The Bitterroot Conglomerate
Newsletter of the Bitterroot Gem & Mineral Society
Vol. XXVI issue 4
Presidents Column
For April 2007 Newsletter
My observation regarding Quartzite - is unbelievable in the middle of the desert. Rocks, wind and more rocks, motor homes, trailers and more trailers. It's amazing where the U.S. recreational dollars go.
As President of our local club I have to recommend going to Quartzite at least once. But.. ."Let the buyer beware", lots of rocks have been dyed. Having said that I still felt there were lots of good deals but caution should be the BY WORD. I did buy some raw material and I feel good about it, i.e. African tiger eye, moukaite, and some jasper from Australia.
I want you to know my wife and I shopped till we dropped - so be in shape for a lot of walking. Some friends of ours recommended we stay in the town of Brenda (14 miles away). We stayed at the Gold Rush RV camp. It was exceptionally clean, $25.00 per night, and had entertainment.
Next winter we plan to go to Australia but we hope to go to Tucson Show & Quartzite the following year
Hay is in the barn"
Just a little saying we used when I coached football. We would work just as hard in the off season as during the season. Review films of our opponents, trying to find weaknesses in their defense and also how our defense could stop their offense. During that time we had to make sure the players were getting good grades and doing weight training for strength. Then the season would come and we had to get the players ready for contact without getting injuries. The lull before the game. That's when everything is done and we say the "hay is in the barn", and that's how I feel about our Gem and Mineral Show. We voted to have the show, picked a chairman, organized sub-committee, picked a site, checked liability, sold ads, and now it's the lull before the show. The hay is in the barn and we are ready.
See you all there, Larry Jones
Editors Notes
Look at all of those businesses that are sponsoring our Show. Please consider using their services when in need. With the funds they are providing for advertising our Show will be a big success.
It has been brought to my attention that our long time member, Bill Morrell, lost his wife, Myrtle, very suddenly. This is a tremendous loss for Bill as he depended on her for so many things. Our most sincere condolences to Bill.
Mark your calendar for the Butte Show Aug. 3-5. I plan to attend this 67th Annual NFMS Show in Butte.
We need all the help we can get to run the Gem & Mineral Show the 28th & 29th.
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Minutes of the Bitterroot Gem and Mineral Society March 27, 2007
Show Meeting: The BGMS April 28-29 Show status meeting began at 6:30 pm chaired by BGMS president Larry Jones and show chairperson Margaret Sharp. Margaret said that security for the show would cost $525.00 for two days, and would be performed by a Hamilton Policeman on their days off from official work. The policeman will not be armed.
Margaret said that she has thank-you letters prepared for ad buyers, and each envelope will include two free tickets for the show. Margaret said that she has 43 ads at this time and will continue to take ads until April 10, 2007. Larry Jones will read the names of ad buyers at the regular BGMS business meeting so ad buyers will not be approached a second time. Larry said that only 5 members have been selling ads so far and invites others to participate. Ads are $25.00 for business card size and $75.00 for a half page. Our top ad sellers so far have been junior members, Willy & Mylea Ponder. The ads will be placed in a show program flyer, and everyone attending the show will receive a program flyer.
Margaret said that we have eleven dealers signed up for the show. Margaret is talking to the city to get permission to put up show notices on reader boards throughout the city. Dianne Ayers is coordinating the placement of ads on reader boards and other sites. Steve Vieth has had some notices up for three weeks now and will be putting up many more. Harvey Sharp has also put up several show notices. Show flyers have been sent to all the surrounding towns.
Margaret said that for show demonstrations we will have cabochon making (cabbing), flint knapping, and wire wrapping. Larry Jones said that Gem Mountain will have a $50,000 sapphire display. Gem Mountain will also supply us with bags of sapphire salted gravel at $1.00 per bag, and we will sell them for $2.00 per bag at the show. People who buy these bags will sort through them at home. The BGMS club will have cloth grab bags stuffed with tumbled stones, fossil, etc, for $1.00 per bag. Steve Vieth will have a silent auction table and still needs more rock, mineral and fossil material for the auction. Cycle time will probably be 15 minutes. If the material is expensive, we will set a minimum bid amount on the item. Material will be reviewed for identification and minimum bid by Wayne Farley and others on Friday, during set up. All money from the silent auction will go to the BGMS club. We will also have a garnet table with gravel salted with garnets. Sifting for garnets will take place at the show.
Margaret has a list of members on show committees and those members will get free passes to the show. Members who do not work at the show will have to buy show tickets. Tickets are two dollars each, and kids under ten get in free.
Jo Farley, who is in charge of standard cases, said that we will have six or seven standard show cases for display on the center stage. There will be no competitive cases, but cases will be judged by the public for best of show. Harvey Sharp said that the stage is 13 x 15 feet, and big enough for twelve cases. Wayne and Daniel Farley will have two black light cases in a dark room, one floor model and one standard table model.
Set up for the show will start at 2:00 pm on Friday, April 27. The Pot-Luck will start at 5:30 pm on Friday. The BGMS club will furnish two hams. Other food will be furnished by BGMS members.
The next show meeting will be April 10 at the Corvallis Church, one half hour before our regular club meeting at 7:30 pm.
Program: The program started at 7:35 after opening the 7:30 meeting with a pledge to the USA flag. The program was presented by Don Tibbs. Don took the attendance list and asked each member present what he/she would like to know more about in our rockhounding hobby. This information will be used for planning future programs.
Don then talked about tumbling rocks with rotating and vibrating units. He said that with the rotating unit, one must go through three stages of tumbling using first coarse carborundum grit, then a medium grit, and finally a fine grit. Each tumbling stage is done for about ten days. The same sequence is none with the vibrating tumbler, but for only haft of the time for each stage. Thorough washing of the stones and tumbling bowl or jar is done after each stage. After the three stages of grit sanding above, the stones are tumbled with polishing rouge, preferably in a separate bowl or jar. Always tumble stone with appreciably the same hardness. Fragile stone may have to be tumbled with plastic pellets. Grit and plastic pellets may be obtained in Missoula at Michaels, located at third and Russell.
Business Meeting: The business meeting, chaired by BGMS President Larry Jones, started at 8:50 pm with a reading of the treasurers report by Betty Hodge.
- Margaret Sharp gave report on BGMS April 28-29 Show preparedness.
- Mineral coloring books will be on sale at show for $1.50 each.
- We need more member help for show activities.
- Steve Vieth needs more rocks, mineral & fossils for silent auction.
- Ponders have sold most ads. We need others to sell ads. End date April 10. Margaret read names of all Ad buyers. They were as follows:
1. Automotive Solutions, 2. Big Sky Auto Body, 3. Big Sky Car Audio, 4. Big Sky Rental Center, 5. Bitterroot Christian Bookstore, 6. Bitterroot Community Credit Union, 7. Bitterroot Drug, 8. Bitterroot Furniture, 9. Bonnie Klein - Property Maintenance, 10. Chapter One Bookstore, 11. Classic Touch Salon, 12. Cliff's Corral, 13. Coffee Cup, 14. Cybernet 1, 15. Darby Distribution Inc., 16. Elaine's Engraving, 17. EZ Scrappin, 18. Farmers State Bank- Darby, 19. First Interstate Bank, 20. Fords Department Store, 21. Gem Mountain Sapphires, 22. Hamilton IGA, 23. Honey Hardware, 24. Jean Kyle - Reg., 25. Patent Attorney, 26. Jones Casino, 27.Kimberly Buckman – CPA, 28. Loonie Toones, 29. Lube Quick, 30. M & M Auto, 31. M Fairchild Trucking, 32. Main Street Rug, 33. Massa Home Center, 34. Mikesell's Fine Jewelry, 35. Mildenberger Motors, 36. Neaves Art Gallery, 37. New Horizons P.T., 38. Paper Clip, 39. Pierce Lock & Safe, 40. Pine Door Company, 41. Quality Used Cars, 42. Rainbows End Natural Foods,
43. Ravalli County Bank, 44. Ravalli Republic, 45. Realty Executives - Diane Ayers,
46. Repeat Pawn, 47. River Rising Café, 48. S & S Auto Body, 49. State Farm Insurance- Terry Christian, 50. TireRama, 51. UPS Store, 52. Out West, 53. Western, 54. States Inc., and 55. Wild About Pets
- Friday, April 27, potluck at show set-up at 5:00 pm. We need more food. Club will buy two hams for potluck.
- Show demos will be cabochon making, flint knapping, and wire wrapping.
- We need tumbled rocks, fossils, small mineral specimens for grab bags.
- We will have a garnet table to sift for garnets, like we have at Apple days.
- We will have sapphire-gravel bags to sift at home for $2.00 each.
- We have eleven (11) dealers signed up for the show.
- The show price will be $2.00 each, and kids under10 get in free.
- Contact Dianne Ayers for food to bring to potluck.
- Our Regular April 24th meeting program will be wrap-up planning for show.
- Larry Jones said that Coony from Gem Mountain will have a $50,000.00 display at the show.
- Larry Jones showed some of the rocks and minerals he purchased at the Spokane show, including Goldstone. He did not know until this meeting that Goldstone is manmade glass with copper granules added to give it sparkle.
- Larry Jones mentioned something about Jewelry classes being given at Conner and Missoula. Contact Larry at 406-821-7658 for information.
- Ellis Houseman reminded members that the Butte Club, which is sponsoring the 2007 NFMS show on Aug. 3-5, would like to have club cases from all of the Montana Clubs.
- Wayne Farley said that the Kalispell Club, which is sponsoring the MT Council State Show on July 21-22, also needs club cases from the Montana Clubs.
- The club thanked Tim & Janet Huntley and Nola Edgar for bringing treats for this meeting. Chris Ponder volunteered to bring treats for the next meeting.
- Chris Ponder won the raffle of ½ of $33.00.
- Yvonne Fox won the door prize furnished by Nola Edgar. It was a 2x3x6” piece of hematite and jasper iron-formation from Marquette, Michigan. By club rules, Yvonne will furnish the door prize for the next meeting.
End of Minutes
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For Sale. An ore car from a mine in Nevada. In good shape. $500.00. Contact Posey at 961-4116
Wanted. A Faceting Machine. Please contact Mildred at 363-5224 or Cathy at 777-2598
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Article VII. Code of Ethics
The code of ethics for the conduct of field trips presented by the American
Federation of Mineralogical Societies, as indicated below, shall be adopted by the BGMS;
with the addition proviso, that in the interest of safety, no person shall carry a
firearm on any field trip without the expressed consent of the field trip leader
AFMS Code of Ethics
* I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without the
owner’s permission.
* I will keep informed on all laws, regulations of rules governing collecting on public lands and observe them.
* I will to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.
* I will use no firearms or blasting materials in collecting areas.
* I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - fences, signs, buildings.
* I will leave all gates as found.
* I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before
leaving the area.
* I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc.
* I will fill all excavations holes which may be dangerous to livestock.
* I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supply.
* I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.
* I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have collected and will
recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others.
* I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas
devoid of litter, regardless of how found.
* I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas.
* I will report to my Club or Federation officers, Bureau of Land Management or other authorities, any deposit
of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future
generations for public education and scientific purposes.
* I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.
* I will observe the Golden Rule, will use Good Outdoor Manners and will at all times conduct myself in a manner
which will add to the stature and Public Image of rockhounds everywhere.
SAVE POSTAGE STAMPS FOR CANCER REASERCH!!!
GIVE A HOOT – DON’T POLLUTE! KEEP MONTANA GREEN
BGMS 2007 FIELD TRIPS & SPECIAL EVENTS |
|
|
|
Apl 28-29
Sat-Sun |
BGMS Show, Hamilton Senior Center, 400 S. 4th St.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5 |
Margaret Sharp, (406) 363-1590; e-mail: sharp_margaret@msn.com. |
Apl 28-29
Sat-Sun |
234 mi to Billings, MT Gem & Mineral Show, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5 |
Tom Stacheff |
May 5
Sat |
Field Trip with Hellgate Club to Deer Creek, 5 miles E. of Missoula - Selenite Roses (fluorescent tan with shortwave UV light), Meet at East Gate Shopping Center in Missoula at 10:00 AM |
Mick Mees
Hellgate Club
406-258-5294 |
May 12-13
Sat-Sun |
Bozeman 48th Annual Show; Bozeman Gem & Mineral Club; Gallatin Co. Fair Grounds, Black St. and Tamarack St.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4, MT Council Spring Meeting |
Dan Carter, (406) 763-5034, or Doug Ellis, (406) 266-4452; e-mail: opalcrusher@hotmail.com. |
May 12 |
Open for a field trip |
|
May 19-20
Sat-Sun |
Field Trip to BGMS Blue Grouse Claim, 110 mi to 10 miles S. of Salmon, Idaho. Blue or white common opal, fire opal (if you are lucky), and chalcedony-agate (fluorescent green opal & agate with shortwave UV light. |
Ralph Luther
406-961-3663
lazya@luther.myrf.net |
May 26 |
Open for a field trip |
|
June 2 |
Open for a field trip |
|
June 9-10
Sat & Sun |
Challis, Idaho to collect agate and jasper at Lime Creek and Spar Canyon. Fluorescent-green agate at Spar Canyon. |
Wayne Farley
408-375-1341
wfarley@far.myrf.net |
June 16 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
June 23 |
Open for a field trip |
|
June 30 - July 1 Sat & Sun |
Montana Council State Fossil/Mineral Hunt
Sat. - Field Trip to Snowbird Mine, 70 mi to Lolo Pass. Collect Parasite (Ce), Quarts Crystals, Scapolite, Rutile, Annabergite, Fluorite. Meet at Lolo Hot Springs at 9:00 am, Collect 12 to 4 PM.
Sun. - Collect Fossils east of Missula |
Bob Riggs
Hellgate Club
406-543-3667 |
July 7 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
July 14 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
July 21-22
Sat-Sun |
Kalispell MT State Gem & Mineral Show
MT Council Summer Meeting |
Dana Anderson |
July 23
Mon |
Will try to get Kalispell Club to lead a field trip in their area associated with State Show. |
Wayne Farley
406-375-1341
wfarley@far.myrf.net |
July 28 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
Aug 3-5
Fri-Sun |
NWFM Show, Butte 67 Annual show, "Richest Hill on Earth"; Butte Mineral & Gem Club; Civic Center, 1340 Harrison Ave. (I-90, Harrison Ave. exit, turn north); Fri. 10-5, Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-5 |
Pete Knudsen,
(406) 723-8524 |
Aug. 6-11 |
NFMS Field Trips from Dicky Bridge Capground
Includes: Calvert Hill, Crystal Park, Black Pine Mine, Lemhi Pass, Hi 274 Pass E. of Anaconda. |
Tim Hoff
406-782-6077 |
Aug. 18 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
Aug. 25 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
Sept. 1 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
Sept. 8-9
Sat-Sun |
Missoula Gem & Mineral Show
MT Council Fall Meeting |
Bob Riggs
Hellgate Club
406-543-3667 |
Sept. 15
Sat |
80 miles, 2 hours, to Henderson Creek Rd, South of Hall, North of Philipsburg, Collect Dendritic Jasper and Agate
Meet at Skalkaho-Y at 8:00 am |
Wayne G. Farley
406-375-1341
wfarley@far.myrf.net |
Sept. 22 |
Open for a field trip. |
|
Oct. |
All month Open for field trips. |
|
Dec. 15
Sat. |
Christmas Party: Potluck & Auction
Corvallis Community Church, 2nd and Church Streets
CE Build. behind church. 1:00 to 4:00 pm |
Jo Farley
406-961-0080 |
Anyone that would like to plan and lead a field trip on any of the open dates please call Wayne Farley to set it up and have it announced to the group and also put on the web-site for all to see.
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A fool and his money are soon elected.
Will Rogers
America is becoming so educated that ignorance will be a novelty. I will belong to the select few.
Will Rogers
BITTERROOT GEM & MINERAL SOCIETY is a member of the Montana State Council, Northwest Federation and American Federation. We support State and Federation projects and goals. We are guided by the AFMS code of ethics:
I will respect private property. No rockhounding without permission.
I will use no firearms or blasting material in rockhounding areas.
I will take all garbage home, or dispose of it in proper receptacles.
I will leave gates as found.
I will cause no willful damage to materials or take more than I can use.
I will build fires in designated or safe places only.
I will not contaminate wells, creeks or other water supplies.
I will appreciate and protect our heritage or natural resources and wildlife. I will always use good outdoor manners.
SAVE USED POSTAGE STAMPS FOR CANCER RESEARCH!
GIVE A HOOT - DON"T POLLUTE! KEEP MONTANA GREEN
