The Bitterroot Conglomerate
Newsletter of the Bitterroot Gem & Mineral Society
Vol. XXIX issue 12
Presidents Colum
I would like to start by wishing everyone a very safe and happy holiday season. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Our last November meeting was cancelled due to cold weather. We were scheduled to have a presentation by Wayne Farley on Agates. Thanks Wayne! We’ll try and have that program at our January meeting.
If club members would like to use the club cab machine please let me know. We’ll have a check out list at the meetings and we can make arrangements to use.
I would like to see if we could have a couple of club members; a couple because it will take at least two, to set up programs for the 2011 meetings. I know there are a number of people out and around the area that would like to do a program for the members but we need to coordinate the plan.
Finally I would just like to thank everyone that has helped throughout the year on programs, field trips, meetings, hospitality, projects too numerous to list. But thank you very much for your help it was appreciated.
Take care, Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous 2011 to all! ---- Mike
Editors Notes
This year the Board of Directors are up for election in addition to our Club officers. The MT Council and NFMS delegates are also to be elected.
I will need reports from the Chairperson of the various Committees during the last week of each month so they can be included in the newsletter.
The Editor is not responsible for the accuracy of articles accepted, items for sale, nor are the opinions expressed therein necessarily those of the Club Officers, members and/or the Club Editor.
Ralph
BGMS Minutes Nov. 9, 2010
The meeting was called to order by President, Mike McConnell. Following the Pledge of Allegiance Mike started the meeting. There were 14 members in attendance with no guests. Treasurer Wayne Farley began the meeting with the Treasurer's Report.
Mike moved on to Old Business: Wayne reported that he is still awaiting the updated bonds on the Blue Grouse claim in Idaho. He also gave a status report on the club display cases saying that Don Tibbs has graciously volunteered to cut the plywood to the appropriate sizes. Wayne and Harvey Sharpe will transport the cases to Don and from there they'll go to Jenet McConnell so the fabric draping can be applied. Our thanks to all for their assistance with the re-do of the cases.
Secretary Dianne Ayres was unable to attend this meeting so there were no minutes from the October 26 meeting.
In a pleasantly surprising development it was reported that the opals that were stolen from the booth manned by Bonnie Klein at the May 2010 show have been returned. Bonnie found them in the bed of her pickup truck recently with no idea who took them or was responsible for their return. We were all very happy to hear of the return.
As there was no further old business to discuss the meeting moved on to new business: Mike reported that Don Chrisechs (sp) is looking for opalized wood to buy or for trade. Wayne mentioned that Jo Farley may have something and he and Mike will put the two parties in touch with each other. Mike also reported that the committee heads have been meeting regularly and that a report will be released in December or January. As Steve Vieth was not in attendance there was nothing more to report or discuss about the 2011 show. At this point Mike announced that it is once again time to nominate officers for the coming year and called for nominations from the floor. Dick Coppage was nominated for Vice President and Pam Myers was nominated for Secretary. Mike McConnell and Wayne Farley were again nominated for the positions they currently hold of President and Treasurer respectively. With no other nominations forthcoming the nominations were closed and a formal election announcement of the officers will take place at our next meeting November 23, 2010 and the installation will take place at our December meeting/potluck Saturday the 4th at 1:00.
Wes Williams announced that he had come across a DVD about gold, mining, panning and different locations where gold may be found. He proposed that the club buy the DVD if it can be purchased for $10 or less. Motion was made by Wayne and seconded by Nola Edgar. Motion was passed by the members. Wayne mentioned that he had seen a display of petrified wood that appeared to be a fine collection. The collector indicated that all was available for sale. Wayne told him that if it was still available at the time the collector might consider bringing it to the Show in May. At this time, there being no further business to discuss a motion to close the business portion of the meeting was put forward by Wayne and seconded by Mike. The motion passed and the members broke for refreshments. Our thanks to Sharlene for some very tasty refreshments. After a brief intermission the members again took their seats for a very interesting presentation from Nola Edgar on copper in the Michigan Copper Country. She had some wonderful specimens and a well organized and captivating speech. It was well received by the members with several questions from the floor. We extend our sincere gratitude to Nola for her time and effort and look forward to her next presentation.
The drawings were held at the conclusion of the business portion of the meeting with the 50/50 drawing being won by MaryAnn Scanland. She received $14.50 and the club retained $14.50. The door prize, an agate key chain and piece of petrified wood supplied by Wayne was won by Ron Livesy who will in turn supply the prize for the next meeting. Mikes Presidents Prize was again unclaimed as the members name drawn David Garry was not in attendance. The prizes that are carrying over are a choice of gem laced gravel, and some books on geology and rock hounding. They are wonderful prizes that would be appreciated by a lucky winner but you must be present to win so lets all make an effort to attend the meetings; who knows you may be the next lucky winner.
At the conclusion of the presentation Mike adjourned the meeting.
These minutes are respectfully submitted by Pam Myers sitting in for Dianne Ayres.
BGMS CABBING Mach.
Mike McConnell has the machine. We hope we will see a product of his efforts with the machine at one of the next meetings.
Field Trip Report
None
Mining Committee Report
None
MT Council Report
None.
N.W. Federation Report
None this month.
Sunshine Committee
No report.
Programs
Looking for more volunteers.
Show Report
None
Here are a couple of articles on agate to get you thinking of agate for our talk on agate by Wayne at our January meeting.
This report on agates is from Pliny the Elder, AD 77 (I believe this is correct)
CHAP. 54.—ACHATES; THE SEVERAL VARIETIES OF IT. ACOPOS; THE REMEDIES DERIVED FROM IT. ALABASTRITIS; THE REMEDIES DERIVED FROM IT. ALECTORIA. ANDRODAMAS. ARGYRODAMAS. ANTIPATHES. ARABICA. AROMATITIS. ASBESTOS. ASPISATIS. ATIZÖE. AUGETIS. AMPHIDANES OR CHRYSOCOLLA. APHRODISIACA. APSYCTOS. ÆGYPTILLA.
Having now described the principal precious stones, classified according to their respective colours, I shall proceed to mention the rest of them in their alphabetical order.
(10.) Achates1 was a stone formerly in high esteem, but now held in none. It was first found in Sicily, near a river of that name; but has since been discovered in numerous other localities. In size it exceeds any other stones of this class, and the varieties of it are numerous, the name varying accordingly. Thus, for example, we have iaspachates,2 cerachates,3 smaragdachates,4 hæmachates,5 leucachates,6 dendrachates,7 marked with small shrubs, as it were; autachates,8 which when burnt has a smell like that of myrrh; and coralloachates,9 spotted all over, like sapphiros, with drops of gold, and commonly found in Crete, where it is also known as "sacred" achates. This last, it is thought, is good for wounds inflicted by spiders and scorpions; a property which I could really believe to belong to the stones of Sicily, for, the moment they breathe the air of that province, scorpions lose their venom.
The stones, too, that are found in India are possessed of similar properties, and of other great and marvellous properties as well; for they present the appearance in them of rivers,10 woods,11 beasts of burden, and forms even, like ivy12 and the trappings of horses. Medical men, too, make grinding-hones13 of these stones, and indeed the very sight of them is beneficial for the eyes: held in the mouth, they allay thirst. Those found in Phrygia have no green in them, and those of Thebes in Egypt are destitute of red and white veins. These last are good as a counterpoison to the venom of the scorpion, and the stones of Cyprus are held in similar repute. Some persons set the highest value upon those stones which present a transparency like that of glass. They are found also in Trachinia, in the vicinity of Mount Œta, upon Mount Parnassus, in the Isle of Lesbos, in Messene, where they resemble the flowers that grow in the hedges, and at Rhodes.
The magicians make other distinctions in reference to these stones: those, they tell us, which have spots upon them like the spots on the lion's skin, are efficacious as a protection against scorpions; and in Persia, they say, these stones are used, by way of fumigation, for arresting tempests and hurricanes, and for stopping the course of rivers, the proof of their efficacy being their turning the water cold, if thrown into a boiling cauldron. To be duly efficacious, they must be attached to the body with hairs from a lion's mane. The hair, however, of the hyæna is held in abomination for this purpose, as being a promoter of discord in families. The stone that is of an uniform colour renders athletes invincible, they say; the way of testing it is to throw it, along with colouring matter, into a pot full of oil; after being kept for a couple of hours gently on the boil, if genuine, it will impart an uniform colour of vermilion to the mixture.
Acopos14 is a stone like nitre15 in appearance, porous, and starred with drops of gold: gently boiled with oil and applied as an unguent, it relieves lassitude, if we choose to believe it. Alabastritis16 is a stone which comes from Alabastron in Egypt and Damascus in Syria: it is of a white colour, spotted with various other tints. Calcined with fossil salt and pulverized, it is a cure for affections of the mouth and teeth, it is said. Alectoria17 is the name given to a stone that is found in the crop of poultry, like crystal in appearance, and about as large as a bean in size; Milo18 of Crotona, some will have it, was thought to be in the habit of carrying this stone about him, a thing that rendered him invincible in his athletic contests. Andradamas19 has the shining colour of silver, like adamas;20 it is always quadrangular, like small cubes in shape. The magicians are of opinion that it was thus named from the fact that it subdues anger and violence in man. Whether argyrodamas21 is the same stone or not, authors do not inform us. Antipathes22 is a black stone, and not transparent: the mode of testing it, is by boiling it in milk, to which, if genuine, it imparts a colour like that of myrrh. A person might probably expect to find some extraordinary virtues in this stone, seeing that, among so many other substances possessed of antipathetic properties, it is the only one that bears this name. The magicians will have it that it possesses the power of counteracting fascinations.
Arabica23 is a stone which closely resembles ivory in appearance, and, indeed, might easily be taken for it, were it not for its superior hardness: persons who have this stone about them, it is thought, will experience a cure of diseases of the sinews. Aromatitis,24 too, is a stone that is found in Arabia, as also in the vicinity of Phiræ in Egypt: it is always full of small stones, and like myrrh in colour and smell, a thing that makes it much in request with ladies of rank.25 Asbestos26 is found in the mountains of Areadia, and is of an iron colour. Democritus informs us that aspisatis27 is a native of Arabia, that it is of a fiery colour, and that patients should wear it attached to the body with camels' dung; he says, too, that it is found in the nests of certain birds28 in Arabia. The same writer also mentions another stone of this name, that is found at Leucopetra in the same country, of a silver colour, radiant, and an excellent preservative against delirium. In India, he says, and on Mount Acidane in Persia, there is a stone found that is known as "atizoë29 of a silver lustre, three fingers in length, like a lentil in shape, possessed of a pleasant smell, and considered necessary by the Magi at the consecration of a king. Augetis30 is thought by many to be identical with callaina.31 Amphidanes,32 which is also known as "chrysocolla,"33 is a stone found in that part of India where the ants34 throw up gold, and in it there are certain square pieces, like gold in appearance. The nature of this stone, it is asserted, is similar to that of the magnet; in addition to which, it is said to have the property of increasing gold.
Aphrodisiaca35 is a stone of a reddish white colour. Apsyctos,36 when heated by fire, retains the warmth so long as seven days; it is black and ponderous, and is streaked with red veins. It is good too, it is thought, as a preservative against cold. According to Iacchus, Ægyptilla37 is a kind of white and black sarda, intersected with veins; but the stone commonly known by that name is black at the lower part, and azure on the surface. It takes its name from the country that produces it.
1 A general name for Agate, and possibly some other stones not now included under the name.
2 "Jasper agate:"
3 "Wax agate." The modern Orange agate, probably.
4 "Smaragdus agate." Emerald-coloured agate.
5 "Blood agate." Agate sprinkled with spots of red jasper.
6 "White agate."
7 "Tree agate." Moss agate or Mocha stone, coloured by oxide of iron.
8 Probably the reading should be "Stactachates," "Myrrh agate."
9 "Coralline agate." See Chapter 56.
10 Undulated agate.
11 Moss agate, probably. See Note 24 above.
12 Sillig is of opinion that the reading here is corrupt.
13 "Coticulas." Stones for grinding drugs.
14 "Refreshing" stone. Hardly any of these stones appear to be identified.
15 As to the "nitrum" of Pliny, see B. xxxi. c. 46.
16 Probably the same as the Alabastrites of B. xxxv. c. 12.
17 From the Greek,ἀλέκτωρ, a "cock."
18 See B. vii. c. 19.
19 "Man-subduing," Identified by some with Marcasite, or White iron pyrites.
20 See Chapter 15 of this Book.
21 "Silver-subduing."
22 "Counteracting-stone."
23 Probably the stone mentioned in B. xxxvi. c. 41.
24 "Aromatic stone." Cæsalpinus is of opinion that this is grey or clouded amber.
25 "Reginis."
26 See B. xix. c. 4, and B. xxxvi. c. 31.
27 The reading is doubtful.
28 "Called "melancoryphi" in Chapter 33.
29 Ajasson thinks that the reading should be "Aeizoe," from the Greek ἀειζώη, long lived."
30 "Shining stone," apparently.
31 See Chapter 33 of this Book.
32 The reading is doubtful.
33 See B. xxxiii. c. 2: where a fossil Chrysocolla is also mentioned.
34 See B. xi. c. 36, and B. xxxiii. c. 21.
35 "Gem of Aphrodite" or "Venus." Thought by Dalechamps and Hardouin to have been a kind of agate.
36 "Which never grows cold."
37 A kind of Onyx, Dalechamps thinks.
The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.
Agate
Agate is a semi-pellucid crystallized quartz, consisting of banded inclusions of chalcedony. Physical properties of agate are in general those of quartz.
Agate is found in all colors of the rainbow ranging from colorless to yellow, brown, purple, and pink. It also comes in blue and green but these colors are quite rare.
Cryptocrystalline quartz often displays exotic color bands, swirls, and other patterns.
The word Agate comes from the Greek "Agateeq" which means happy. Agate is the Ayurvedic Birthstone for May, the Hebrew Birthstone for May, the Roman Birthstone for May, the Arabic Birthstone for June, the Mystical Birthstone for September.
The sun Sign (Star Sign) for Aquarius, the Zodiac Birthstone for Gemini, the Talismanic Birthstone for Libra, and the Sun Sign (Star Sign) for Capricorn.
Moss Agate is also the anniversary gemstone for the 14th year of marriage.
Historical Agate is more than fossils; it is a cultural landscape that has evolved over many years and reflects many faucets; from early mammals which roamed the valleys to the nomadic nations of the plains.
Later tales followed of life in the American West which included tales relating to Agate.
Agate can be traced back to the Stone Age man in France. The Egyptians used it prior to 3000 BC. Agate was highly valued by ancient civilizations as it was said to render the wearer invisible.
During the 1880s scientists rediscovered what the Lakota Sioux and others already knew about Agate. With the help of James and Kate Cook, the complex interactions between weather, mammals and the land would be studied by scientific field crews.
Agate has a hardness rating of 7 however, it will still chip and crack rather easily. It is important to protect agate from scratches, sharp blows, sudden temperature changes, household chemicals such as bleach or cleaning products.
Agate is a very affordable with the exception of some varieties with unusual banded or scenic markings.
Agate is found all over the world including Brazil, Nepal, Mexico, Africa, Egypt, Germany, India and Asia. It is also found in the USA, and Montana Agate is becoming recognized in the jewelry world.
This is all folks for this time.
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
end
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