The Bitterroot Conglomerate
Newsletter of the Bitterroot Gem & Mineral Society
Vol. XXVIi issue 1
Presidents Column
Hi members, have been real busy still working on the show in May of this year. We are going to need a lot of help getting things ready as time goes on. There will be a meeting of the Show committee members one hour before the meeting. Have fun Ralph in Arizona, and bring back some rocks for the club to see. Good luck to Larry on his knee operations, our thoughts are with you. Need anything just let me know. I will need a lot of help being a President because I never have been one before, but I know there are plenty of people who will keep me on the right track. Am looking forward to this year with our club, the vice-president and I have been talking about a few things we are going to do. Will bring that up at a later date. See ya all at the 12 Jan meeting.
Steve
Editors Notes
For those that have not paid their dues this will be your last newsletter.
A new year has arrived, we have a new club president and vice president and we are preparing to have a Gem and Mineral Show on May 24th & 25th. As most of you know our Club President, Steve Vieth, is also the Show Chairman and will need all of us to help as much as possible.
For those of you that like to go on field trips it is time to start thinking of the places you want to go this year and let the Field Trip Chairman know your desires. Doing this may get rid of some of the winter blues. If possible, we need to plan a trip to the Blue Grouse Claim in June. We waited too long last year for our planned trip then the weather didn’t co-operate.
Please take note that dues for 2008 should have been paid by Dec. 1st.
You may mail your dues to the Club at PO Box 942, Hamilton, MT 59840
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BGMS Activities Dec. 2007, 1st Week 2008
Wayne Farley Secretary-BGMS
On Saturday, December 8, 2007, the following BGMS members attended the Missoula Rock Club Christmas Party and Auction: Sharlene, Wayne, & Daniel Farley; Margaret & Harvey Sharp; Pat & Don Tibbs, Mildred Soll; and William (Bill) Morelle. The food was great and everyone had a good time.
At the Missoula Party, I (Wayne Farley) was talking to Terry Burke from the Missoula Club, and he asked if I would give a program on Rocks and Minerals to the Science Class at St Joseph middle school in Missoula, where his daughters attend school. I said I would be glad to give a program. On Jan. 3, 2008 I drove up to Missoula and gave the program. I discussed the origins of Rocks and Minerals from the beginning of our solar system, how the earth changed through Geological Time, how Rocks and Minerals formed, how we use the physical properties of rocks and minerals to identify them, and how life evolved on earth and how some life turned to rock (fossils). I had about thirty rock and mineral samples to correlate with the above subjects. There were about twenty students and they seem to enjoy the program. I left samples of Quartz crystals from Crystal Park and polished Chalcedony Agate from Challis Idaho for each of the students to keep. I also left a Smithsonian book “Rock and Gem, The Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gems, and Fossils” for their library, as I had an extra copy.
At the December 15, 2007 BGMS Christmas Party and Auction, we had a good turnout, 37 members and 6 guest. The food was great and everyone had a good time. Don Tibbs was our auctioneer and was assisted by Harvey Sharp. Margaret Sharp recorded the auction transaction, collected the money, and turned over the booty to our treasurer, Betty Hodge. Betty has reported to me that we took in $413.00.
I have news from the Montana Council of Rock and Mineral Clubs (MT Council). On 12/17/07, I received an email from the MT Council Newsletter editor, Jerry Hanson from Kalispell, saying that he was resigning as editor of the MT Council Newsletter. Our MT Council president Dana Anderson from Kalispell will be looking for a new editor. If anyone is interested, please contact me (Wayne Farley, VP of the MT Council), and I will contact Dana.
Recently I was talking to Jo and Don Farley about Gypsum and Alabaster. We could not recollect whether they were the same. I checked on the net and found the following: Gypsum has several variety names that are widely used in the mineral trade. "Selenite" is the colorless and transparent variety that shows a pearl like luster and has been described as having a moon like glow. The word selenite comes from the Greek for Moon and means moon rock. Another variety is a compact fibrous aggregate called "satin spar". This variety has a very satin like look that gives a play of light up and down the fibrous crystals. A fine grained massive material is called "alabaster" and is an ornamental stone used in fine carvings for centuries, even eons. The purest alabaster is snow-white, but also comes in pink, and rarely black. There is also a calcium satin spar, and a calcium-alabaster that is used for carvings. Island-spar is a clear transparent rhombohedra cleavage fragment of crystalline calcite, oven used in the optical industry. Biosparite (Coquinite) is a fossil limestone where sea shells are cemented together by calcium spar into solid rock.
QUARTZ
by
Wayne Farley, Bitterroot Gem & Mineral Society
(continued from last month)
8. Rainbows: Quartz crystals often show cracks running through them, usually caused by mechanical stress, and these sometimes show rainbow-colored reflections (Ref. 8).
9. Scepters: Scepter quartz is a Quartz Crystal that has a second generation crystal tip sitting on top of an older first generation crystal. The second generation tip typically becomes larger than the first generation tip, but might also become smaller. A scepter can be shifted sideways and does not need to be centered on the first generation tip (Ref. 8).
10. Geodes: The world’s largest Amethyst Geode removed in one piece was found on 01-30-07 in the Galerias Santinos Mine in Uruguay. It is 3.26 meters high and weighs 3 tons.
11. Crystal Size: The largest single Quartz Crystal which has been substantiated was found at Mancho Felipe, near Itapore, Goiaz, Brazil in 1962; and was 20 feet long, 5 feet across a prism face, and was estimated to have weighed over 44 tons.
12. Fluorescence: Rock-Crystals are not fluorescent when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light; thus, fused rock-crystal is used for windows in Black-Lights that are used for finding fluorescent minerals. Quartz can have mineral inclusions that are fluorescent, and these will show through the transparent Rock-Crystal. Opaque Quartz may have coatings of fluorescent minerals that will fluoresce when exposed to UV light. Rock-Crystals are Triboluminescent; and will emit light, from within the crystals, when struck together.
Modern Uses of Quartz: Crystalline Quartz is used as semiprecious gemstones, e.g., amethyst, citrine, rose quartz, smoky quartz, etc. The Cryptocrystalline forms are used for jewelry, e.g., agate, jasper, onyx, carnelian, and chalcedony. Both forms are collected for their natural beauty, or unusual formations, and for metaphysical divination. Because of its piezoelectric and pyroelectrical properties; quartz is used for pressure gauges, oscillators, resonators, and wave stabilizers. Because of its ability to rotate the plane of polarization of light, and its transparency in ultraviolet rays; it is used in black-lights, heat-ray lamps, prisms, and spectrographic lenses. Quartz is used in determining geological morphology, and for thermo-luminescent age dating of rocks. However, its biggest use, by volume, is in concrete, glass, paints, abrasives, refractories, and a source of silica for electronic chips.
References:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartz
- “Gemology, An Annotated Bibliography”, John Sinkankas, 1993
- http://snr.unl.edu/Data/agatelexicon.asp
- http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/collectors_corner/arc/silicanom.htm, 1927
- “Quartz Family Minerals”, H. C. Dake, et al, 1938
- “Quartz”, Michael O’Donoghue, 1987
- “Quartz”, Harold L. Dibble, 2002
- http://www.quartzpage.de/intro.html
- “Magic World: Inclusions in Quartz”, J. Hyrsl and G. Niedermayr, 2003
- “The John Sinkankas Quartz Symposium”, John Sinkankas and Si Frazer, et al, 2003
- “Friends of Mineralogy, Tucson Gem and Mineral Society, Quartz Symposium”, 2005
- http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/collectors_corner/arc/qtztwin.htm, 1949
- “ Cave Minerals of the World” Carol Hill & Paolo Forti, 1997
- http://www.rockhoundingar.com/quartz/qtzgems01.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-107757209.html
Amber is the ancient resin of trees. The resin has gone through a number of changes over millions of years. The result of this metamorphosis is an exceptional gem with extraordinary properties. It is exploited and used by both craftsmen and scientist. |
‘When the warm kingdom of the amber pine and it seas set,
cooled and froze beneath a thick glacial mass, only amber
itself survived; the living sap of a dead tree’
Stefan Zeromski: The Sea Breeze. |
It is probably only from the Carboniferous onwards that land based plant species evolved capable of producing resin which subsequently turned into amber. From that time on various tree species have produced different deposits of amber.
Tree Sources
The worlds two current major deposits of amber; Dominican Republic and Baltic had two separate tree types which produced the original resin. The Baltic source tree has been named Pinites succinifer. In appearance it would have probably resembled a pine or spruce tree and the forests in which it grew were sub tropical in nature. It may not have looked unfamiliar today.
From amongst the numerous inclusions found in Baltic amber other trees species have been identified as being present. Here are just some of the trees which must have grown in the ancient amber forest:
Cycadacea (Ferns & Palms)
Coniferae (Cypresses, Cedars, Pine, Thujas)
Juniperinae (Junipers)
Fagaceae (Beeches, Oaks)
Salicaceae (Willows)
Santalaceae (Sandalwoods)
Magnoliaeae (Magnolias)
Lauraceae (Laurels)
Aceraceae (Maples)
Grimaldi in his latest book ‘Amber - Window to the Past’ refers to current research (not specified) which casts a shadow of doubt onto the Baltic Amber tree species.. Most Baltic amber possesses Succinic acid. This is a problem when attributing Baltic fossil resin to a species of pine, as up until recently no extant pine tree resin was known to contain succinic acid. But, two recent pine tree genera’s have been found which do possess succinic acid in their resin, they are Keteleeria and Pseudolarix. The latter has been discovered in the Eastern mountain ranges of China. An important and relevant observation is that the ecological systems which are supported by the Pseudolarix trees in China appear to reflect those presumed and extrapolated from the inclusions discovered in Baltic amber.
What is equally interesting is the presence of Pseudolarix pine cones in a fossil resin discovered on the Axel Heiburg island in Canada which also has succinic acid present. From this it can safely be presumed that this tree was capable of producing the resin which would transform over millions of years into amber. Pseudolarix is therefore beginning to look more likely as the true source of the Baltic Amber deposits.
The Dominican Republic resin tree was Hymenaea protera (Alternate link Hymenaea protera) for which had its origins in Africa. Close relatives of this tree (Hymenaea verrucosa) still exist within the sub continent of Africa and on some of the West Indian islands. The following link discusses in a little more detail Hymenaea protera .
Many of the major amber deposits have had their tree source identified. Key amongst them are:
( To be continued next Month)
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For Sale. An ore car from the Betty O’Neil Mine near Battle Mountain, Nevada. In good shape. $500.00. Contact Posey at 961-4116
Rocks: Petrified wood and other agate, jasper and other rocks I need help in identifying. Come and see. Most are for sale but I’m keeping some. Contact Steve at 961-4515
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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 2008 FIELD TRIPS & SPECIAL EVENTS |
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to be announced |
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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
