately 7/8 of theEarth's volume and consists more than 90 percent of silicates andmagnesium oxide – and an iron core. We can say that magnesium,oxygen, and silicon form the basis of chemistry on Earth and onEarth-like planets,” Oganov said in a statement.

When exposed to forces 5 to 30 million times atmosphericpressure, Oganov found that compounds often end up with moreoxygen than occurs on Earth. For example, silicon trioxide (SiO3)joins silicon dioxide (SiO2) as a possible combination of the twocommon elements. The largest super-Earths, with masses greaterthan 20 times that of our own world, allow the existence ofMgSi3O12 and MgSiO6.

MgSiO12 has fundamentally different properties to othercombinations of these three elements, being an electrical conductorrather than a dielectric or semiconductor. The presence of so muchconductive material around an iron core could lead to much morepowerful magnetic fields even than Earth’s. It would also increaseheat transference from the core to the surface of the planet, whichOganov argues could lead to more rapid movement of tectonicplates at the surface.

No super-Earth weighing 20 Earth masses has yet beendiscovered, and until recently such objects were thoughtimpossible. It was anticipated that planets with so much gravitywould become gas giants. However, the discovery of Kepler-10c,17 times the mass of Earth, has rocked assumptions about wherethe maximum lies.

The enormous gravity on such a planet might challengecomplex life, but an enhanced magnetic field would be a usefuldefense against the stellar storms thought to threaten planetsorbiting red dwarfs.

Kepler 10-c is far too hot for life, but the recent detection ofa planet with a mass at least 4.3 times that of Earth’s in thehabitable zone of a nearby star supports the view super-Earths arelikely to be among the closest places to find life.Source: iflscience.com from December 30, 2015

Consider writ ing an art icle or column for the

Bullet in of the New York M ineralogical Club.

Edit ing and graphic support available!

An artist's vision of Kepler 10-c, the discovery of which overthrew ideasof how large rocky planets could be. New modelling suggests suchplanets' interiors contain novel compounds. Harvard-Smithsonian Centerfor Astrophysics/David Aguilar


2016 Club Calendar

Date Event Location Remarks & Information

March 9 Meeting at 6:45 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Alfredo Petrov – “Flint from the Netherlands”

April 13 Meeting at 6:45 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Dr. Roland Scal –“Microscopy of Gemstones”

May 11 Meeting at 6:45 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Zackry Wiegand (Artist) –“Subtle Bodies - The Art of Light & Minerals”

June 8 Annual Benefit Auction Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan Details to follow; Online catalog available!

July/AugustOfficers Meeting / OpenHouse (?) / Special Sale (?)

TBD – Stay tuned!

September 14 Meeting at 6:45 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Eric Rampello (1 Time!) –st

“Tips in Building a Mineral Collection”

October 19 Annual Banquet Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan Opal theme; details to follow

November 16 Meeting at 6:45 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Anne Pizzorusso –The Renaissance, Dante and Geology

2016 Show or Event Calendar

Date Event Location Remarks & Information

March 5-6Spring NYC Gem, Mineral

& Fossil Show

Grand Ballroom, Holiday Inn

Midtown, New York City

20+ diverse dealers; lectures; wholesale

section (with credentials); Club Booth

March 12-13Annual Gem, Mineral,Jewelry & Fossil Show

Old Bethpage Village ExhibitionHall, Old Bethpage, NY

Sponsor: Island RockhoundsInfo: www.islandrockhounds.org

NEW INFO!

April 2-3North Jersey Gem, Mineral& Fossil Show

Midland Park HS, 250 ProspectSt., Midland Park, New Jersey

Sponsor: North Jersey Mineralogical SocietyInfo: www.nojms.com or ( 973) 293-7911

April 8-10NY/NJ Mineral, Gem &Fossil Show

New Jersey Expo Center, Edison,New Jersey

Exhibits, dealers, lectures, specialty area

April 14-1743 Rochester Mineralogicalrd

SymposiumRadisson Hotel, Rochester, New York

Lectures, dealers, dinners, banquet, exhibits,auctions, micromount room, etc.

April 23-24 NJESA Mineral Show Franklin School, Franklin, NJ For Info: Russ Brarens – (908) 421-1045

July 27-Aug 1 AFMS Convention/Show Albany, Oregon Article Contest Results; Details to Follow

October 21-23 EFMLS Convention/Show Rochester, New York Article Contest Results; Details to Follow

Mineral Clubs & Other InstitutionsIf you would like your mineral show included here, please let us know at least 2-3 months in advance!

Also, for more extensive national and regional show information check online:

AFMS Website: http://www.amfed.org and/or the EFMLS Website: http://www.amfed.org/efmls

George F. KunzFounder

The New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.Founded in 1886 for the purpose of increasing interest in the science of mineralogy through

the collecting, describing and displaying of minerals and associated gemstones.

Website: www.newyorkmineralogicalclub.orgP.O. Box 77, Planetarium Station, New York City, New York, 10024-0077

2016 Executive Committee

President Mitchell Portnoy 46 W. 83rd Street #2E, NYC, NY, 10024-5203 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 580-1343

Vice President Anna Schumate 27 E. 13th Street, Apt. 5F, NYC, NY, 10003 email: [email protected]. . . (646) 737-3776

Secretary Vivien Gornitz 101 W. 81st Street #621, NYC, NY, 10024 email: [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 874-0525

Treasurer Diane Beckman 265 Cabrini Blvd. #2B, NYC, NY, 10040 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 927-3355

Editor & Archivist Mitchell Portnoy 46 W. 83rd Street #2E, NYC, NY, 10024-5203 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 580-1343

Membership Mark Kucera 25 Cricklewood Road S., Yonkers, NY, 10704 email: [email protected]. . . . . . (914) 423-8360

Webmaster Joseph Krabak (Intentionally left blank) email: [email protected]

Director Alla Priceman 84 Lookout Circle, Larchmont, NY, 10538 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . (914) 834-6792

Director Richard Rossi 6732 Ridge Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY, 11220 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . . . (718) 745-1876

Director Sam Waldman 2801 Emmons Ave, #1B, Brooklyn, NY, 11235 email: [email protected]. . . . . . . . (718) 332-0764

Dues: $25 Individual, $35 Family per calendar year. Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of every month (except July and August) at the Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan, 57 Streetth

between Ninth and Tenth Avenues, New York City, New York. Meetings will generally be held in one of the conference rooms on the Mezzanine Level. The doors openat 5:30 P.M. and the meeting starts at 6:45 P.M. (Please watch for any announced time / date changes.) This bulletin is published monthly by the New York MineralogicalClub, Inc. The submission deadline for each month’s bulletin is the 20th of the preceding month. You may reprint articles or quote from this bulletin for non-profit usage

only provided credit is given to the New York Mineralogical Club and permission is obtained from the author and/or Editor. The Editor and the New York MineralogicalClub are not responsible for the accuracy or authenticity of information or information in articles accepted for publication, nor are the expressed opinions necessarily thoseof the officers of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Mezzanine , Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan (57 St. & Tenth Avenue), New York Cityth

Special Lecture: Alfredo Petrov — “Flint from the Netherlands”

New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.Mitchell Portnoy, Bulletin EditorP.O. Box 77, Planetarium StationNew York City, New York 10024-0077

FIRST CLASS

March 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club · is one of the featured speakers at the...

Documents

Transcript of March 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club · is one of the featured speakers at the...