May 2016 - Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society

May 2016
AIKEN GEM, MINERAL and FOSSIL SOCIETY AIKEN, SC
The Hound’s Howl, p
THE HOUND’S HOWL
Volume 54, No. 5 +
Est . 1962
From the President
One of the loveliest aspects about
living in the Aiken area is the very long
spring that we enjoy. Bluebirds are nesting in a bird box
in my front yard. That couple and a variety of other
birds, rabbits, lizards, and other creatures are busy
nesting nearby. Most all of them are too skittish to allow
a photo to be taken, however.
The last few weeks of spring thunderstorms are
making for some muggy weather. When you are out
collecting, be sure to hydrate and wear a hat. When the
group was at Graves Mountain, an older gentleman fell
down a steep cliff. Luckily, one of the guys driving a
golf cart came around the bend in the road right at that
moment. Others who were nearby were able to staunch
the gentleman’s head injury, load him into the cart, and
drive him to the entrance where an ambulance was
waiting. Let’s be mindful of ourselves and others when
we are out and about this year.
Thanks go to Linda and John Kolmar, who have built
a simple first aid kit that will go with us on all of our field
trips. And we sure have some swell trips coming up.
The Morris Island shelling/fossil trip is this month; that
field trip is full. June is a day trip to Cartersville, Georgia for RockFest at the Tellus Museum. The Field Trip
Committee has a few options for this summer that will
be presented at the meeting. In October (hopefully after
the poison ivy has croaked), our destination is the
Durham Mine for Pennsylvanian Era (350 million-yearold) fern fossils. It’s one of my favorite places to visit
because stems and leaves in the shale are so plentiful.
Our annual Silent Auction is coming up in June. Start
looking around at your hobby-related specimens, gems,
jewelry, and tools that are ready for a new home. A tiny
percentage of each sale goes to our Club and the rest
goes into your pocket. Jim Jewett has donated a motor,
rock tumbler, and rock saw to be sold to benefit our
Club. Many other cool items will be for sale, too.
Kaolin mining is the topic for May. I’m really looking
forward to Mr. Clement’s program on Friday, May 13.
See you there. Onwards and Upwards!
Shellie T. Newell
May 2016
Michael Clement
Operations Manager, Active Minerals, LLC
Friday, May 13 / 7:00 pm, Room 200
USC– Aiken Science Building
Active Minerals International mines, sells, and ships
high quality kaolin, attapulgite (a type of clay that is the
main ingredient in fuller’s earth), and fluorspar (used in
the fiberglass industry), among other minerals.
The company’s 2008 purchase of Southeastern Clay
in Aiken has helped to expand their international market.
Kaolin excavated from this mine is relatively ‘hard.’ According to their company’s website, the kaolin produced
in our county is “the world’s finest naturally-occurring
resource…”
Kaolin is used in paper making, paints, rubber, agricultural products, as a catalyst, and for many other
products. Mr. Michael Clement will discuss the kaolin
mine and its product applications here in the United
States and abroad.
In This Issue
2 – Board Member contacts; March Minutes;
Milestones
3 – Federation News: SFMS Wildacres and William Holland Lapidary School Summer Classes; EFMLS Wildacres Lapidary School
Spring and Fall Classes
4–6 – Molluscs Part 2: Bivalves, by Jerry Lipsky
6 – In the News: Reefs in the Florida Keys May
be Dissolving Faster from Ocean Acidificatin
7 – Field Trip Report: Graves Mountain; Bench
Tips by Brad Smith: Drilling a Small Item,
Drilling a Stone
8 – Field Trips & Events; Upcoming Shows
9 – AGMFS Calendar; AGMFS Membership
Form
May 2016
AGMFS Officers and Committees 2015
President: Shellie T. Newell
(803) 663-7752 / president[]aikengmfs.org
Vice President: Debbie Baer
(803) 295-7897 / vicepresident[]aikengmfs.org
Secretary: Dede Biles
(859) 312-2310 / secretary[]aikengmfs.org
Treasurer: Herb W. Martin
(803) 648-0891 / treasurer[]aikengmfs.org
Editor: Shellie T. Newell
(803) 663-7752 / houndshowl[]gmail.com
Editor Emeritus, Historian and Federation Liaison:
Barbara Fenstermacher (803) 649-0959 / bfenster2
[]bellsouth.net
Field Trip Committee/ DMC Liaison: John Kolmar,
Dede Biles, Don Horne, Jim Gee, and Debbie
Baer
(803) 642-3767 (John) / lkolmar[]gmail.com
Membership Chair and Federation Liaison: Barbara Fenstermacher bfenster2[]bellsouth.net
Webmistress: Patti Bennett webmaster[]aikengmfs.org
USCA Liaison: Walt Kubilius
Meeting Minutes ~ March 18
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We gathered for our fourth meeting of the year on
April 8 at 7 p.m. at USC Aiken.
President Shellie Newell welcomed 28 members and
3 guests.
Treasurer Herb Martin gave the treasurer’s report.
He said we had 100 full members and 23 junior
members.
Vice President Debbie Baer discussed the programs
for upcoming meetings through December.
Field Trip Committee member Jim Gee discussed
upcoming field trips.
Shellie asked for two volunteers to Hammond Hill
Elementary School on May 20. Barbara Fenstermacher will organize the program. Contact Barbara if
you’d like to help.
Shellie announced that the Columbia Gem & Mineral
Society had invited our club to their annual picnic
and rock swap and sale on May 1 in Cayce. Attendees should bring a dish (vegetable, meat, dessert, fruit etc.) to share.
For show and tell, Glen Henry brought an ammonite
that he and his wife had found in South Dakota.
The club enjoyed refreshments provided by Sarah
Jolley and Shellie Newell.
Dr.
Carolyn
Murphy,
author
of
Carolina
Rocks!, presented a program about some of her
field trip experiences involving the geology of South
The Hound’s Howl, p 2
Carolina. Before she earned her doctorate, she had
been a junior high school science teacher for more
than 30 years. Dr. Murphy stressed the importance
of finding new opportunities to get young people outdoors and on field trips to learn more about the nature and our world.
Respectfully submitted,
Dede Biles
Milestones
1
– Margaret Marion
2
– Michael Gadd
5
– Josie Blas
7
– Mike Bennett
11
– Destiny Woodard
14
– Allie Bennett
22
– Noah Lowe
30
– Benjamin & Thomas
Peterala
For those who missed last month’s meeting, you
can purchase Dr. Murphy’s book on Amazon.com or
order it through your favorite bookstore. It’s a
straightforward fascinating resource for those interested in the geology of our state. Many places are
pointed out where you can see a particular formation or even collect material. It’s well worth its
modest price. An autographed copy is also in our
Club Library. Check it out!
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 3
Lapidary Schools’
EFMLS offers Spring
and Fall Classes at
Schedules: It’s Not Too
Late to Sign Up for Classes
Among the nicest aspects of our
Club’s membership with the SFMS is
that we are able to attend their lapidary schools at the
William Holland and Wildacres Retreat Centers. The
William Holland School of Lapidary Arts is in the north
Georgia mountains and Wildacres Retreat Center is
near Little Switzerland, North Carolina.
Below are lists of the summer classes. A complete
description of each class, biography of the instructors,
photos of lapidary projects, registration, and cost information,
see
the
SFMS’
website:
<http://
www.sfmsworkshops.com/schedule2016. html>
WILLIAM HOLLAND 2016 SCHEDULE
June 5 – June 12
Beading -Becky Patellis
Cabochons - Dave Bergquist
Casting - Bill Harr
Chainmaille - Kathy Morris
Faceting - Tom Mitchell
Gem Trees - Jerri Heer
Mineral ID - Scott Forward
Opals - Carl Talbott
Polymer Clay - Sandra Davis
Silver II-SW Silver - Nancy English
Wire I - Sandy Bergquist
Wire II - Wire Weaving & Wire Wrap Filigree
- Jan Stephens
WILDACRES 2016 SCHEDULE
August 22 – August 28th
Fused Chain Maille - Roy Deere
Metalwork Special Projects - Jeff Sheer
Beading - Advanced
Mineral ID - Travis Paris
Chasing & Repousse - Tom and Kay Benham
Display Case - Danny Grifin
Deep Relief Wood Carving - Clancy Smith
Metal Clay 1 - Katie Baum
Gourds - Pat Davis
Beginning Wire - Rowan Rose
(Schedule reprinted from the SFMS website. For more information, see: <http://www.sfmsworkshops.com/)
Wildacres
May 9–15 Spring Classes
Pewter Fabrication — Bruce Gaber
Faceting — Larry Heath
Beading: Kumihimo With Magmata Beads — Mia
Schulman Magmata
Beading: Russian Spiral Necklace — Mia Schulman
Cabochons: Basic — Bernie Emery
Cabochons: Intermediate — Bernie Emery
Flint Knapping — Michael Miller
Geology I — Rob Robinson
Geology II — Rob Robinson
Basics of Scrimshaw — Sandra Brady
Basics of Scrimshaw — Sandra Brady
Soapstone Carving — Sandy Cline
September 5–11
Facetting—Steve Weinberger
Polymer Clay—Barbara McGuire
Silversmiting--Basic—Richard Meszler
Silversmithing--Intermediate—Richard Meszler
Fused Glass --Advanced Becky Edmundson
Fused Glass—Basic Becky Edmundson
Jewelry Design Brenda Smith
Opals – Beginning Cheryl Kasper
Opals – Advanced Cheryl Kasper
Polymer Clay – Barbara McGuire
Roadside Geology and Photography – Virginia
Meador
Uncomplicated Mineral Photography Virginia Meador
Wirewrapped Jewelry – Basic Pamm Bryant
Wirewrapped Jewelry – Intermediate Pamm Bryant
Detailed information about what will be taught
in each class, download the registration forms,
find out the fee (which includes room and board)
is at <http://efmls-wildacres.org/>.
Reprinted from the EFMLS website
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 4
Molluscs (Part 2): Bivalves
by Jerry Lipsky
photos by Elizabeth Cataldo (except where noted)
In my last article, I gave a brief overview of mollusc anatomy and taxonomy, followed by a discussion of gastropods (snails) and some excellent references. In this installment, I will discuss another familiar class of molluscs:
bivalves.
I was fortunate enough to grow up on the coast and in the ocean. It was obvious to me what a bivalve (also
known as a pelecypod – hatchet foot) was. Due to their commercial importance in the food and other industries, you
could understand basic bivalve anatomy and structure by dining at an average sea-food restaurant. Clams, oysters,
mussels, and scallops top the list.
I never acquired a taste for “filter feeders,” thus avoiding the annoying dinner chiding from my parents (“Jerry!
Stop dissecting and labelling the body parts of your dinner!”).
Fossil shells and typical sea shells one finds washed up at the beach do not have the body intact for study, but if
you examined them at the dinner table, you would learn some basic bivalve anatomy. Bivalves have no head, no radula, a large fleshy foot, and generally two shells. Below is a basic anatomical layout I pulled off the menu at a major
seafood chain:
Bivalve anatomy courtesy of http://
www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
There are over 10,000 described
species of bivalves. Bivalves made their first appearance in the Lower Cambrian. Bivalve habitats include marine,
estuarine, and freshwater environments. Bivalve shape and features vary with environment, so they make excellent index fossils for the environment that existed at the time they lived. Depending on what reference you pick up,
bivalves are divided into six orders (other references list these as sub-classes) based on distinct features, including the hinge structure and hinge “teeth.” As with all taxonomic endeavors (classifying living things by related
groupings), DNA/RNA work has put this aspect of science in flux.
Next, each of the bivalve “orders” are described.
The order Pteriomorpha includes 23 families, including Scallops (Pectinidae), Oysters (Ostraeidae), Pearl oysters
(Pteriidae), Mussels (Mytilidae), Arcs (Arcidae) and 18 other families. Many of the familiar or commercially important
bivalves are in this order. The hinge is taxodont, which means that it has a few reduced teeth or is absent. They
may be burrowing or attached.
Being a fisherman and sailor, it is always nice to embellish a story. One might think there could be no entertainment in a scallop, but I had a privileged life. In keeping salt water tanks, I frequently kept flame scallops. It was not
uncommon to hear them “dancing” around the tank by rapidly opening and closing their shells and squirting water
jets from their siphon. Colorful little castanets! I strongly urge you to do an Internet search for “swimming flame
scallop.” There are some great videos (and they are more intellectually stimulating than Dancing With The Stars ®).
(continued on page 5)
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 5
Molluscs, continued from p. 4
Top left, a Turkey Wing (Arca zebra), an arc shell recovered off
the Florida coast (exterior and interior); a scallop (Chlamys
sp.) reveals its "eyes," the black dots along the shell margins. Bottom left: Spondylus americanus, the Atlantic
Thorny Oyster (with spines, about 11 cm long); and a group
of Scorched Mussels (Brachidontes exustus) anchored to a
chunk of rubble. Photos courtesy of <http://www.ucmp.
berkeley.edu>.
The order Heterodonta generally consists of burrowing bivalves, although some can form or have formed
large reef-like structures. The shells of heterodonts have
a complex hinge comprised of relatively small numbers
of different types of teeth. This diverse group includes
Clams (40 families), Cockles (Cardiidae), Mactrids or
trough shells (Mactridae), Tellins (Tellinidae), Soft
shelled clams (Myiidae), Ship worms (essentially shellless Teredinidae), Rock borers (Pholadidae), and a key
group, the Rudists (extinct at end of Cretaceous.) The
largest of the bivalves, and of modern shelled molluscs,
is the giant clam, Tridacna gigas. These endangered
clams can grow to over 400 lbs. and approach 4 feet in
width. (Of course these data are generally understated
on common mollusc dating sites such as ShellfishMingle.com, ItsJustPlankton, and C-Harmony!)
Rudists are an extinct group of heterodonts that lived
from the Late Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous, and then
became extinct. Rudists exhibit two asymmetric valves
with one valve attached to the sea floor. They lived in
shallow marine environments, both creating and dominating the world of reefs throughout the Cretaceous.
Fossils are found throughout the tropics in the Mediterranean, Middle East, the Caribbean, and SE Asia.
From top left: Modern heterodonts: a cockle shell, calico
clam, and (bottom) a sunrise tellin.
Detail of hinge teeth and
ligament on an Atlantic
Thorny Oyster. Also note
arrows pointing to prominent points of attachment
of an adductor muscle.
Left: Fossil rudist, hippurites radiosus from the late
Cretaceous. Courtesy of <qrius.si.edu>. Right: Elevator
Rudists. A long, heavy valve anchored "elevator" rudists in
the sediment. They used the tentacles to filter food. Art
Credit: Mary Parrish/Smithsonian Institution.
(continued on page 6)
May 2016
Molluscs, continued from p. 5
The Hound’s Howl, p 6
Rostroconchia are an extinct order of unhinged bivalves. The larval shell
was a single valve that transformed into a non-hinged, gaping bivalve shell as it
grew. They evolved from monoplacophorans, an ancient and once thought extinct, mollusc class. The rostroconchia date back to the early Cambrian, underwent an extensive Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician boom, and survived
until the Permian.
There are three less common orders of bivalves; Palaeoheterodonta,
Anomalodesmata, and Protobranchia. The Palaeoheterodonta includes the
broach shells (Trigoniidae), and the freshwater mussels: Unionoidea and
Muteloidea. The hinge is composed of a few, often large, teeth. The freshwater
mussels have larva that can be a fish parasite. Anomalodesmata includes
Conocardiid rostroconch courtesy the watering pot shells (Clavagellidae) and about a dozen other small famiof palaeos.com
lies, some of which are found only in deep ocean environments. There are
conflicting articles as to whether this group is its own order, or simply part of the heterodonts. Scientists love to
“pigeon hole” everything into neat little groups, but nature does not always cooperate. The deep water protobranchs
are generally small and the hinge is typically composed of many small, similar teeth (taxodont condition).
One common family includes the nut shells (Nuculidae). Their gills used only for respiration (most bivalves use
their gills for filter-feeding). One group, the Solemyidae, farm symbiotic bacteria in their gills for food.
(Left) Two paleoheterodonts: a unionid freshwater Arc-mussel (Alasmidonta buckleyi) from the Altamaha River, Georgia
(6.3 cm long); and the margaritiferid Western Pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) from Lake County, Oregon (8 cm long).
(Right) Nucula proxima, the Atlantic Nutclam; a solemyid shell (Solemya sp.) recovered from a depth of more than 640 m
in the Gulf of Mexico. Courtesy of <www.ucmp.berkeley.edu>, which credits <www.jaxshells.org> for all photos except
Nucula, which is credited to Bill Frank.
In the June issue, I will finish this series with a discussion on cephalopods, a truly interesting group of molluscs.
Many of the websites in the Reference section have links to other great websites. Enjoy!
References
 Sea Web. Marine Photobank. <marinephotobank.org>.
 Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Q?rius. <https://qrius.si.edu/>.
 Tree of Life Web Project. <http://www.tolweb.org>.
 Palaeos: Life Through Time. <http://www.palaeos.com>.
 University of California Museum of Paleontology. The Mollusca. <http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/taxa/inverts/
mollusca/mollusca.php>
 Bill Frank. Shells, Shell Collecting, Nature, Jacksonville, Florida. <http://www.jaxshells.org/terms.html>
 Keoki and Yuko Stender. Flora and Fauna of Hawaii and Beyond. <http:www.marinelifephotography.com>
 Principles of Invertebrate Paleontology, Shrock and Twenhofel, 1953.
In the News: Reefs in the Florida Keys May Be Dissolving Faster from Ocean Acidification
A new study examining the limestone base of coral reefs on 124 miles of the Florida Reef Tract found the worst loss in
the upper Florida Keys. Water samples showed increased levels of CO2, so summer coral growth is now less than winter’s
natural slow-down cycle. This means the coral no longer can recover and is slowly wasting away.
Source: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science. "Ocean acidification may be impacting
coral reefs in the Florida keys: Reefs are dissolving sooner than previously thought." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 2 May
2016. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160502150428.htm>.
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 7
Field Trip Report:
Graves Mountain, Georgia
by John Kolmar
Bench Tips by Brad Smith
More Bench Tips by Brad Smith are at
<facebook.com/BenchTips/> or see his
book, Bench Tips for Jewelry Making on
Amazon.com.
Drilling Small Items
Photo by Shellie T. Newell
While many of our club members have been to Graves
Mountain, many may not know its history. Did you know
that the famous Tiffany & Company mined here in the
1920s? The world-renowned jewelers were seeking rutile to use for polishing diamonds.
In the mid-1960s, a consortium of chemical companies
bought the mine to excavate kyanite. This mineral was
used commercially as an abrasive and in electronics as
an insulator. More than half of the kyanite in the United
States was mined here. This was done until 1984, when
the site was purchased by Pasco Mining Company,
which operated it for a little more than a decade.
At that time, the property was turned back over to the
previous owners (Combustion Chemicals), under a new
name (Combustion Engineering), and the mine was
closed. The consortium that owned the mine was bought
out by a multinational corporation based in Zurich, Switzerland in 1990. Sixteen surrounding landowners
brought a lawsuit for reclamation in 1991 because of the
toxic acid runoff. The company spent over $6.5 million
dollars to clean up the area, but the mine never reopened for commercial use.
Today Graves Mountain opens for two weekends a
year for rockhounds to enjoy hunting for a few of its over
50 different minerals. These include rutile, lazulite,
iridescent hematite, phosphosiderite, quartz crystal, and
many others. Some minerals are only in micro amounts.
On April 22, several Aiken club members made the
annual spring pilgrimage to Graves Mountain for their
spring open house and dig. The threat of rainy weather
held off, and we had a great time digging and surface
collecting for a variety of minerals. Don Horne had a
great find in a 2-foot-long specimen full of kyanite. Many
other beautiful specimens were found by our members.
A few vendors had a variety of specimens and tools for
sale. We met fellow rockhounds from across the Southeast there, which was a lot of fun.
Sources: Georgia Mineral Society <http://www.gamineral.
org/ft/commercial/ftgravesmain.html> and <http://www.
wncrocks.com/resources/Collecting%20site%
20graves.htm>
Small pieces need to be held securely while drilling
to prevent them from spinning if the drill catches. Having
sliced my fingers occasionally
in my younger days, I avoid
band aids now by using flatjaw pliers or a ring clamp.
Pliers also save you if the
piece gets hot. Put a little tape
over the jaws of the pliers if
needed to avoid scratches.
Drilling a Stone
One of the things my students often ask to do is drill
a hole through a piece of gemstone. The usual thought
is to get a diamond drill, but I've been disappointed with
them. I think the reason is that the tip of the drill is just
pivoting in the hole and does not cut well. When it looks
like the drill isn’t cutting, the tendency is to push with
more force. When the drill gets hot, the diamond grit falls
off.
A much better approach is to use a core drill. This is a
small hollow tube with a coating of diamond grit at the
business end. The diamonds easily carve out a circular
arc without undue pressure or heat buildup.
Core drills are
readily available from
lapidary and jewelry
supply
companies.
They come in sizes as
small as 1mm and are
very reasonable in
price. For instance, a
2-mm diameter drill is about $6.
Chuck up the core drill in a drill press, Dremel, or
Foredom and be sure to keep the drilling zone wet to
cool the tool and to flush out debris. Also, if you're drilling a through hole, go very easy on the pressure as the
drill is about to cut through. Otherwise you will usually
chip off some of the stone surface around the hole.
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 8
FIELD TRIPS & EVENTS
UPCOMING SHOWS
NOTE: Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Field Trips are open
ONLY to all members, in good standing, of clubs that are part
of the Dixie Mineral Council (DMC) of the Southeastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies (SFMS) and the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies, Inc. (EFLMS).
The general public is NOT invited to any other DMC field
trip because of insurance liabilities. Society members will receive details of monthly field trips via email.
May 6–8: 48th Annual Mother's Day Weekend Gem,
Mineral, Jewelry, and Fossil Show. Sponsored by
The Georgia Mineral Society. Cobb Civic Center, 548
South Marietta Pkwy SE, Marietta, Ga. <http://
www.gamineral.org/showmain.html>
May 6–8: Gem and Mineral Show. Sponsored by the
Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin, NC. Carpenter
Community Center, 1288 Georgia Rd. (US 441), Franklin, NC. <http://www.fgmm.org>
MAY 14
Join the Tellus Science Museum for a
day and night to cele100 Tellus Drive, Cartersville, GA
brate astronomy. The
Museum opens and 10 am and stargazing starts at 1
pm, when the Observatory opens to view our Sun. See
the winning projects of the 2016 Georgia Science and
Engineering Fair. In the afternoon, a variety of lecturers
will talk about astronomy, the Youth Colorful Cosmos
Program, history of space exploration, and the OSIRISRex Mission. After sunset there’s an outdoor star walk
to point out celestial objects. More information is at:
<http://tellusmuseum.org>
301 Gervais St., Columbia, SC
(Reprinted from their website)
JUNE, JULY and AUGUST 2016
The South Carolina State Museum is excited to
offer a new line of summer camps for 2016. Campers will have the opportunity to participate in a variety
of different camps while exploring the museum, experiencing 4D and planetarium shows, and engaging in problem based educational activities and
STEM projects throughout the day. Whether it’s exploring space in the planetarium and observatory,
engineering their own robotic designs, discovering
the world of physics, or even experimenting with a
world of chemistry, there’s something for every
camper to enjoy. Call 803.898.4999 or
email [email protected]
May 28–29: Harrison County Gem, Mineral, Fossil
and Jewelry Show. Sponsored by the Harrison County
Gem & Mineral Society. Joppa Shrine Temple, Gulfport,
MS. <gulfportgems.org>
June 4 & 5: The 43rd Annual Tannehill Gem, Mineral, Fossil, & Jewelry Show. Sponsored by the Alabama Mineral & Lapidary Society. Tannehill Historical
Ironworks State Park, 12632 Confederate Pkwy,
McCalla,
AL.
<http://www.lapidaryclub.com/pages/
show.htm>
June 11–12: 26th annual RockFest, Tellus Science
Museum. A variety of activities for young people, mineral identification, and fun for all ages. Rock and Gem
Show & Sale. Regular admission for non-members.
Cartersville, GA; I-75 at exit 293, directly behind the
Clarion Inn. <www.tellusmuseum.org>
June 11–12: Annual Intergalactic Bead Show,
Durham Convention Center; 301 W. Morgan St.,
Durham, NC. Stones, gems, freshwater pearls, and an
e xq u i s i t e c o l l e c t i o n of f i n i s h e d j ewe l r y .
<www.beadshows.com>
July 23–24: Annual Show. Sponsored by the Ozark
Earth Science Gem, Mineral & Fossil Club. Education
Building, Baxter County Fairgrounds, 1507 Fairgrounds
D r . , Mountain Home, AR. Madelyn Anderson,
870.421.4340.
July 28–30. The 9th Annual Faceters Frolic.
Sponsored by the United States Faceters Guild. The
Factory, 1024 Georia Rd. (US 441), Franklin, NC.
Classes, faceting supplies and rough, speakers and
demonstrations. <www.franklinfacetersfrolic.com>
May 2016
The Hound’s Howl, p 9
Rock and Gem Magazine Is
Under New Management
At the beginning of May,
Beckett Media LLC took over the
publication, Rock and Gem Magazine. The office has moved from
Ventura, California to Dallas,
Texas, according to Lynn Varon,
Managing Editor.
No mail will be forwarded
from the old Ventura office. Any
mail regarding R&G advertising
and print or digital subscriptions
should be sent to Rock & Gem,
Beckett Media LLC, 4635 McEwen Rd. Dallas, TX 75244. The
new
phone
number
is:
972.448.4626. Back issues are
available for the cover price plus
shipping.
Check
out
<www.beckettmedia.com> for the
available issues.
2016 Aiken GMFS Meetings & Calendar
MONTH
REFRESHMENTS
PRESENTER
PROGRAM
Jan 8
Sharon Sterrett &
David Dunlap
Margaret &
Jim Sproull
Rockhound Trivia
Feb 12
Debbie Baer
Chris Glass
Designing a Great Case Display
GMF Show Preparations
Mar 11-13
28th Annual Aiken–Augusta Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show
Mar 18
Patricia Martin &
Linda Sarkany
Apr 8
May 13
June 10
Jerry Lipsky
History of Mollusks
Sue Shrader &
Sarah Jolley
Carey Murphy,
PhD
Author of Carolina Rocks!
Kim Doire &
Marilyn Hodge
Michael Clement
Operations Mgr, Active Minerals,
LLC
All Members
Silent Auction
Barbara Fenstermacher & Chris Glass
June 11
Summer Excursion: Tellus Museum’s RockFest
Sept 9
Oct 14
Gayla DeBose &
Herman Kunis
Oct
All Members
My Favorite Thing
Kim Cochran
His topic of choice
Science Education and Enrichment Day
Nov 11
Margaret Marion &
Jim Sproull
Dec 8
All Members
Drew Ruddy
SC Artifact Documentation Project
Holiday Dinner and Pirate Gift Exchange
.Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society: 2016 Membership Application
Current Date ____________ Please check one: New ☐ Renewal ☐
Name______________________________ DOB (month/day)______ Spouse’s Name:___________________ DOB______
Address ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Email Address:______________________________________________________________ DO Anniversary __________
Children’s Names (those active in Club only) and DOB _____________________________________________________
Home Phone: ________________________ Work Phone: ____________________ Cell phone: _____________________
I give my consent to the Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society ( AGMFS) to use my name and likeness for publicity
purposes and to promote Society activities. Check one: ☐ Yes ☐ No
Please check one type of membership and one type of newsletter preference.
Membership: ☐ Dues Family $20 ☐ Dues Single $15 ☐ Dues Student $2 grade/school
[Note: New members joining from July-December, 1/2 price with full price membership in January]
(Family is defined as spouse and/or children under 18 living at the same address)
Newsletter preference: ☐ Email (free to all members) or ☐ Snail mail (add $10 per address per year)
TOTAL: $____________
Make check payable to: Aiken Gem and Mineral Society
Mail to:
Herb Martin, Treasurer
6 Brookline Dr.
Aiken, SC 29803
Cash _______ Check #_____________
Amount: $_______ Date: ___________
The Hound’s Howl
Aiken Gem, Mineral & Fossil Society
P.O. Box 267
Aiken, SC 2980229802-0267
First Class Mail
Friday, May 13, 2016
Michael Clement
Active Minerals LLC
7 pm,
pm, Room 200
USC-Aiken Science Building
The Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society operates as a non-profit, educational organization affiliated with the American
Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. (AFMS), the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies, Inc.
(EFMLS), and the Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. (SFMS).
The purpose of the Society is to stimulate interest in collection of gem and mineral materials and fossils and to impart
knowledge of lapidary work, mineralogy, paleontology, collecting and classification of minerals and fossils, and the application
in the art so greater pleasure may be derived from these activities.
The Society meets at 7:00 pm, second Friday of the month, in Room 200 of the USC-Aiken Science Building located in the
University complex on University Parkway in Aiken. There are informal meetings in July and August. The annual dues,
payable by December 31, are $20 for a family membership, $15 for a single adult membership, and $2 for a junior member.
The Hound’s Howl is published ten times a year by the Aiken Gem, Mineral and Fossil Society. An annual subscription is an
additional $10.00 for posted delivery, otherwise it is sent via email delivery. Unless otherwise noted, permission is granted to
reprint material from this bulletin for nonprofit usage, provided the sense or meaning of the material is not changed and proper
credit is given to our club and the article’s author or photographer. Material written by the editor may not have a byline.
The Society’s website, www.aikengmfs.org, offers more information about the history of the club, our annual Gem, Mineral
and Fossil Show, education links, and community projects. See photos of our field trips and events on our Facebook page.