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October 2012 Pretoria Rockhound Digest Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club Clubhouse: P.O. Box 36 888 No. 29, 26th Street, Menlo Park, Pretoria Menlo Park 0102 Tel. 012 – 460 1494 (only Sat. 11:00 – 15:00) South Africa website: www.pgmc.co.za

Chairman: Lex Krabbendam, 083 449 6812 Treasurer: Jeanne Wentzel, 082 449 5450 krabben@mweb.co.za Secretary: Erika Wassenaar, 083 302 2551 Vice-Chairman: Michelle Oosthuizen, 083 376 6716 Editor : Heidi Naudé, 072 923 2180 michelle.oosthuizen@sita.co.za heidi.naude@za.bosch.com

Programme Highlights for October 2012

*** Mineral Meeting and Swop and Sell and Social 6 Oct.

*** Special Talk on Gemmology – J. Snyman 13 Oct.

*** Annual General Meeting 13 Oct.

*** Lapidary Course 14 Oct.

*** Silversmithing Course 20 Oct.

Looking for a special present related to our hobby, or for new ideas to expand your lapidary skills, or even get the female members of the family actively involved in the hobby?

Then check out the website of the artist Ewa Mogilnicka at www.ewa-mogilnicka.tripod.com; her “gemstone paintings” consisting of small gemstones meticulously put together like a mosaic or puzzle, might just provide the inspiration needed. Thank you Elsa Maree for sharing this with us.

The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the PGMC Committee. This newsletter is the property of the Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club; articles may not be re-produced without the written permission of the Editor.

Affiliated to the Federation of Southern African Gem and Mineralogical Societies

Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club

Page 2 PGMC Programme for October: (as at 17.09.2012)

Date Event Time Contact Details

4 Oct. Lapidary * and Silversmithing Workshop open 18:00 – 21:00 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

6 Oct. Swop and Sell and Social

Monthly Mineral Meeting – ……..

Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open

11.00 – 15.00

12.00 – 13.00

Lex Krabbendam, 083 449 6812

11 Oct Lapidary * and Silversmithing Workshop open 18:00 – 21:00 Lex Krabbensam, 083 449 6812 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

13 Oct. Talk by Johannelie Snyman on Gemmology

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshops open

13:00 – 14:00

14.00 – 15.00

11.00 – 12.30

Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

Lex Krabbendam, 083 449 6812

Note shorter shift !

14 Oct. Special Lapidary Projects – booking essential ! t.b.a. Lex Krabbensam, 083 449 6812

18 Oct. Lapidary * and Silversmithing Workshop open 18:00 – 21:00 Lex Krabbensam, 083 449 6812 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

20 Oct. Silversmithing Course – booking essential !

Lapidary Workshop open

10.00 – 15.30

11:00 – 15:00

Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

25 Oct. Lapidary *and Silversmithing Workshop open 18:00 – 21:00 Lex Krabbensam, 083 449 6812 Bernard Strydom, 078 187 3267

27 Oct. Lapidary and Silversmithing Workshop open 11:00 – 15:00

Opal, October Birthstone

For those, who were born in the month of October, Opal is the traditional birthstone. Opal is associated with hope, innocence and purity and its traditional metaphysical properties are happiness, faithfulness, loyalty and confidence. The name opal actually means "to see a change in color", it occurs in several types of colour.

Precious Opal presents a peculiar play of colours of delicate tints, and is highly esteemed as a gem. One kind, with a varied play of color in a reddish ground, is called the Harlequin Opal. The Fire Opal has colours like the red and yellow of flames.

The Common Opal has a milky appearance. Menilite is a brown impure variety, occurring in concretions at Menilmontant, near Paris. Other varieties are Cacholong, Girasol, Hyalite, and Geyserite. The crystal structure of Opal (hydrous silicon dioxide) is amorphous. Opal miners restrict the use of the term opal to precious opal, calling material that does not show a good play of colours, 'potch'. Source: www.birthstones,org,uk and www.wikepedia.com

Page 3 1. Duty Roster – October and November 2012

October 6 13 20 27

Open – 11:00 am tba Fay Bernard tba

Duty Team Stella-M. Laredo Jean Schutz

Nico Roux Fay Pierides

tba (P.A.) Marion Blair

Felix Wulff Gloria Schulenb.

Close – 15:00 pm Lex Committee Bernard tba

November 3 10 17 24

Open – 11:00 am tba Fay Dieter Nick

Duty Team Wolf Windisch Karin Mayerl

Will v/d Berg Jean Snyman

Dieter Heinichen Linda Stone

Nick Pettit Tish Pettit

Close – 15:00 pm Lex Committee Dieter Nick

Duty Members are reminded to please check the duty roster above and organize “stand-ins” for the date/s they are not available. Please report those confirmed changes to Sandra at 073 150 2367.

Tea/Coffee will be served once; this is also applicable on course days. Fridge sales and workshop material sales will stop at 14:30 pm to allow for sufficient time to reconcile/close the cash box.

Duty members are kindly asked to assist with watering the garden; we have planted a number of new plants which need to be watered weekly. If the gardener (William) is present, please instruct/check him accordingly, thanks.

2. Membership Fees 2012

Payment can be made at the clubhouse or transferred directly into the club’s account at ABSA Bank, branch code 335 345, account no. 405 584 9839. Remember to put your name as reference, to ensure the correct allocation of your payment. The fees for 2013 will be announced after the AGM.

3. Workstations

Please ensure that your workstations/machinery used is cleaned-up, store the used tools/equipment in the correct place and clean-up any water spillages before leaving. Thank you.

4. Car Park

Please do not park your vehicles in our back garden for any prolonged time (except loading purposes); we are trying to get the grass growing again and would really appreciate your cooperation.

5. Congratulations

FOSAGAMS Newsletter 8/2012 – Linda Stone, President:

The Mineralogical Society of Southern Africa, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary . According to the SA Lapidary Magazine (April 1967) the prime mover in the formation of the club was the late George Swanson. He had his lawyer draw-up a constitution and on 5 January 1962 the club was found.

Congratulations to the “Cape Town Club” from your fellow rockhounds at the “Pretoria Club”!

Page 4

1. Swop & Sell and Social, 06.10.2012

The Swop and Sell and Social will be held from about 11.00 onwards. Members are encouraged to bring their excess stock and join our regular dealers for some serious selling and swopping; everybody is welcome.

2. Monthly Mineral Meeting, 06.10.2012

This meeting will start at 12.00 at the clubhouse; since last month’s meeting did not materialize, we are going to keep the subject unchanged, i.e. we will discuss and show-off our Jasper varieties. This mineral occurs in a variety of interesting colour combinations and is widely used for lapidary and beading purposes. Please bring as many different specimens as you like and tell us how and where you obtained them. Hope to see you all there.

3. Monthly Programme - Gemmology, 13.10.2012

Bernard Strydom is trying to organize a “monthly programme speaker”, namely Johannlie Snyman, who will tell us more on the subject of Gemmology. The talk is scheduled for 13.00 at the clubhouse and will be re-confirmed via email at a later stage.

4. Annual General Meeting (AGM), 13.10.2012

The Annual General Meeting and subsequent election of the 2013 Committee Members has been scheduled for Saturday, 13.10.2012 at 14.00 at the clubhouse.

The Nomination Form for the election of the new committee members is attached to this newsletter; once completed please forward it to Heidi via fax to (012) 250 2709 or via email to heidi.naude@za.bosch.com by latest Thursday, 11.10.2012. Alternatively hand it in at the clubhouse on/or before the meeting.

All members are invited to attend the meeting and to join us for coffee/tea and cake afterwards. See you all there !

5. Courses – October 2012

Another Lapidary Course has been scheduled for Sunday, 14.10.2012 at the clubhouse; please book your place with Lex Krabbendam and confirm all details directly with him.

The Silversmithing Course for October has been scheduled for Saturday, 20.10.2012. Please contact Bernard Strydom for further project details and bookings.

Please contact Helmut Schönberger for any Faceting Classes required; he has kindly offered to “help-out” until Philip Alp is well again.

1. Gemboree Update – September 2012

Admin – Admin – Admin, the Gemboree Committee is working hard to get the administrative tasks sorted out (media publication, website, registration forms, etc., etc.

Have you all checked and sorted your personnel travel documentation – valid passports, drivers licences, registration documents of your vehicles and trailers??? Remember for vehicles on lease contracts you need a confirmation letter from your leasing agent/bank, authorizing you to take the vehicle over the border! Have you checked you insurance policy – is your vehicle covered in Lesotho?

……..to be continued

Page 5

6. Reminder: SAGCC (South African Gem Cutting Challenge) – Fay Pierides

Please forward your finished stones to reach Fay by latest 10th November 2012.

7. Jewellex, 02.09.2012

Bernard Strydom organized this outing for us. We met at the Hatfield station and “boarded” the Gautrein to Sandton. For many of us this was the first time they used the train, and what an absolute pleasure it was. In Sandton we walked to the Nelson Mandela Square, had breakfast and then walked the short distance to the Sandton Convention Centre for the Jewellex Show. Thanks to the prior arrangements made by Bernard we were swiftly allowed entrance to this prestige event and entered a new world of Gemstones, Gold and Silver findings and all sorts of tools and machinery to make our hobby so much more enjoyable. 4 hours later most of us emerged again and made their way back to the station and then Pretoria.This was truly a wonderful way to experience the complete different world of professional Gem and precious Metal Traders. Thank you Bernard from all of us.

PGMC members having fun at the breakfast and later browsing through the display exhibits at the show.

Nominations PGMC Committee 2013

Members are invited to forward nominations for the new PGMC Committee in 2013. The elections will take place at the Annual General Meeting, scheduled for Saturday, 13th October 2012 at 14:00. Members unable to attend the AGM can still forward a nomination form to ensure their vote will count. Nomination forms sent via email (heidi.naude@za.bosch.com) or fax (012) 250 2709 must reach Heidi by 11th October 2012 before 13:00 pm. Alternatively forms may be handed in at the club.

Please note that the person you nominate must give consent for you to do so and must be willing to stand for election. Fill in the name of the persons nominated in the space provided and sign at the bottom.

Current Committee Members:

Designation Name Availability My 2013 Nominations

Chairman Lex Krabbendam Yes

Vice Chariman Michelle Oosthuizen Yes

Treasurer Jeanne Wentzel Yes

Secretary Di de Villiers Yes

Additional Dieter Heinichen Yes

Additional Erika Wassenaar Yes

Additional Bernard Strydom Yes

Additional Karin Mayerl No

Additional Heidi Naudé Yes

Additional Fay Pierides Yes

Additional Philip Yes

Nomination submitted by: Date: Signature: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Affiliated to the Federation of Southern African Gem and Mineralogical Societies

Pretoria Gem & Mineral Club