Rock & Gem Magazine - August 2014

AUGUST 2014 | VOL.
44 ISSUE 08
THE EARTHS TREASURES MINERALS AND JEWELRY
PIKES PEAK
MINERALS
A Museum Display
R&G KIDS
Fossil Sand
Dollars
CURIOUS
CONCRETIONS
The Moeraki Boulders

of New Zealand
MONTHLY
MINERALS
A Club for Collectors

CAMEOS
Ancient and
Contemporary Carvings
CRYSTAL SKULLS
Modern Art or
Genuine Artifacts?
www.rockngem.com
THE MICA GROUP
Accessory Minerals Extraordinaire

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0814 Kingsley North 3x10_c~4 NTC-LAYOUT_Layout 1 6/18/2014 1:11 PM Page 2
CABBING.
TREASURE
SCOOP
Kingsley North is the sole
manufacturer of the Treasure Scoop.
Available in two lengths, a 36 the original
length, or a 42 length. Both are handy to reach
under brushes, scoop has slots that allows water or
sand to sift though. Lightweight, made of cast
aluminum, with vinyl grip for a non-slip grip.
Shipping weight 2 lbs.
Stock No.
Description
7-0328
7-0343
36 Long Scoop
42 Long Scoop
SALE
$40.95
46.95
ROCK PICK
A one piece solid

steel construction
rock hammer with
a rubber grip handle.
Both are 11 overall
in length. Fully
polished. Chisel Pick
is 1-1/4 wide.
Shipping weight 2.2 lbs.
Weight
Size
Stock No.
6 STAINLESS STEEL CABBING UNIT

This machine is made in the USA for
Kingsley North. Features an all stainless
steel construction 18/8 grade, stainless steel shafts with ball bearings. It
also has a 1/3 HP, 1725 RPM thermal
protected ball bearing motor with rear
mounting plate, complete with a 2 qt.
capacity adjustable drip water system
with 6 shut off valves, one for each
wheel. Water system mounts are on the
back of the machine. Lid has three hold
down screws for easy removal, the
shaft is tapped for a -20 spin-on polish head at both ends, the machine
comes with only a right had spin on
head and features a front drain valve.
Features two 6 x 1 metal bonded 80
and 220 grit diamond grinding wheels,
plus four 6 x 1 resin bonded diamond wheels, 325, 600, 1200 & 3000
grits. A right hand 6 x 20 spin on
polish head, polishing pad and 5 grams
diamond compound is included along
with complete instructions, and a 1 year
warranty on machine and motor. Dimensions 26 W x 19- L x 9 H.
Ships in two boxes (motor ships separately).
*Free ground shipping on
Machines only - Continental 48 states.
Item #1-0674
List price $1,550.00
Sale
CS3 full page template.indd 3
30 oz.
24 oz.
$1,195.00
Style
Chisel Tip
Pointed Tip
Each
$19.95
19.95
+4 Each
$16.95
16.95
TUMBLED POLISHED
LAKE SUPERIOR AGATES
Large in size with approx 10 to 13 pieces,

Medium in size with approx 33 to 40 pieces
in a 8 ounce package. Limited Supply!
Stock No.
Kingsley North, Inc.

P.O. Box 216: Dept 3
910 Brown Street
Norway, MI 49870-0216
7-0357
7-0358
7-0390
7-0397
Large
Medium
Package
+3 Pkg
$10.95 Pkg $8.75 Pkg

10.95 Pkg 8.75 Pkg
FREE Catalogs
Phone: 800-338-9280
Web site: www.kingsleynorth.com
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 906-563-7143
3
6/24/14 10:57:47 AM
on THe coVer
Volume 44, Number 08
August 2014
FeaTures
The displays in the Pikes Peak Historical

Society Museum, in Florissant, Colorado,
include the areas minerals. This unusual
specimen of quartz with fluorite is from
a claim near Crystal Park, Colorado, at
the base of Pikes Peak. (Jeff Scovil photo/
Collectors Edge Specimen)
Colorados Mining History on Display......38
Mica: An Accessory Group ...................... 12
stunning specimens at the Pikes Peak Historical

society museum
sheet silicates grace mineral and gem

specimens
by Andy Weinzapfel
by Bob Jones
The Art of Cameos ..........................................44

ancient and contemporary carved treasures
The Mineral of the Month Club............. 18
by Helen Serras-Herman
Its bigger and better than ever
The Moeraki Boulders ....................................54
by Steve Voynick
unusual, large concretions in new Zealand
Art or Artifacts? ........................................... 28
by Bill Vossler
The myth and mystery of quartz crystal skulls

by Bob Jones
regular columns
Rock & Gem Kids .......................................... 34

articles and puzzles
12
Field Notes ........................................... 6

Lapidary of
the Month.............................. 8
Show Dates ........................................10
Shop Talk ............................................16
38
Rock Science .....................................26

What to Cut .......................................48
Picks & Pans .......................................52
On the Rocks .....................................64
Parting Shot.......................................66
44
SUBSCRIPTION QUESTIONS? Call (760) 291-1549

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Notice: On rare occasions, typographical errors occur in
prices listed in magazine advertisements. For this reason,
advertisements appearing in Rock & Gem should be considered as requests to inquire, rather than as unconditional
offers to sell. All prices are subject to change without notice.
www.rockngem.com
RG_TOC_0814.indd 4
Rock & Gem (ISSN 0048-8453, USPS 486-290) is published monthly by Beckett Media LLC, 4635 McEwen Rd., Dallas, TX 75244.
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Rock & Gem

6/30/14 11:10 AM
COLORADO
MINERAL & FOSSIL SHOW
Minerals Fossils Meteorites

Gems Jewelry Beads
Decorator Items

Free Admission Free Parking

Wholesale Retail
Delivery Show Open to the Public

Rhodochrosite - Alma, CO
Photo by Je Scovil
SEPT. 7 - 14, 2014

Ramada Plaza - Denver Central (formerly Holiday Inn)
4849 Bannock Street, DENVER (where I-25 meets I-70)
NOW EIGHT DAYS - SUNDAY TO SUNDAY Show Hours:
10 a.m. - 6 p.m
Martin Zinn Expositions, L.L.C., P.O. Box 665, Bernalillo, NM 87004, Fax: (303) 223-3478, [email protected]
www.mzexpos.com
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/mzexpos
5
6/24/14 11:00 AM
Reader Letters
ield
Notes
EDITORIAL
BOB JONES
Senior Consulting Editor
Collecting Clarification
After reading 3 Feldspar Gems, Bob Jones, in the May 2014 issue, we felt a bit of
clarification was in order for the part about sunstone collecting in the Rabbit Basin area in
Oregon. The BLM has set aside a 4-square-mile area (minus the 20 acres of the Spectrum
mine) for collecting by the public.
There is a pit toilet and a couple shade canopies at the entrance to the public area, and
camping is OK anywhere within the area. No electricity or water is available. Normal rules
apply: no power equipment and no mining for commercial purposes. The road in was
graded and rolled in early March, and there is no fee for using the public area.
Larry and Carol Larson
via e-mail
In the article 3 Feldspar Gems, I noticed some mistakes.
1. The oldest sunstone mine in Oregon is the Spectrum, owned by Chris Rose. The
mine was originally owned by Tiffany Co., who mined it for the Plush diamond. Spectrum
currently holds the world record for the largest red sunstone ever found.
2. The public collecting area is open to the public year round. It is surrounded by private
claims on all sides. There are several small, but active, mines in the Rabbit Basin, with a
few more starting up this year.
Dara Schafer
via e-mail
Gemstones
More Than a Stone

I think youll find youre not alone,
Cause everyone, we all are prone
To feel joy right down to the bone,
When looking at a fine gemstone.
A gem that first comes to my mind
Is what was once a diamond find.
That now is called the Hope Diamond.
Its color blue makes all respond.
Gem settings are just like a frame
To any gemstone you can name.
The stone itself is the picture,
Admired by each connoisseur.
Theres color, clarity, and cut,
And carat weight to each gem, but
Theres also rarity to know,
And provenance that does not show.
A gemstones sparkle and glitter
From shiny facets with luster,
Or a cats-eye chatoyancy
With sheen and shimmer, adds beauty.
And iridescence, color change
Or rainbow-like bright color range
Can add a lot to gems value.
These make the gem a joy to view.
Add in color intensity
And saturation to beauty.
There is another factor too.
All jewelry styles are old or new.
Bring to your life some fun and joy,
And get a gem to just enjoy,
For beauty must be seen each day
To tame whats beastly, thats clich.
LYNN VARON
Managing Editor
JIM BRACE-THOMPSON
MARC DAVIS
SCOTT EMPEY
WILLIAM A. KAPPELE
STEVE VOYNICK
Regular Contributors
ART
MARY ROBERTSON
Art Director
PRODUCTION
CELESTE WEINGARDT
Production and Marketing
Manager
ADVERTISING
BILL DUMAS
Advertising Director,
Beckett Media
BRIAN ROBERTS
Rock & Gem
Advertising Director
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Lynn Varon / Rock & Gem
5235 Mission Oaks Blvd. #201
Camarillo, CA 93012
(972) 448-4626
e-mail: [email protected]
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President
JAMES L. MILLER
Founder
Ronald J. Yadusky, BS, MD, FACS
www.rockngem.com
Field Notes.indd 6
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 3:51 PM
SEPTEMBER 6Th - 9Th, 2014

:: Denver Marriott West, 1717 Denver West Blvd, Golden, CO ::
Dealers attenDing our inaugural event:
FREE ADMISSION FREE PARKING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For more information contact Dave Waisman at 509.458.2331 or visit: www.FineMineralShow.com
Like us on Facebook.
/Fine-Mineral-Show for show updates
Photo: James Elliott
Collectors Edge Minerals | The Sunnywood Collection | Kristalle | The Jungle Buyer | John Cornish Minerals | Edwards Minerals | Crystal Classics Fine Minerals | By Nature Gallery
Green Mountain Minerals | The Field Collectors - Joe George, Paul Geffner, and Rick Kennedy | Ausrox | Unique Minerals - Evan A. Jones | Heliodor | Alpine Mineral Company
Brian Kosnar/Mineral Classics and Kosnar Gem Company | Joe Budd Photography | Donald K. Olson and Associates | Stonetrust | Pala International | Fine Minerals International
Bergmann Minerals | Dave Bunk Minerals | Wendel Minerals | Mineral Movies | Open Adit West | Weinrich Minerals | Superb Minerals India | Palm of Hope Jewelry Designs
Cornerstone Minerals | Mintang | Tucson Store Fixtures | Valere Berlage | Brazarte | Stone Age Gifts | Pinnacle 5 Minerals | Exceptional Minerals | American Fine Mineral Consortium
Mountain Gems & Minerals | Saga Minerals | Spirifer Minerals | Khyber Mineral Co. | Fine Art Minerals | Voelter Fine Minerals | Mineral Dcor | Leslie Hindman Auctioneers
7
6/24/14 10:13 AM
apidary of the
August 2014
Month
hether we grind, saw, polish or facet our rough mineral specimens, we are really seeking to unveil the beauty that we
think the Creator has hidden inside. I look for unique ways to
expose beauty in rough petrified wood, geodes and agate.
This finished Crater agate is a good example. I purchased this
nice-size specimen in uncut form from Luis De Los Santos at the
2013 Tucson Show. Luis discovered Crater agate in 1997. I had
no idea what might be hidden inside when I made my purchase.
After considerable examination, I decided that I would try to work
toward the center of the piece by grinding three faces at different
angles to produce three intersecting planes.
The top two planes open like a book. They are equal in size
and larger than the lower plane area. The angle between them was
small initially, perhaps 30. The bottom plane is an upward-sloping,
horizontal plane that intersects the other two.
I only have unsophisticated tools, including a hand-held 4-inch
wet grinder, a Dremel, a Mystic high-pressure water cleaning gun,
many diamond grinding wheels and polishing discs, and vials of Lasco
diamond polishing powder. I started developing the two upper planes
using my coarsest 4-inch diamond grinding wheels, being careful
to stay well above where the lower plane might eventually be. As I
gradually increased the angle between the two upper planes, I began
to locate the interior channels of red hematite. I continued to grind
the upper two planes, increasing the small initial angle between them
to about 120 degrees This gave me an idea as to where the bottom
plane should be located, and I then began to develop it.
The tricky part is deciding how much to develop each plane
so as to maximize the beauty of the finished piece. There is no
totally correct answer here, but I tried to expose as much in the
way of hematite channels as possible, without overdoing the breakthroughs. About as much time is spent trying to visualize the optimal locations for the final plane intersection lines and single common intersection point as in actually grinding.
At this point, I had three planes fairly well developed, with an
oddball structure in the center hiding the final center intersection
area. I broke off the top of that center column and, with coarse
diamond wheels in my Dremel, gradually set about grinding toward the intersection point of the three planes. Remember that
that point has already been defined by the earlier work on the
three planes, and care must be taken to keep everything in line. All
I had to do was to carefully develop each plane toward the center
using smaller and smaller diamond tools. Once the three planes
were fully developed, it was a matter of smoothing and polishing
the three surfaces as one would do for any agate. The intersection
lines and center point area are, admittedly, difficult to polish.
This project took me about 40 hours in total and more grinding
wheels than I care to say. The finished product, though, is breathtaking and always draws a second look because the beauty that
was in there has been exposed in a unique way. The question
How did you do that? invariably follows.
John Mayer
Seal Beach, CA
Would you like to be named Lapidary of the Month?

To enter the contest:
Write a 500-word step-by-step description of how you crafted your
lapidary project from start to finish. Save it as a document file.
Take at least one sharp, close-up, color digital photo of the finished
project. Photos must be high-resolution (300 dpi at 4 inches by
5 inches, minimum).
Attach your document file and digital photo (.tif or .jpg) to an e-mail
and send it to [email protected] with the subject line Lapidary
of the Month.
Make sure you include your name and street address (not a PO Box)
for prize delivery should your entry be selected for publication. Only winners will be notified. E-mail the editor or call (972) 4484626 with any questions about these requirements.
Lapidary of the Month winners receive a two-speed Dremel Model 200 N/40 MultiPro kit and a wall plaque in recognition of
their creativity and craftsmanship. Winning projects are also posted on our Web site, www.rockngem.com.
www.rockngem.com
Lapidary of the Month.indd 8
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6/26/14 12:23 PM
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6/24/14 10:32 AM
Mark Your Calendar!
how
Dates
Submit show date information at least four months in advance using the electronic
form at www.rockngem.com.
AUGUST 2014
1-3HILLSBORO, OREGON: Wholesale and retail show;
Gem Faire Inc.; Washington County Fairgrounds; 873 NE
34th Ave.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7 , children
(0-11) free; fine jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly
door prizes; contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.gemfaire.com
1-3NIPOMO, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; Orcutt Mineral
Society; Nipomo High School; 525 N. Thompson Ave.; Fri.
10-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; more than 60
indoor dealers, outdoor tailgaters; contact Wes Lingerfelt, PO
Box 176, Nipomo, CA 93444, (805) 929-3788; e-mail: info@
omsinc.org; Web site: www.omsinc.org
1-3PRESCOTT VALLEY, ARIZONA: Annual show;
Prescott Gem & Mineral Club; Tims Toyota Center; Glassford
Hill and Florentine Rd.; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4; adults
$4, seniors and students $3, children (12 and under) free;
50 dealers, rough rock, slabs, cabochons, fossils, gems,
minerals, jewelry, beads, equipment, findings, kids activities,
member displays, fluorescent mineral display, raffles, demonstrations; contact Judy Sullins, Prescott Gem & Mineral
Club, PO Box 3923, Chino Valley, AZ 86323, (928) 445-1117;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.prescottgem
mineral.org
1-3SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS: Wholesale and retail show;
Exhibit Group International; Embassy Suite Hotel; 7750
Brianridge Dr.; Fri. 11-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3;
beads, fine jewelry, fine jade, sterling silver jewelry, findings,
gifts, bead-stringing class; contact John Su, 13337 South St.
#633, Cerritos, CA 90703, (714) 494-4546; e-mail: egi168@
hotmail.com; Web site: www.egishows.com
2ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN: 39th Annual Gem and
Mineral Show; Ishpeming Rock & Mineral Club; Ishpeming
Elks Club; 597 Lke Shore Dr.; Sat. 9:30-4:30; free admission;
kids area, silent auction, hourly prizes, raffle, demonstrations, dealers, live mineral auction, raffle, program, field trips;
contact Ernest Johnson, 1962 W. Fair, Marquette, MI 49855,
(906) 228-9422; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
ishpemingrockandmineralclub.org
2-3RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Wholesale and retail show; Intergalactic Bead Shows; Richmond Raceway Complex-Colonial
Bldg.; 600 E. Laburnum Ave.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5
Sat., $4 Sun., children (12 and under) free; beads, gemstones;
contact Chris Murraty, 3865 Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste. 107,
Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888) 729-6904; e-mail: contact.
[email protected]; Web site: www.beadshows.com
7-10BUENA VISTA, COLORADO: Annual show; ContinTail LLC; Rodeo Grounds; Gregg Dr. and Rodeo Rd.; Thu.
9-5, Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; more than
100 dealers, rocks, minerals, fossils, cabochons, beads, jewelry, findings, collectibles, lapidary items, free rocks for kids;
contact Carolyn Tunnicliff, 1130 Francis #7010, Longmont,
CO 80501, (720) 938-4194; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.coloradorocks.org
8-10DALTON, GEORGIA: 23rd Annual Show; Treasures
Of The Earth Gem & Jewelry Shows; Northwest Georgia
Trade & Convention Center; 2211 Dug Gap Battle Rd., I-75
Exit 333; Fri. 2-7, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; $4 (good all 3 days),
children (under 16) free; beads, pearls, gemstones, wire
wrapping, wire sculpture, silversmiths, goldsmiths, custom
work and repairs while you wait, door prizes; contact Van
Wimmer, 5273 Bradshaw Rd., Salem, VA 24153, (540)
384-6047; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
toteshows.com
8-10HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN: Annual show; Copper
Country Rock & Mineral Club; Houghton Elementary School;
203 W. Jacker, corner of Bridge St. and Jacker Ave.; Fri.
1-8, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-3; free admission; dealers, gems,
minerals, fossils, lapidary, mining certificates, jewelry, kids
copper hunt, geode sales and cracking, door prizes, grab
bags, silent auction; contact Norman Gruber, 1850 Clark St.,
Marquette, MI 49855, (906) 228-6764; e-mail: pres@ccrmc.
info; Web site: www.ccrmc.info
10
www.rockngem.com
Show Dates.indd 10
8-10NORTH BEND, OREGON: 52nd Annual Gem and

Mineral Show; Far West Lapidary & Gem Society; North
Bend Community Center; 2222 N. Broadway; Fri. 10-4, Sat.
10-4, Sun. 10-4; adults $1, children (under 12) free; silent
auctions, door prizes, displays, jewelry, gemstones, rough
and polished rocks; contact Don Innes, (541) 396-5722;
8-10PORT TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON: Annual show;
Port Townsend Rock Club; Jefferson County Fairgrounds;
4907 Landers St.; Fri. 10-9, Sat. 10-9, Sun. 10-6; Jefferson
County Fair admission: adults $6, seniors and students $5,
children $2; contact Garnett Brooks, PO Box 1383, Port
Townsend, WA 98368, (360) 379-5531
8-10SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Earl Warren Showgrounds; 3400
Calle Real; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7, children
(0-11) free; fine jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly
8 -10 WEST S PR I N G FI ELD, M AS SAC H U S E T T S:
Wholesale and retail show; Martin Zinn Expositions; Eastern
States Exposition; Better Living Center, 1305 Memorial
Dr.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $6, children free;
special California collections exhibit, free lectures, free
mineral ID, 140 retail and 60 wholesale dealers; contact
Regina Aumente, PO Box 665, Bernalillo, NM 87004, (505)
mzexpos.com/east_coast.html
9-10BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: 50th Anniversary
Show; Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral Society; Marriott Hotel;
5500 Hilton Ave.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $4, children $3;
demonstrations, cabbing, faceting, wire wrapping, door prizes, silent auctions, Scouts and educational groups welcome;
contact Diana Martin, (225) 931-7543; e-mail: Cajunladi@
cox.net; Web site: www.brgemandmineral.org
9-10CORDOVA, TENNESSEE: Wholesale and retail
show; Intergalactic Bead Shows; Woodland Hills-Grand
Ballroom; 10000 Woodland Hills Dr.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5;
adults $5 Sat., $4 Sun., children (12 and under) free; beads,
gemstones; contact Chris Murray, 3865 Lawrenceville Hwy.,
Ste. 107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888) 729-6904; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.beadshows.
com
9-10RICE LAKE, WISCONSIN: Annual show; Northwest
Wisconsin Gem & Mineral Society; Barron County
Fairgrounds; Highway 48 N.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; contact Roy Wickman, 1127 7th St., Almena, WI 548059409, (715) 357-3223; e-mail: [email protected]
9-10WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA: Show and sale;
Pacific Crystal Guild; Civic Park Community Center; 1371
Civic Dr.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; adults $8, children (under 12)
free; contact Jerry Tomlinson, PO Box 1371, Sausalito, CA
94966, (415) 383-7837; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: www.crystalfair.com
10-13CASCADE LOCKS, OREGON: Annual Rock, Gem
and Craft Festival; Cindy Allison; Marina Park, Cascade
Locks; 355 Wa Na Pa St.; Daily 10-5, Sun. 10am-4pm; free
admission; rocks, gems, jewelry, fossils, minerals, beads,
cabs, slabs; contact Cindy Allison, 87987 9th St., Veneta,
OR 97487, (541) 554-2863; e-mail: [email protected]
12-13CINCINNATI, OHIO: Annual show; Intergalactic
Bead Shows; Sharonville Convention Center-West Hall;
11355 Chester Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 Sat., $4
Sun., children (12 and under) free; contact Chris Murray,
3865 Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste. 107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044,
(888) 729-6904; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.beadshows.com
14-17LAKE GEORGE, COLORADO: Retail show; Lake
George Gem & Mineral Club; field between the Post Office
and General Store; 37400 US Hwy. 24; Thu. 9-5, Fri. 9-5,
Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; dealers, local amazonite, smoky quartz, fluorite and topaz, minerals, gems,
continued on page 24
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 9:58 AM
The Original
Denver Gem & Mineral Show

September 12 - 14, 2014
Net proceeds benefit
Education and Research
in the Earth Sciences
150 Retail & Wholesale Dealers

Museum & Competitive Displays
Gold Panning &
Hands-on Activities
Lectures
Featuring Agates
Admission:
Adults - $6
Seniors/Teens - $4
Under 13 - Free
Photos by Jeff Scovil
www.DenverMineralShow.com
11
6/24/14 10:28 AM
MICA:
An Accessory Group
Sheet Silicates Grace Mineral and Gem Specimens
Story by Bob Jones
ust about every major mineral collection includes micajust not as

a stand-alone specimen. Even in large pieces, it is mainly considered a novelty because of
the ability to peel it apart in
sheets. You may not realize,
BOB JONES PHOTO/GROBEN COLLECTION
however, how many beautiful, well-crystallized mineral and gem specimens accessorize with some form
of mica.
When you collect minerals in a granite
environment, especially a granite pegmatite formation, you are bound to run into
some form of mica. There are several common forms of this monoclinic mineral, and
pegmatite deposits, due to slow cooling of
the rock, are an ideal place for large crystals
of several minerals to form. These include
the mica group minerals, most commonly
muscovite, biotite and lepidolite.
The mica group is composed of more
than 50 alumino-silicate minerals with a
sheetlike structure, which are often referred
to by the generic term mica. The common
members include biotite, phlogopite, muscovite and lepidolite. There are many other
minerals that fit into the mica groupsome
50 species all in allbut most are obscure
or very difficult to distinguish from the four
12
Mica.indd 12
www.rockngem.com
above. Some of the lesser-known mica-type

species are zinnwaldite, margarite, mariposite, paragonite and celedonite.
Celedonite forms the green lining seen
in many agates. Zinnwaldite is common
only in combination with cassiterite from
Zinnwald, Germany. Margarite was popular in the Eastern United States for a time;
it was found as pearly scales with emery in
a corundum mine in Chester, Massachusetts. Mariposite got its name from Mariposa, California, in which vicinity it was
found as a green micaceous material in
gold mines. Paragonite may be familiar to
you as the white micaceous material found
with the blue kyanite from Brazil.
The real problem with the mica group
is the confusion caused by the very similar
chemistries and physical properties of these
alumino-silicate species. For decades, scientists had a real problem trying to decide the
differences between the micas and in the
chemistry of minerals that look like mica
minerals, but are not. I would imagine that
the job was made even more difficult by
the relatively crude instruments that were
available in the early days of mineralogy.
Most micas are hard to distinguish from
one other, and since they almost never
occur in noteworthy collector specimens,
there was no pressing need to study them
in detail. Consequently, not much has been
much written about them in the popular
collector literature.
This choice and uncommon cluster of lepidolite crystals
came from Baixio (Galilea, Minas Gerais), Brazil.
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 3:49 PM
BoB Jones photo
TOP RIGHT: Some of the finest cassiterites ever found occur on muscovite at
the Xuebaoding mine in Sichan Province, China.
RIGHT: Pakistan has produced superb aquamarine crystals that often sit on a
bed of muscovite crystals.
In most cases, mica occurs only as an accessory mineral, playing a subservient role
to a more spectacular species. Check your
specimens of elbaite, kunzite, and other pegmatite gem minerals, and chances are one of
the forms of mica will be on it.
Collectors tend to prefer nicely crystallized specimens, and mica minerals are seldom found in fine crystals. When they are
well crystallized, they are not particularly
appealing or well suited for display, so few
collections feature a crystallized mica specimen. When you do see mica in a display, it
is only as a less-important part of a group of
showy minerals.
At one time, the collection of mica was
a very significant industry because the mineral is impervious to heat and fire. When
colonists came here from Europe, they
were more than excited when they found a
deposit that yielded fine sheets of mica. Because it has perfect cleavage, it can be split
into thin, transparent sheets that were used
for windowpanes in cabins and stoves. As
the industrial evolution gathered steam and
huge furnaces for making steel and other
metal products evolved, mica was the main
material used in windows and viewing
ports that enabled workmen to peer into
the raging fires.
August 2014
Mica.indd 13
BoB Jones photo/Marc Weill collection
BoB Jones photo
ABOVE: Superb, violet lepidolite crystals crown a gemmy green elbaite from
the Himalaya mine in Pala, California.
Because mica will never burn and boasted an inherent sparkle, it was used for
years to make Christmas decorations. The
material could be reduced to small flakes
that sparkled even in subdued light. The
fact that it would not burn was important
in the days when candles were used to light
a real tree. Benjamin Franklin made what
may have been the most interesting use of
granulated mica when he was given the
task of printing the first paper money in the
Pennsylvania Colony. He actually charged
the paper stock with flakes of mica, making
the bills very difficult to counterfeit!
An even earlier event in Colonial America that made use of mica took place when
a large deposit of fine muscovite mica was
found in the Grafton, New Hampshire, pegmatite deposit. The farmer who found the
deposit realized he had something valuable,
but the law at the time required that any raw
materials found be sent to England for processing, returning only as finished products.
This policy enabled England to levy taxes
on everything coming and going across the
Atlantic Ocean. To circumvent this law, the
farmer extracted large, transparent sheets of
mica and smuggled them into Boston, to be
surreptitiously shaped into stove and lantern windows and sold on the sly.
As mining began in many of the pegmatites throughout New England, mica was
found in abundance, particularly at Mount
Apatite and the aptly named Mount Mica!
Muscovite is named for Muscovy, a Medieval principality centered around the city of
Moscow. (The name seemed curious to me
as a kid because a farmer near us had Muscovy ducks, and I always wondered where
they came from!) Large quantities of muscovite mined in the Ural Mountains were
shipped all over the world.
Muscovite is found primarily in granite deposits. It is seen as tiny, sparkly bits
mixed with the quartz and feldspar that
make up the rock. When granite is metamorphosed, it first forms gneiss, in which
the grains are still coarse enough for each
of the three major minerals to be seen. Additional heat and pressure turn the gneiss
into metamorphic schist, which has a
micaceous or silky luster with a sparkle, but
is so fine-grained you cant distinguish the
constituent minerals.
All the micas crystallize in the monoclinic system and have perfector nearly
perfectcleavage. The common forms of
the mica group have a pseudo-hexagonal
crystal habit. Crystals sometimes take on a
star or diamond shape.
13
6/25/14 3:50 PM
Fine crystals of the rare phosphate eosphorite are encircled by a skirting of muscovite mica books.
The color of muscovite is quite varied,

ranging from colorless to brown, yellow,
yellow-green and, in rare instances, reddishbrown. The amazing thing about muscovite,
and some phlogopite, is the enormous size
some sheets of the mineral can reach. In
the section on mica in Mineralogy for Amateurs (D. Van Nostrand and Co., 1964), Dr.
John Sinkankas reports that muscovite has
been found in crystal sheets up to 15 feet
long and 10 feet across. A Russian reference book in my library, simply titled Mineralogy, reports finding biotite mica crystals
up to 33 feet long and 14 feet across! The
only time Ive seen any crystals that size
was when I was underground in the Naica
mine in Chihuahua, Mexico, where huge
selenite crystals are found.
The type of mica that is easily confused
with muscovite is phlogopite. Phlogopite is
found with granitic rocks, as earlier mentioned, but is far more common in marble
and partially altered limestone. It can be
similar in color to muscovite, but more
frequently it shows a fairly strong reddishbrown color. This color inspired the minerals name, which is derived from the
Greek word phlogos, meaning firelike.
Huge quantities of phlogopite were
mined around Lake Baikal, at Slyudyanka,
Russia. This material had fairly good cleavagenot as good as muscovites, but still
good enough to produce transparent sheets
for fireproof windows.
At Yinnethera, Western Australia, large,
textbook-perfect dravite tourmalines were
found enclosed in a deposit of badly
weathered mica schist. Some of the mica
was embedded in the dravite crystals,
which suggests that both species formed
14
Mica.indd 14
www.rockngem.com
A choice cluster of pale lepidolite forms a platform for

a gem-quality elbaite crystal from Brazil.
simultaneously. Weathering had partially

decomposed the mica schist, revealing the
tourmalines to prospectors. Literally tons of
large dravite crystals were mined here, but
because of the decomposition of the mica,
no matrix specimens were recovered.
Biotite is probably the easiest mica-group
mineral to identify because its colors range
from very dark brown to black. It is most
commonly found as small, black scales in a
variety of rocks. The mineral is named for a
French scientist, Jean Baptiste Biot, in honor
of his research on the mineral.
Biotite is a potassium magnesium iron
aluminosilicate. Chemically, phlogopite is
almost identical, lacking only the iron. Iron
probably accounts for the very dark color
normally seen in biotite.
Some localities have yielded crystals of
these three micas that are suitable for display,
but mica much more often appears in collections as an accessory mineral to a more
noteworthy or showy species. The exception
to this rule is lepidolite, the lovely potassium
lithium aluminosilicate fluoride. The presence
of lithium undoubtedly plays a role in the
lovely color of lepidolite, which shades from
lilac to rose to pink. This makes lepidolite by
far the most attractive of the micas.
The mineral is often referred to as lithiamica. When found in abundance with high
levels of lithium, as at the Stewart Lithia mine
in San Diego County, California, lepidolite
is actually mined as an ore of lithium. This
type of occurrence is, however, an exception;
lepidolite is far more often collected as an accessory to very valuable pegmatite gems like
morganite, elbaite, beryl and kunzite.
The material from the Stewart Lithia
mine is particularly handsome, as the matrix is a compact, micaceous form of lepidolite shot through with lovely pink, pencilsize elbaites. Many of the elbaite crystals
are randomly oriented in the lepidolite,
but often several elbaites radiate out from
radiating sunbursts of pink elbaite, making
superb display specimens.
Joe Budd photo/courtesy Arkenstone
BoB Jones photo
BoB Jones photo/steve smAle collection
Mica: An Accessory Group from page 13
An apron of richly colored lepidolite skirts a cluster of

elbaite crystals from the Pederniera mine, Brazil.
The beauty of the Stewart mine lepidolite is that it is so compact it can be shaped
into cabochons. No other mica species I
know of lends itself to lapidary treatment. I
have a small collection of spheres that were
made before World War II, and prominent
in that collection is a nearly 3-inch sphere
made of lepidolite from the Stewart Lithia
mine. The sphere has a subtle sparkle to it
and a very rich violet color.
To learn more about the unique Stewart
Lithia deposit, look it up on the Internet.
Tours and limited collecting have been occasionally offered in the past.
The most attractive crystallized lepidolite
is found in lithia pegmatites, primarily those
in Southern California. Well-known tourmaline localities like the Himalaya mine are
located near Pala. Nearby Mesa Grande and
Ramona have also been sources of fine lepidolite crystals. Several of the well-known
mines of Minas Gerais, Brazil, including the
Virgem de Lapa mine, the Urubu mine (Taqueral), and the Cruziero mine, are noted
for excellent lepidolite crystals. Newer deposits being worked at Pech, Afghanistan,
are becoming noted for lepidolite, and increased activity in the pegmatites of Madagascar is producing lepidolite these days.
Most of the crystallized mica crystals Ive
seen show a pseudohexagonal form and
look shredded or fuzzy around the edges.
They tend to be under an inch, but some
do reach 2 inches in length. Crystals occur
both as singles on feldspar and as intergrown clusters, again with feldspar and
pegmatite gem minerals.
Even though it doesnt often form showy
crystals on its own, youll find mica accessorizing fine gem or mineral specimens.
Rock & Gem

6/27/14 12:06 PM
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6/6/14 11:02
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6/24/14
Fine Jewelry
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TALK
by William A. Kappele
How to Get Started
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ONE
State___________ Zip__________________
ne thing that all of us in the rockhound/lapidary hobby have in common is that, whether we have been at it
for 50 years or five minutes, we all started
from scratch at some time. How we all
decided to pursue the hobby has almost
as many variations as there are people
doing it.
Some, like me, began while camping and
hiking. One summer, my wife, Cora, and I
were camping at Navajo Lake in southern
Utah. On a side trip over to Cedar Breaks,
we came to a forest road with a sign for
Rattlesnake Creek. We couldnt pass up a
name like that, so off we went. Fortunately,
we didnt find any rattlesnakes, but Cora
found a beautiful fist-size chunk of agate.
Of course, we didnt know agate from a
turnip sandwich at the time, but we took it
home because it was a pretty rock.
It wasnt long before the rock had a lot
of companions, and I had to decide what to
do with them. Somewhere along the way,
I had picked up a copy of Rock & Gem and
had subscribed. I was aware of tumbling
and cabbing and decided that I would like
cabbing better. Fortunately for me, in those
days there were classes at a local rock shop,
so I spent a few evenings there, and the
rest is history.
Today, it is difficultif not impossibleto
find classes in lapidary. This makes it very
difficult for the beginner. Someone who
has gotten the bug to learn crocheting can
buy the necessary tools and materials to get
started for a few dollars, but the would-be
lapidary doesnt have such an easy option.
To get started in cabbing, a cabbing machine
and at least a trim saw are needed.
These are fairly costly, and the thing that
keeps the lapidary from making such a substantial investment is that they usually dont
know if they will like the activity. No one
wants to spend big bucks on equipment

that will ultimately end up gathering dust
in a closet.
While it may be a fruitless search, looking
for a class may be worth the effort. Maybe
the best way to start is to see if there is a
club in your area. The American Federation
of Mineralogical Societies Web site, www.
amfed.org, has links to the Web sites of
each of the regional federations. There, you
can find a list of member clubs, organized
by state. Hopefully, there will be one near
your home.
If there is one, it is pretty certain that it
will have a club shop. I am certain that the
good folks in the club would be more than
happy to welcome someone who is trying
to get some hands-on experience before
spending the babys milk money.
Once in a while, adult night classes will
be available at a local high school or community college. Another possibility is to
check with the geology department at a
local community college.
There are also several excellent DVDs
available from Marzee Tutorials, including
Beginning Cabochon Cutting, The Flat
Lap, and Beginning Faceting (www.mar
zeetutorials.com). These arent hands-on
lessons, but may be the next best thing.
A final possibility is the good old Internet. There are numerous sites that have
video tutorials on cutting cabochons, tumbling stones, making lapidary machines,
and other topics.
Please feel free to send
your questions and comments about any of my
columns to Shop Talk,
25231 Pericia Dr., Mission Viejo, CA 92691 or
[email protected].
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 10:05 AM
OPALS: The Queen of Gems

Just back from Australia with Steves suitcases bursting with new parcels of Australian opal from the famous opalelds around Coober Pedy.
These photos are samples of some of the new gemmy material now available. There are new opal listings on our website that range from $25.00
per ounce to $4500.00 per ounce. Please keep an eye on our website as we are adding new material almost daily.
Colin Seekamp setting up a 9 investigator drill

to prospect for opals on Tim Seekamps claim
at Turkey Ridgebought a lovely parcel of gem
grade opal from the Seekamps: Sam, Tim and
father Colin.
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e-mail: [email protected] www.lortone.com
17
RG0814 Master.indd 17
6/25/14 10:29 AM
The
Mineral
of
the Month Club
Its Bigger
and Better
than Ever
STEVE VOYNICK PHOTO
Story by Steve Voynick
Past Minerals of the Month include datolite from Russia, fluorite and calcite from South Africa, quartz from Brazil, and chalcocite from the United States.
he Mineral of the Month Club offices in Woodside, New York, are particularly busy at the
end of each month, when the specimens of that months featured mineral are packaged and
mailed to the clubs hundreds of members.
We sort the specimens by size and grade, says club manger

Christine Domino. Each specimen comes with a box, a mineralidentification label, a computer-generated mailing label, a 10-page
write-up, our newsletter, and a mailing envelope. Its a lot of work,
and our monthly postage costs are well over a thousand dollars.
But its all worth it, because we know how pleased our members
are to receive their mineral specimen every month.
Recent Mineral of the Month Club specimens have included indigo-blue cavansite from India, red rhodochrosite from China, blue
celestine from Madagascar, green fluorite from England, amethyst
18
www.rockngem.com
Mineral of the Month Club.indd 18
quartz from South Africa, and sky-blue turquoise from Arizona.

Each is accompanied by a detailed write-up that explains almost
everything there is to know about that particular mineral.
Club members also occasionally receive specimens of non-minerals such as amber from Lithuania, iron-nickel meteorites from
Russia, opal from Australia, and obsidian from Arizona.
The Mineral of the Month Club has recently made some big
changes. In March 2012, then-owners Richard and Cheryl Sittinger
sold the club to Dimitri and Mary Spanos, who have since moved
its headquarters from Cambria, California, to Woodside, New York.
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 12:21 PM
Steve voynick photo

celeStialearthmineralS.com
Members still receive the same quality

specimens and detailed write-ups at the same
affordable prices, says Dimitri, but now we
serve a broader range of collectors by providing everything from study specimens for
students and beginners all the way to fine
specimens for advanced collectors.
Mineral collecting is changing, and the
Mineral of the Month Club is changing
with it, Dimitri explains. Because this is
the computer age, weve greatly expanded
our online presence. By combining our
specimens and write-ups with our new
Web site resources, were making mineral
collecting a richer and more educational
experience than ever before.
The idea of mailing a mineral specimen
to subscribers each month began with California mineral collectors Russ and Alexandra Filer in the early 1970s, a time when
the hobby of mineral collecting was growing rapidly. The big gem and mineral shows
in Tucson, Arizona, and Denver, Colorado,
were already well established, magazines
like Rock & Gem and The Mineralogical Record had published their first issues, new
gem and mineral clubs were being founded
across the country, and more people than
ever were collecting minerals.
The Filers provided their Mineral of the
Month Club members with small, inexpensive, study-grade specimens until they retired in 1982 and disbanded their program.
The demand went unfulfilled until the mid1990s, when the Sittingers, mineral collectors
who were establishing themselves as dealers,
brought the concept of the mail-order mineral club back to life, using the same name,
but with a few changes to the program.
The Filers club worked well in the
1970s, Richard recalls, but mineral collecting had since changed a great deal.
Cheryl and I realized that collectors were
much more sophisticated and knowledgeable, and that if a similar club were to succeed in the 1990s, it would have to offer
more than just mineral specimens.
The Sittingers began by upgrading the
size and quality of the specimens and offering two membership levels to serve collector interests and budgets. Most importantly,
they included a detailed, informational report with every specimen.
CENTER: By combining our specimens and write-ups

with our new Web site resources, were making mineral
collecting a richer and more educational experience
than ever before, says Dimitri Spanos.
BOTTOM: Mineral of the Month Club members recently had the chance to acquire beautiful specimens
of orange quartz included with hematite from China.
August 2014
Steve voynick photo
TOP: In May 2012, club members received nodular

suns of bright-blue azurite in a kaolin clay matrix,
mined at a remote site on Aboriginal land in Australias
Northern Territory.
19
6/25/14 12:21 PM
The Mineral of the Month Club has three tiers of membership that offer specimens
to suit different budgets and collecting interests.
Anyone could buy mineral specimens,

but not the stories behind them, Richard
says. Because many collectors had neither
the time nor the resources to research the
specimens, they couldnt fully benefit from
the collecting experience. By providing that
research, we imparted a substantial added
value to club membership.
The Sittingers launched their Mineral of
the Month Club in March 1996 with only
a handful of members. Their first featured
mineral was pyrite in the form of perfectly
formed cubic crystals from the classic locality at Navajn (La Rioja), Spain.
Interest in the club grew steadily, and it
soon had three membership levels, a growing Web site, and hundreds of members. To
promote the club, the couple attended as
many as 15 gem and mineral shows each
year, whichtogether with day-to-day club
business and monthly mailingskept them
quite busy.
By 2010, with their son grown, the Sittingers were looking forward to a new
phase of their lives, one with a less rigorous schedule. They decided to sell the club,
But not to just anyone, Richard emphasizes. We wanted new owners who would
continue to develop the club and take good
care of our members.
At the Mineral of the Month Club booth
at the 2011 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show,
the Sittingers met Dimitri and Mary, businesspeople and avid mineral collectors
from New York City.
Dimitri and I had always loved minerals, Mary says. An entire room of our
home is devoted to our collection and our
mineral library, but we were looking for a
20
www.rockngem.com
Steve voynick photo
Steve voynick photo
The Mineral of the Month Club from page 19
A recent Mineral of the Month Club mailing brought members a fine specimen of gemquality turquoise from Kingman, Arizona.
way to move beyond collecting and share

our interest in minerals with others. Thats
when we learned that the Mineral of the
Month Club was for sale.
The Spanos and Sittingers kept in touch
and, in spring 2012, Dimitri and Mary decided to purchase the club. When the sale
was finalized that March, the former and
the new owners began working together to
assure a smooth transition.
Richard and Cheryl agreed to continue to handle the next two monthly
mailings from California. The featured
mineral that April was astrophyllite from
the Khibiny Massif on Russias Kola Peninsula. These specimens were radiating,
starburst-shaped aggregates of thin, bladed, bronze-yellow crystals with a bright,
submetallic luster that contrasted nicely
with their light-colored, nepheline-syenite
matrix. The write-up detailed the geology
of the Khibiny Massif, a region of great
mineralogical diversity that has yielded
some 477 mineral species.
The May 2012 mineral was an unusual
form of azurite from the Malbunka Copper
mine in Australias Northern Territory. Consisting of deep-blue, semispherical nodules,
or suns, in a matrix of white kaolin clay,
these specimens had been reliefed to
more dramatically display the azurite. From
the write-up, members learned how these
specimens were collected after the Aboriginal Malbunka clan leased the mine site to
an Australian specimen miner.
We were pleased knowing that our
members would enjoy those beautiful azurite suns, Richard says. But we were also
a little sad, because they were no longer
our members. Cheryl and I, along with

our friends, had managed 196 monthly
mailings, and this was our last. Richard and
Cheryl remain connected with the Mineral
of the Month Club as historians and advisors to this day.
Meanwhile, Dimitri and Mary were
busy setting up offices and working space
at 37-14 61st St. in Woodside, a section
of Queens near LaGuardia Airport. They
also hired a manager for the Mineral of the
Month Club, Christine Domino.
An accomplished jewelry maker, Christine has collected minerals all her life. She
was initially hired to work part-time, but her
duties soon expanded to include answering
telephone calls and e-mails from club members, contacting dealers to acquire specimens, managing the office, supervising the
monthly mailings, and filling special orders.
When Dimitri and Mary realized that they
needed a full-time club manager, they offered her the job.
I was elated, Christine says. I had always loved minerals and crystals, and now
I had a full-time job working with minerals
and mineral collectors.
Dimitri, Mary, and Christine handled the
June 2012, mailing from New York. The
featured mineral was marcasite from the
Czech Republics Komorany lignite mine.
The specimens were coxcomb clusters of
twinned, spear-shaped crystals with a silverbronze color, a brilliant metallic luster, and
a hint of blue iridescence.
That accompanying write-up explained
the dimorphism of marcasite which, like
pyrite, is an iron disulfide. Club members
also learned how 600 years of lignite min-
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 12:21 PM
August 2014
Steve voynick photo
Unusual specimens of purple, botryoidal fluorite from Henan Province, China, were among the 2013 mailings.
Steve voynick photo
ing at Komorany had caused serious environmental degradation, most of which was
inflicted during the intensive mining operations conducted during the years of Nazi
and Soviet occupation, and of the remediation efforts that are now underway.
Compiling the clubs monthly write-up is
a big job that demands time-consuming research from dozens of sources. The 10-page
write-ups consist of sections on physical
properties, name origin, chemical composition, crystal type and structure, collecting localities, jewelry and decorative uses,
history and lore, and technological uses. A
special section provides an in-depth discussion of a particular aspect of the featured
mineral, while an About Our Specimens
section explains how, where and when the
specimens were collected.
About Our Specimens also offers suggestions on how to view and study the
specimens, and discusses lighting techniques, the use of loupes or magnifying
glasses, viewing by reflected or transmitted
light, specific features to look for, and how
to vary lighting and viewing angles to reveal such phenomena as color zoning, iridescence, and pleochroism.
Additionally, when necessary, the writeups advise club members of special storage
and handling considerations. This happened most recently when the featured
mineral was realgar-orpiment. Red realgar
and yellow-orange orpiment are closely
related arsenic sulfides. Orpiment is often
powdery and tends to rub off on the skin,
and its arsenic content can make it toxic if
ingested or inhaled. This write-up reminded club members to wash their hands thoroughly after handling the specimens and,
because realgar is light sensitive, to store
the specimens in lidded boxes after display
or study.
The clubs second mailing from New
York in July 2012 featured the ruby variety of corundum from Mysore, India, a locality in which star ruby has been mined
since ancient times. These specimens
consisted of hexagonal, purplish-red, ruby
crystals as large as 1 inch in a black-andwhite syenite matrix.
In August, members received specimens
of an industrial mineral, probertite, a basic
hydrous sodium calcium borate. The mineral was from Californias famed Boron
Pit, the worlds leading source of boron
minerals. These specimens were once part
of the personal collection of Jim Minette,
a long-time Boron Pit manager. Minette
sometimes collected specimens by redirecting mining operations when unusual
mineral occurrences were found. After the
Minette collection was sold, the Mineral of
the Month Club had the good fortune to
acquire some of its specimens.
Members next received pink crystals
of manganoan calcite from Chinas Manao-
The September 2013 mineral was the sand-rose variety of gypsum from the Erg Chebbi dunes of Morocco.
shan mine. The write-up explained how

Manaoshan management authorizes collection teams of miners to gather commercial quantities of specimens under a
profit-sharing arrangement. The write-up
also detailed how the rapidly growing Chinese mining industry has become a major
source of mineral specimens.
Membership in the Mineral of the
Month Club is structured in a three-tier
arrangement. Each month, Silver Level
members receive a small, quality specimen of the featured mineral that is usually
between 1 inch and 2 inches in size. This
basic level is aimed at families, youngsters

and students as a starting point for developing an interest in minerals and in the
earth sciences.
The clubs youngest Silver Level member, age 6, recently told Christine that he
studies his monthly specimen and reads
the write-up with his family. Many teenage
members use the specimens and write-ups
in school reports and presentations. Silver
Level membership costs $150 per year and
includes the specimen, write-up, newsletter, a list of special monthly offers, and all
shipping and handling charges.
21
6/25/14 12:22 PM
celestialearthminerals.com
The Mineral of the Month Club from page 21
Specimen photos and write-ups on past months featured minerals can be found on the Mineral of the Month
Clubs parent companys Web site, www.celestialearthminerals.com.
Gold Level members, who are often

intermediate-level collectors, receive larger
and more visually appealing specimens that
can measure 2 inches to 3 inches, are suitable for display, and offer the opportunity
for detailed study of color, crystal structure,
and other features. Both Silver Level and
Gold Level specimens can be larger, depending on the specimens available.
The cost of Gold Level membership is
$345 per year. Many Gold Level members
who are building collections or have serious interests in mineral education have
upgraded their original Silver Level membership to Gold.
Platinum Level members do not automatically receive a monthly specimen.
Instead, they are sent a descriptive list of
the best available specimens of each featured mineral. These are often high-quality,
cabinet-size specimens that make attractive
display pieces.
Platinum Level specimens are sorted into
three groups based on size, quality, crystal
development, color, matrix associations,
overall visual appeal, and cost. Platinum
Level members can select a specimen from
any group, then contact Christine by telephone or e-mail to discuss details. When
necessary, she will even e-mail photographs
of individual specimens. The cost of each
Platinum Level specimen ranges from $40
to about $300. With three levels of membership, we can accommodate every type
of collector, Christine says, and our members like that.
Club members of all levels also receive a
description of five special offerings, which
they can obtain at an additional cost, each
month. These are specimens of unusual
interest that were acquired from dealers in
small lots. When we acquire large lots of
22
www.rockngem.com
specimens for our Minerals of the Month,

Dimitri explains, dealers also show us
small lots of unusual specimens that we
then make available to our members as
special offers. Although previously limited
to Platinum Level members, Dimitri and
Mary now make these specimens available
to all members.
A recent special offer was a composite
specimen from Pakistan that featured black
crystals of the uncommon tourmaline mineral uvite on a matrix of pearly, greenish
muscovite, with a scattering of blue sapphire crystals. Another, from Peru, consisted of bright, turquoise-blue chrysocolla and
small, water-clear, terminated quartz crystals
on a matrix of orange-brown hematite.
Dimitri and Mary also established a parent companyCelestial Earth Minerals
(www.celestialearthminerals.com) to support the Mineral of the Month Club. The
Web site is now the home of the Mineral of the Month Club and serves as a
complete support system for the club that
provides mineral photographs, mineralogical information, club membership services,
and an online store stocked with everything from display stands and cabinets to
loupes, books, and even fine mineral art
prints and note cards by such noted artists
as Fred C. Wilda.
Another new Web site feature is the Atlas
of Minerals, which is intended for members
who might not be familiar with the many
different minerals that are mentioned in
the write-ups and special offers. With the
click of a key, members can now open brief
or detailed descriptions of more than 100
minerals and mineral varieties. Members
also have password access to a library with
all the write-ups on featured minerals from
1996 to the present.
Informational, magazine-type articles

about various aspects of collecting, written by noted gem-and-mineral writers,
can also be found on the site. It includes
the special offers, a fine mineral gallery,
the Platinum Level letters, and previous
newsletters. A full range of online services
enables members to quickly and conveniently renew their memberships or order
gift memberships.
Our online services are there for our
members convenience, Christine emphasizes. But theyre not intended to replace
personal contact. Members with questions
or concerns can call me directly during
business hours.
When some club members expressed
interest in high-end specimens, Dimitri,
Mary and Christine responded by introducing a monthly fine mineral offering,
which is supported by a four-page article
and close-up photographs. The first finemineral offering was brazilianite, a rare
gemstone from Minas Gerais, Brazil. A
basic sodium aluminum phosphate, brazilianite was only recognized as a mineral in
the 1940s, and is the most recently discovered of all major gemstones.
Other fine mineral offerings have included crocoite from the Red Lead mine in
Tasmania, Australia; amethyst from Piedra
Parada, near Las Vigas de Ramrez in the
Mexican state of Veracruz-Llave; and composite specimens of aquamarine and muscovite from Pakistan.
The ultimate key to the clubs success is
volume buying. Purchasing thousands of
specimens each year substantially reduces
costs, savings that are passed along to
members. To find sources for all its specimens, the club relies on an international
network of mineral dealers and specimen miners who can provide large lots of
quality specimens. This supply network,
which was built by the Sittingers, has recently been expanded, with new dealer
connections in the United States, Brazil
and Morocco.
Since the Filers came up with the idea
of mailing monthly mineral specimens,
club members have received more than
125,000 specimens representing 70 different minerals and mineral varieties. During
the 26 years that the club has been active,
it has been personally owned and operated
by just three couples, all of whom share a
love of minerals.
Despite the changes made by current
owners Dimitri and Mary, the basic purpose of the Mineral of the Month Club remains the same: providing monthly mineral
specimens, and the stories behind them, at
affordable prices.
For further information about the club,
call (800) 941-5594, e-mail info@celestial
earthminerals.com, or visit www.celestial
earthminerals.com.
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 12:22 PM
rock&gem614_rock&gem614.qxd 6/18/2014 9:31 AM Page 1
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Show Dates.indd 24
AUGUST 2014
fossils; contact Dan Alfrey, PO Box 171, Lake George, CO
site: LGGMClub.org
15-16TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA: Show and sale;
Tahlequah Rock & Mineral Society; Tahlequah Community
Bldg.; 300 W. First St.; Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-5; adults (18 and up)
$3, students and children free; rocks, minerals, fossils, jewelry, museum displays, auctions, childrens area, educational
demonstrations; contact Sara Brasel, 14236 Cross Timbers
Rd., Tahlequah, OK 74464, (918) 284-5770
15-17HERMISTON, OREGON: 2014 NFMS Show
and Conference; Hatrockhounds Gem & Mineral Society;
Hermiston Conference Center; 415 S. Hwy. 395; Fri. 10-6,
Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; adults $3.50 ($9 for 3 days), children
(under 12) free with adult; Biggest Little Show in Town:
dealers, displays, demonstrations, speakers, silent auction;
contact Judi Allison, (541) 720-4950; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.hatrockhounds.org
15-17BRIDGETON, MISSOURI: Annual show; Greater
St. Louis Association of Earth Science; Machinists Hall
Auditorium; 12365 St. Charles Rock Rd., at I-270; Fri.
3-8, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $5, seniors $4, students
$2, children (under 5) and Scouts and leaders in uniform free; gems, fossils, jewelry, Youth Booth, exhibits,
demonstrators; contact Robert Morse, 135 Knox St.,
Troy, MO 63379-4423, (636) 462-4423; e-mail: rmorse@
centurytel.net
15-17LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA: 17th Annual Show;
Mid-Atlantic Gem & Mineral Assn.; Lebanon PA County
Expo; 80 Rocherty Rd.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4;
adults $6, seniors and students $5 (discount coupons on
Web site), children free; The Gem Miners Jubilee: dealers, tailgating, classes, demonstrations; contact Teresa
Schwab, PO Box 15513, Chevy Chase, MD 20825, (301)
gem-show.com
15-17SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Scottish Rite Center; 6151 H St.;
Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7, children (0-11) free;
fine jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals,
exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly door prizes;
contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail: info@gemfaire.
com; Web site: www.gemfaire.com
15-17SEASIDE, OREGON: 18th Annual Clatsop County
Gem, Mineral, Bead, Jewelry & Fossil Show; Jean Miller;
Seaside Convention Center; 415 First Ave.; Fri. 10-6, Sat.
10-6, Sun. 10-4; free admission; free pear strand to first 75
ladies, gems, minerals, beads, fossils, lapidary tools, rough
and polished rock, jewelry; contact Jean Miller, (971) 2190323; Web site: www.ogmshows.com
15-18WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO: Annual show;
Rock Gypsies; Woodland Park Saddle Club; 19250 E. US
Hwy. 24; Thu. 9-5, Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; more than 40 dealers, rocks, minerals, fossils, crystals,
gems, petrified wood, cabs, rough, custom jewelry; contact
Kim Packham, 87 Plum Creek Rd., Divide, CO 80814, (719)
woodlandparkrockshow.com
16SHELTON, WASHINGTON: Annual show; Shelton
Rock & Mineral Society; Shelton Soccer Park; 2102 E.
Johns Prairie Rd.; Sat. 9-5; free admission; trade or sell,
rocks, minerals, fossils, equipment, raffle, door prize, displays; contact Richard Buchholz, (360) 427-2497; e-mail:
[email protected]
16-17BOSSIER CITY, LOUISIANA: Annual show;
Arklatex Gem & Mineral Society; Bossier Civic Center; 620
Benton Rd.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $4, students $1,
children (under 6) Free; silent auctions, door prizes, kids
area, demonstrations, displays, jewelry, rough and finished
gemstones, beads; contact Del Glasner, PO Box 6633,
Bossier City, LA 71111, (318) 517-7372; e-mail: larockclub@
gamail.com; Web site: www.larockclub.com
tools
T: 508.278.6525
Show Dates from page 10
16-17DULUTH, GEORGIA: Annual show; Intergalactic

Bead Shows; Gwinnett Center-Hall C; 6400 Sugarloaf Pkwy.;
Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 Sat., $4 Sun., children (12 and
under) free; beads, gemstones; contact Chris Murray, 3865
Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste. 107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888)
729-6904; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
www.beadshows.com
16-17HELOTES, TEXAS: Wholesale and retail show;
The Bead Market; Pedrottis Event Center; 13715 FM 1560
N; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; lampwork and glass
beads, vintage, bone, gemstones, wood, silver, findings,
tools, books; contact Rebekah Wills, (903) 240-7198; e-mail:

[email protected]; Web site: www.thebeadmar
ket.net
16-17TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN: Faceting
Seminar; Midwest Faceters Guild; Tallmadge Township Hall;
O-1451 Leonard NW; Sat. 8-5, Sun. 8-5; Beginners $95,
Advanced $50, GemCad $95; faceting classes for beginners
and advanced faceters, GemCad instruction; contact Barb
Yost, Grand Rapids, MI 49534, (616) 254-9777; e-mail: barb
[email protected]; Web site: www.midwestfaceters.org
22-24COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; OC Fair & Event Center; 88 Fair
Dr.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7 , children (0-11)
free; fine jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly door
prizes; contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail: info@
gemfaire.com; Web site: www.gemfaire.com
22-24SOUTH BEND, INDIANA: Show and sale;
Michiana Gem & Mineral Society; St. Joseph County 4-H
Fairgrounds; Esther Singer Bldg., 5177 S. Ironwood Rd.; Fri.
2-7, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; adults $3, students (6 to 12) $1,
children (under 6) free; dealers, jewelry, minerals, displays,
lapidary demonstrations, Kids Korner, door prizes, silent
auction, exhibits; contact Marie Crull, (574) 272-7209; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.MichianaGMS.
org
23-24CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Show and sale;
Capital Mineral Club; Everett Arena; 15 Loudon Rd.; Sat.
9-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $5, children (12 and under) free with
parent; Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Festival: hourly drawing,
door prize, free mineral specimen for children, minerals,
crystals, lapidary, faceted gems, books, magazines, fossils,
jewelry, carvings, displays, demonstrations; contact Annette
Comeau, 477 N. Main St., Bristol, NH 03222; e-mail: cro
[email protected]; Web site: www.capitalmineralclub.org
23-24FREEPORT, NEW YORK: Retail show; Freeport
Recreation and Parks Department; Freeport Recreation
Center; 130 E. Merrick Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults
$5.50, children free with adult; dealers, minerals, gems,
jewelry, fossils, beads, goldsmiths and silversmiths; contact
Ralph Gose, PO Box 1418, Melville, NY 11747, (631) 2718411; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.kaleidoscopegemshows.com
23-24JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Wholesale and retail
show; Intergalactic Bead Shows; University of North Florida
University Center-Grand Banquet Hall A; 12000 Alumni Dr.;
Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 Sat., $4 Sun., children (12 and
under) free; beads, gemstones; contact Chris Murray, 3865
Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste. 107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888)
www.beadshows.com
23-24JASPER, TEXAS: Annual show; Pine Country
Gem & Mineral Society; The Event Center; 6258 State Hwy.
190W, 5 miles west of Jasper; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $3,
students and children free; lapidary demonstrations, exhibits,
dealers, gems, jewelry, rough rock, hourly door prizes, silent
auction, raffle, kids activities, mining sluice, spinning wheel;
contact Jonetta Nash, 737 FM 254 South, Jasper, TX 75951,
(409) 384-3974; e-mail: [email protected]
23-24MADRID, NEW YORK: Annual show; St. Lawrence
Rock & Mineral Club; Madrid Community Center; 1835 State
Hwy. 35; Sat. 9-4:30, Sun. 9-3; free admission; outdoor/indoor
show, fluorescent mineral hunt for children; contact William
deLorraine, 1 Indian Head Trail, Gouverneur, NY 13642,
stlawrencecountyminearlclub.org
23-24MOUNTAIN HOME, ARKANSAS: Annual show;
Ozark Earth Science, Gem, Mineral & Fossil Club; Van Matre
Senior Center; 1101 Spring St.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; adults
$1, children (12 and under) free; gems, minerals, fossils,
rock-related gifts, crafts, jewelry, door prizes, grand prize,
kids Spin and Win, state geologist to answer questions;
contact Edward Hakesley, 821 Alexis Circle, Mountain Home,
AR 72653, (870) 424-0956; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.ozarkearthscience.org
23-24PEORIA, ILLINOIS: 51st annual show; Geology
Section of the Peoria Academy of Science; The Grand Hotel;
4400 N. Brandywine Dr.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-5; free admission;
silent auctions, kids area, fluorescent display, panning flume;
contact Jim Travis, (309) 645-3609; e-mail: boatnik@aol.
com; Web site: http://pasgeology.com
23-24 SAN
FRANCISCO,
CALIFORNIA:
60th
Anniversary Golden Gateway to Gems; San Francisco Gem
& Mineral Society; San Francisco County Fair Bldg.; 9th Ave.
and Lincoln Way; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $10, seniors
and students $8, children (under 12) free with adult; All That
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 9:59 AM
BD10
Glitters: displays, dealers, demonstrations, kids activities,

mineral ID, silent auctions, live auction Sat.; contact Ellen
Nott, 4134 Judah St., San Francisco, CA 94122; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.sfgemshow.org
Power Feed Trim Saw
23-24TULSA, OKLAHOMA: Wholesale and retail show;

The Bead Market; Tulsa Fairgrounds; Cental Park Hall, 4145
E. 21st St.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; gemstones,
vintage, glass and lampwork beads, pearls, Swarovski
Elements, crystals, gold and silver findings, books, tools,
jewelry; contact Rebekah Wills, (903) 734-3335; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.thebeadmar
ket.net
Sale Price
$1,350
30-31ASHLAND, OREGON: Annual show; Scotts

Rocks; First United Methodist Church, Wesley Hall; 175 N.
Main; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5; adults $2, children (under 12) free;
fossil field trip, free rock for children, door prizes, silent auction; contact Scott Blair, 1009 Talent Ave., Talent, OR 97540,
(541) 621-2558; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: www.scottsrocks.com
30-31AUGUSTA, MAINE: Annual show; Kennebec
Rocks & Minerals Club; National Guard Armory; Western
Ave.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $2, children (under 12)
free; more than 20 dealers, demonstrations, exhibits, childrens games, hourly door prizes, grand prizes, fluorescent
display, silent auction, kids starter kits and free rock; contact
Ron LePage, 37 May St., Waterville, ME 04901, (207) 9736270; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: kennebecrocksandminerals.com
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2014
29-1CRAWFORD, NEBRASKA: Annual Crawford Rock
Swap; Northwestern Nebraska Rock Club; Crawford City
Park; Crawford Park Loop; Daily 8-6; free admission; field
trips, Agate Collectors meeting, auction; contact Valerie
Homrighausen, 1010 5th St., Crawford, NE 69339, (308)
430-4404; e-mail: [email protected]
29-1HENDERSONVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: Annual
show; Henderson County Gem & Mineral Society; Whitmire
Center; Lily Pond Rd.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-6, Mon.
10-5; adults $4, children (under 12) free; dealers, demonstrations, exhibits, raffles, door prizes; contact Diane Lapp, 22
Foxmoor Ct., Etowah, NC 28729, (828) 775-8098; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.hcg-ms.org
29-1RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: Retail show;
Treasures of the Earth Inc.; North Carolina State Fairgrounds;
Kerr Scott Bldg., 1025 Blue Ridge Blvd.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6,
Sun. 11-6, Mon. 10-5; adults $5, students (16 and under) free
with adult; 14K and sterling silver, classic, contemporary and
handmade jewelry, loose stones, beads, findings, pearls,
minerals, crystals, lapidary supplies, jewelers, wire wrappers,
jewelry design and repairs on site; contact Jane Westbrook,
PO Box 59, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, (804) 285-4281;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.trea
suresoftheearth.com
30-1CANBY, OREGON: Annual show; Jean Miller;
Clakamas County Fairground; 694 NE 4th Ave.; Sat. 9-6,
Sun. 9-6, Mon. 9-4; free admission; free pear strand to first
75 ladies, gems, minerals, beads, fossils, lapidary tools,
rough and polished rock, jewelry; contact Jean Miller, (971)
219-0323; Web site: www.ogmshows.com
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30-1SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO: 31st Annual Gem

and Mineral Show; Grant County Rolling Stones Gem &
Mineral Society; Grant County Business and Conference
Center; 3031 US Hwy. 180 at 32nd St.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-5,
Mon. 10-4; free admission; more than 35 dealers, displays,
collecting and geology field trips; contact Lee Stockman,
16 McKinley St., Silver City, NM 88061; e-mail: Leet@
BR_RocknGem_April_2014_0714.indd 1
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5-7FAIRFIELD, IOWA: Annual show; Sac & Fox Lapidary
Club; Fairfield Art & Convention Center; 200 N. Main St.;
Fri. 6-9, Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3, children $1; jewelry,
geodes, mineral specimens, fossils, beads, lapidary supplies, displays, lectures; contact Betty Morris, 618 N. Lincoln
St., Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641, (641) 233-1300; e-mail: eliza
[email protected]
5-7GREENFIELD, INDIANA: 38th Annual Greater
Indianapolis Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show; 500 Earth
Sciences; Hancock County 4-H Fairgrounds; 620 N. Apple;
Fri. 10-7, Sat. 9-7, Sun. 10-4; free admission; dealers and
swappers, fossils, minerals, gems, jewelry, lapidary equip-
August 2014
Show Dates.indd 25
25
6/30/14 10:00 AM
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2 mm round brilliant, $0.95 each
GARNET, red, fine cut,
3.5 mm round 10 pcs for $7.50
MEXICAN OPAL, fine cut, orange,
4x6 mm oval $3.00 each
SILVER TOPAZ, fine cut,
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Rock Science.indd 26
ineral localities can sometimes be as

interesting as the specimens they produce. Consider the Ojuela mine at Mapim
(Durango), Mexico, one of the worlds top
sources of mineral specimens. It has yielded
126 mineral species and is the type locality
for six of those species. It has produced either ore or mineral specimens for a remarkable 416 consecutive years.
Spanish prospectors discovered silver
ore at Ojuela in 1598. Ojuela was a major source of Spanish silver for over 200
years. Although it was officially shut down
during the Mexican War of Independence,
many miners continued working on their
own, smelting the high-grade silver ores in
makeshift charcoal furnaces.
By the time Mexico gained its independence in 1821, the Ojuela mine, due to
centuries of poorly planned, piecemeal
expansion, had become an inefficient operation with obsolete equipment and workings. When regular operations resumed
several years later, outdated mining technology and equipment, lack of roads, raids
by outlaws, and government instability severely limited production.
In the 1870s, Durango-Mapim Mining
Co. of Council Bluffs, Iowa, purchased
Ojuela. Although the company invested
$100,000 to increase production, it went
bankrupt in 1890. Mexican-owned Compaa Minera de Peoles then purchased
the mine and hired American mining engineers to modernize the operation by adding a new smelter and railroad and deepening the workings to 1,800 feet.
By 1900, Ojuela was Mexicos most
profitable mine, with 1,200 miners turning
out 500 tons of high-grade ore daily and a
modern smelter recovering 1 million troy
ounces of silver, along with huge tonnages
of lead and zinc, each year. But in 1912,
troops under revolutionary leader Francisco Pancho Villa attacked a federal strongpoint at Mapim. From that time, Ojuela
managed only token production until the
Mexican Revolution ended in 1920.
Then, Compaa Minera de Peoles
rebuilt the Ojuela once again. Core-drill
exploration delineated deeper ore bodies,
while powerful new pumps dewatered the
lower workings. Higher metal prices and
the new flotation-separation milling process
made the mining of lower-grade ores profitable. But production was again cut short,
this time when the Great Depression of the
1930s undermined metal prices.
During that decade, the lowest levels

of the mine, which descended 2,600 feet,
flooded. In 1946, Compaa Minera de
Peoles relinquished direct operational
control and leased mine sections to independent mining cooperatives.
Over its long life, Ojuela has produced
about 7 million tons of ore. Economic geologists estimate that each ton contained,
on average, 15 troy ounces of silver, 15%
lead, 12% zinc, and 0.1 troy ounce of gold.
Total mine production is estimated at 100
million troy ounces of silver, 700,000 troy
ounces of gold, and roughly 200,000 tons
of lead and zinc. At todays metal prices,
that silver and gold alone would be worth
about $3 billion.
The occurrence of so many colorful and
collectible minerals, particularly arsenates,
at Ojuela is due to two factors. One is that
Ojuela has an extraordinarily large volume
of oxidized mineralization. Its unusually
deep water table level of 1,200 feet has enabled huge volumes of sulfides to oxidize
into secondary minerals. The other is Ojuelas abundance of arsenopyrite (iron arsenic
sulfide), a ready source of arsenic for an array of colorful, often rare, secondary lead,
zinc, and copper arsenates.
Though Ojuelas lower levels remain
flooded, groups of miners lease its upper sections to recover fine minerals. The
mines remarkable history makes the specimens of adamite, wulfenite, austenite, conichalcite, and other minerals even more
interesting.
Steve Voynick is a science writer, mineral collector, former hardrock
miner, and the author
of books like Colorado
Rockhounding and New
Mexico Rockhounding.
Rock & Gem
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6/25/14 2:30 PM
SKULLIS.COM PHOTO
Aor
RT
ARTIFACTS?
The Myth and Mystery of Quartz Crystal Skulls
Story by Bob Jones
s I walked the aisles of

the April 2014 NY/NJ
son, New Jersey, I saw several

carved quartz crystal skulls being
offered for sale. Seeing them reminded me of an interesting encounter I had with a crystal skull
in the 1970s.
28
www.rockngem.com
Crystal Skulls.indd 28
DENNIS JARVIS PHOTO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Metro Show in Edi-
TOP: The lower jaw of the Mitchell-Hedges skull,

is detachable from the top half. The entire skull was
carved from a single large quartz crystal.
BOTTOM: Lubaantun, Belize, was the site of one of

Frederick Mitchell-Hedges archaeological expeditions
and the supposed site of the skulls discovery.
Rock & Gem

6/27/14 9:08 AM
August 2014
Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com/Wikimedia commons
Brazil is the source of fine quartz crystals, including the

material from which the British Museum and MitchellHedges skulls were carved.
lizations. He found the ruins of Lubaantun,

a pre-Columbian Maya city. This marvelous discovery included large, ancient,
stepped pyramids and an abundance of
ceramic figurines.
According to Anna, she joined her father
on his archaeological dig at Lubaantun.
Intrigued by the ancient pyramids and the
tales about them she had heard from the
locals, she decided to climb to the top of
one of the large pyramids. When she did,
she found an opening in the structure, and
when she looked into the opening, she saw
a bright flash of reflected light.
She told her father about it and they determined to investigate. It took days to clear
away the tangled, dense jungle overgrowth

that covered the base of the pyramid, but
they finally discovered a way to the pyramids interior. Determined to see what it
was that had flashed back at her, Anna was
lowered into the pyramid and found herself in a tunnel leading to a room. It was
there, she said, that she found the source of
the flash of light: a brilliant, lustrous human
skull carved out of pure quartz.
Interestingly, Frederick never mentioned
the skull in any of his documentation of his
Lubaantun excavations, nor is there any
verification that Anna was present at the
dig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._A._
Mitchell-Hedges).
The day I saw Anna and her skull, she
told a slightly different version of the discovery story. I had a chance to visit with
her after the exhibition, and she told me
she had been working hard on the archaeological dig and decided to take a break one
day. She was walking in the jungle when
she was suddenly struck by a flash of light,
and she knew she had to dig at that very
spot. And dig she did, for three days. Finally, she struck something in the ground
and dug it up. It was the crystal skull. These
two versions differ in some detail, but the
core claim remained that the skull had
been found in Belize in the 1920s during
an archaeological dig.
When I visited the Scottsdale Center for
the Arts display, I was fascinated by the
people who joined me in paying $5 to see
the skull. Anna had the skull sitting in the
center of a black cloth-covered card table.
This display was quite effective, as the skull
was brilliantly polished and glowed mysteriously. Anna briefly told the story of her
discovery, and when she was finished she
invited the audiencesome of whom had
bRitish museum photo
I had read in a local paper that Anna

Mitchell-Hedges was coming to Arizona to
exhibit a reportedly ancient quartz crystal
skull at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts. I
had heard of this remarkable discovery and
was intrigued enough to join the hundreds
of others who paid admission to see her
and her fascinating quartz skull.
Annas narrative related how she found
the quartz skull as a teenager while on an
archaeological dig in Belize with her father,
English archaeologist and adventurer Frederick A. Mitchell-Hedges. It also included
a legend that a Maya high priest could use
the skull to will someones death, which
caused the carving to be nicknamed the
Skull of Doom.
During the emergence of the New Age
counterculture in the 1960s and 70s, the
idea that quartz skulls, as well as crystals of
quartz and other minerals, possessed supernatural powers and energy was growing in
popularity. Today, however, due to recent
scientific findings, carved quartz skulls are
mainly just another novelty available at
many rock shows.
The idea of crystal power was based on
both ancient and modern beliefs. The only
scientific support for this notion is the discovery that quartz does emanate an electrical pulse when twisted or stressed. For
this reason, quartz is used in timepieces and
was an integral part of the portable radios
used during World War II. The electrical
properties of quartz were well demonstrated by scientists, including Pierre Curie, who
discovered the phenomenon. Pierre called
the very unusual property the piezoelectric effect. This same property was eventually found in some other mineral crystals,
like tourmaline. Just how does this odd
property work?
When a quartz crystal is subjected to any
strain, its free negatively charged electrons
move to one end of the crystal, causing the
other end to become positively charged, a
situation referred to as ionic polarization.
Granted, the charge is really very minor,
but it is there. The same effect can be
induced when an electric field is created
around the crystal.
In 60s and 70s, alternate lifestyles and
the rejection of the status quo emerged.
The belief in the power of mineral crystals
grew dramatically during this time. It was
into this environment that Anna brought
her reportedly ancient crystal skull, the
story of its discovery, and the implication
that it possessed supernatural powers.
Anna told a remarkable story about the
discovery of the skull. Her father, Frederick
A. Mitchell-Hedges, was an Indiana Jonestype archaeologist who went off into the
wilderness in search of lost civilizations.
In the 1920s, he mounted an expedition
to the jungle of Belize, Central America,
to search for lost Mesoamerican civi-
When I was planning to lead a group of rockhounds on a mineral tour of England in 2010, I included the British
Museum on our itinerary so that we could get a look at their quartz crystal skull.
29
6/27/14 9:08 AM
Gryffindor photo/Wikimedia Commons
The original crystal was determined to

have been left-handed. Quartz crystals
are considered either left-handed or righthanded depending on how the molecules
of silicon dioxide stack. This is significant to
people who believe in quartzs powers, as
they prefer to possess crystals that match
their own handedness.
It is interesting to note that none of the
purportedly ancient crystal skulls that have
been scientifically studied have been authenticated as pre-Columbian Mesoamerican artifacts, including those that reside in
the collections of the worlds major museums (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_skull#cite_note-3).
When Anna died in 2007, at the age
of 100, the ownership of her fabled skull
passed to her husband, who turned it over
to the Smithsonian Institution for examination. By that time, much more advanced
testing equipment was available, including
the scanning electron microscope. It took
some time, but testing eventually proved
that the skull that Anna claimed to have
found in Belize was actually carved using
metal tools that only became available in
relatively recent times.
Further refutation came from the British
Museum in London. Studies conducted by
museum staff had determined that their
skull had been made with modern tools
in Europe in the 1930s. The remarkable
similarity between the two convinced
scientists that the Mitchell-Hedges crystal
skull had also been carved in Europe and
was probably modeled on the British Museum skull.
When I was planning to guide a tour
group of rockhounds to England in 2010,
brought quartz crystals of their ownto

place their crystals close to the skull. The
idea was that being close to the skull would
energize the crystals with the power emanating from it.
The fellow next to me placed two crystals
next to the skull for a brief moment before
retrieving them. I asked him how he could
tell whether the crystals were energized.
He said he knew they were because one of
them was already so powerful that when he
pointed the crystal at his parrot across the
room the parrot fell off its perch.
Another visitor, a woman, asked if she
could place her hands on the skull and
was given permission to do so. When she
did she began to shake, gently at first, then
more and more violently, moaning gently
as the intensity of her vibrations increased.
Quickly, she pulled away and left. I followed her outside to ask what she had felt.
Her answer was that she had just had the
most exhilarating and powerful experience
she had ever felt. Who could challenge
such a claim?
Anna gained possession of the skull after
her fathers death. Anna took the skull on
the road, displaying it to paying crowds,
telling her story of its discovery, and asserting the claim that the skull possessed
mystical properties. For some years, she
lent it to art restorer Frank Dorland, who
allowed the Hewlett-Packard laboratory to
examine it. Dorland reported that the scientists determined it to have been carved
from a single quartz crystal, but without
regard for its axes (http://science.howstuff
works.com/science-vs-myth/unexplainedphenomena/crystal-skull4.htm).
30
www.rockngem.com
stranGeWorldofmystery.bloGspot.Com
The crystal skull in the British Museum has been shown

to have been made in Europe in the 1930s.
Many people are fascinated with carved-stone skulls,

which can often be found for sale at rock shows.
bob jones photo
Art or Artifacts? from page 29
A single water-clear quartz crystal from Brazil was the

material used to carve the Mitchell-Hedges skull.
I included a visit to the British Museum so

we could see their skull. By that time, the
pre-Columbian artifact had been carefully examined and established as a fake. I
had already been in correspondence with
the curator there and knew the shady history of the skull. Before it ended up in the
British Museum, it had passed through
the hands of private parties, one of which
was American mineralogist and collector
George F. Kunz, of kunzite fame.
Once the Mitchell-Hedges skull was
shown to be of modern vintage, a careful
search into where and how Anna had actually obtained the skull began. Exactly when
it was carved has not been determined,
but it is well known that Eugene Boban,
a French antique dealer, was doing brisk
business selling Mexican artifacts in the late
1800s, when Mexico was under French
control. Apparently, this enterprising merchant had been having skulls carved in
Europe and was selling them as authentic
pre-Columbian relics.
How the Mitchell-Hedges family had obtained the skull I saw displayed in Scottsdale was eventually established: Frederick
had bought the skull at auction in 1934.
Later in her life, Anna attributed the legend
of the Skull of Doom to her fathers wellknown active imagination and attempted
to re-mold its reputation into that of a
healing skull.
In spite of the scientific findings, people
remain fascinated with skulls carved from
quartz and other minerals, which can be
quite artistic. The skulls are still being offered for sale, some of them for several
thousand dollars.
Rock & Gem

6/27/14 9:08 AM
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SEPTEMBER 2014
ment, silent auctions, door prizes, kids activities, demonstrations, educational displays; contact Cheryl Hamilton, 3507
Luewan Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46235, (317) 897-6639; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: 500earthsciences
club.org
5-7ORLANDO, FLORIDA: Retail show; Central Florida
Mineral & Gem Society; Florida National Guard Armory;
2809 S. Fern Creek Ave.; Fri. 1-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5;
adults $5, students $2, children free; contact Paul Hayes,
1400 Sawyerwood Ave., Orlando, FL 32836, (407) 816-1229;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.cfmgs.org
5-7TOLEDO, OHIO: Annual show; Toledo Gem &
Rockhound Club; Stranahan Great Hall; 4645 Heatherdowns
Blvd.; Fri. 2-8, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $4, seniors and
students $3.50, children (under 12), active military with ID,
and Scouts in uniform free; exhibits, lapidary and jewelrymaking demonstrations, scholarship raffle, free kids mineral
kits, dealers, club sales; contact Stephen Shimatzki, 107
Florentine Dr., Holland, OH 43528, (567) 868-8794; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.rockyreader.com
5-7WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA: Annual
show; Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club; Education Bldg., Dixie
Classic Fair Grounds; 27th St., Gate 9; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-7,
Sun. 12-5; adults $2, children (through grade 12) free with
adult admisson; Saturday presentation on North Carolina
meteorites, exhibits, gold panning, geode cutting, grab
bags; contact W.A. Marion, 1163 Bear Creek Church Rd.,
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site: www.forsythgemclub.com
6-7HAMPTON, VIRGINIA: Annual show; Intergalactic
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A; 1610 Coliseum Dr.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 Sat.,
$4 Sun., children (12 and under) free; beads, gemstones;
contact Chris Murray, 3865 Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste. 107,
Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888) 729-6904; e-mail: contact.
[email protected]; Web site: www.beadshows.com
6-7NEW MILFORD, CONNETICUT: Annual show;
Danbury Mineralogical Society; New Milford High School;
388 Danbury Rd. (Route 7); Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults
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(845) 279-6415; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
danburymineralogicalsociety.weebly.com
6-7SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS: Annual rock swap;
Northwest Arkansas Gem & Mineral Society; clubhouse
grounds; Hwy. 59 North; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission;
Gem Wash, Sat. auction; contact Dave Leininger, 14029
White Oak Ln., Bentonville, AR 72712, (479) 721-1579;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.nwarockhounds.
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6-9GOLDEN, COLORADO: Inaugural show; Fine
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6-14DENVER, COLORADO: Wholesale and retail show;
Eons Expos, LLP; Denver Coliseum; 4600 Humboldt St.;
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7-14DENVER, COLORADO: Wholesale and retail show;
Martin Zinn Expositions; Ramada Plaza Denver Central;
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12-14DENVER, COLORADO: Annual show; Greater

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58th Ave., I-25 Exit 215; Fri. 9-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults
$6, seniors and students $4, children accompanied by an
adult free; Agate: nearly 200 dealers, speakers, demonstrations, shuttle to satellite shows, free gem and mineral identification, door prizes, Mr. Bones, kids activities and gold
panning; contact Robert Berry, Greater Denver Area Gem &
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Visit our fun store: 825 Market St., Rockland, Mass.
12-14HOLLAND, MICHIGAN: 45th Annual Rock, Gem,

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Show Dates.indd 32
Holland Civic Center; 150 W. 8th St.; Fri. 9-8, Sat. 9-7,
Sun. 11-5; adults $3, students free with adult; Birthstones Everyones a Gem: 12 dealers, special exhibits, lapidary
and jewelry demonstrations, kids games, club sales, silent
auction; contact Jodi and Steve Miller, 4420 Oak Hollow Ct.,
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13-14COLOGNE, NEW JERSEY: Show and sale; CapeAtlantic Rockhounds; Clubhouse; 2641 Cologne Ave., off
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13-14HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: Annual show;
Central Pennsylvania Rock & Gem Club; Zembo Shrine;
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children (under 12) and Scouts in uniform free; dealers, jewelry, beads, gemstones, minerals, fossils, childrens activities,
prizes, educational exhibits; contact Betsy Oberheim, PO
Box 6271, Central PA Rock & Mineral Club, Harrisburg, PA
17112, (717) 469-2243; e-mail: [email protected];
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12-14SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and retail
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13-14MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA: Annual show;
Prehistoric Enterprises; Mylan Park; 500 Mylan Park Ln.,
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ID, hourly door prizes, grand prize, life-size Tarbosaurus
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13-14NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS: Annual
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13-14PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON: Annual show;
Clallam County Gem & Mineral Association; Vern Burton
Community Hall; 308 E. 4th St.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 9-4; free
admission; contact Jennie Bourassa, PO Box 98, Sequim,
WA 98382, (360) 681-0372; Web site: www.sequimrocks.com
13-14TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA: 45th annual
Wonders of the Earth Show; Gem & Mineral Club of
Scarborough; Don Montgomery Community Centre; 2467
Eglinton Ave. East, Canada; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $5,
children $1; dealers, displays, demonstrations, auctions;
contact Jennifer Campbell, (416) 282-5319; Web site: www.
scarbgemclub.ca
13-14WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON: Annual show;
Marcus Whitman Gem & Mineral Society; Walla Walla
County Fairgrounds; 363 Orchard St.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5;
adults $2, children free; dealers, displays, silent auction,
childrens activities, hourly raffle drawings, demonstrations;
contact Lisa Stearns, PO Box 603, Waitsburg, WA 99361,
19-21JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Annual show;
Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society; Morocco Temple; 3800
St. Johns Bluff Rd. S.; Fri. 1-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3,
children (12 and under) free; more than 40 dealers, exhibits,
NASA moon rock, demonstrations, workshops, hourly door
prizes, silent auctions, juniors learning section; contact
Jason Hamilton, 7141 Natal Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32254,
(904) 294-4744; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
www.jaxgemandmineral.org
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 10:01 AM
19-21LINCOLN, MISSOURI: Annual show; Mozarkite

Society of Lincoln; Lincoln City Park; Shelter House,
behind Caseys; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4; free admission; contact Ted Bolich, (660) 890-4983; Web site: www.
Mozarkite.com
19-21RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Retail show; Treasures
of the Earth Inc.; Richmond Raceway Complex; 600 E.
Laburnum Ave.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $5, students (16 and under) free with adult; 14K and sterling silver,
classic, estate, fashion and handmade jewelry, loose stones,
beads, findings, pearls, minerals, crystals, lapidary supplies,
jewelers, wire wrappers, jewelry design and repairs on site;
Virginia rock and mineral and dinosaur bone display by the
Richmond Gem & Mineral Society; contact Jane Westbrook,
PO Box 59, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, (804) 285-4281;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.trea
suresoftheearth.com
19-21SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Marin Center; 10 Avenue of the
Flags; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; free admission; fine
jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals,
exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly door prizes;
contact Yooy Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail: info@gemfaire.
com; Web site: www.gemfaire.com
20TWO HARBORS, MINNESOTA: 15th annual show;
Robert Lynch; Agate City Rock Shop; 721 7th Ave.; Sat. 9-5;
free admission; dealers, collectors, buy, sell, trade, Lake
Superior agate, thomsonite, fossils, crystals, rough and
polished rocks, flint knapping, marbles, spheres, rock-related
jewelry; contact Robert Lynch, 721 7th Ave., Two Harbors,
MN 55616, (218) 834-2304; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: www.agatecity.com
20-21AUSTIN, TEXAS: Wholesale and retail show;
The Bead Market; Travis County Expo Center; 7311
Decker Ln.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission;
beads, gemstones, vintage, glass and lampwork, pearls,
Swarovski Elements, crystals, gold and silver findings,
books, tools, jewelry; contact Rebekah Wills, (903) 7343335; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
www.thebeadmarket.net
20-21CASTLE ROCK, WASHINGTON: Annual show;
Southern Washington Mineralogical Society; Castle Rock
Fairgrounds; 120 Fair Ln., southwest corner of Hwy. 411 and
Cowlitz River; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; free admission; contact
Diann Thurston, PO Box 704, Longview, WA 98632, (503)
728-4274
20-21CHICO, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; Feather River
Lapidary & Mineral Society; Silver Dollar Fair Grounds; 2357
Fair St.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4; adults $2, children (16 and under)
free; free fossils for kids, dealers, opals, rough rock, crystals,
fossils, jewelry, minerals, demonstrations, wire wrapping,
jewelry making, flint knapping, Scout merit badge area,
raffle, silent auction, door prizes, kids Wheel of Fortune,
grab bags, treasure hunt; contact John Scott, 1288 Glenwood
Ave., Chico, CA 95926, (530) 343-3491; e-mail: jweazel@
sbcglobal.net; Web site: www.featherriverrocks.org
20-21HOWELL, MICHIGAN: Annual show; Livingston
Gem & Mineral Society; Hartland Education Support
Services Center; 9525 Highland Rd.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4;
adults $2, children 50 cents; contact Chuck Amberger, (248)
787-6586; e-mail: [email protected]
20-21POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA: Annual show;
Intergalactic Bead Shows; Emma Lou Olson Civic Center;
1801 N.E. 6th St.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 Sat.,
$4 Sun. ($2-off coupon on Web site), children (12 and
under) free; precious and semiprecious gemstone beads,
sterling silver, findings, freshwater pearls, hand-blown
glass beads, vintage beads, crystals, delicas, gemstone
chain, findings; contact Chris Murray, 3865 Lawrenceville
Hwy., Ste. 107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888) 729-6904;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
beadshows.com
20-21POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK: Show and sale;
Mid-Hudson Valley Gem & Mineral Society; Golds Gym; 258
Titusville Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $5, seniors $4, students $2, children free; Prospecting for Mineral Treasure in
New York: 6 free rocks for kids, 28 dealers, minerals, fossils,
meteorites, gemstones, jewelry, beads, tools, books, mineral
displays from Vassar College Geology Museum, New York
State Institute of Mineralogy, Gunnison Mineral Museum,
and club members, fluorescent mineral display, lapidary
demonstrations, 3rd Annual Mineral Photography exhibit;
contact Carolyn Reynard, 110 College Ave., Poughkeepsie,
NY 12603, (845) 471-1224; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.mhvgms.org
August 2014
Show Dates.indd 33
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6/30/14 10:01 AM
ROCK & GEM

Aragonite
Calcium Carbonate
Aragonite was named for Aragon, Spain, where it was first
discovered, but its a common mineral that is found worldwide. Aragonite is a polymorph of calcite, that is, it shares
the same chemical composition (CaCO3), but because of different conditions during crystal formation, its crystal structure and characteristics differ slightly.
Aragonite tends to be unstable, and if heated above
Corallike aragonite
725F, it will change to calcite. At Mohs 3.5-4, its a little harder than calcite (Mohs 3), but both are relatively soft carbonate minerals.
Classic aragonite grows in elongated, prismatic, orthorhombic crystals that often form in twinned clusters, as
compared to calcite, which often grows as pointed trigonal Stalactitic aragonite
crystals. However, aragonite grows in varied forms: it may be
found as fibrous masses, as corallike structures, or as banded stalactites.
It also varies in color. Often white, it may also be colorless or show shades of yellow, red, green,
purple, blue or gray, depending on the other minerals that formed alongside it. Whatever its exterior color, it leaves a white streak and usually has a vitreous to dull luster. Like its close cousin calcite,
it will fizz in hydrochloric acid. It also often fluoresces bright pink under ultraviolet light.
Classic aragonite
Aragonite is a common mineral that crystallizes in low-temperature solutions, especially in
sedimentary rocks. For instance, it may form in veins and caves in limestone areas and around hot springs. Its often found as stalactites
and corallike shapes in cave deposits, and marine creatures such as clams and corals secrete shells or skeletons composed of aragonite
that later change into calcite during fossilization.
Jim Brace-Thompson
Fossil Sand Dollars
Beachcombers and fossil hunters alike love sand dollars! They belong to the
phylum Echinodermata, which includes marine animals like starfish, sea cucumbers, crinoids, and sea urchins. One thing all hold in common is five-fold
symmetry, as illustrated by the five-rayed star atop a sand dollar.
What beachcombers find is the test (skeleton), which is made up of interlocked plates. In life, these tests are studded with short spines that, in turn, are
covered with small, hairlike structures called cilia, which make living sand dollars look fuzzy. They use the spines to move across the seafloor, burrow within
it, and to direct food particles to their mouths, located at the bottom center
of the test. Their five-rayed stars on top are called petals and are used for gas
exchange or respiration.
In the history of life, sand dollars are young. Their close relatives, the sea
urchins, have a long fossil record. For instance, my collection includes 300
million-year-old spiny sea urchins. During the Age of Dinosaurs (Mesozoic
Era), sea urchins became especially common. The earliest sand dollars began Sand dollar colony
diverging from cassiduloids, an order of irregular echinoids. It wasnt until 65
million years ago that true sand dollars appeared, during the Paleocene, or the first epoch of the Age of Mammals (Cenozoic Era).
Sand dollars still abound, with 250 living species. Their rigid tests and their tendencies to live in large colonies and burrow into sandy
or muddy seafloors are all perfect for fossilization. Where you find one fossil sand dollar, you tend to find hundreds!
Jim Brace-Thompson
34
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R&G Kids.indd 34
Rock & Gem

6/24/14 3:14 PM
Fossil Hunt
The Gem Shop, in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, is holding its annual Summer Fossil Hunt Contest for kids who are entering grades 1 through 8 in fall 2014.
The contest is an opportunity for fun and education in the field of paleontology. Contestants must discover and dig their fossils from the earth. They can prepare the fossil to
show it to its best advantage or submit it as found.
Prizes consist of cash and fossil specimens and will be awarded in multiple categories,
including Best Fossil Coral, Best Fossil Shell, Most Unusual Fossil, Best Wisconsin Fossil,
and the Fossil Found Farthest from The Gem Shop.
Each child may enter up to two fossils. Entries are being accepted now and must be
submitted by Aug. 31. Each fossil must be accompanied by a completed entry form.
Forms and complete rules are available at www.thegemshop.com.
Word Trail
Starting with the highlighted square, draw a line connecting the letters to form a sentence that
relates an interesting fact about some sweet polymorphs. The trail will randomly change directions,
from horizontal to vertical, left and right. (Solution at the bottom of the page.)
WORD TRAIL SOLUTION: The molecules in cocoa butter can form polymorphs at different temperatures because heat changes
the way they stack up.
Learn more at www.compoundchem.com/2014/04/19/the-polymorphs-of-chocolate/.
August 2014
R&G Kids.indd 35
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6/24/14 3:14 PM
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Miners Cooperative Mineral Show September 6-14, 2014
Denver Coliseum, 4600 Humboldt St., Denver, CO 80216 (I-70, Brighton Blvd. exit #275B)
Cabs Beads Mexican Geodes Rough Material
Showcase Aug14.indd 36
6/26/14 3:47 PM
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August 8 - 10
W SPRINGFIELD, MA
East Coast Gem, Mineral &
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Center, Eastern States
Exposition; 1305 Memorial
Dr, West Springfield, MA
August 15 - 17
LEBANON, PA
Gem Miners Jubilee, MidAtlantic Gem & Jewelry
Association; Lebanon Expo
Center, 80 Rocherty Road,
Lebanon, PA
September 7 - 14
DENVER, CO
Colorado Mineral & Fossil
Show; Ramada Plaza
Denver Central; 4849
Bannock St. Room 200,
Denver, CO
September 20 & 21
CHICO, CA
Feather River Lapidary
& Mineral Societies Gem
Show; Silver Dollar Fair
Grounds, 2357 Fair St.,
Chico CA
Fri. & Sat. 10am - 6pm,

Sun. 10am - 5pm
Fri & Sat. 10am - 6pm,

Sun. 10am - 4pm
Sun(7th) - Sat.(13th) 10am - 6pm,

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Showcase Aug14.indd 37
6/26/14 3:48 PM
COLORADOS
Mining History
Stunning
Specimens
at the
Pikes Peak
Historical
Society
Museum
he Pikes Peak region, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, offers some of the best mineral collecting anywhere in the world.
Clusters of superb blue-green amazonite and smoky quartz crystals make

stunning eye candy and are found in the finest mineral museums across
the globe. The Pikes Peak area also yields well-formed crystals of topaz,
fluorite, goethite, and other minerals too numerous to mention.
Native Americans first discovered and
collected crystals, which they used in ceremonies and for healing, and during their
vision quest journeys to Pikes Peak. In
the late 1860s, a translucent, smoky quartz
crystal from the Pikes Peak region was sent
to Tiffany & Co. in New York City, a highly
successful, growing jewelry business founded in 1837. After noticing the warm color,
which was more pleasing than the grayish
smoky quartz supplied by Brazil, Tiffanys
offered the owner the fabulous price of
$5 per pound for the crystal. This was at a
time when $1 was considered a good days
wage. Thus, a new mineral market centered
on the Pikes Peak region was born.
By the early 1870s, prospectors were
busy mining at several sites within the granitic Pikes Peak batholith, which covers
about 1,550 square miles. A batholith is an
extremely large body of intrusive rock constructed from numerous smaller centers,
known as plutons.
LENORE HOTCHKISS PHOTO
38
Display
on
Story by Andy Weinzapfel
The Pikes Peak region is famous for colorful clusters, or

plates, of amazonite and smoky quartz crystals.
www.rockngem.com
Pikes Peak Museum.indd 38
Rock & Gem

6/24/14 3:11 PM
By far, the most famous and productive

site for smoky quartz and amazonite was
near Crystal Peak, called Cheops Pyramid
by the old-timers due to its shape. This landmark lies within a nearly circular pluton with
an area of approximately 4 miles by 5 miles
that is known today as the Lake George intrusive. It is mineralogically zoned, ranging
from granite to syenite to gabbro, with an
outer granitic ring that is the most productive area for museum-quality specimens. In
the early days, the highly successful Philadelphia collector Dr. A.E. Foote was quite active
here. Specimens he collected can sometimes
be found for sale on the Internet.
Today, the Crystal Peak area is noteworthy
because it still yields exceptional treasures,
especially through the use of mechanized
equipment. The cable TV series Prospectors, broadcast on the Weather Channel,
gives a snapshot of this modern-day hunt.
The show has recently increased mineral
collectors interest in the region.
Near the heart of mineral nirvana, at the
small town of Florissant, Colorado, about
45 miles west of Colorado Springs, lies the
Pikes Peak Historical Society Museum. This
free-admission facility was first established
to showcase and preserve artifacts from
local Native Americans, as well as provide a
glimpse into the lives of pioneer homesteaders and others who followed the 19th-century westward migration. The museum is now
drawing international interest because of its
fine inventory of local minerals.
How did a museum with a historical focus end up with an amazing mineral and
rock collection? In 2005, the Lake George
Gem & Mineral Club (Lake George, Colorado) established a legacy project, which
had the goal of assembling an exceptional
collection of Pikes Peak-region minerals for
all to enjoy. Finding a home for the proposed collection was a no-brainer. The
Pikes Peak Historical Society was renovating a building in Florissant as a museum
expansion. This not-for-profit organization
August 2014
AnDY WeinZAPFeL PHoto
The displays in the Pikes Peak Historical Society Museum include minerals from five counties in the Pikes Peak
region thanks to a legacy project of the Lake George Gem & Mineral Club.
Lenore HotcHkiss PHoto
This deep-purple fluorite cube, resting on microcline,

was found in a miarolitic cavity in a pegmatite.
Two smoky quartz crystals from Rich Fretterds Godsend claim, near Crystal Peak, Colorado, are thought to be the
largest intact, well-formed specimens ever discovered in North America.
had parallel missions of education and preservation, and a long history of responsibly
serving the region. Today, the society has
more than 500 members.
The Lake George club initially funded the
purchase of a specimen cabinet and challenged its members, local miners, and other
interested individuals to donate some of their
finest minerals for future generations to enjoy.
In a single dayDec. 5, 2005a first-class collection was born. Donors showed up at the
museum with some truly remarkable items.
This rapid expansion of the collection soon
required more display cases. The Greater
Denver Gem & Mineral Council provided a
generous grant, which was used to purchase
additional cabinets.
On Feb. 2, 2002, Groundhog Day, local
prospector Rich Fretterd had discovered a
bonanza at his Godsend claim, five miles
north of the museum, near Crystal Peak:
two huge smoky quartz crystals from the
same pocket. These are thought to be the

largest intact, well-formed smoky quartz
crystals ever discovered in North America.
In 2006, Fretterd loaned one of the behemoths, a doubly terminated, 4-foot-long
specimen weighing 439 pounds, to the
museum. With financial assistance from a
major local gold producer, Cripple and
Victor Gold Mining Co., the museum later
purchased this crystal, making it a permanent part of the collection.
In December 2013, Fretterd generously
donated the second goliath from the same
pocket. Weighing 345 pounds and standing
4 feet, 3 inches tall, it is a slightly longer
but skinnier version of its twin. The gift
was to honor his recently deceased brother
and digging partner, Vincent Scruffy Fretterd. He felt these unique crystal brothers
should be preserved and displayed together
in Teller County, where they had formed a
billion years ago in the same womb.
39
6/24/14 3:11 PM
Natural radiation, and possibly trace amounts of aluminum, are the causes of the dark
smoky color in these twin Colorado quartz crystals.
Fretterd is a different breed of cat. He

has a hardrock mining background, perseverance, uncommon finding instincts, and
presumablya good measure of luck! His
large smoky quartz discovery came from
an area that had already been searched by
many others. How did he do it? He first
found a pegmatite vein with small crystals
and decided to follow it underground. His
experience as a hardrock miner ensured
that he was proceeding safely; normally,
underground mining is far too dangerous
for the typical mineral collector.
Pegmatites are characterized by large
crystal size and typically develop in the
late cooling stages of magma. An extremely water-rich late phase reduces the
magmas viscosity, promoting the growth
of nearly perfect crystals. The residual
magma often contains unusual elements,
increasing mineral diversity. For large, wellformed crystals to grow, adequate space is
required. An opening called a miarolitic
cavity can be created during the vapor
phase of cooling. Fractures in rock are typically lined with much smaller crystals due
to limited space.
Fretterd continued to follow the pegmatite seam underground and located several
small pockets containing smoky quartz
crystals and fluorite cubes. The seam finally opened into the Holy Moses pocket,
a major, iron-stained miarolitic cavity in
which only the tips of the two big crystals were exposed. Only through careful
excavation did he realize the immense
size of his find. A block and tackle system,
hooked to a tripod, was necessary to extract the crystals, and many fellow miners
aided him in his task.
Afterward came a big cleaning job. The
crystals were soaked in an acid bath in an
40
www.rockngem.com
Colorados Mining History on Display from page 39
There is significant color variation among specimens of amazonite from the various deposits of the Pikes Peak region.
old hot tub for several weeks in order to

remove the coating of iron oxide. The residual acid was then neutralized. Finally, the
crystals could puff up their SiO2 chests for
everyone to appreciate!
Miarolitic pockets in pegmatites have
proximity indicators such as graphic granite, bleached rock, finely layered features
that may be flow textures, and the presence of biotite crystals. The novice can
sometimes abandon digging as they enter
a pocket because they typically are presented with messy, iron-stained clay, which
masks the prize. Local collectors have told
stories about people who invested much
effort in digging, stumbled into a pocket
they didnt recognize, and abandoned the
hunt. On a sunny day after a hard rain,
crystals could then be found beckoning all
over the dump.
The collection at the Pikes Peak Historical
Society Museum contains many other fine
specimens from the Pikes Peak region. The
Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Co.
has donated a suite of interesting rocks and
minerals from one of the most important
gold-silver districts in the United States. The
specimens range in age from 28 million to
1.7 billion years and highlight the tremendous geologic diversity of that area.
Gold was first mined at Cripple Creek
in 1891, well after most gold discoveries
in the West. That is because the gold and
silver were disguised, bonded with the element tellurium as calaverite and sylvanite.
The museum has also received donations
of roasted gold ore, turquoise and amethyst
from the region. Cripple Creek turquoise is
prized because it is less porous and permeable than that from other localities. It is sold
in its natural state, not requiring treatments
to improve its color and durability.
The museum also exhibits exquisite

plant and insect fossils extracted from the
sedimentary rocks of the local Florissant
Formation, on which the museum rests.
These fossils, preserved in lake sediments,
represent a snapshot of a Late Eocene
(34 million years ago) climate that was
much hotter than it is today. Incredibly, an
ancestor of the tsetse flyknown today as a
disease-carrying insect found in hot, humid
equatorial Africahas been recovered from
this formation.
If you visit the museum, check out the
new Visitor Center at the nearby Florissant
Fossil Beds National Monument, which is
well stocked with fossils and has a paleontologist on staff (www.nps.gov/flfo/index.
htm). This facility has very informative exhibits, as well as a recently updated movie
explaining the geology of the area. There
are abundant hiking trails, and while fossil
collecting is forbidden in the park, there is
a fee-collecting area near the museum in
the most fossiliferous part of the Florissant
Formation. The Florissant Fossil Quarry,
owned by the Clare family for over 50
years, is run daily in the summer on an appointment basis. Call (719) 748-3275 to
arrange a visit.
Immediately north of the Lake George
intrusive is a little-known, but most interesting, zoned pluton. Its outer ring of olivine
gabbro is rich in ilmenite, a titanium oxide
mineral. The core of the intrusive, which
is probably a quartz latite porphyry, crops
out on an unnamed topographic high that I
call Blue Quartz Mountain because blue
quartz is an accessory mineral there.
Many mineral collectors are aware of
a hard, attractive rock from the Texas Hill
Country, west of Austin, that is informally
known as llanite. Occurring as dikes inject-
Rock & Gem

6/24/14 3:12 PM
ed into the 1 billion-year-old Town Mountain granite and older metamorphic rocks,
the Hill Country rhyolite also contains unusual blue quartz crystals. The blue color of
Texas llanite is a result of the Rayleigh scattering of light by submicrometer ilmenite inclusions. The genetic association of ilmenite
in the outer ring and blue quartz in the center of the Colorado Blue Quartz Mountain
pluton strongly suggests that the cause of the
blue color is also ilmenite inclusions.
Just north of Blue Quartz Mountain is a
classic mineral-bearing locality, a zoned pluton known as the Redskin Granite. Indeed,
the reddish appearance of the outcrops is
quite distinctive, as is its blocky weathering
pattern. Chemically, the Redskin is considered a tin granite, the last type of rock to
form as the Pikes Peak batholith cooled.
Perfect crystals of topaz, some of them
quite large, have been extracted from the
miarolitic cavities in it. The topaz comes in
several colors, as well as multicolor crystals.
Beryllium is present in the Redskin as an
anomaly, with bertrandite being the main
beryllium mineral. One U.S. beryllium
mine that was considered most important
during World War II was the Boomer, located in the Redskin Granite.
Can the exceptional mineral and fossil
endowment of the museum be geologically connected by a unifying theory or
hypothesis? I believe the answer is yes. In
2004, I proposed the Florissant lineament
hypothesis, hoping the concept can provide
some new regional exploration ideas for
the continued discovery of fine minerals in
the Pikes Peak region.
A lineament is a linear feature of regional
extent that is expressed in the topography,
influenced by the underlying geology.
When several geologic elements occur in
August 2014
a straight line over tens of miles in length,

a major fault, or deep crustal tear, should
be suspected. These major faults almost
always consist of multiple, complexly interconnected faults that relieve regional stresses along the same zone of weakness.
There is a near-alignment of several geologic elements along the western edge of the
Pikes Peak batholith. The northwest-southeast orientation corresponds closely with the
most prominent jointing (fractures without
displacement) direction that was previously
mapped within the Lake George intrusive. It
is believed that a deep crustal, Precambrian
tear exercised control over the rise of magma and mineralizing solutions, from which
four Precambrian plutons of the Pikes Peak
batholith emerged. These discrete, relatively
small plutons are likely the roots of an eroded volcanic chain. They are, from northwest
to southeast, Redskin, Blue Quartz Mountain, Lake George, and Spring Creek. The
first three are zoned and mineralized, but
little is known about the fourth.
A fault remains a zone of potential weakness long after initial displacement ends,
prone to re-activation through geologic
time as the region encounters new stress
fields induced by plate tectonic motion.
Two geologic elements lying along the Florissant lineament are much younger than
those described above, but are likely genetically linked. First, the fossil-rich Florissant
Formation is an isolated sedimentary unit
lying in a sea of granite. Erosion has not
stripped it away because it presumably lies
in a graben or half graben (down-dropped
fault block). Second, the Oligocene Cripple
Creek-Victor volcanic gold-producing area
on the southern end of the lineament is
also in near-alignment. A major fault is a
likely control for this volcanic feature.
The sedminetary rocks of the Florissant Formation hold exceptionally well-preserved fossils from the Late Eocene
(34 million years ago), such as these leaf and bird foot fossils.
Rich Fretterd donated one of the giant smoky quartz

crystals from his Godsend claim to the museum.
Additional evidence for the existence

of the Florissant lineament is that its hypothetical path roughly parallels at least four
other recognized major faults of the Colorado Front Range. They all likely served to
relieve the regional stresses that were present as far back as Precambrian time.
Practically all fluorite deposits occur near
major faults. The element fluorine, which is
generally believed to be of very deep origin, is well represented in several lineament
components: topaz of the Redskin Granite,
fluorite in the Lake George intrusive, and
fluorite associated with high-grade gold
veins at Cripple Creek.
It should be emphasized that that some
of the best collecting areas in the area are
either on private property or held by federal mining claims, and are off limits to
collectors except with permission from
the landowners or claim holders. The Lake
George Gem & Mineral Club, which currently has about 160 members, has developed relationships with several key
landholders who have granted access for
occasional field trips in the past. Check out
the club at www.lggmclub.org.
The Pikes Peak Historical Society Museum is located at 18033 Teller County
Road #1, a few hundred yards south of the
intersection with U.S. Highway 24. The museum is open to groups by appointment on
Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from
Memorial Day until Labor Day. For hours
and reservations, call (719) 748-8259 or
visit www.pikespeakhsmuseum.org.
The Lake George Gem & Mineral Club
continues to provide technical support for
the collection. As interesting new minerals
are uncovered in this incredibly rich and
geologically diverse region, the museum
collection is bound to grow.
41
6/24/14 3:12 PM
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26-27HURRICANE, UTAH: Southern Utah Rock and
Gem Show; Eric Funk; Washington County Regional Park;
5500 West 700 South; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-7; free admission;
dealers, rocks, gems, faceted stones, fossils, minerals,
geodes, crystals, petrified wood, silent auction; contact Eric
Funk, PO Box 537, Ferron, UT 84523, (435) 609-0136; e-mail:
[email protected]
26-28ANCASTER, ONTARIO, CANADA: Ancaster
Gem, Mineral, Bead & Jewellery Show; Robert Hall
Originals; Ancaster Fairgrounds; 630 Trinity Rd., Canada;
Fri. 9:30-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults $8, children (under
12) free; contact Robert Parry, 138 Sugar Maple Rd., St.
George, ON, Canada N0E 1N0, (519) 448-1236; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.ancaster
gemshow.com
26-28BEREA, OHIO: Wholesale and retail show;
GemStreet USA; Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds; 174
Eastland Rd., (use Bagley Rd. entrance); Fri. 10-6, Sat.
10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $6, children (under 12) and Scouts in
uniform free; gems, minerals, jewelry, fossils, beads; contact
Jane K. Smith, PO Box 770680, Lakewood, OH 44107, (216)
gemstreetusa.com
26-28JOPLIN, MISSOURI: 16th Annual Gem & Mineral
Show; Tri-State Gem & Mineral Society; Joplin Museum
Complex; 504 Schifferdecker Ave.; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-3;
free admission; door prizes; contact Chris Wiseman, PO Box
555, Joplin, MO 64802, (417) 623-1180
26-28OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND: Retail show;
Treasures of the Earth Inc.; Ocean City Convention Center;
4001 Coastal Highway; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-4; adults
$5, students (16 and under) free with adult; 14K and sterling
silver, classic, contemporary and handmade jewelry, loose
stones, beads, findings, pearls, minerals, crystals, lapidary
supplies, jewelers, wire wrappers, jewelry design and repairs
on site ; contact Jane Westbrook, PO Box 59, Gloucester
Point, VA 23062, (804) 285-4281; e-mail: jane@treasuresof
theearth.com; Web site: www.treasuresoftheearth.com
26-28RICHARDSON, TEXAS: Wholesale and retail
show; The Bead Market; Richardson Civic Center; 411 W.
Arapaho; Fri. 10-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission;
gemstones, vintage, glass and lampwork beads, pearls,
books, tools, jewelry; contact Rebekah Wills, (903) 7343335; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
thebeadmarket.net
26-28SANDY, UTAH: Wholesale and retail show; Gem
Faire Inc.; South Towne Expo Center; 9575 S. State St.; Fri.
10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7, children (ages 0-11)
26-28TOOELE, UTAH: Annual show and sale; Tooele
Gem & Mineral Society; Dow James Bldg.; 400 North
400 West; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-7, Sun. 10-5; free admission;
rocks, gems, hourly door prizes, grab bags, silent auctions,
Wheel of Fortune, displays, dealers, demonstrations, in
conjunction with the Festival of the Old West - Mountain Man
Rendezvous; contact Colleen Edwards, PO Box 348, Tooele,
UT 84074, (435) 882-5752; e-mail: TooeleGemAndMineral@
gmail.com; Web site: www.tooelegem.com
27-28BILLINGS, MONTANA: Annual show; Billings Gem
& Mineral Club; Billings Hotel and Convention Center; 1223
Mullowney Ln.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $3, children
(12 and under) free; contact Doug True, 2622 Broadwater,
Billings, MT 59103-4610, (406) 670-0506; e-mail: dtruefos
[email protected]; Web site: www.billingsgemclub.com
27-28DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA: Wholesale and
retail show; Intergalactic Bead Shows; Durham Convention
Center-Jr Ballrooms; 301 W. Morgan St.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5;
adults $5 Sat., $4 Sun. ($2-off coupon on Web site), children
(12 and under) free; precious and semiprecious gemstone
beads, sterling silver, findings, freshwater pearls, hand-blown
glass beads, vintage beads, crystals, delicas, gemstone chain,
findings; contact Chris Murray, 3865 Lawrenceville Hwy., Ste.
107, Lawrenceville, GA 30044, (888) 729-6904; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.beadshows.com
27-28LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY: 24th Annual Gem
Mineral Jewelry Show; Rockhounds of Central Kentucky;
Kentucky National Guard Armory; 4301 Airport Rd.; Sat.
10-6, Sun. 12-5; adults $2, families $5, children $1, Scouts
in uniform free; dealers, minerals, jewelry, equipment, club
sales, exhibits, Kentucky agate, fluorescent display, hourly
prizes, grand prize drawing; contact Allen Ferrell, (859) 2772469; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
www.lexingtonrockclub.com
42
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Show Dates.indd 42
27-28MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; Carmel

Valley Gem & Mineral Society; Monterey Fairgrounds; 2004
Fairgrounds Rd.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $4, children
free with adult; 15 dealers, jewelry, cut and uncut gemstones, beads, crystals, rough and polished rocks, mineral
specimens, fossils, more than 50 guest and member gem,
mineral, and fossil displays, demonstrations, jewelry making, sphere making, rock grinding, polishing, silent auction,
kids activities; contact Janis Rovetti, 1047 Roosevelt St.,
Monterey, CA 93940, (831) 372-1311; e-mail: janis12@sbc
global.net; Web site: www.cvgms.com
27-28OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN: Oshkosh 43rd Annual
Gem and Mineral Show; Oshkosh Earth Science Club;
Sunnyview Expo Center; 500 E. County Road Y; Sat. 9-5,
Sun. 10-4; adults $2, students $1 with ID, children (under
12) free; 25 dealers, mineral specimens, geodes, fossils,
jewelry, lapidary material, home decor, member, dealer and
museum displays, demonstrators, silver work, gem faceting, lapidary, beading, childrens area, rock polishing, rock
painting, jewelry making, fluorescent rock display; contact
Ann Voges, (920) 725-1640; e-mail: hankemps@milwpc.
com; Web site: www.facebook.com/pages/Oshkosh-EarthScience-Club/202088083155987
27-28SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NEBRASKA: Retail show;
Siouxland Gem & Mineral Society; S. Sioux City Senior
Citizens Center; 1501 W. 29th St.; Sat. 9-4, Sun. 10-4; free
admission; exhibits, four dealers, gems, agates, rough and
polished specimens, beads, geodes, minerals, faceted jewelry, fossils, door prizes, spin the wheel, silent auction, displays, artifacts; contact Bob Powell, 406 Brandon, Kingsley,
IA 51028, (712) 378 2775; e-mail: [email protected]
OCTOBER 2014
1-5JOSHUA TREE, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; The
Hi-Desert Rockhounds; Sportsmans Club of Joshua Tree;
6225 Sunburst St.; Daily 9-6; free admission; rocks, minerals, jewelry, gold panning; contact Roger Thompson, 6225
Sunburst St., Joshua Tree, CA 92252, (760) 366-2915 or
Web site: www.jtsportsmansclub.com/gem.html
3-5ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO: Albuquerque Gem
& Mineral Fall Show; Jay Penn; Expo NM State Fairgrounds;
Creative Arts Bldg., 300 San Pedro NE; daily 9-5; free
admission; 65 dealers, gemstones, mineral specimens,
jewelry, beads, cabochons, carvings, fossils, books, equipment, tools; contact Jay Penn, (505) 883-4195; e-mail:
[email protected]
3-5AUSTIN, TEXAS: Annual show; Austin Gem & Mineral
Society; Palmer Events Center; 900 Barton Springs Rd.; Fri.
9-6, Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5, seniors $4, students
(12-18) $1, children (under 12) free; more than 30 dealers,
jewelry, beads, gemstones, mineral specimens, crystals, fossils, spheres, lapidary equipment, free exhibits, Touch Table,
demonstrations, faceting, wire wrapping, cabbing, fluorescent mineral display, kids Wheel of Fortune, Gem Mine, jewelry making, school field trips Fri., door prizes, silent auction,
grand prize; contact Susan Postlethwait, 6719 Burnet Ln.,
Austin, TX 78757, (512) 458-9546; e-mail: showchairman@
austingemandmineral.org; Web site: www.gemcapers.com
3-5DALLAS, NORTH CAROLINA: Annual Gaston Gem
Show; Gaston Gem, Mineral & Faceters Club; Gaston County
Park; 1303 Dallas Cherryville Hwy.; Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-6, Sun.
9-5; free admission; dealers, minerals, fossils, gemstones,
wire wrapping, geodes, jewelry, sluice; contact Rick Perkins,
(704) 288-9091; Web site: http://gastongemclub.weebly.com
3-5DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and retail show;
Gem Faire Inc.; Del Mar Fairgrounds; 2260 Jimmy Durante
Blvd.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7, children (ages
0-11) free; fine jewelry, gems, beads, crystals, gold and silver,
minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly
3-5INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: 16th Annual Fall Show;
Treasures Of The Earth Gem & Jewelry Shows; Indiana State
Fairgrounds; Agriculture/Horticulture Bldg., 1202 E. 38th St.;
Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $5 (3 days), children
(under 16) free; beads, pearls, gemstones, wire wrapping,
wire sculpture, silversmiths and goldsmiths, custom work and
repairs while you wait, door prizes, classes available; contact
Van Wimmer, Show Director, 5273 Bradshaw Rd., Salem, VA
site: www.toteshows.com
4-5JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS: Annual show;
Central Arkansas Gem Mineral and Geology Society;
Jacksonville Community Center; 5 Municipal Dr.; Sat. 9-5,
Sun. 9-5; free admission; 25 dealers, rocks, minerals,
fossils, lapidary material, jewelry, beads, displays, demon-
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 10:02 AM
The Smart Choice!
strations, kids dig, door prizes; contact Tom Sharp, 14705

Chambery Dr., Little Rock, AR 72211, (501) 379-8653;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.centralar
rockhound.org
4-5JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN: 42nd Annual Mineral,
Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show; Rock River Valley Geological
Society; Jefferson County Fair Park; Jackson Rd. and
Peurner Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; donations accepted;
Wisconsin Rocks: demonstrations, faceting, cabochon cutting, wire wrapping, dealers, gems, minerals, fossils; contact
Robert Schweitzer, W4240 US Hwy. 18, Jefferson, WI 53549,
4-5MISSOULA, MONTANA: Gem and Mineral show featuring Fossils; Hellgate Mineral Society; Hilton Garden Inn;
2730 N. Reserve St.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $2, children
(under 14) free; dealers, silent auction, raffle; contact Bob
Riggs, (406) 543-3667; e-mail: [email protected]
4-5OMAHA, NEBRASKA: Annual show; Nebraska
Mineral & Gem Club; Westside Community Center; 3534
S. 108th St., 108th and Grover; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults
$5, seniors and students $3, children (12 and under) free
with adult; dealers, collectible specimens, fossils, minerals,
gems, jewelry, activities for kids and adults, mineral and
lapidary displays, demonstrations, flint knapping, rock artist,
glass bead artist, silver smithing, wire wrapping, rock race,
educational games, wheel of fortune, rock pile; contact Allan
Jeanneret, 7287 N Rd., Nebraska City, NE 68410, (402)
nerockgem.org
4-5SPRINGFIELD, OREGON: Annual show; Springfield
Thunderegg Rock Club; Guy Lee Elementary School; 755
Harlow Rd.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4:30; free admission; contact
Mark Denoyer, (541) 337-3433; e-mail: denoyerm53531@
yahoo.com
4-5STAFFORD, TEXAS: Wholesale and retail show; The
Bead Market; Stafford Centre; 10505 Cash Rd.; Sat. 10-5,
Sun. 10-5; free admission; gemstones, vintage, glass and
lampwork beads, pearls, Swarovski Elements, crystals, gold
and silver findings, books, tools, jewelry; contact Rebekah
Wills, (903) 734-3335; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.thebeadmarket.net
10-12BUCKEYE, ARIZONA: Annual show; West Valley
Rock & Mineral Club; Helzapoppin Rodeo grounds; 802 N.
1st St., Miller Rd. entrance; Fri. 9-4, Sat. 9-4, Sun. 9-4; adults
$3, children (under 12) free; contact Larry Tracey, PO Box
1425, Buckeye, AZ 85326, (623) 208-3230; e-mail: larry@
youth4youth.org; Web site: www.westvalleyrockandmineral
club.com
10-12HILLSBORO, OREGON: 34th Annual Portland
Regional Rock and Mineral Show; Portland Regional Gem
& Mineral Show Assn.; Washington County Fair Complex;
873 N.E. 34th Ave.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5,
children (12 and under) free with adult admission; more than
30 dealer, fossils, rocks, gems, minerals, jewelry, beads,
kids corner, games and activities, exhibits, guest speakers,
demonstrations, lapidary and wire wrapping, door prizes,
silent auction; contact L. Smith, Portland Regional Gem &
Mineral Assn., PO Box 5401, Portland, OR 97228; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.
PortlandRegionalGemandMineral.org
10-12METAIRIE, LOUISIANA: Annual show; Gem &
Mineral Society of Louisiana; Best Western Plus Landmark
Hotel; 2601 Severn Ave.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4;
adults $5, students $3, children (under 12) free; exhibits,
demonstrations, fluorescent mineral room, door prizes,
grand prize; contact Levette Carlos, (504) 214-3205; e-mail:
[email protected]
10-12MOAB, UTAH: Annual show; Moab Points and
Pebbles; Old Spanish Trail Arena; 3641 S. Hwy. 191; Fri.
10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; free admission; dealers, displays,
demonstrations, Spin Wheel, door prizes, photo exhibit, field
trips (Yellow Cat area limb casts, petrified wood; Blue Hills
area septarian nodules, agate, petrified wood); contact Jerry
Hansen, PO Box 186, Moab, UT 84532; e-mail: moabrock
[email protected]; Web site: www.moabrockclub.com
10-12MOUNT IDA, ARKANSAS: Annual World Championship Quartz Crystal Digging Contest; Mount Ida Area
Chamber of Commerce; Montgomery County Fairgrounds;
Fairgrounds Rd.; Fri. 7-3, Sat. 9-3, Sun. 2-3; adults $85; dig
quartz crystals, keep all you find, win a prize; contact Sherrie
Ellison, Hwy. 270W, Mount Ida, AR 71957, (870) 867-2723;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.mtida
chamber.com
10-12MOUNT IDA, ARKANSAS: 30th Annual Quartz,
Quiltz and Craftz Show; Mount Ida Area Chamber of
August 2014
Show Dates.indd 43
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6/30/14 10:02 AM
The
of
RT
CAMEOS
Ancient and Contemporary Carved Treasures

PHOTO COURTESY RAINFOREST DESIGN
Story by Helen Serras-Herman
cameo is a type of gem carving that
face. The height of the cameo can vary con-
depicts faces or scenes with fig-
siderably, from what is considered a high re-
ures. The design is raised above
lief, projecting more than 50% of the depth
the background material in a relief style by
of the sculpture, to low reliefs, also known
removing matter from the surrounding sur-
as bas-reliefs.
The gem material can be monochromatic (one color), such as in lapis, moonstone
or chalcedony and the organic gems amber, coral, ivory and jet. Most commonly,
however, cameos are carved on layered
materials such as onyx and sardonyx, which
are cryptocrystalline varieties of quartz.
Sardonyx is a variety of the chalcedony
gem onyx in which bands of red-brown to
almost black sard alternate with orange to
44
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Art of Cameos.indd 44
red-brown bands of carnelian and layers of

white chalcedony. These cameos are considered hard stone carvings, as opposed
to those made from glass or shell.
The term cameo (plural, cameos or camei)
comes from the Latin cammaeus, which
most probably came from the Greek keimelion (heirloom). Other sources cite possible origins in the Arabic words camant
meaning flower (The Johnston Collection
of Engraved Gems, C.W. King, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1904) and kmamea,
which refers to an amulet (Cameos Old &
New, Anna M. Miller (Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991).
This fabulously carved shell cameo necklace features
the images of Cattleya Laeliinae orchids and is set with
rubellite tourmalines and raspberry-pink garnets.
Rock & Gem

6/24/14 3:06 PM
August 2014
In most of the commercially produced natural-gemstone cameos, the design has been created by ultrasonic or laser machines.
marie-lan nguyen pHoto/Wikimedia CommonS
Ancient cAmeos
Cameo carving dates back to the late
Paleolithic Era, when ivory was the preferred
material. Cameo carving on hard gemstones,
such as onyx and sardonyx, became popular
during the Greek Hellenistic period, around
the 3rd century BCE, with gods, goddesses,
bucolic scenes, and battle settings being favorite subjects. The campaigns of Alexander
the Great brought back to the Greek world
a variety of new stones, such as the multilayered sardonyx from India and Arabia. Greek
carvers took advantage of these new gems
and cultural styles.
The art form truly saw its peak during
the Roman Empire, when the faces of emperors or scenes from their campaigns were
being immortalized in gemstones. Many of
these cameos were set and worn as jewelry
such as bracelets, diadems, pendants, and
clothing adornments, but some of them
were so large that they were probably admired as art objects.
Cameos were purely ornamental, as opposed to intaglio engravings, used as seals
to document property (Cameos: Classical to
Costume, M.L. Clements and P.R. Clements,
Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1998).
One of the most famousand the largestcameos of antiquity is the Great
Cameo of France, carved on a five-layered
sardonyx around 23 CE. It measures 31 cm
by 26.5 cm. The cameo is part of the Bibliotheque Nationale collection in Paris. The
scene depicts 24 figures, arranged in three
levels. The five emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and various other important
persons occupy the first two tiers, with captive barbarians from the Battle of Germanicus featured on the lowest level.
Helen SerraS-Herman pHoto
The impressive Cameo Portrait of Augustus, carved in Rome (circa CE 14-20)

from a three-layer sardonyx, is in the British Museum collection.
One of the most famous cameos of the antiquity is the Great Cameo of France, which was carved on a five-layer
sardonyx, around CE 23. It depicts the five emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and other important persons.
45
6/24/14 3:06 PM
Roman glass Cameos

Cameo glass vases were made within
two generations in Rome as experiments,
when the glassblowing technique (dis
covered around 50 BCE), was still in its
infancy. One of the most famous cameo
glass vessels is the Portland Vase, which is
on display at the British Museum. The vase
is 25 cm high and 56 cm in circumference.
46
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The vessel is made of violetblue glass, and

the lower part is covered with a layer of
white glass. The figures and scenes were
hand carved into the white glass, allowing
the blue layer to show through.
Recent research shows that these vases
were made by the dipoverlay method:
An elongated bubble of blue glass was
partially dipped into a crucible of white
glass before the two were blown together.
After cooling, the white layer was carved
into to create the design after the manner
of hard stone carving, probably by skilled
gem cutters.
It is believed that the Portland Vase
was created in Rome between 5 CE and
25 CE. Its existence was first recorded in
Rome in 1600, and in 1784 it came into
the hands of Margaret, Dowager Duchess
of Portland (Buckinghamshire, England).
It has been at the British Museum since
1810 (The Portland Vase, Susan Walker, The
British Museum Press, 2004). Josiah Wedg
wood made the vase famous by replicating
it in jasperware pottery.
ContempoRaRy Cameos
There is a lot that contemporary gem
carvers can learn from studying the ancient
masterpieces. The precision of their tech
nique and meticulous workmanship, the
way the ancient carvers used the patterns
and colors of the gem materials to their ad
vantage, their approach to fitting the figures
and scenes and filling the background, the
way they used undercutting to create depth
of field, and their methods of telling a story,
can all be employed in modern cameo work,
even if the carving style is different.
Today, almost every quality of cameo
carving is available on the market. Excep
M.J. Colella Photo/helen serras-herMan CaMeo
This high-relief cameo portrait of Queen Sikirit of Thailand is carved in a 550.0-carat aquamarine.
Chrysoprase with brown ironstone matrix lends itself

to two-layered cameo work like this Satyr pendant.
helen serras-herMan Photo
There are many ancient cameos in mu

seums around the world. Two examples are
the Gemma Augustea, a twolayered onyx
carving from the 1st century CE, made by
the Greek gem carver Dioscorides, and the
Gemma Claudia, a fivelayered onyx cam
eo, carved around 49 CE, both of which
are now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum
in Vienna.
The Tazza Farnese (Farnese Cup) is
shaped like a chalice without a foot. Mea
suring 20 cm wide and carved in a four
layered sardonyx agate, its scene features a
sphinx and seven symbolic figures, creating
an impressive GrecoEgyptian allegory. To
day, the cup resides in the Naples National
Archaeological Museum in Italy.
Several fabulous Romanera cameos are
part of the British Museum (London) collec
tion. During a 2010 trip, my husband, An
drew, and I spent several days visiting the
museums galleries, including the Cameo
Collection Gallery. Many of the pieces were
displayed suspended in glass cases, so that
both sides were visible. Among them is the
impressive Cameo Portrait of Augustus,
carved in Rome sometime between 14 CE
and 20 CE, on a threelayered sardonyx. The
cameo is 12.8 cm high by 9.3 cm wide, and
depicts the emperor Augustus in a way that
gives him godlike status. The cameo came
from the Strozzi and Blacas collections, so it
is also known as the Blacas Cameo.
Another beautiful cameo in the museum
is a large, almost ovalshaped sardonyx carv
ing of members of the Roman imperial fam
ily featured as Jupiter Ammon and Juno (or
Isis) (circa 3750 CE). Two more cameos,
both carved in the round on monochromatic
materials, caught our attention. One is the
chalcedony cameo featuring the Empress
Domitia carried by a peacock (circa 8196
CE), and the other is the portrait of a woman
carved on green aventurine quartz.
The art of cameo carving enjoyed a re
vival during the Renaissance, and again
during the neoclassical revival of the 18th
and 19th centuries. In 1910, English sculp
tor and gem engraver Cecil Thomas went
to Thailand (Siam) and created a series of
cameo portraits of the royal family.
Cameos were regularly produced at the
agatecutting workshops in IdarOberstein,
Germany. The tradition continues today,
with some bearing traditional designs and
others being very contemporary in style.
M.J. Colella Photo/helen serras-herMan CaMeo
The Art of Cameos from page 45
One of the most famous cameo glass vessels is the

Portland Vase, made of violet-blue glass layered with
white glass.
tional, handcarved cameos are signed by

wellknown artists such as Thomas McPhee,
ChuAlice Chan, the late Ute Klein Ber
hardt, Erwin Pauly and HansUlrich Pauly,
Piotr Salzman, and me.
Contemporary cameo carvers use the
classic layered gem materials, such as onyx
and sardonyx, but also utilize transparent
gemstones like amethyst, aquamarine, blue
chalcedony, rock crystal quartz, and rutilated
quartz. Turquoise in all qualities and types
from natural and untreated to stabilized and
Rock & Gem

6/24/14 3:06 PM
This Roman sardonyx cameo, in which the goddess Diana is depicted in a chariot drawn by bulls, dates from the 3rd
century CE and is part of the collection in the British Museum.
reconstructed turquoise, and even plastic imitationsand jade, especially multicolor jades,
also lend themselves to cameo carving.
Ultrasonically created reproductions are
made from an original carving, very much
in the manner of a gicle print (photographically reproduced on canvas) of an original
painting. In commercially produced natural
gemstone cameos, the stone is often dyed
and the design is created by ultrasonic or laser machines. Mass-produced pieces have a
carved top affixed to a plain-colored background. Cameos are also made of molded
glass, plastic, resin, polymer clay, or porcelain. Often, the price will be a good indicator of the type of material.
To learn more about how to distinguish
between hand-carved cameos and ultrasonic-carved cameos, as well as dating ancient and antique cameos, refer to Millers
fabulous book Cameos Old & New, which
was revised and updated by Diana Jarrett
in 2009 (Gemstone Press).
Shell cameoS
Cameos carved on shells started appearing during the Renaissance, but they
became very popular during the 18th and
early 19th centuries, when French and Italian carvers took up the practice. At that
time, the carnelian-and-white King Helmet
shells (Cassis tuberosa) came into Europe
from the West Indies and the pink Queen
Conch shells (Strombus gigas) from the Bahamas. Today, among the favorite shells
for carving are the cassis rufa (bull mouth),
known as the carnelian shell, and the cassis
madagascariensis, the Emperor Helmet shell,
also known as the sardonyx shell.
Most of the antique cameos are skillfully
carved with individual designs. The archae-
August 2014
ological discoveries of ancient civilizations

during the 19th century renewed interest
in ancient Greek and Roman mythological subjects, along with beautiful floral patterns, in cameo carving.
Many of the contemporary, mass-produced
shell cameos, however, feature the generic profile of a girl with curly hair and a nose always
turned upwards. Some are handmade, while
others are created by ultrasonic machines, and
some of them are finished by hand.
One large center for carving shell cameos is the tranquil fishing village in Southern Italy called Torre del Greco. It has been
famous since the 18th century for its handcarved shell and red coral cameos, which
emulate the style of antique cameos.
The unique shell cameos created by
Rainforest Design are exotic in style and
subject matter, and have their roots deep
in the rainforests of Panama. The carvers
are Wounaan Indians who were born in the
dense Darien jungle on the east side of the
country, where it borders Colombia.
The cameo carvers, all of them male,
were taught shell carving by a North
American entrepreneur, Andy Ike, who
lives in Panama. He is very familiar with
the Queen Helmet shells (Cassis madagascariensis spinella), as he used to export
them from Panama to Italy for the carving
trade. The first carver he taught was Lider
Pea, who in turn taught his brother and
cousins.
These men had previous experience in
carving the local tagua nuts, which proved
a great asset. The nuts are usually carved as
miniature sculptures in the full round and
in very high relief.
Carving shell, however, is a more complex endeavor than carving the nuts. Even
though the two are similar in hardness

(Mohs 2.5-3.0), the taguas are tougher and
more compact, so they are not as fragile as
the shells. The Queen Helmet shells also
have at least two color layers, knuckles,
and a curvature that the carver must take
into consideration.
Their tools include a Dremel power
tool with diamond and tungsten carbide
burrs for rough preforming and carving.
Finishing is completed with hand gravers
and fine sandpaper, achieving a wonderful,
gleaming luster on the carved surfaces.
In 2004, Roslyn Zelenka, another expat
American living in Panama, came onto the
scene, creating new designs and pushing
the limits of the Wounaan carvers capabilities. Traditional designs featured the fauna
and flora of the rainforest and the cultural
heritage of Panama. Roslyn has brought in
new ideas, compositions and designs.
Frogs, lizards, orchids, birds of paradise,
lilies, hibiscus, hummingbirds, macaws, and
toucans are some of the nature subjects
featured in the designs. The carvings are
so lifelike and realistic that they grab your
attention immediately and keep you captivated. Recent pieces show a lattice of small
open areas that give the carving more depth
and a more 3-dimensional look. This piercing method can be very risky, though, as the
shell may fracture or break.
Andy selects the shells, cuts the blanks into
ovals or other shapes, and provides the Wounaan carvers with a ready-to-carve material.
Roslyn discusses the design for each piece
with the carvers. Once the cameos are finished, she collaborates with local goldsmiths
to create astonishing jewelry pieces. In some,
a simple pendant or pin bezel in 18K gold
or 950 silver frames the cameo, while some
of the necklaces feature multiple strands of
small pearls and gemstone beads.
Roslyn is also in charge of marketing these
exotic pieces under the name Rainforest Design, and placing them with Panamanian and
U.S. galleries, jewelry stores, and authorized
retail representatives, like Elaine Rohrbach,
the president and owner of Gem-Fare, who
attends the Tucson gem shows.
I met Roslyn over a decade ago, and
when I saw the cameos, I was astounded by
their beauty, quality, fine detail, and unique
subject matter. Every February, we meet in
Tucson, and I am always surprised by the
new designsangelfish, starfish, geckos,
butterflies, and new orchid stylesin the
beautifully crafted jewelry pieces. For more
information, visit the visually rich Web site
www.rainforestdesigns.com.
Helen Serras-Herman is a gem sculptor and
jewelry artist with 30 years of experience. She
was inducted into the National Lapidary Hall
of Fame in 2003. See her work at www.gemart
center.com.
47
6/24/14 3:06 PM
by Scott Empey
hat to
Cut
Amethyst Sage
Dendritic Agate
ne type of agate that has been on

my cutting list for as long as I can remember is Amethyst Sage dendritic agate
from Denio, Nevada. Amethyst Sage has
a gorgeous, deep amethyst color, as well
as gold mossy patterns and dramatic black
manganese dendrites. There are not a lot of
purple agates out there, and many of the
known deposits are mined out.
Holly Blue and Indonesian purple agates
are no longer being mined. Some Mexican
agate deposits yield purple agates, but they
are rare these days. Few of these types are
quite as truly purple as Amethyst Sage
agate, which is still being mined today. As
with most agates, the quality varies, but at
its best, it is exceptionally beautiful: The
clear pools of deep purple contrasting with
the lacy gold and dramatic black dendrites
provide a lot of interesting details for the
cab cutter.
The source of Amethyst Sage agate is in
the Bilk Mountain Range in Nevada. The
location is currently under claim and the
material is being mined by Dale Huett of
West Coast Mining. (Dale is also currently
mining Owyhee Picture jasper, Polka Dot
agate, and Paiute agate, and he holds a
claim for diging Oregon opal at Opal
Butte.) Dale has held the claim for Amethyst Sage for over 15 years, and the agate
is available in several different grades from
his Web site, www.wcmining.com.
Cutting cabochons from this chalcedony
material is pretty straightforward; it generally consists of a nice, solid agate with just
a few problem areas. There are also won-
48
www.rockngem.com
What to Cut.indd 48
derful patterns and combinations of color

that you can incorporate into your cabochon designs.
The purple agate tends to be on the outside portions of the veins and nodules. I
usually look for some nice, black dendrites
to feature in my stones and try to include
some of the purple from the outside sections, accented with the gold and white
colors in the center.
There are occasional vugs in the stone,
which are usually lined with a fine, sparkling druse that is beautiful when it is incorporated into your cabs. I use 100 and
260 grit diamond disks to rough out the
stones and flatten the backs. For sanding, I
run through a series of diamond resin bond
belts from Eastwind. I start with 220 grit
to obtain the final shape and curvature,
then continue through 400, 600, 1200 and
3000 grit.
I move on to cerium oxide mixed with
a couple of teaspoons of white vinegar
to obtain the final, glossy polish. I initially
added the vinegar to my polish when I was
working on some fussy silicated rhyolite,
but I find that it also makes the polish a
little more aggressive on agates, so now I
add it all the time.
Scott Empey, owner of
Gerard Scott Designs, creates hand-cut gemstones,
designer jewelry, and props
for the motion picture industry. His Web site is www.
gerardscottdesigns.com.
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 10:30 AM
49
6/27/14 1:33 PM
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OCTOBER 2014
Commerce; Montgomery County Fairgrounds; Fairgrounds
Rd.; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; dealers,
quartz crystals, minerals, jewelry, quilts, crafts; contact
Sherrie Ellison, Hwy. 270W, Mount Ida, AR 71957, (870) 8672723; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
mtidachamber.com
10-12PLEASANTON, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Alameda County Fairgrounds;
4501 Pleasanton Ave.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults
$7, children (ages 0-11) free; fine jewelry, gems, beads,
crystals, gold and silver, minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair
while you shop, hourly door prizes; contact Yooy Nelson,
gemfaire.com
10-12SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Scottish Rite Center; 6151 H St.;
Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $7, children (ages 0-11)
10-12WARREN, MICHIGAN: 70th Annual Greater
Detroit Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show; Michigan Mineralogical
Society; Macomb Community College, South Campus Expo
Center; 14500 E. 12 Mile Rd., Expo Center, Bldg. P; Fri. 9-6,
Sat. 10-7, Sun. 11-5; adults $8, seniors $5, children (5-17) $4;
Prospectors Showcase: school tours offered; contact Patti
Graves-Wesolosky, 1151 Yule Rd., Leonard, MI 48367, (586)
www.michmin.org
11-12ANDERSON, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; Shasta
Gem & Mineral Society; Shasta District Fairgrounds; Briggs
St.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; door prizes, gold panning, raffle, kids activities, displays, demonstrations, exhibits,
silent auction, dealers, gems, minerals, jewelry, beads, fossils; contact Steve Puderbaugh, PO Box 990424, Redding,
CA 96099, (530) 604-2951; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.shastagemandmineral.com
11-12GRASS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA: Annual show;
Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society; Nevada County
Fairgrounds; 11228 McCourtney Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5;
adults $2, students and children free; gem and mineral
displays, dealers, gems, minerals, fossils, lapidary equipment, beads and beading supplies, jewelry, gold-hunting
supplies, silent auction, raffle, demonstrations, gold panning table; contact Todd Lawson, PO Box 565, Nevada
City, CA 95959; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site:
www.ncgms.org
11-12MARYSVILLE, WASHINGTON: 40th Annual Show
; Marysville Rock & Gem Club; Totem Middle School; 7th
and State Ave.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; free admission; dealers,
rough, slabs, polished cabs, gem-quality faceting rough,
minerals, fossils, tools, lapidary equipment, jewelry, beads,
gems, books, demonstrators, jewelry artists, club displays,
youth games, half-hourly door prizes, silent auctions, raffle
prizes ; contact Brian Murril, (425) 346-9313; e-mail: bmur
[email protected]
11-12SIERRA VISTA, ARIZONA: 40th Annual Show;
Huachuca Mineral & Gem Club; Cochise College; 901 N.
Colombo Ave.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; jewelry,
mineral specimens, beads, lapidary supplies, raffle, flourescent display, geode sales and cutting; contact Maudie Bailey,
5035 S. San Carlos Ave., Sierra Vista, AZ 85650, (520) 3786291 or (520) 249-1541; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: huachucamineralandgemclub.info
11-12TEMPLE, TEXAS: 45th Annual Show; Tri-City Gem
& Mineral Society; Mayborn Civic and Convention Center;
3303 N. 3rd St.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5, children $2;
dealers, fine jewelry, treasure wheel, hourly door prizes,
grand prizes, demonstrations, wire-wrapping, cabochon
making, faceting, silent auction, sand search, touch table,
member displays; contact Chip Burnette, (254) 630-3573;
e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.tricitygem
mineral.org
11-12VISTA, CALIFORNIA: Annual show; Vista Gem
& Mineral Society; Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum;
2040 N. Santa Fe Ave.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission;
jewelry, minerals, fossils, Kids wheel, sand dig for tumbled
stones, raffle; contact Ray Pearce, 753 Abbywood Dr.,
Oceanside, CA 92057, (760) 535-5524; e-mail: raysrocks@
cox.net
11-12WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA: Show and
sale; Pacific Crystal Guild; Civic Park Community Center;
1371 Civic Dr.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; adults $8, children
50
www.rockngem.com
Show Dates.indd 50
(under 12) free; contact Jerry Tomlinson, PO Box 1371,

Sausalito, CA 94966, (415) 383-7837; Web site: www.
crystalfair.com
17-19FORT WAYNE, INDIANA: Annual show; Three
Rivers Gem & Mineral Society; Allen County Fairgrounds;
2726 Carroll Rd.; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults
$5, seniors $3, students $1, children free; mineral ID,
silent auction, fluorescent display, 15 dealers, Viking knit
class, demonstrations, displays, speakers, door prizes,
kids games, touch n feel, grab bags, dinosaur exhibit;
contact Michele Yamanaka, 4336 Charter Lane, Fort
Wayne, IN 46815; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: http://members.tripod.com/3riversgem_mineral/
annualshow-sale/
17-19FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA: Show and
sale; Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin; Macon County
Community Bldg.; 1288 Georgia Rd.; Fri. 10-5, Sat. 10-5,
Sun. 11-4; adults $2, children (12 and under) free; demonstrations, door prizes, repairs, stone setting, gold and silver
jewelry, rough and cut gemstones, minerals, equipment;
contact Linda Harbuck, 425 Porter St., Franklin, NC 28734,
site: www.visitfranklinnc.com
17-19 KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE: Annual show;
Knoxville Gem & Mineral Society; Kerbela Temple; 315
Mimosa Ave.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $5 per day
or $8 show pass, children (under 12) free; contact Beth Willis,
3305 Fairway Rd., Knoxville, TN 37917, (865) 306-8542;
17-19VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA: Retail show;
Treasures of the Earth Inc.; Virginia Beach Convention
Center; 1000 19th St.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults
$5, students (16 and under) free with adult; 14K and sterling silver, classic, contemporary and handmade jewelry,
loose stones, beads, findings, pearls, minerals, crystals,
lapidary supplies, jewelers, wire wrappers, jewelry design
and repairs, mineral specimens, crystals, lapidary supplies, jewelers, wire wrappers, jewelry design and repairs,
rock and mineral display, lapidary demonstrations, on-site
appraisals available; contact Jane Westbrook, PO Box 59,
Gloucester Point, VA 23062, (804) 285-4281; e-mail: jane@
treasuresoftheearth.com; Web site: www.treasuresofthe
earth.com
18-19CLIO, MICHIGAN: Annual show; Flint Rock &
Gem Club; Cater Middle School; 300 Upland Dr.; Sat. 10-5,
Sun. 10-5; adults $3, students and children (6 to 12) $1.50,
Scouts in uniform free; minerals, crafters, displays, lapidary
skills, demonstrations, kids table; contact Bill Wendling, 9145
Johnston Rd., New Lothrop, MI 48460-9634, (810) 6385796; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
flintrockandgem.org
18-19COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA: Annual show;
Minnesota Mineral Club; National Guard Training and
Community Center; 8180 Belden Blvd.; Daily 10-5; adults $2,
children $1; agates, rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry,
beads, exhibits, tailgate sales, dealers, demonstrations, programs, kids corner; contact Phil Gotsch, 8063 Hayes St. NE,
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432, (763) 717-1641; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.minnesotamineralclub.org
18-19LEWISTON, IDAHO: 48th Annual Show, Gemstones, Carvings, & Jewelry From Around The World; Hells
Canyon Gem Club; Nez Perce County Fair Bldg.; 1229
Burrell Ave.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3, students free
with ID card, children (12 and under) free with adult; displays, demonstrations, dealers, rough rock, fine jewelry, Kids
Corner, rock crafts and activities, silent auction door prizes,
grand prize drawing; contact Linn Enger, (208) 746-4957;
18-19SEDONA, ARIZONA: Annual show and sale;
Sedona Gem & Mineral Club; Sedona Red Rock High School;
995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; adults
$3, children (under 12) free; indoors and outdoors, more
than 40 dealers, display room, Arizona and unusual rock and
mineral exhibits, Kids Corner, raffle, minerals, agates, gemstones, copper, jewelry, lapidary tools and supplies; contact
Bill Schwartz, (928) 821-3900; e-mail: [email protected]
18-19SO. CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA: Annual
show; Kanawah Rock & Gem Club; So. Charleston Community
Center; 601 Jefferson Rd.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $4, children (12 and under) free; gems, minerals, dealers, activities;
contact F. Minerals, (304) 657-7089; e-mail: frankowirewrap
[email protected]
24-26HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA: 12th Annual Show;
Treasures Of The Earth Gem & Jewelry Shows; Rockingham
County Fairgrounds; Commercial Exhibits Bldg., 4808 S.
Valley Pike; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 11-5; adults $4 (all 3
Rock & Gem
6/30/14 10:03 AM
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Order Toll Free (866) 929-8575

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Picks & Pans.indd 52
Thomas Heffron
Nov. 9, 1942May 21, 2014
We are sad to announce the passing of Tom Heffron, our friend and former employee,
who had retired late last year. Tom lost his recent battle with cancer and passed away at his
home in Stafford Springs, Connecticut, surrounded by his family.
Tom had a great impact on our company over the many
years he worked at Lyman (1987-2013) as President of our
Raytech Industries division. He had joined Raytech in 1974 and
later became President. Raytech joined Lyman in 1987 and
Tom stayed on to manage the Raytech business.
In his later years with the company, Tom pioneered our
overseas partnerships and personally developed many critical business relationships with our overseas suppliers. He
enjoyed this part of the business immensely; he had a natural
curiosity for finding new ventures and suppliers, which
stemmed from his earlier years as a purchasing manager.
Tom loved traveling and meeting new people. Toms word
and handshake formed many long-standing and valued
relationships for us. He came to know many of our business
partners as personal friends. Even though he had retired late last year, Tom continued to
consult for us and was still working on new projects right up until his last days. We will
miss his laughter, his guidance, and his friendship.
World Gold Supply Running Out
It stands to reason that the amount of gold in the earth is limited, but mankind may be
reaching that limit sooner than we thought. Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan of gizmodo.com,
citing a Wall Street Journal article, reported that, at the
current rate of mining, the supply will be depleted in
just two decades. New gold-deposit discoveries, the
article says, have been on the decline since 1995, and
none at all were made in 2012.
Historically, gold has been recycled, melted down
and re-worked into new ornaments, coins or other objects over the ages. Today, billions of electronic devices
use very small amounts of gold as a component. It is
impractical to recover these tiny bits of gold from millions of devices for re-use. Earths remaining gold is so fine that tremendous effort and money
must be expended in order to recover usable amounts. (www.gizmodo.com)
Lizzadro Special Exhibits
Faces of Eternity, a collection of 15 life-size skulls by Peruvian gem carver Luis Alberto
Quispe Aparicio, began on July 1 and is scheduled to run through Nov. 2, 2014. Each of the
skulls, which were inspired by the juxtaposition of human
mortality and the timelessness of gemstones, has a distinctive personality. Aparicio will give a program at the museum
in early November. Details are on the museums Web site.
Modern Designer Jewelry from the Smithsonian
features 11 pieces, circa 1960 to 2010, created by awardwinning American jewelry designers. All the pieces reside
in the National Gem Collection. The exhibit has been
extended through Sep. 28, 2014.
On Sept. 28, the presentation Jeffrey Post Presents The
Smithsonian Gem Collection will close the exhibit. Dr. Jeffrey Post, geologist and curator of gems and minerals at the
National Museum of Natural History, will present a program
on the most important and awe-inspiring gems in the Smithsonian collection. Learn about the legends and lore behind
famous gems and the variety mineral species represented. The 60-minute lecture has an
extra cost of $15 per person. Make reservations by calling (630) 833-1616.
Luis ALberto Quispe ApAricio photo
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Rock & Gem
6/30/14 12:36 PM
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specimens in varying sizes. We also feature a
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Offering Fine Designer Cabochons For Your

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Online since 1998, offering rough rock,

designer cabochons, fine agate and jasper
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The Sapphire Studio in Hamilton, Montana.

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and jewelry. From Rock Creek Deposit near
Philipsburg Montana. Also garnet gravel,
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6/27/14 3:01 PM
The
MOERAKI
BOULDERS
NIKKI RAJALA PHOTO
Unusual, Large Concretions in New Zealand
The 50 boulders on Koehohe Beach are gigantic, 60 million-year-old mudstone concretions, in which sediment is cemented together by minerals.
Story by Bill Vossler
eaving Oamaru, New Zealand, I drove on the left side of scenic Highway 1 like everybody else,
heading south. Driving on the wrong side of the road required a few split-second decisions,
often because I suddenly wanted to stop to eye the many rock structures and take pictures. Just off the narrow road to our left seals basked in the warm sun on the South Island coastline,
while white spume sprayed over them from the blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean.
54
www.rockngem.com
Moeraki Boulders.indd 54
Rock & Gem

6/27/14 12:09 PM
August 2014
Nikki Rajala Photo
William m. CoNNolley Photo/Wikimedia CommoNs
Some of the Moeraki Boulders were broken into pieces, and we could see where brown or yellow calcite, or possibly dolomite or quartz, had seeped into the center of the boulder.
This broken-open Moeraki Boulder displays a hollow interior and mineral seepage.
Bill VossleR Photo
We didnt realize that within a half hour

we were going to view something much
more marvelous just down the road on
Koehohe Beach when we pulled off to look
at the Moeraki Boulders. A trail of crushed
rock lined with a wooden handrail led
down toward the beach and the gray ocean,
filled with whitecaps. About 400 feet down
the beach, we could see boulders. Since we
knew nothing about them, they jumped out
at us because of their unusual size and generally spherical shapes, although a few are
somewhat elongated.
In my journal, I wrote, They are unlike
anything Ive ever seen, several dozen of
them, ranging in size (from 1.5 to 7 feet in
diameter.) Several clumps are visible, some
perhaps a dozen feet out in the surf, others
high and dry on the beach. They form a
gray- and black-dotted, haphazard line
open to the oceans unceasing waves.
The most striking feature of some of
the first boulders we saw was their resemblance to a chunk of dinosaur, perhaps,
with ancient, grayish-black skin. (Curiously,
other concretion boulders found 12 miles
away do have bones of ancient dinosaurera mosasaurs and plesiosaurs inside.)
The scales that make the dinosaur-skin
pattern on these Moeraki Boulder surfaces
are softball size or larger, and have all kinds
of odd shapes. The scales are delineated by
wandering lines of a vaguely yellowish material that resembles dirty putty. Other boulders
sported giant cracks in similar patterns, and
still other boulders were broken apart, making a person wonder whether some giant had
taken a huge hammer to them.
The 50 boulders on Koehohe Beach
have been variously called hooligans gallstones, giant gobstoppers, aliens brains,
bowling balls of giants, marvelously huge
marbles, or the Stonehenge of New Zealand. Sailors called them Vulcans foundry. The names serve to elucidate how unusual the boulders seem to people.
The indigenous Maori people have a
legend that explains the origin of the huge
boulders. They say that a large sailing canoe, Arai-te-uru, was returning from harvesting sweet potatoes in their ancestral
Polynesian homeland, Hawaiki. The canoe
became waterlogged and lost cargo at Koehohe Beach, where its fishing net, eel baskets, sweet potatoes, and calabash water
gourds became petrified. The canoe made
it another 30 miles to Shag Point, where it
upended and turned to stone, forming petrified shoals. The rocky promontory nearby
is said to be the petrified body of the canoes captain. There is no explanation for
why everything became supersized.
While a viewer on the beach insisted that
the boulders were volcanic in origin, geology dictates something different: that these
boulders are mudstone concretions.
Some of the boulders showed mineral-filled septa that formed a pattern that made us think of dinosaur skin.
55
6/25/14 2:01 PM
Bill Vossler Photo
The Moeraki Boulders from page 55
The weathering action of waves, rain and wind have released boulders from the cliffs near the shore, after which they rolled down onto the beach or into the booming surf.
Moerakiboulders.com says, The boulders grew in a pile of mud, some 60 million

years ago. They are called concretions,
lumps of sediment bound together by a
mineral cement. Imagine dropping a lump
of glue onto sand. The resulting clump
would be a concretion. The Web site identifies the glue in these boulders as calcite
from decomposing marine life.
According to The Moeraki Boulders: anatomy of some septarian concretions, by J.R.
Boles, C.A. Landis, and P. Dale, (Journal of
Sedimentary Petrology, Vol. 55 No. 3, Society
for Sedimentary Geology), detailed analysis
of the fine-grained rock using optical mineralogy, X-ray crystallography, and electron
microprobe found that they consist of mud,
fine silt, and clay, cemented by calcite.
Wikipedia says, The degree of cementation varies from being relatively weak within the interior of a boulder to quite hard
within its outside rim. The outside rims of
the larger boulders consist of as much as 10
to 20% calcite [which] not only tightly
cements the silt and clay but has also replaced it to a significant degree (http://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Moeraki_Boulders).
Many people think the boulders roundness was caused by tumbling in the surf,
which is how many smaller rocks become
rounded. Instead, the Moeraki Boulders are
round because they expanded evenly in
every direction during the 4 million to 5.5
million years it took them to form. Some of
the massive boulders weigh 7 tons, making
them some of the worlds largest concretions. (The term comes from the Latin con
crescere, or together to grow.)
According to an Aug. 7, 2013 article by
Sarah Griffiths posted on www.mailonline.
com, scientists know the spherical boulders
began forming in the marine mud of the
Paleocene seafloor, as testing on the boulders revealed that their magnesium and
iron content, along with stable isotopes of
oxygen and hydrogen, were identical to
those of the seafloor. The boulders grew
for millennia beneath 160 feet of marine
mud that settled over them (www.daily
mail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2385913/).
56
www.rockngem.com
Though some people actually believe

they were man-made or alien eggs, Wikipedia says, They usually form early in the
burial history of the sediment, before the
rest of the sediment is hardened into rock.
This concretionary cement often makes the
concretion harder and more resistant to
weathering than the host stratum (http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concretion).
The dirty putty that formed the meandering lines on the surfaces of the boulders was actually brown calcite, yellow
calcite, and small amounts of dolomite
and quartz. These minerals progressively
filled cracks in the boulders when the sea
level dropped. That allowed fresh groundwater to flow through the mudstone that
enclosed them.
The correct name for these big boulders
is septarian concretions. The septaria,
from the Latin septum (partition), are
the cracks or separations in these rocks.
The process that created the cracks in the
sedimentary boulders remains a mystery.
In Septarian concretions: internal cracking
caused by synsedimentary earthquakes
(Sedimentology, Vol. 48, International Association of Sedimentologists), B.R. Pratt
theorizes that a number of mechanisms
could be responsible: the expansion of gas
from decaying organic matter; fracturing or
shrinkage of the interior of the concretion
by earthquakes or the weight of compaction; or dehydration of the cores, rich in
clay, gel, or organic material.
There may be other causes that are yet
unknown. What is known is that septaria
usually contain crystals of minerals that precipitated out of circulating solutions, most
often calcite, as in the case of the Moeraki
Boulders. Also, on rare occasions, these formations contain late-stage quartz and ferrous dolomite (Isotopic evidence for origin
of the Moeraki septarian concretions, New
Zealand, G.D. Thyne and J.R. Boles, Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, Vol. 59, No.
2, Society for Sedimentary Geology). The
outsides of these concretions are generally
harder than the interiors. The boulders can
also be hollow.
People sometimes mix up the terms

concretions and nodules. Wikipedia
says the difference is that Concretions are
formed from mineral precipitation around
some kind of nucleus while a nodule is a
replacement body (http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Concretion).
Some of the concretions, which appear
to be giant marbles left by giants, are partly
covered by kelp and seaweed. The relentless pounding of the oceans waves and the
weathering action of rain and wind have
released many of these boulders from the
cliffs near the shore, after which they rolled
down onto the beach or into the booming surf. The concretions are harder than
the surrounding mudstone, so they remain
when the mudstone is eroded.
Some boulders can be seen sticking halfway out of the cliffs, waiting for the next
storm or large series of waves to free them.
A viewing platform gives a good view of
Moeraki Boulders in various stages of
weatheringcomplete, cracked open, and
in pieceson Koehohe Beach. Unfortunately, some people cannot resist defacing the
Moeraki Boulders, carving their initials and
names in some of the largest ones.
Moerakiboulders.com describes the days
in which the boulders were more plenteous, and how their numbers were diminished by visitors taking home souvenirs.
One very large boulder that was taken to a
museum began to break up in the dry environment. In 1971, designation as a scientific
reserve gave the beach and the boulders
legal protection.
Somehow, we missed hearing or reading
about two other sites with giant septarian
boulders in New Zealand. The Koutu Boulders are found in a similar situation as the
Moeraki Boulders: beneath the water, in
the cliffs, and on the beaches of Hokianga
Harbour, North Island, between Koutu and
Kauwhare points. These spherical giants
can be up to 10 feet in diameter.
A YouTube video of the Koutu boulders
shows them to be just large, black boulders, indistinguishable from other large
boulders. They are generally of a uniform
Rock & Gem

6/25/14 2:02 PM
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0814 Shopper single pg.indd 57
6/26/14 4:37 PM
BILL VOSSLER PHOTO
MOERAKI from page 56
From atop the observation deck on Koehohe Beach, the

Moeraki Boulders are visible in the distance.
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itravelnz.com).
About a dozen miles south of the Moeraki Boulders lie the Katiki Boulders, on the
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The Katiki Boulders are more numerous
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NIKKI RAJALA PHOTO
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This Moeraki Boulder is becoming exposed by the combined action of wind, rain and waves.
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bered, with identification, location etc. Some www.vibratollc.com. Fast, Strong, Reliable.
Honduran, Nicaraguan, Louisiana OPALS.
classic locations: Tilly Foster Mine, Old Vibrato,LLC is an American maker corporaLarimar, Peruimar, Blue Amber and other
Sterling Mine, etc. $39.95 each kit (includes tion.
GK14
unique minerals. Call, email, or write; 985shipping). Bill Cotrofeld, PO Box 235, E. ARBOR SHAFT AND VICE REPAIRS
790-0861, [email protected], 253
Arlington, VT 05252, 802-375-6782 DH14
Send your worn part, we return to factory
Southlake Road, Saratoga, Arkansas 71859
specs. CigarBoxRock.com Tim, 63160 Nels
1950s-60s vintage mineral collections
USA. Facebook: Jerry Anja Mullin
BA15
Anderson Road, Bend, Oregon. USA 541-280in old wooden display boxes. Many different
5574
AL14 l i g h t n i n g R i d g e , C o o b e r P e d y ,
selections. Send for a free description list
Andamooka, Mintabie, Mexican. Were the
lAPIDARY SUPPlIES
and photos. Bill Cotrofeld, PO Box 235, E.
largest and most consistent Opal suppliers
Arlington, VT 05252
Colorado Springs. Ackleys carries an
in the industry. Free Catalog. KNIGHTS, Box
Rock Shop liquidation, 45 years accumuextensive line of lapidary and silver411, Waitsfield, VT 05673. (802) 496-3707.
lation, 28 tons, quality petrified wood, bone,
smithing supplies, rough rock and mineral
XX14
variscite, tiffany, jade, red horn coral, agates,
specimens. Also jewelry findings, such as
PROSPECTING
jaspers, fossils, equipment, Terry @ 801French earwires, beads, chains and mount707-2809, [email protected], detailed
ings. ACKLEYS, 3230 N. Stone, Colorado Crystal Grove, Diamond Mine &
inventory list.
HI14
Springs, CO 80907.
HI14
Campground. Hunt for Herkimer dia-
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monds in beautiful upstate New York
Camp next door. Open mid-April through
October, 800-579-3426. www.crystalgrove.
com [email protected]
DI14
ROCK SHOPS
Ely, MN: Beads, Findings, Wire Wrapping,
Cabs, Jewelry, Gifts, Equipment, Tools,
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Loonys, 16 W. Sheridan, Ely, MN 55731;
[email protected]; 775-781-2047
DI14
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material: Tampa Bay Coral rough. Ancient
Artifacts & Treasures, 1999 W. Fairbanks
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www.mcintosh55.com
KJ14
St. George, Ontario, Canada. Ontarios

premier showroom for rocks, minerals,
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findings, settings, glue on Beaver Tail bails,
Slip-on Bails, and unique toggles. Robert
Hall Originals. 138 Sugar Maple Road, St.
George, Ontario, Canada, N0E 1N0. www.
roberthalloriginals.com
AF14
Herbs lapidary Shop Route 1, Box

29, South 81 Hwy., Comanche, OK 73529.
Southwest Oklahomas largest! Tons of
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product. Wednesday through Saturday, 9
a.m. to 6 p.m. (580) 439-4186 or (580)
439-5347.
CB15
Indianapolis Area (lawrence). Findings,

supplies, minerals, fossils, equipment,
rough and finished stones. No list. JOX
ROX, 4825 N. Franklin Road, Indianapolis,
IN 46226. Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.,
Monday through Saturday. (317) 5428855.
AL14
Vermont BCA Minerals. East Arlington

Antique Center, East Arlington Rd., in the
picturesque Village of East Arlington, VT.
Open 7 days, 10 am - 5 pm. 802 3756144.
IL14
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481-9981.
BG14
Montrose, Colorado. That-Little-Shop,

world wide selection of Minerals & Fossils,
full line bead shop and gift shop. Closed
Mondays. Call for hours (970) 240-8527. 2
miles south of Montrose, 17656 Hwy 550,
Montrose, Colorado 81403
AF15
Philadelphia/Delaware Valley. Come
See The Largest Complete Rock Shop
in the East. Gems, Minerals, Fossils,
Equipment, Meteorites, Artifacts, Gifts,
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GARDEN. Sawmill Village Center, Route
60
R&G Classified Aug14.indd 60
6/27/14 11:47 AM
CLASSIFIED
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70 (1 mile west of I-295), Cherry Hill, NJ

08034-O2412. (856) 795-5077. Visit us at:
garysgemgarden.com
AL14
sils, jewelry and unique gifts. The Rock
Exeter, New Hampshire: Santerres
to the Rock Depot with lapidary materials &
Stones n Stuff. Minerals, fossils, cabbing

and faceting rough, carvings, beads, bead
supplies, gemstones, jewelry, and gifts. 42
Water St., Exeter, NH 03833, (603) 7739393 www.SanterresStones.com
BA15
Marbleton, WY Rock & Gift Shop with
Yard has mounds of rock lining a path with

boulders, decorator & natural-scrape pieces
equipment, tools plus cutting, drilling and
polishing services. Open 7 days; 4103 North
IH35 (between 38 1/2 & Airport) 512-4725015; Rock Depot (Lapidary) 512-833-7760
NTROCKS.COM
AL14
jewelry unique wire-wrapped pendants, Idaho, Willow Creek Jasper Rough.

specimens, rough rocks, slabs, cabs, beads.
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614 E. 3rd., (307) 276-5208.
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more info, write LARRYS ROCK & GEMS,
Austin, Texas: Natures Treasures

14,000 sq. ft., campus includes a retail
5810 S. Bogart Lane, Boise, ID 83714.
CLASSIFIED
RouGH foR CAbbING
SERVICES. We cut huge material from
Arizona Red Jasper for sale. See October

2012 Rock & Gem Magazine story; Big Red
Rough $6.00 lb. Call Chuck (928) 7927599
AL14
12 ft. wide. Located in Oregon, USA, Tel;

541-969-9667. Contact e-mail: dan@
alpinebouldercompany.com
AL14
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RouGH foR fACETING

free Catalog. The largest and most competi-
Treating Sapphires & Faceting Gems.
Email: [email protected] Visit http://

tive selection facet or cabochon rough in the
www.gemcuttingservice.com
FE15
industry. The Source. KNIGHTS HOUSE
OF FINE GEMS, Box 411, Waitsfield, VT
WANTED
05673. (802) 496-3707. E-mail: knights@
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paid
for
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XX14
minerals, Cutting Rough or finish material &
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Now you can reach Thousands of Readers

Worldwide who want to buy and Sell.
1.
Write Your Ad in your email message, or

on a separate piece of paper, print or type your ad with
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61
R&G Classified Aug14.indd 61
6/27/14 3:04 PM
Index to Advertisers
Amateur Geologist ...................................................36
Arrowhead Lapidary & Supply .................................52
Au-Rus Wax Patterns...............................................57
BCA Minerals ...........................................................57
Barranca Diamond ...................................................25
Belt, Inc....................................................................53
John Betts Fine Minerals ....................................27
Broll Tools ...............................................................37
CarTop Camper ........................................................57
Celestial Earth Minerals ...........................................31
Copper Agates .........................................................57
Covington Engineering .......................................31, 59
Crystal Cave .............................................................57
Crystal Grove ...........................................................53
Crystal Moon Gallery ...............................................57
Denver Fine Mineral Show .........................................7
Denver Gem & Mineral Show ..................................11
Diamond Pacific Tool Corp. .....................................C4
Easy Clean, LLC .......................................................53
Easy Steps Video .....................................................52
Bill Egleston .............................................................37
Eloxite Corp. ............................................................23
Facet Shoppe ...........................................................50
Fire Mountain Gems...................................................9
Dick Friesen .............................................................37
The Frugal Collector ...........................................49, 62
John E. Garsow Gems & Minerals ...........................37
Gem & Lapidary Wholesalers, Inc. ..........................10
Gem Center USA Inc. ...............................................36
Gem Faire, Inc..........................................................16
Gem Miners Jubilee ................................................59
The Gem Shop .........................................................53
Gemological Institute of America .............................53
Geological Wonders .................................................53
Geode Gallery...........................................................53
Gilmans ...................................................................50
Graves Co. ...............................................................58
GreatSouth ...............................................................53
High Desert Lapidary ...............................................53
Highland Park Lapidary, Co. ....................................27
William Holland School of Lapidary Arts .................58
Hughes Associates...................................................26
Indian Jeweler Supply ..............................................C3
JS Gems Lapidary ....................................................43
Jarvi Tool Co. ...........................................................63
Jesco Products ........................................................48
Johnson Brothers ....................................................31
Kingsley North, Inc. .......................................3, 33, 42
Knights....................................................................57
Kristalle ..............................................................23, 53
Lasco Diamond Products.........................................49
Lehigh Mineral Auction ............................................53
Lortone, Inc. ............................................................17
MarZee Lapidary Tutorial DVDs ...............................57
The Mineral Gallery ............................................53, 57
Mineralab .................................................................63
ROCK & GEM
Customer Service
TO ORDER A SUBSCRIPTION: For faster service, subscribe online using our secure server at www.rockngem.com, or
send a check or money order for $27.95 for 12 monthly issues
to Rock & Gem, P.O. Box 461137, Escondido, CA 92026-9800.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE PAID FOR YOUR
SUBSCRIPTION BUT STILL RECEIVE A BILL: The
check and the invoice may have crossed in the mail. You can
check your order online at www.rockngem.com. It may take
Minerals Unlimited ...................................................36
up to four weeks to process your check, so if you wrote the
Miners Gems ...........................................................36
check less than four weeks ago, disregard the bill you received.
Miners Keepers .......................................................63
If you paid for your subscription more than four weeks before
Minertown................................................................53
you received another bill, send a copy of your cancelled check
Minnesota Lapidary Supply Corp. ......................24, 50
along with your bill to Rock & Gem, P.O. Box 461137, Escondido,
New Era Gems .........................................................32
CA 92026-9800.
Optima Gem .......................................................37, 53
TO SOLVE A SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEM: You can
Phoenix Orion ..........................................................53
check the status of your subscription online at www.rockngem.
Pioneer Gem Corp. ..................................................32
com. Remember, it may take up to eight weeks to change an
Polaris Tool & Machine ...........................................42
address and 6-8 weeks to start a new subscription. Please give
PrettyRock.com .......................................................53
us time to get your magazine to you, and if it still doesnt arrive,
Raytech Industries ...................................................43
please e-mail us at [email protected] or call 1-760-
Red Sky Gems .........................................................53
291-1549. If you receive a damaged copy, please email us, and
Blaine Reed ..............................................................57
we will send you a replacement copy.
Research Unlimited ..................................................57
RENEWALS: It can take up to 6-8 weeks to process your
Rio Grande ...............................................................15
renewal, so dont wait! Renew early so you dont miss an issue.
R.O.C.K. ...................................................................59
You can renew online at www.rockngem.com using the Inet
Rockaway Opals.......................................................53
Rocks and Minerals .................................................53
Samson Gems & Investment Co, LTD .....................57
Sapphire Mining.......................................................53
Shipwreck Beads .....................................................49
South Pacific Wholesale Co. ....................................33
Joseph Stachura Co, Inc. .........................................24
Superior Agates .......................................................57
Sylmar Displays .......................................................48
Tagit .........................................................................58
number listed on the address label of your magazine, or just

return the renewal form with your check or money order. Please
do not send cash! If you renew your subscription before your
expiration date, well add on the new issues at the beginning
of your expiration issue. You wont lose any issues by renewing
early, and youll guarantee you wont miss any!
TO GET ANOTHER COPY OF THE ISSUE: Additional
copies are available at the newsstand, or you may order them
online at www.rockngem.com.
BACK ISSUES: Back issues are available online at www.
Topaz Mountain Adventures ....................................57
rockngem.com.
Tru-Square Metal Products ......................................25
MOVING? You can change your address online at www.
U.S. Geological Supply ............................................27
rockngem.com using the Inet number listed on your magazine
Ultra Tec ..................................................................C2

UV Tools ............................................................42, 57
The Universe Collection ...........................................48
The Village Smithy Opals, Inc. .................................17
VR Gem Cutters .......................................................26
label, or call 1-760-291-1549. It can take 6-8 weeks to get an

address change processed, so make sure you contact your local
post office and ask them to forward all of your mail.
HOW TO PLACE AN AD IN Rock & Gem: Please contact Brian Roberts via email at [email protected] or call
Whittmore Durgin Glass Co. ....................................32
him at 623-327-3525.
Woodies Rock Shop ................................................53
HOW TO SELL Rock & Gem IN YOUR STORE: Please
Martin Zinn Expositions, LLC .....................................5
contact Tim Yoder at [email protected] or (972) 448-9003.

VISIT US AT www.rockngem.com.
62
R&G ad index Aug14.indd 62
6/27/14 3:25 PM

OCTOBER 2014
days), children (under 16) free; beads, pearls, gemstones,
wire wrapping, wire sculpture, silversmiths and goldsmiths,
custom work and repairs while you wait, door prizes,
classes available; contact Van Wimmer, Show Director, 5273
Bradshaw Rd., Salem, VA 24153, (540) 384-6047; e-mail:
[email protected]; Web site: www.toteshows.com
24-26SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA: Wholesale and
retail show; Gem Faire Inc.; Sonoma County Fairgrounds;
1350 Bennett Valley Rd.; Fri. 12-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5;
adults $7, children (ages 0-11) free; fine jewelry, gems,
beads, crystals, gold and silver, minerals, exhibitors, jewelry repair while you shop, hourly door prizes; contact Yooy
Nelson, (503) 252-8300; e-mail: [email protected]; Web
site: www.gemfaire.com
Mineral and GeM id Tools
Mineral Search
Software v4
25-26CANBY, OREGON: 50th Annual Show; Clackamette

Mineral & Gem Club; Clackamas County Fairgrounds; 694
NE 4th Ave.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; free admission; Kids Corner,
silent auction, magazine and rock slab sales, bargain rock,
fluorescent show, demonstrations, raffle, door prizes, dealers; contact Beth Heesacker, 4145 NW Heesacker Rd.,
Forest Grove, OR 97116; e-mail: [email protected]
25-26CAYUCOS, CALIFORNIA: 13th Annual Autumn
Cayucos Gem, Mineral, Fossil, & Jewelry Show; San Luis
Obispo Gem & Mineral Club; Cayucos Vets Hall; 10 Cayucos
Dr.; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; free door prize, free
drawing, 13 dealers, gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry, jade,
crystals, meteorites, beads, lapidary and jewelry-making
supplies; contact Kim Noyes, (805) 610-0603; e-mail: kim
[email protected]; Web site: http://slogem.org/
Hardness
Picks
(800) 749-3766 (928) 442-1155

www.mineralab.com
Metal points
Mohs 2 thru
9 with Streak
Plate, Magnet,
Wood case.
Excellent Gift!
MC/VISA/Amex/Disc Add $10.00 S&H
Gem Tester
Colored Stone
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CD for Win XP
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w/photos
Identify/Catalog.
$69
Gem-n-Eye Digital
Refractometer
25BIGLERVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA: Swap & Sale;

Central Penn Rock and Mineral Club, Franklin County Rock
and Mineral Club; South Mountain Fairgrounds; 615 Narrows
Rd.; Sat. 8-3; adults $1, students and children free; swap
and sell, covered outdoor pavilion; contact Tom Smith, 10
Roger Ave., Shippensburg, PA 17257, (717) 552-6554; e-mail:
[email protected]
25FAIRLESS HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA: 25th Annual
Ultraviolation Show; Rock & Mineral Club of Lower Bucks
County, PA; First United Methodist Church; 840 Trenton Rd.;
Sat. 9-5; adults and students $2, children free; fluorescent
minerals only; contact Chuck OLoughlin, 130 Maple Terrace,
Merchantville, NJ 08109, (856) 663-1383; e-mail: ultraviola
[email protected]
Mineralab
2860 W. Live Oak Dr. G, Prescott, AZ 86305
Measure RI
to 2.700.
Accurate to .01
Easy to read
No toxic fluid.
$395
$79
$219
Geiger Counter
Detect radioactive rocks

and minerals. Meter/
audio clicks to 50 mR/
hr. $279
Raytector 5-2
UV Lamp
Portable Combo SW LW,

Rechargeable, two 6 watt
bulbs, w/
110V adapter. $289
Specific Gravity Kit
For your Electronic Scale

Measures Specific Gravity of
Gems and
Minerals.
Specify version either
for Bench
Scale or
Pocket Carat
Scale.Easy to
use! $79
Our company has four Facetrons. It is the only machine we would consider. None have ever broken down.
Chris Thompson, Forrestville, CA
The Facetron is the best investment I have ever made in
an electro-mechanical device.
Calvin J. Cotrell, Haines City, FL
25-26CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO: Show and sale; Akron

Mineral Society, Summit Lapidary Club; Emidio & Sons Expo
Center; 48 E. Bath Rd.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5, seniors
and students $4, children (under 6) and Scout in uniform free;
30 dealers, geodes, minerals, jewelry, beads and findings,
slab material, lapidary equipment, silversmith work, gold
findings, childrens activities, gem tree making, gem mine,
kaleidoscope, treasure hunt, demonstrations, gem ID, wire
wrapping, gem trees, cutting and polishing stones, faceting,
displays, Ohio flint, member projects, Geo Juniors displays,
silent auction, door prizes; contact Joyce Kish, 3014 Clarkmill
Rd., Norton, OH 44203, (330) 753-7081; e-mail: gemboree@
outlook.com; Web site: www.LapidaryClubofOhio.org
25-26FREEPORT, NEW YORK: Show and sale; Freeport
Recreation and Parks Department; Freeport Recreation
Center; 130 E. Merrick Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5; adults
$5.50, children (12 and under) free; dealers, minerals, gems,
jewelry, fossils, beads, goldsmith, silversmith, meteorites,
prehistoric fossils, hand-crafted gold and silver jewelry;
contact Ralph Gose, POBox 1418, Melville, NY 11747, (631)
271-8411; e-mail: [email protected];
Web site: kaleidoscopegemshows.com
25-26GURNEE, ILLINOIS: Show and sale; Lake County
Gem & Mineral Club; Gurnee Holiday Inn; 6161 W. Grand
Ave.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4; free admission; door prizes, dealers, silver jewelry, opals, gemstones, jewelry, wire wrapping
demonstrations, geode cutting, fossils, minerals, quartz crystals, faceted stones, beads, custom jewelry and cabochons;
contact Gere Bunnell, (847) 336-1270; e-mail: gere@cgbun
nell.com; Web site: www.wrapnrockgems.com
25-26JACKSONVILLE, ARKANSAS: Wholesale and
retail show; The Bead Market; Jacksonvile Community
Center; 5 Municipal Dr.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission;
gemstones, vintage, glass and lampwork beads, pearls,
books, tools, jewelry; contact Rebekah Wills, (903) 7343335; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.
thebeadmarket.net
For more Show Dates, go to

www.rockngem.com.
August 2014
Show Dates.indd 63
63
6/30/14 10:03 AM
by Bob Jones
n the
Rocks
Pegmatite Minerals and the East Coast Show
Smale collection
dening continental crust. You can

ave you ever wondered why
imagine how the collision of conthe best and most productinental masses would create faults
tive gem pegmatite deposits of
and cracks. These give the molten
America are located along the
basaltic rock an escape route, and
perimeters of the continent? The
it surges toward the earths surface,
pegmatite deposits of Southern
bursting forth as volcanoes.
California are almost within sight
Looking at a map of the Western
of the Pacific Ocean! Maine, New
United States, youll see clear eviHampshire, and Connecticut all
dence of this in the form of the Casboast pegmatite deposits that have
cade Mountains, which rose along
been, at times, very productive of
the subduction zone from deep
fine gem minerals. And they are
under the crust. The water and diswithin a crows flight of the Atlantic Ocean. Farther south are The pegmatite deposits of Pakistan produce marvelous bicolor elbaite solved gases in these molten masses
are under extreme pressure, and
the pegmatites of North Carolina, tourmalines enclosed by albite feldspar.
this provides the explosive force we
again, not all that far from the Atlantic Ocean. All these deposits have one subcontinent of India moved into the Asian sometimes see in an erupting volcano such
crustal plate. This caused the Asian plate to as Mount St. Helens!
thing in common: continental drift!
As the subduction process continues,
Folks on the East Coast have a fine op- crumple and rise. Its hard to believe the
portunity to enjoy those California pegma- rock formations atop Mount Everest are the molten rock, which is an interesting
tite minerals next month. Aug. 8-10, the actually composed of fossilized limestone mixture of dozens of elements and comEast Coast Gem and Mineral Show at the that originally formed on an ancient ocean pounds, gets trapped under and within the
Big E in West Springfield will be featuring floor. In the southern part of this great crust. It ends up miles down, heavily inCalifornia mineral collections, which in- mountain range, in Afghanistan and Paki- sulated by the overlying continental crust.
clude some of those marvelous pegmatite stan, are pegmatite deposits that were, in As a result, it can only lose heat extremely
slowly. This allows the minerals in the molgems. For the first time in decades, I will the distant past, near an ocean.
As continental plates move, they slide ten rock to crystallize.
not be giving talks at this show, and Ill miss
We have never observed this cooling
over the heavier basaltic rock of the ocean
being there.
As we now know, the continents are floor. This causes the ocean floor basalts process, but we certainly see the results
made up of the lighter feldspar and quartz to sink in a process called subduction. The on the earths surface. As the magma mass
granites and related rocks. As difficult as it heavier basaltic rock, carrying its seafloor cools slowly over millions of years, molis to believe, we know the continents float sediments accumulated over millions of ecules move out of solution and begin to
on denser ocean floor rock made up of years, bends downward and slides under form discrete crystals. The longer the cooling takes, the more mineral molecules beheavier, denser dark rock. These rocks are the lighter, rafting continents.
As this happens, the edges of the con- come attracted to each other and the larger
composed mainly of basalt, a heavy rock
that comes to the earths surface through tinents crumple and rise, slowly building the crystals grow. The magma eventually
volcanic eruptions. The forces that move mountain ranges. This explains why we see hardens into solid rock with recognizable
continents are deep, upwelling magmatic high mountain ranges along our west coasts mineral grains.
Crustal movement and erosion eventumovements within the earth, molten ma- of North America and South America. It
also explains why some of those mountains ally expose huge masses of this rock in the
terial surging and pushing.
The continents move at a creep, seldom are rife with fine mineral deposits, includ- form of mountains. Because feldspar and
more than an inch a year. But the move- ing pegmatites. What is important to keep quartz tend to crystallize out early, they are
ment is inexorable, and over eons of time in mind is that this subducted material is the more common minerals in what ulticontinents have drifted, collided and drift- loaded with water, which is essential during mately becomes granite. These two very
common, light minerals are the main coned some more. Such massive collisions are the formation of pegmatite deposits.
As the ocean floor slowly subducts under stituents of granite, with lesser amounts of
what create entire mountain ranges along
the continent, the intense pressure creates other minerals, like mica, also present.
continental borders.
Not every mineral crystallizes at the same
Think of the earths highest mountain enough heat to melt the rock. Under greater
range, the Himalayas. We now know they and greater pressure, this now-molten rock time; each has a temperature range in which
were uplifted from the seafloor when the will seek any weak spots in the overbur- it precipitates out of solution. Elements like
64
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6/24/14 3:09 PM
Groben collection
stan are particularly noted for their

lithium, fluorine, beryllium, manstability, producing fine matrix
ganese, sodium, phosphorous and
specimens with everything intact.
iron will remain in solution until
Some of the Southern California
the final stages of crystallization. It
pegmatites, however, are noted
is these critically important amounts
for the destructive events that disof the remaining elements and
lodged their crystals.
compounds that end up in a very
Several decades ago, my son
hot watery fluid solution continually being concentrated and trapped Pink to violet lepidolite, a colorful mica mineral that is found in pegmatites, Evan Jones and I were invited to
mine a gem pocket in the Himalaya
under pressure.
contains the uncommon metal lithium.
mine, near Pala, California. The
As the entire granitic mass slowly
Within the tourmaline group, iron can vein we worked was a 3-foot-wide, white
moves toward the surface, the remaining
mineral-rich watery solution, which is under give elbaite a nice green color. Complex streak of quartz and feldspar in gray norite
heavy pressure, wants to escape. When it fi- electron actions among iron, manganese rock. When we got to an exposed pocket
nally finds a fault or weakened contact zone and titanium in tourmaline crystals can im- we could see fragments of elbaite crystals
in the crust, the pressure is great enough to part red or yellow colors. How large these embedded in yellowish clay that filled the
inject the entire remaining fluid solution crystals develop only depends on the quan- pocket. The perimeter of the pocket was
into the available space. When the very hot tity of elements that are available in the lined with quartz crystals, but all the elbasolutions come into contact with host rock, solution. Growth continues until the neces- itesand there were plenty of themwere
broken away from the pocket walls and lay
some of that rock may also dissolve and sary ingredients are depleted.
Once a pegmatite is in place, youd think in fragments in the clay. There were no inbecome part of the solution. This rich fluid
is injected into host rocks, and as it slowly things would settle down. But crustal move- tact elbaite crystals, only crystal sections.
Digging the crystals out of the clay was
cools, crystallization takes place. This kind ment can split open a pocket, allowing hot,
of action forms pegmatite veins, injects gold watery solutions to enter. These sometimes relatively easy. Evan worked side by side
into host rocks, and creates a wide variety of attack the existing crystals and etch them or with a very famous pegmatite expert, Ralph
Potter, to dig out the pocket. Ralph was a
even dissolve them away!
other types of mineral deposits.
One of the most interesting events that noted authority on California pegmatites
Once this remaining solution finds its
way into a fault, it begins to lose heat. The can happen to a pegmatite pocket is a before he passed away. The results of their
two-hour dig were impressive. Evan
remaining feldspar and quartz molfilled two 5-gallon buckets with elecules crystallize, developing large,
baite crystals.
interlocking, crystalline forms that
If you attend the East Coast
later will be called graphite granShow, youll really enjoy the Caliite by scientists. The incomplete
fornia minerals, including pegmatite
quartz crystals embedded in the
minerals and fine benitoites and
feldspar look something like odd
neptunites from the famous Gem
writing symbols, hence the graphic
Mine in the San Benito Mountains.
designation. With the mineral-rich
For an admission fee of only $6,
solution slowly cooling in a selfyou can see at least eight of the best
contained setting, the stage is set for
West Coast private collections and
gem crystal pocket growth.
enjoy doing business with a host of
Several elements play a major
mineral dealers
role in the development of gem
The icing on this cake is a clutch
crystals. They usually include lithof excellent speakers who will cover
ium, calcium, fluorine, beryllium
a range of mineral-related topics.
and iron. Along with aluminum
and silicon, these ingredients form Ralph Potter and Evan Jones worked side by side to dig out a pocket of Ive heard several of them in the
past and learned a lot from each
the beryl and tourmaline families of elbaite tourmalines in the Himalaya mine in Southern California.
one. Also, be sure to check out Fred
minerals. Some of the elements still
in solution become ingredients for other pocket eruption. The original watery solu- Wildas marvelous watercolor mineral drawspecies, like chrysoberyl, fluorapatite, cas- tion is under pressure and hot, and as min- ings, which have been featured in books,
siterite, spodumene, topaz, and an assort- erals crystallize, the remaining solution gets on show posters, and even on wine labels.
ment of other, uncommon species. Some hotter and pressure builds. As long as the Thats a treat worth seeing. Put Aug. 8-10 on
of the species trapped in this mix also act walls of the pegmatite pocket are thick and your calendar and visit the biggest and best
as chromophores, elements that impart a sturdy, the pressure is contained. If there is mineral show in the East this summer.
lovely color to otherwise colorless minerals. a weak spot, however, the pocket erupts.
This is very important in the beryl and tour- Water in the solution flashes into steam, Bob Jones holds the Carnegie Min
which has the explosive force of dynamite, eralogical Award, is a member of the
maline families.
Members of the beryl family are distin- enough to literally tear any free-standing Rockhound Hall of Fame,
guished by color. A beryl without color beryl or tourmaline crystals from the wall and has been writing
is called goshenite. When iron acts as a of the pocket. Some crystals break into sec- for Rock & Gem since its
chromophore, the gem is blue aquama- tions. Others simply land unscathed in the inception. He lectures
about minerals, and has
rine or green beryl. Manganese is the clay debris of the pocket.
Not all pegmatite pockets explode. The written several books
chromophore that colors morganite a
pegmatite pockets of Afghanistan and Paki- and video scripts.
lovely pink.
August 2014
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6/24/14 3:10 PM
ARTING SHOT
Minerals & Jewelry
Copper, Epidote, Prehnite Cabochon

Self-collected material from mine tailings in the
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan
BoB Wright caBochon and photo
FaceBook/BoB Wright
66
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6/24/14 3:08 PM
67
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DIAMOND PACIFIC
TO O L C O R P O R AT I O N
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What are some of the tools mentioned for rock collecting?

What are some of the tools mentioned for rock collecting?

What is a pegmatite pocket?

What is a pegmatite pocket?

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