The Georgia Mineral Society Atlanta, Georgia Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

The Georgia Mineral Society *Atlanta, Georgia* Volume XXXVI/Three March 2007

President’s Message

Every January I sit down and plan my out of town lecture schedule. This covers seven states. I try to keep in contact with many of these clubs. I found it disconcerting when I found that the Charles Towne Mineral and Lapidary Club had dissolved. This had been an active and enthusiastic group. There was, as in many groups, a small core who did all of the work. Everyone enjoyed the meetings and activities. Everyone was happy to let this handful of members do everything. Because of health problems in the family, the president could no longer carry on. Some of the other workers were getting up in years and could not continue. Still, everyone was happy to let those left do the work. The time came when the workers could not run the whole club. Did the others step in to help? No!!! The Charles Towne group disbanded. With the general apathy, maybe it was for the best to finally give up. Yes, Charleston, South Carolina had two societies. Low Country continues to be active. And, yes, the members who wished to belong to a society could join the other group, but what a terrible shame for a club to die. Georgia has had nineteen clubs that I know of. At this time there are eleven. There is possibly a twelfth but I cannot get in touch with the Savannah Club. It is doubtful that they exist. With each group that disbands, the number of people to teach others diminishes. We have been fighting a loosing battle to keep collecting site open. With fewer groups there will come a day when there will be not sites left for a group to collect. GMS has over six hundred members. We are the largest mineral society in the United States and quite likely, the world. Out of this large number of people, there are less than forty who keep things moving. I know that there are not enough positions to keep six hundred people doing something in offices or committees all of the time. But

those living close by can attend meetings, bring door prizes, bring refreshments, participate in Adopt-a-Highway or help with the show. The others can attend our field trips or write articles for Tips and Trips. Every member can keep our hobby going. I ask everyone to please support GMS in some manner. We have been in existence for seventy two years. Let keep GMS going for another seventy two plus years.

Lastly, I wish to thank the North Atlanta Trade Center. We have worked together for many years. Dave Work and his staff were always very helpful.

Thank you, Kim Cochran,

President

General Meeting 7:30 PM Monday, March 5, 2007

Chamblee Library 4114 Clairmont Road

770.936.1380

A New Museum in the Neighborhood

Jose Santamaria

For more than a year the grounds at the Weinman Mineral Museum have witnessed remarkable activity as a new museum rises next to the Weinman - Tellus: Northwest Georgia Science Museum. This unique institution will expand the Weinman's science focus and will include a planetarium, hands-on science gallery and transportation science exhibits, as well as increased exhibit space for the Weinman's mineral and fossil collection. Join Executive Director Jose Santamaria to get the "inside story" on Tellus, the exhibit galleries, programs and the impact this will have on education in northwest Georgia.

Anita D. Westlake, Vice President, Programs

Committee Chairs Adopt-A-Highway Bill Waggener 770.478.5734

Assets/Equipment Barbara Libby 770.978.2117

Awards Joan White 770.478.5734

Building Curator/Gem Box

John Trimble Kim Cochran

828.264.4811 770.979.8331

Facilities Open to Volunteers

Historian Roxanne Lopez 770.436.0387

Hospitality Margaret Ronan 404.636.0720

Librarian Julian C. Gray 770.888.9331

Parliamentarian Joan White 770.478.5734

Refreshments Kim Prakash & Nancy Marden

770.879.0476 770.447.8542

Special Events Kim Cochran 770.979.8331

Sunshine

Telephone Tips & Trips Labels

George Libby Joan White

770.978.2117 770.478.5734

SFMS Rep. Anita Westlake 404.761.7849

Barbara Libby 770.978.2117

Announcements for educational publications, continuing education classes, and shows or exhibits are provided in Tips and Trips as a service to GMS members. Appearance of the above in Tips and Trips does not constitute an endorsement by GMS.

President Kim Cochran

2695 Van Court Snellville, GA 30278

770.979.8331

Executive VP/Membership Lizabeth McClain

4000 Lindley Circle Powder Springs, GA 30127

770.439.5756 [email protected]

Vice President/Programs Anita Westlake

1253 Spencer Drive East Point, GA 30344


Secretary Mary Porter

196 High Creek Drive Roswell, GA


Treasurer Dylan Porter

196 High Creek Drive Roswell, GA


Gem Section Chair Kim Cochran


770.979.8331

Mineral Section Chair Julian C. Gray

524 Robin Lane Marietta, GA 30067


Fossil Section Chair Martha Brown

4837 Greenway Road Norcross, GA 30071


Junior Section Chair Roxanne Lopez

1711 Donna Lynn Drive Smyrna, GA 30080


Micromount Section Chair Dave Babulski

2677 Colony Circle Snellville, GA 30078


Immediate Past President Kim Cochran


770.979.8331

Trustee to 2007 Bill Waggener

9146 Sunset Drive Jonesboro, GA 30238


Trustee to 2008 Patricia Joan White 9146 Sunset Drive

Jonesboro, GA 30238-4520 770.478.5734

[email protected]

Trustee to 2009 Eva Ostrofsky

1402 Arbor Lake Court Hoschton, GA 30548

678-425-2573 [email protected]

Tips & Trips Editor Patricia Joan White 9146 Sunset Drive

Jonesboro, GA 30238-4520 770.478.5734

[email protected]

Field Trip Co-Chair

[email protected]

Field Trip Co-Chair May Show Chair Jay Gorday

1690 Granger Court Chamblee, GA 30341


Webmaster Jim Flora

P.O. Box 605 Hiawassee, GA 30546


Education Chair Bill Waggener

9146 Sunset Drive Jonesboro, GA 30238


The Georgia Mineral Society on the Internet: http://www.gamineral.org

E-mail Early Notification Program: A field trip and club news update service. To join, members are requested to send in their current e-mail address to:

[email protected].

GENERAL MEETINGS General meetings are held on the first Monday of each month. In the event that the first Monday is a holiday and/or the facilities are not available, the meeting will be held on the third Monday of the month. General meetings are currently held at the Chamblee Branch of the DeKalb County Library System. Any deviations from the above schedule will be announced in Tips and Trips.

The article submittal due date for the April 2007 newsletter is

March 15, 2007. May Show Committee Chairs

Show Chair Jay Gorday 770.986.0822

Dealer Chair Martha Brown 770.448.0876

Exhibits Anita Westlake 404.761.7849

Demonstrations Anita Westlake 404.761.7849

Hospitality Nancy Marden 770.447.8542

Treasurer Dylan Porter 770.998.1018

Advertising Jay Gorday 770.986.0822

Dealer Dinner Joan White 770.478.5734

Database Joan White 770.478.5734

Auction Kim Cochran 770.979.8331

Set Up/Take Down

Jay Gorday 770.986.0822

Tips and Trips

March 2007 The Georgia Mineral Society

The Georgia Mineral Society, Inc. A Non-Profit Educational Organization

Seventy Years of Tradition Objective and Purpose

To Educate the Youth of the State and the Members of this Society

In the Field of Earth Science

AFMS Education - All American Club 2003

George Libby 1730 Rhett Butler Dr.

Lilburn, GA 30047 770.978.2117

Greg Grieves 1760 Northside Drive, Apt. 119

Atlanta, GA 30318 404.314.8143

The Georgia Mineral Society March 2007

Tips and Trips

February 5, 2007 GMS General Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by President Kim Cochran at the Chamblee Library. Approximately thirty-three people were present, including three visitors and two new members. Kim announced that this month is GMS’s 72nd birthday. SPEAKER Anita Westlake introduced Patrick Perus from POLYCOR US (owner of the GA Marble company) as the evening’s speaker. Patrick began with the history of the quarries of the Murphy Marble Belt which was first found in 1835. He then showed a power point presentation and talked about the types of marble being mined, and the equipment used to do so. Patrick closed with picture of various buildings around the country that are made of Georgia marble which includes Emory University, the Lincoln Memorial and the Capital Building in Washington, DC. Anita presented Patrick with a specimen of cut smoky quartz in appreciation of his talk. COMMITTEE REPORTS (8:32) Mary Porter - Secretary – minutes from January meeting available, Sue Gorday motioned to dispense with reading of minutes, seconded by Joan White; motion was passed. Dylan Porter – Treasurer – last month’s deposits were $9,300.00, debits were $4,700.00; ending balance of $41,600.00. One or two CD’s will mature be maturing within the next couple of months. Lizabeth McClain – VP Membership – membership total as of today – 596. Asked that when renewing membership to please fill out a new application even if there are no changes; specify how you want to receive the newsletter. Anita Westlake – VP Programs – in March Jose Santamaria will speak about Tellus; in April Kim Cochran will speak about gold. Julian Gray – Mineral Section – (not present) Anita Westlake – next meeting will be held on the third Tuesday of March (20th) at the Gorday residence; the topic will be cubic minerals. Dave Babulski – Micromount Section – (not present) Jay Gorday – the next meeting will be held at Dave Babulski’s house this Saturday (February 10). Martha Brown – Fossil Section – next meeting will be held at Harry Yingst’s house on February 20; please RSVP. Gary Leonard will be talking about Eocene fossils. Harry’s phone number in the newsletter is incorrect; it is 770-565-1630. Roxanne Lopez – Junior Section – (not present) Joan White – announced a field trip to be held on February 24. Kim Cochran – Gem Section – thanked Martha Brown for her bead stringing demo last month. Next meeting will be held at Kim’s house on February 26; Barbara Libby will demonstrate making jump ring chains; a list of materials needed is listed in the January T&T. Kim also thanked members who have brought food to the recent meetings

held at his house. Joan White – Tips & Trips – still having problems receiving articles on time and is overloaded with printing labels and mailing newsletters. Anita Westlake volunteered to assist her. George Libby – Field Trips – February 10 – Diamond Hill mine; there will be a back hoe in operation thus a lot should be found. February 24 – Hogg Mine; there will be food concession available. March 17–18 – Marion, KY; reservations must be made to participate. March 17 – possibly a dig at Ft. Payne (closed site) to coincide with the Rome show. April 21 – Savannah River agate Jay Gorday - May Show – things are coming along; Martha has hear back from all but two dealers. Anita will be doing Demos & Exhibits; Jay is doing advertising and publicity. A grab bag party will take place at Kim Cochran’s house on April 14; we need a lot of material to fill the bags with, please make donations if possible. Bill Waggener – Education Chair – has a request for someone to speak to third graders in March. The mini-grant application for the 2007-2008 school year is available on the GMS website. The GSTA conference is being held on February 15-17; we will be sharing a table with the National Geo-Science Teachers; please donate rock specimens. Bill Waggener – Adopt a Highway – the next collection date is April 7; this will be the annual egg hunt. Bill is trying to confirm a field trip to Cochran mine. Nancy Marden – Refreshments – provided by Lizabeth and Mickey McClain. Kim Cochran – Special Events - he has received approval from Gwinnett County to hold the annual picnic and auction at Jones Bridge Park. Barbara Libby –Sunshine Chair – (not present) Maia Santamaria had eye surgery at Emory and is doing fine; June McAbee took a fall and will be moved to a nursing home.

OLD BUSINESS Kim Cochran – Olin won the scholarship to attend a workshop that was won from SFMS; he will not be able to attend. Another drawing took place and the winner was Sue Gorday with Joan White as a back up.

NEW BUSINESS Kim Cochran – a board meeting will be held at Anita Westlake’s house on March 4th; all are welcome to attend. DOOR PRIZES (9:07) – Margaret Ronan – Carl Ziglin, Dylan Porter and Kim Cochran were recognized for providing door prizes; visitors and first time new members were allowed to first pick a door prize; numbers were called.

A motion was made to adjourn meeting at 9:16PM. It was seconded, and unanimously approved.

Respectfully submitted, Mary Porter,

Secretary


Tips and Trips

May Show News

The May Show plans are proceeding well. Martha Brown is getting back contracts from the dealers. I have notified the rock magazines and web sites to include our information in their calendars from the list that Perry had compiled. If anyone has any other contacts for free publicity, please let me know. I will be contacting the AJC and Creative Loafing to arrange our ads shortly.

I have filled all of the Show Committee Chairs. Anita Westlake will be looking after the Exhibits and Demonstrations. If you are interested in putting in a case or doing a demonstration, Anita is the person you need to contact.

Nancy Marden will once again be coordinating the Hospitality table, be sure and let Nancy know when you are available to work.

If you do not volunteer, there will be sheets to sign up for exhibits, demos, hospitality table and to bring food at the next few meetings. There are plenty of opportunities for members to volunteer. Remember, this show is put on by the GMS and not only by the show committee, we need everyone’s help. You can volunteer to help one of the committees by calling the Committee Chair or you can let me know. We also need a more grab bags material and everyone is invited to the grab bag stuffing party at Kim’s house.

Jay Gorday, May Show Chair

Education Report Earth Science Education continues to be supported by our members. GMS shared a booth with the National Association of Geoscience Teachers Southeast Section in Athens, GA on 15, 16, and 17 February for the Georgia Science Teachers Association annual meeting. Kim Cochran and Mary Porter helped man the booth and gave away rocks, stickers, minigrant applications, and membership information to science teachers from around Georgia. Two current minigrant recipients shared their enthusiasm and their students’ progress with Kim. It was great to see that the Minigrant is being used and appreciated by excited classroom teachers.

Mickey McClain and Roxanne Lopez both can use support in their classrooms. Ask them what would be helpful.

The Holly Camp Earth Science Education Minigrant 2007/2008 applications are available through our website. The applications are for the next school year. Please encourage all Earth science and elementary teachers that you know to apply for the $300 Minigrants. Many teachers will now realize what supplies they need and should welcome the money to complete their teaching “bag of tricks.”

Please let me know who is sharing their rock and fossil knowledge. Everyone has some unique tidbits that students love to share. It is encouraging to others to see that we are welcomed and well-received by clubs and teachers over the state.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Waggener, Education Chair

Membership News

Please join me in welcoming the following new members: Janet and Dennis Bowers and Grace, Bryanna, and Ian Buford of Lilburn, GA; David and Cat Denton of Sugar Hill, GA; William, Frances, Libby, and Matthew Fleck of Lilburn, GA; David, Ginger, Katie, Walt, and Mack Morris of Cartersville, GA; Paul Murray and William Lamb of Acworth, GA; and Charles and Brenda Saunders of Winder, GA. I hope you will introduce yourself to them when you see them at a meeting or on a field trip. We’re glad to have them join us. I would like to take this time to remind all members to send in an application with each renewal. There is an application conveniently located on the back page of your Tips and Trips each month. This is the easiest way to notify me of any changes or updates of your data. I keep the applications on file so that I may compare them to the prior year’s and verify the information. If you do not fill out an application I have to do it myself, and the information may no longer be valid. Every month I receive lists of members whose information is no good and whose newsletters are being returned to our webmaster and to our newsletter editor. I then have to spend considerable time attempting to track down those members to get corrected information. Please help make the task a little easier for those of us who volunteer for these positions. Thank you very much.

Happy rockhounding!

Lizabeth McClain Executive VP/Membership

Grab Bags It is time again to stuff grab bags to sell at the May show. Please donate mineral and fossil specimens for the April grab bag stuffing. Contact Kim Cochran at 770-979-8331. The party to stuff the grab bags will be at Kim Cochran’s on April 14, 2007 at noon. Please RSVP to 770-979-8331. Lunch will be served at noon followed by several trips around the table stuffing the bags. If you have never attended, please consider. We have a lot of fun at this activity. Kim Cochran (with Editor’s Comments)

Tips and Trips


THE MICROMOUNT CORNER

REALGAR

As I write this article it is early February and winter is finally making its entrance on the stage of seasons. It is cold and wet outside, the perfect time to put on some good music, draw a hot mug of tea and curl up the microscope and mineral micromounts. This month I would like to investigate the arsenic sulfide realgar. For the micromounter, the mineral realgar offers some very pretty micro crystals with its rich red color. Realgar gets its name from the Arabic words for “powder of the mine” (rahj al ghar). For some time it was held that realgar and the related arsenic sulfide, orpiment, were related with orpiment the alteration product of realgar. However, recent research has proven that the alteration product of realgar is the yellow-orange mineral pararealgar. Orpiment is actually a distinct mineral species. Realgar crystals are prismatic showing monoclinic symmetry. Chemically, realgar is arsenic sulfide with the chemical formula: AS4S4. It is an unstable mineral and will, over time, alter to the yellow orange mineral pararealgar. Pararealgar is itself unstable and will, over time, deteriorate to a powder. This process is accelerated by exposure to light. Specimens should be kept in a dark environment only to be taken out to view under the microscope and then returned to the darkened environment. If possible, realgar specimens should be mounted in black opaque micromount boxes to minimize light exposure of the mineral. Another caution for the micromounter, at a Mohs hardness of only 1.2 to 3, realgar is quite soft and can be easily damaged if roughly handled. Realgar is similar in most respects, except for color, to the mineral sulfur. In fact the name “ruby sulfur” has been applied to realgar. Sulfur has a crystal structure composed of eight sulfur atoms liked in a ring. The structure of realgar alternates between sulfur atoms and arsenic atoms producing rings of AS4S4. The arsenic atoms affect the structure changing it from the orthorhombic symmetry of sulfur to the monoclinic symmetry of realgar. Even with the constraints of light exposure, realgar specimens make an excellent addition to any micromount collection. The mineral is relatively common and good specimens can be had for a reasonable sum. Some of the best specimens from the United States come from the Getchell Mine in Goconda, Nevada. Shown at right, are three photomicrographs of realgar from the Getchell Mine, Adam Peak, Potosi District, Humbolt County, Nevada. Until next time, may all your skies be blue and all your vugs be crystal filled.

Dave Babulski, Micromount Section Chair

(all photos courtesy of Dave Babulski)

Figure – 1

Figure – 2

Figure – 3

Adopt-a-Highway Report

We will gather on 7 April at 9:00 AM in the spring for the annual Easter trash pickup and Easter egg hunt. Please plan on coming out to help keep the Ballground Highway 5 clean and attractive for passing mineral collectors and bikers. There will be a field trip for large skorl tourmaline, muscovite mica books and maybe some bits of beryl to the Cochran Mine in Ballground, GA after lunch at Two Brothers BBQ. Further details will follow in the April T&T. Hope to see you there. Bill Waggener, Adopt-a-Highway Chair

Junior Section News

There will be no Junior Field Trip in March. For information on the April trip, please contact me. Full information will be in the April Tips and Trips. Roxanne Lopez, Junior Section Chair Home: 770-436-0387, Cell: 678-491-0489

Gem Section News Gem Section Meeting: Monday, March 26, 2007, 7:30 PM Martha and LeRoy Brown’s house 4837 Greenway Road Norcross, Georgia 30071

I thank Barbara Libby for her demonstration of how to make a bracelet out of jump rings. At this next meeting, Martha will demonstrate talc carving. Everyone attending should bring an exacto knife or paring knife and towels. RSVP at 770-448-0876.

Kim Cochran, Gem Section Chair

Executive Board Meeting

Executive Board Meeting

Sunday, March 4, 2007, 12:00 PM noon Anita Westlake’s home 1253 Spencer Avenue

East Point, Georgia 30344

RSVP at 404-761-7849 Kim Cochran, President

Calling All Cooks

In the past we have been asked for recipes for the delicious dishes we serve at the dealer’s dinner. If you will take the time to send in your favorite recipe, I will try to compile a booklet to have available at the May show. Be thinking about the dish you would like to contribute. This is a part of the show that everyone looks forward to. After working long hours on setting up for the show, the dealers and the working GMS members all are very grateful for the dinner provided to them. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Joan White, Dealer Dinner Chair

Mineral Section News The next Mineral Section meeting will be on March 20, 2007 at Jay and Sue Gorday’s at 6:00 PM. For more information or to RSVP please contact the Gordays at 770.986.0822. If you would like to host a meeting at your home or have an idea for a presentation at a future meeting, please contact me!

Thank you! Julian C. Gray,

Mineral Section Chair

Fossil Section News

We will not have a meeting in March. The next meeting will be in April. If any one has a suggestion for a program or would like to do a program, please let me know. I would like to thank Gary Leonard for presenting the program last month, and Harry Yingst for having the program at his home. I got his phone number wrong but we managed to find him any way. LeRoy and I have “Lapidary Journals” and “Rock & Gems” FREE to anyone that would like them. Please call me.

Thank you. Martha S. Brown,

Fossil Section Chair, 770-448-0876

[email protected]


Tips and Trips


Tips and Trips

Sunshine News

Thank you Carl for emailing me the information that Marcella Wood had open-heart surgery on February 21st. She is now home and doing well. Please let me hear from all of you what is going on so I can keep us all close and caring about each other.

I just spoke to Lewis Eldridge the other day and he is still doing fine. I asked him if he is ever going to be able to get to a GMS meeting, he said since he can’t drive, it would be a lot of miles to ask anyone to drive there and back to get him so he did not think it would happen. Maia Santamaria the wife of Jose (curator of the Wyman museum) is going in for eye surgery Ann Dell has been looking in on June McAbee . Now June is going into a Nursing Home and her children will be taking over. I am going to have Endoscopy on Valentines Day. What a present. Keep us all in your prayers. I do not have any Anniversaries Here are the birthdays.

MARCH 2007 BIRTHDAYS 3/1 Darlene Hopkins 3/1 Roger Lorts 3/1 Mike Tuohy 3/3 Bill Price 3/3 Eric Sermon 3/5 Julia Clark 3/6 Lori Lann 3/6 Emil Pinchot 3/6 Chris Prosise 3/7 Steve Kempf 3/9 Tracy Cruce 3/9 Margaret Rogers 3/9 Mark Wallace 3/11 Christian Jones 3/11 Paul Murray 3/13 Kathy Bronaugh 3/15 Gail Leadingham 3/15 Nicole Stewart 3/17 Linda Foster 3/18 Jennifer Dix 3/18 Matthew Fleck 3/19 Gina Ballard 3/20 Michael Stewart

3/21 Stephen DuBose 3/21 J.W. Roberts 3/22 Christin Collins 3/23 Callie Baxter 3/24 John Woodbury 3/26 Sally Tuohy 3/30 James Thomas Please send information on news you would like to share with GMS. My email address is [email protected]. Thanks. You are all in my prayers, be well and you will hear from me next month. Keep on Rockin.

Everybody have SUNSHINE in your life.

Barbara Libby, Sunshine Chair

Micromount Section News The Georgia Mineral Society Micromount Section will not be meeting for the next three to four months. Previously announced meetings are canceled for April and possibly June. I will be going in for hip replacement surgery April 16th. Looks like at least a 3 month recovery period. The micromount section and the Micromount Corner column will be on a short hiatus for April, May and possibly June. I would ask for everyone’s thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. When the meetings resume they will be held at my home at 2677 Colony Circle, Snellville, Georgia 30078. The meetings will be held on the second Saturday of each month alternating with the mineral section. The meetings will run from 10 AM to about 4 PM. A light lunch will be served to all those that attend. Table space will be set-up for microscopes. The 2007 Micromount Section meeting schedule is as follows: tentatively for June 9, August 11 and October 13.

If you need directions to my home, please c o n t a c t m e v i a e - m a i l a t : [email protected]

Dave Babulski, Micromount Section Chair

2677 Colony Circle Snellville, GA 30078

[email protected] 678-580-2475

Tips and Trips


Collecting at Diamond Hill You were warned not to miss the trip planed for February 10th. I did not know it at the time but the owner of the property was bringing in a backhoe to make it easier for rock hounds to collect. He did a perfect job of it. I set this trip up to meet at the mine instead of the Crawford Store. I thought that was a mistake when there were only a couple of people at the site at 9AM, but they started to show up later and by 10 AM we had three youngsters and fifteen young at heart there. Every other time I have been to Diamond Hill, I found the crystals in the seams and had to chisel out small sections that contained the skeletal quartz crystals. This time I didn’t even know where to look as everything was brought up from the pit and was piled up so raking was all that was necessary. I must say that Sue Gorday showed a couple of us (I was one) a very large yard rock that was covered with 2-inch crystals that we had just walked past. That was not the only one. I saw three other boulders that were too big to move. That was the hardest work of all as several people had to swing a sledge just to make the pieces small enough for two people to lift the large chunks into the beds of their SUV’s and pick up’s. That was after bringing their vehicles down to the rocks. For myself, my legs still aren’t working right and I limited myself to raking the spoil dumps. I came up with an abundance of small plates. I hadn’t yet come up with a large crystal and I accepted one from someone but then while I was mucking around I did get my own whopper. Of course I was disappointed when I was correct about a plate I found near the smoky quartz pit. I have never picked up a smoky quartz crystal at Diamond Hill and when I found this plate I thought that perhaps I finally succeeded. Any one that saw it thought it was a beautiful dark piece and not just the black coating that so many other crystals show. I was afraid to get excited about it and unfortunately I was correct. It washed clean when I returned home. Even with that, I know of no one that didn’t have a great time. If there was anything wrong with anything, then it would only be that the brand new rock hounds that were there would get the wrong impression and might think they would always find such great material just lying around. I know I saw one person looking at a crystal they found and remarking that any other day this would be a great find but now they just tossed it aside because they had so much better. George Libby, GMS Field Trip Chair

Hogg Mine Update

We had an excellent turn out at the Hogg Mine dig this last Saturday. Rodney Moore reported that there were several items left at the mine. Some one left a bag of tools, a wheel barrow, and additional personal items. If you can give a detailed description of what you left behind at the mine, arrangements will be made for their safe return. Contact: Tom Batcha At [email protected] or 678-407-4224

A Rock Pup Is Born Celesta Waggener, daughter of Peyton Waggener, began her collecting career at the Hogg Mine on February 24, 2007. She is now the youngest collecting member of the Georgia Mineral Society. She and all others attending (approximately 300) were delighted with their finds of the day. She was accompanied on her first collecting trip by her “Papa” Bill Waggener. “Mimi”, Joan White, was busy with SFMS work that day and missed all the fun. Joan White, Editor (Mimi)

(photo courtesy of Bill Waggener)


Tips and Trips

GMS February Field Trip Diamond Hill Mine

Antreville, South Carolina February 10 , 2007 9:00 AM

The Diamond Hill Mine has been producing skeletal, amethyst and smoky quartz crystals as well as quartz scepters and an assortment of pegmatite minerals for many years. Antreville is just over two hours north of Atlanta, near Greenville. The instructions said meet at 9 AM which means (yuck!) wake up well before dawn on a very cold Saturday when I would like to sleep in, fill the thermos with hot coffee, and hit the road even before our newspaper arrived. When we got to the site after two hours on the “big road”, fifteen miles of smaller and smaller roads ending in a final stretch of one lane dirt road, we were a little worried. Through the woods, we saw a large yellow back hoe, some piles of dirt, and almost no vehicles. Was this the right place? Where was everybody? Fortunately, George Libby’s van was one of the three vehicles in the lot – it was the right place. He was happy to take our money and have us sign a release for the landowner, and to point us in direction of the “mine” - which was a series of ten to twenty foot deep pits in the Piedmont clay. At least it had not rained in a few days and the ground was dry. Jay took off with the big rock busting tools – I starting scratching around the clumps in the loose dirt at the surface. After fifteen minutes, I had found a few so-so specimens of crystalline quartz – just good enough to donate to the club for grab bags. I also found some spectacular clear crystals, which, alas, melted as soon as it warmed up. (The prettiest crystals I have ever seen rock-hounding are ice crystals growing just below the surface– too bad they do not last). I went back to the parking area, and surveyed tailgates to see what others had found for inspiration. Deciding to descend into the pits, I walked by a large rock blanketed in fine dust. The surface looked a little bumpy, so I brushed the dust off – wow! The top of the rock was covered with 1 inch skeletal quartz crystals. Jay was happy (he had not found anything exciting yet) – and I could not help but show my treasure to the rock-hounds who had walked by the same rock several times that morning. We loaded the rock (conveniently at the surface, just beside the dirt track to the pit) on the hand truck and took it back to the truck. Later that day, several people (including Charles and Lori Carter) found even better specimens nearby. That was enough to get me started. I scouted around the “pits” and ended up going into the furthest (and deepest) pit. On the very bottom, I saw some great plates of quartz crystals – all firmly attached to very large rocks, with no

way to bring the hand-truck in. I selected a good plate and went to work with chisel and maul. After more than an hour, I finally pounded the rock into pieces light enough to carry. I was disappointed that they were not as pretty when I got them out of the hole as when I first saw them. As I scrambled out of the pit with my treasures, I looked at the ground close to the surface, which was covered with rocks of all sizes. Wow! Many of the rocks were covered with smaller quartz crystals. And I had walked past these on the way down, convinced that the “mother lode” of good quartz had to be at the bottom of the pit. I ended up collecting more quartz near the top of the hole – the specimens were as nice as those on the bottom, and much easier to carry to where we could wheel them out. As the day wore on, we found more and more crystalline quartz – on the dirt track, covered in dirt on the spoil piles, and (of course) at the bottom of the pits.

Well, the drive was worth it. It was a beautiful day, even if it started out cold, and everyone went home happy. Thanks to George for arranging a great field trip. In addition to the skeletal quartz plates and many clusters of smaller crystals, George found a small, clear smoky quartz specimen. I also saw another nice cluster, which appeared to have some amethyst in it. By the end of the day, a few more folks showed up – there were maybe 10 cars there at any one time. Poor George - every time a new arrival showed up, he had to stop collecting and sign them in.

Sue Gorday

George Libby, GMS Field Trip Chair, raking the spoil dumps for treasure.

(photo courtesy of Jay Gorday)


Tips and Trips

DMC Program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee An Official Field Trip of The Cotton Indian Gem and

Mineral Society (HOST) An Official Field Trip of the GEORGIA MINERAL

SOCIETY

Saturday April 21, 2007 Girard, Burke County, GA

10:00 AM "Savannah River Agate"

WHERE: The River road outside of Girard, GA. WHEN: Saturday April 21, 2007 TIME: 10:00 AM at the Girard Post Office on Hwy. 23 Children: Children are welcome but need to be supervised as we will be hunting on a dirt road. Pets: Same as above. Trip: Beautiful Savannah River Agate has been collected at this location for years. I have been told that there is as much material here today as there ever was. Collecting: We will be collecting Savannah River Agate, fossils and micro minerals. This material is actually a conglomeration of agate, jasper, chert, and opalite all mixed together to form a layered specimen that will tumble or cab into beautiful display pieces. This rock occurs as black and brown mottled agate and in a large range of pastel colors from greens to yellows to violets. The fossils you may find are from 30-35 million years old Oligocene age deposits. The micro minerals are located in vugs of the agate/chert rock. Special Conditions: We will be hunting in the roadway and road cuts only. Do Not leave the road cuts. Please stay off of private property. Bring: You will need to bring a rock hammer and scratching tool to collect the agate. You can dig if you want but make sure you fill in your holes after your finished. If you plan to look for microminerals by busting the larger agate/chert specimens, you will also need some chisels and a sledge. More importantly you NEED eye protection (face shield would be best) and long heavy pants as this agate can act like shrapnel when cracked with a rock hammer or sledge! As always, bring your lunch, plenty of fluids, some bug spray, sun screen, a hat, gloves, sturdy shoes and lots of 5 gal. Buckets (Trust me - you will need them!). Where to meet: We will meet at the Girard city Post Office on Hwy. 23. Directions: From I-20 take Hwy. 520 (west of Augusta) south to Hwy. 56 and travel south. Go through McBean (do n o t t a k e H w y . 5 6 S p u r ) . T u r n left on Hwy. 23 to Girard and meet at the Post Office at 10 AM. Drive time: From Atlanta 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Contact: Harry Hyaduck 678-464-4462 email, [email protected] Or Kim Cochran 770-979-8331 Need more directions, call Kim Cochran

An Official Field Trip of the GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY

Hall’s Valley, Rome GA.

Saturday March 17th. 2007 Free Site

New Site, actually an old site but one that GMS has not been to at least in the past several years. Led by Bob Madden, former member of GMS and now a member of the Rome Georgia Mineral Society. It should be noted that this is the weekend (16th.17th.and 18th.) of the Valley and Ridge Gem and Mineral Show at the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, 1818 Kingston Rd. (at the Bypass) in Rome, Georgia Fee: This is a free site When: Saturday March 17th 2007. We meet at 9:00 AM Where: We will meet Bob at the Evens Store. This is a general store that will sell you breakfast and gasoline. They are on GA 20 next to the power plant approximately 11 miles west of the center of town This is the station after the CITCO station and is on the right side of the road. From there we will caravan together approximately 4 miles to the site. Collecting: Colorful nodules and agates. They have been found as large as a basketball but the more colorful with blues and reds are normally much smaller. I understand that while they may be golf ball size they are as colorful as Paint Rock pieces. If we have time, Bob may be able to bring us to a second site for blastoids but he will have to leave us about noon to attend to his commitments to the Rome Show. What to bring: besides scratching tools and buckets you might want to bring something to cut your way through the brush and brambles which may be covering the best collecting areas. They may be a few inches under the ground and covered with leaf litter and you might need something to get through that. Bring gloves. Perhaps a small pick. A rock hammer is always good to break a chip off to see what is inside the nodule. Protective clothing against cold and the thickets with boots for hiking as well as something to drink. Directions: Take I-75 to exit 290 in Cartersville. West on route 20. South on Hwy 41 to Hwy 41,411 and go west. Continue West on 411 until the Rome Loop, Route 1. Go North, then West past Hwy 27 and continue south until the end at Shorter Ave. which is Route 9 and 20. Go west until the Evans store. Route 20 becomes Alabama Hwy. And the store is just short of Alabama and the collecting site is just over the line. Map Quest states it is about 70 miles from Atlanta and about 1 hour and 15 minuets drive time. Please take into account where you might be leaving and our destination is west of Rome.

Contact George Libby, GMS Field Trip Chair 770-978-2117 [email protected]


Tips and Trips

DMC Program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee An Official Field Trip of The KYANA Geological Society

(Louisville, KY) (HOST) An Official Field Trip of the GEORGIA MINERAL

SOCIETY

Saturday and Sunday, March 17 & 18, 2007 Hickory Cane Mines, Marion, Kentucky

FEE SITE

WHERE: The Hickory Cane Mines outside of Marion, Kentucky WHEN: Sat. and Sun., March 17 & 18, 2007 TIME: Day and night digs. COLLECTING: Fluorite, smithsonite, sphalerite, cerussite, galena, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, quartz, & pyromorphite. Calcite is by far the most common mineral found, and all other minerals require some digging in the dump to locate. FEE: The day time digs will cost $20 and the night time digs will be $30 (this entitles you to one five gallon bucket of specimens). Admission to the Ben Clement Fluorite Museum is $ 5. All reservations for the digs will be handled though the Ben E . C lement Minera l Museum at www.MarionKentucky.us. Or call 270-965-9257, or write Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, 205 North Walker Street, Marion, Kentucky 42064. Information on campgrounds, lodging, and bed and breakfasts can also be obtained from Clement Mineral Museum. In order to fill any vacancies in the scheduled digs, left by the SFMS, after March 1, 2007 these vacancies will be open to KYANA members and any other rock hound who wishes to join the dig. While the primary purpose of this trip is to accommodate SFMS members, the secondary purpose is to help the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum fund its efforts in maintaining a world class fluorite collection and making it available to the public. WHAT TO BRING: Other than standard collecting equipment, bring plenty of water, snacks, camera, and you will need a portable ultraviolet light. Daytime collectors will need a way to check fluorescence too! Black light boxes or whatever suits you. Night time collectors will need a standard flashlight to travel to and from their cars. The time of the month was chosen because it is the dark of the moon! Short wave and broad spectrum ultraviolet lights are best. Most collectors will share their lights, but do not count on it, after all someone will need to bring a light.

Although, the temperatures have been unseasonably warm thus far, March can occasionally be quite brisk in the Ohio Valley. So be prepared to dress warmly, multiple layers works best. MINE HISTORY: The mines where the dig is to be conducted are located on the Commodore fault system and date back to 1901. Mine shafts on the property have produced fluorite, smithsonite and sphalerite. Other minerals that have been found in the mine dumps include; cerussite, galena, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, quartz, & pyromorphite. Calcite is by far the most common mineral found, and all other minerals require some digging in the dump to locate. The Rock Shaft dump comprises most of the material at this mine site. The Rock shaft was completed to the depth o f 2 4 0 f e e t . F r o m 1 9 2 4 - 2 5 s o m e 8,000 tons of smithsonite was removed from the Rock Shaft. The Maddox shaft sunk in 1941-42 was completed to r e m o v e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 1 5 t o n s o f "gravel spar" (fluorite). A crosscut was made from the Maddox shaft to the Commodore Fault and in 1945 a ve r t i ca l ra i se was cu t up though the Commodore Fault zone. This raise is known as the Yandell shaft. Mud, gouge, calcite, fragments of fluorite veins, sphalerite and galena were noted (R. Trace, 1954). There is an open shaft on the site which is surrounded by barbed wire. The most common fluorescent mineral is calcite which glows a soft to bright pearly white. There are other colors other than white, but they are fewer in number. Of particular note are specimens of sandstone which glow a coral pink to a bright red in either short wave or broad spectrum ultraviolet light. There are also specimens which glow various shades of pale yellow and bright blue. Please note: that included in the spoil are fragments of mortar and concrete which will also fluoresce. The concrete and mortar was made from rock from the mine. Charles Oldham a retired professional geologist from the Kentucky Department for Surface Mining with over 30 years of mining experience will be your KYANA host, along with his sidekick Betty Hansel and as many KYANA members as we can carry. Charles has been collecting minerals and fossils for over 50 years, starting at the age of five, when his father gave him a "gold ore" specimen from California. In later years his father (a retired naval engineering officer) asked Charles why he became a geologist and not an engineer. Charles replied you should have given me a micrometer and not a rock! DMC CONTACT: Charles Oldham, 502-241-8755 [email protected]

"DMC field trips are open to all members of associated clubs of the DMC program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee and to all members of SFMS member clubs who have provided their membership with SFMS liability insurance. Because of insurance requirements, members of the GENERAL PUBLIC are NOT invited on any DMC program field trips!"

DMC Field Trip Policies: (DMC Field Trip Sharing Program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee) All societies which have agreed to host a field trip and join the DMC Field Trip Sharing Program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee will be called an "associated" club. Only associated clubs will be allowed to publish DMC program field trips as their official monthly field trip. (Benefit of membership!)

Field trips are open to all members of associated clubs of the DMC program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee and to all members of SFMS member clubs who have provided their membership with SFMS liability insurance.

For insurance purposes, all associated clubs must publish all DMC program field trips as "officially recognized" field trips of their society. It is required that all persons who attend a DMC program field trip be a member, in good standing, of an SFMS club. Since a family membership covers everyone in a family who can attend, your SFMS club will need all family member names on their membership roll.

All sites visited by the DMC field trip sharing program are not to be revisited unless they are on public domain property - road cuts, national forests, etc., or on privately owned land with the owner's permission. This is the quickest way to lose access to a host club's field trip location. Therefore, if an associated club or one of its members breaks this crucial DMC field trip policy, their future DMC program field trip information will be forfeited!

Please do not visit a site immediately before a DMC program field trip. Also, do not go to a site ahead of the group on the day of the field trip. Meet and convoy with the rest of the group so that everyone will have equal access to the site.

Do not park your vehicle where it is blocking the road, a gate, or another vehicle.

Always fill in all your holes.

Don't litter.

Never disturb buildings or other facilities at a collecting site.

Only take home what you can reasonably use!

PLEASE keep your vehicle locked at all times!

DMC Program / SFMS Field Trip committee's purpose: To collect field trip information from it's member societies; schedule and coordinate field trip dates; disseminate field trip information to all member clubs so that each member society may publish this information as one of their "official" scheduled field trips.

Please reply by e-mail to: [email protected] World Wide Web site for the DMC is: http://www.gamineral.org/dmc.htm

DMC is a program of the Field Trip Committee of the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. Copyright © All rights reserved. "Earth first...we'll collect on the other planets later."

Graves Mountain "Rock Swap and Dig"

• 8 am to 6 pm, Friday, April 27, 2007 • 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday, April 28, 2007 • 8 am to 6 pm, Sunday, April 29, 2007 • 8 am to 6 pm, Friday, October 5, 2007 • 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday, October 6, 2007 • 8 am to 6 pm, Sunday, October 7, 2007

"Your society is invited to field collect minerals at Georgia's premiere mineral location!"

The SFMS Field Trip Committee has been in contact with the caretaker in charge of Graves Mountain, Clarence Norman Jr., in regard to his plans to hold two separate three day digs and rock swaps on the Mountain during April 27, 28, & 29, 2007 and during October 5, 6, & 7, 2007. He will have the mountain open for collecting from 8 am to 6 pm each day. All participants must stop at the welcome table in the Hospitality tent to sign a liability release and make a small contribution to defray the cost of opening the mountain and providing port-o-lets. There will be several golf cart type, four wheeled vehicles available to transport those participants who have trouble walking long distances. The dig will cease and everyone is expected to be off the mountain by around 6 pm each day. Participants will be allowed to park in a designated area on the mountain. Rock Swap and Hot Food/Drinks: Junior will set aside an area in the upper parking lot for tables to be setup for daily rock swaps. Anyone who would like to setup a table(s), please contact Junior at the phone numbers listed below. Hot food cooked on the grill, cold drinks and chips will be available for purchase on the mountain during all three days of these events. Don't forget to bring some extra money to buy the special "Graves Mountain Rock Swap and Dig" T-shirt! THESE DIGS ARE OPEN TO ALL SFMS CLUBS and the GENERAL PUBLIC! Mark your calendar and tell all your members about these two great events! Contact Information: Clarence Norman Jr. - 706.359.3862 (his b u s i n e s s ) o r 7 0 6 . 3 5 9 . 2 3 8 1 ( h i s h o m e ) DIRECTIONS: From Atlanta's I-285, take I-20 east to the exit for Washington, GA SR 78 (SR 10, SR 17) and turn left. Travel north to Washington, turn right onto SR 378 and drive 11 miles to the Graves Mountain area. The entrance to Graves Mountain is on your right about 8/10 mile past the Lincoln county line sign. The entrance is a paved road that goes through a gate and up a hill. Please park along the access road and then proceed to the "Welcome Tent" at the end of the pavement to obtain a liability release form and to make a donation for the portable bathrooms, etc.

SFMS Field Trip Committee: Please reply by e-mail to: [email protected]

Jim Flora - SFMS Field Trip Committee Chair


Tips and Trips

Tips and Trips


Graves Mountain code of conduct! • Park your vehicle in the designated area(s) only. • CHILDREN WILL BE ALLOWED DURING THE "Rock Swap and Dig", IF EACH CHILD IS UNDER CONTINUOUS ADULT SUPERVISION! • ALL pets must be kept under control and on a leash. • The Graves Mountain caretaker, Clarence Norman Jr., has final and absolute say as to where you may safely work. • Ladders or power tools of any kind will not be allowed. (HAND TOOLS ONLY!) • STAY AWAY FROM ALL HIGH WALLS!! • NO REPELLING OFF OF ANYTHING! • NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLE ON ANY PART OF GRAVES MOUNTAIN BEYOND THE PARKING AREA! (The caretaker must accompany anyone driving beyond the parking area!) •

EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE OFF THE MOUNTAIN BY DUSK. (Absolutely no one is allowed on Graves

Mountain after dark.)

Please protect our ability to field collect at Graves Mountain! Report Violations to: Clarence Norman Jr. 706.359.3862 (his business) or 706.359.2381 (his home) All reported violations will be held in strict confidence.

FERNBANK MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

767 Clifton Rd, NE Atlanta, GA

404.929.6300

For details on these exhibits, films, and events, please visit our website at

www.fernbank.edu/museum or sign up for our broadcast email at http://www.fernbank.edu/museum/

e_news.html.

On Exhibit: • Reflections of Culture (new permanent exhibit) • Lizards and Snakes: Alive! • Still Small Voices

Upcoming Public Programs: • Lizards and Snakes: Alive! Gallery Talk. Tuesday,

March 13, 7 PM to 9 PM. Free for members, $ 12 for non-members. Reservations required.

• Ready, Set, Spring. Family Activity Day. Saturday, Mrach 24, 10AM to 2 PM. Included with Museum admission or membership.

• Nature Watercolor Workshop, Flowers, Ferns and Fossils. Saturday, March 31, 9 AM to 1 PM. $ 25 for members, $35 for non-members. Reservations

required. • Special Film Screening and Discussion, A Portrait

of Alzheimer’s Disease. Tuesday, April 3, 7 PM to 10 PM. Free, reservations required.

Now Showing in IMAX: ( Check our website for special screenings) • Deep Sea • Hurricane on the Bayou (opens January 20) Martinis and IMAX: Friday evenings, 5:30 PM – 10 PM

Christine Bean, GMS Member and

Geologist at Fernbank Natural History Museum

Weinman Mineral Museum Calendar of Events

SPECIAL EVENTS RockFest!

NEW DATE - Saturday, May 5, 2007 Free Admission

It is never too early to start planning for the Weinman's famous RockFest! Join us for a fun family day as we explore the museum grounds for rare and beautiful treasures. Activities on this day include visiting with over 40 vendors, free panning for gemstones, a sale in the gift shop, demonstrations, and free mineral and fossil ID.

COOKIES and COKE LEARNING SERIES

Thursday, March 1, 2007 Pennsylvanian Plant Fossils of Northwest Georgia

Jose Santamaria 6:30 PM refreshments, 7:00 PM lecture

Northwest Georgia's Paleozoic sedimentary rocks host many fossils from Cambrian through Pennsylvanian (late Carboniferous) time. Black shale in waste dumps near abandoned coal mines yield Pennsylvanian plant fossils including ferns, cycads and conifers. Visit us on this night and learn more about the amazing geology of this part of Georgia.

TEMPORARY EXHIBIT Conglomerate

February 5 - May 19, 2007 The unique art of Cyndi Gusler will be exhibited in the Weinman Mineral Museum's next temporary exhibit, Conglomerate. From a distance each piece of art in the exhibit appears to be a natural mineral formation. When viewed more closely, however, it becomes obvious that each is a conglomerate of colorful everyday objects that have been recycled and reassembled in some very interesting ways.

I-75 Exit 293 at Hwy 411, (770) 386-0576 www.weinmanmuseum.org

Weinman Mineral Museum PO Box 3663,

Cartersville, Georgia 30120 Ph: 770.386.0576 x401


Tips and Trips

From: Norbert Kirchhoff [[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 3:29 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Information on Rucks's Pit Dear Kim, While searching for information about the Rucks' Pit Quarry / Fort Drum I detected the site of the GMS. I saw the report on the field trips to Rucks' Pit. Let me ask you, whether you can help me with further information on this quarry, the stratigraphy, fossils and layers. Maybe you know some good links from which I can get more information. Please let me know. Why am I asking? Let me introduce myself: I'm Norbert Kirchhoff, age of 43, living in Germany. I'm a member of www.Mineralienatlas.de, one of the most frequented internet sites for mineralogy, geology and palaeontology. Developing this site, we are continuously looking for additional information and pictures. Apart from this, we have the aim to secure images of mineral specimen and fossils as a heritage for science and for the public - before the specimen become untraceable and disappears. Mineralienatlas is a non-commercial project which is mostly being financed by sponsors. All generated incomes over the Mineralienatlas are exclusively used for the maintenance and development of the web sites. We do not pursue a profit intention, we work independently and would like to share the wide variety of knowledge to everybody for free. Maybe you can take a look to our site. If you like to see beautiful pictures of minerals you should start with the links on http://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/Kapitel/Mineralienportrait (most of the pictures coming from dealers who give us the permission to use them). Some other examples: http://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/Niederlande/Nord-Brabant/Mill-Langenboom (fossil shark tooth from the Netherlands) or http://www.mineralienatlas.de/lexikon/index.php/Spanien/Huelva/Riotinto (RioTinto in Spain). Unfortunately (but may be not?) the pages are in German language. But I guess you can get a good impression what is our concern. Best regards, Norbert -------------------------------------- Dr. Norbert Kirchhoff Oststrasse 25 D- 52146 Wuerselen Germany

Upcoming Shows and Events

March 2-4, Largo, FL - Suncoast Gem and Mineral Society. 37th Annual Gem & Mineral Show and Sale. Minnreg Building-6340, 126th Avenue North. Hours: 2nd & 3rd, 10:00 AM—6:00 PM; 4th, 10:00 AM—5:00 PM. Show Chair: Bill Schmidt, 727.657.0998 or [email protected]. Dealer Chair: Sue Black, 727.560.5124 or [email protected].

March 9-11, 2007, Augusta, GA—Aiken Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Society and the Augusta Gem and Mineral Society. 19th Annual Aiken-Augusta Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show. Julian Smith Casino, 2200 Broad Street. Contact: Shellie T. Newell at 305 Fairway Drive, Graniteville, SC 29829; [email protected].; or www.homestead.com/aikengms.

March 16—18, 2007, Hickory, NC—Catawba Valley Gem & Mineral Club. Annual Unifour Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show. Hickory Metro Convention Center, Exit 125, south off I—40.

March 16—18, 2007, Rome, GA—30th Annual Valley and Ridge Gem and Mineral Show. Presented by the Rome Georgia Mineral Society on Friday-Sunday March 16-18, 2007. Fri-Sat 10-6, Sun 1-5. Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, Rome GA - Directions: From the Rome Bypass (GA Loop 1), turn East on to Kingston Rd. (Hwy 293), drive a few hundred yards and turn right into the show at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church. The mineral show will be in the gym past the parking lot. For Show Information: Tim Biggart, Show Chair 706.232. 7143 * [email protected]. For Dealer Information: Bob Madden, Dealer Chair 706.295.3912 * 706.295.7320 * [email protected]

June 2—3, 2007, Birmingham, AL—Alabama Mineral & Lapidary Society. 34th Annual Tannehill Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Jewelry Show. Tannehill Historical State Park. Hours: 9:00 AM—5:00 PM. Contact: Rick Kittinger at [email protected] or James Carr (publicity) at [email protected]. Check out the website as well at

Julian Gray with a little something he ran across in Tuscon, AZ (Photo courtesy Julian Gray)

Important Web Sites

Georgia Mineral Society

www.gamineral.org

AFMS and SFMS Websites

The SFMS Newsletter, the Lodestar, and AFMS Newsletter are now available for all members to read on

line at:

http://www.amfed.org/sfms and

www.amfed.org

Friends of Mineralogy

http://www.friendsofmineralogy.org

Questions, comments, suggestions or contributions of articles can be made to Joan White, 9146 Sunset Drive, Jonesboro, Georgia, 30238-4520 or [email protected] or [email protected]. Your suggestions are appreciated and solicited.

Editor’s News

Thanks to everyone who submitted material for publication in this edition of the Tips and Trips. Over the past few months, there is a distinct lack of original articles for publication. I know that our active members are also very active people with full schedules. If possible, please take a few minutes to write for our newsletter. Writing an original story is an excellent medium to share your knowledge or enthusiasm for collecting.

We have many new members in our club that are very interested in learning more about our hobby or about favorite collecting sites. Possibly some of our more creative members will write some poetry to express their appreciation of the hobby. If a Junior resides in your household, encourage him/her to contribute to the newsletter also. It makes the newsletter much more readable for our members that are no longer able to collect or attend meetings.

To provide a timely newsletter, it is necessary for all submissions to be received in time for publication. Thank you for all your help and cooperation.

Joan White, Editor


Tips and Trips

March 2007 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

Cookies and Coke Weinman Mineral

Museum

2 3

4 5

General Meeting

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

GMS Field Trip Hall’s Valley

18 19 20

Mineral Section

21 22 23 24

DMC Field Trip Marion, KY

25 26

Gem Section

27 28 29 30 31

THE GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. P.O. Box 15011

Atlanta, Georgia 30333-5011 www.gamineral.org

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

Name: __________________________________________________________________________Birthday: month/day____________________ Email: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Spouse: _________________________________________________________________________Birthday: month/day____________________ Spouse’s email:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Children’s Names & Birthdays: mo/day/yr (residing at home): __________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _____________________________________________________________________ State: _____ Zip+4: _________________________ Home Phone(s): _________________________________ Cell Phone(s): ________________________ Office Phone(s): __________________ Occupations:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Hobbies, Interests: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS AT GMS: (Check all that apply)

_____Mineral Section _____Micromount Section _____Fossil Section

_____Junior Section _____Gem Section _____Electronic Newsletter

THE GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY, INC.

P.O. BOX 15011 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30333 - 5011

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

PLEASE FORWARD

Dues for New Members (Single, Couple, Family) are $25.00 per Society year. ($20.00 + $5.00 Initial Processing Fee) Renewal Dues are $20.00 per Society year. (due 12 months from the date of joining and every 12 months thereafter)

Reinstatement Dues (For Expired Membership) are $25.00 ($20.00 + $5.00 Reinstatement Fee).

FAMILY MEMBERSHIPS ARE FOR THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY INCLUDING CHILDREN RESIDING WITH PARENTS. CHILDREN UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE ARE CONSIDERED JUNIOR MEMBERS.

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO THE GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY, INC.

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The Georgia Mineral Society Atlanta, Georgia Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

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Transcript of The Georgia Mineral Society Atlanta, Georgia Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

The Georgia Mineral Society *Atlanta, Georgia* Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

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Transcript of The Georgia Mineral Society *Atlanta, Georgia* Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

The Georgia Mineral Society Atlanta, Georgia Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...

Transcript of The Georgia Mineral Society Atlanta, Georgia Volume ... · publicity. A grab bag party will take...