Word Pro - Vol29No2 USA

FACETS
of the
North West Lapidary and Mineral Society
Volume 29 Number 2
September / October 2008
VALLEY OF JADE
See Page 3
EDITORIAL
Most members will know by now of Denys Renwick’s death in July. He will be sorely missed by many people for a myriad of
reasons. Peter Hurst has written about some of these elsewhere in this issue as a friend and he spoke as Chairman at the August
meeting. As Editor of Facets, I will miss, apart from anything else, his invaluable contributions to the publication. Over the
years he has covered so many topics from deeply serious issues to light-hearted pieces. Sometimes they were corner-filling
items others were serialised over several issues. They were always worth reading! As I write this, Peter is working on his
Speakers data base and he tells me that, according to his records, Denys has spoken to NWLMS on at least twelve occasions.
Sheila Turner, as Secretary, sent a card and flowers, on our behalf, to Margaret, Denys’s wife.
Regular attendees at the AGM, which I am delighted to say is most of the membership, will know that we have a perennial
discussion about increasing the membership and letting the world out there know what we are all about. Some ideas come up
with unfailing regularity but this year Simon Cradden has put thoughts and words into action and has begun work on our very
own website. You will find out more about this exciting project, for which we must thank Simon, on Pages 6 and 7.
DISCLAIMER
The Editor wishes to point out that the views expressed in Facets are those of our various contributors and are not necessarily those of the North West
Lapidary and Mineral Society or of the Editor. The Editor and the Society cannot be responsible as to correctness or veracity.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DENYS RENWICK : A PERSONAL VIEW
Peter Hurst
My first memory of Denys was on a field trip by coach to Carrock Mine in
Cumbria. Why was he there with his wife, Margaret and children, Susan
and Peter? It was because Denys was a great supporter of things he had an
interest in. Of course he liked the countryside and he was interested in
geology, having read the subject at university, but he was not that interested
in collecting mineral specimens. This was also true more recently of his
support for our week-long trips to Montrose to collect agates and jasper.
The fact that he was the third longest serving member of the club perhaps
encapsulates his commitment, even if latterly his poor health prevented him
from attending meetings as often as he would have liked.
Denys was a very able man in many ways. As far as lapidary was
concerned his great passion was facetting. He was in long before the
advent of GemCad and had the maths to be able to calculate the angles for
cutting a good stone. When GemCad appeared he quickly mastered the
original DOS version, which I could never get to grips with. I remember
that he often demonstrated facetting at events the club attended and could
cut a standard round brilliant, angles, indices and all, purely from memory.
He also dabbled in silver work to set his facetting creations.
He was an invaluable member of the club, having served as Secretary and
on the committee for many years. Our current constitution, whilst not his
brainchild, certainly benefited from his steadying hand and experience. It
particularly sticks in my mind that up until then, there had been no
mechanism for winding up the club. No one wants to imagine that
happening, but it is right that such provision be made. That we have such a
thing now is due to Denys’s foresight. He regularly gave talks at meetings,
the last of these being only last year (2007), when he gave an excellent talk
on “Pleochroism” at very short notice.
Denys had another passion, photography, at which, as with everything else
he dabbled in, he was more than competent. Indeed, he won prizes in his
photography club competitions. Additionally, he had a lathe on which he
produced many bits and pieces to further his hobbies.
I will always remember those twinkling eyes and his wicked sense of fun.
Our sympathies go to Margaret, Susan and Peter at this sad time.
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
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GEM BUG’S DIARY
Burma Jade and Maw-Sit-Sit
The July meeting was a watershed one, using, for the very first time, our own digital projector. Once again we were treated to
a talk by one of our members, Claire Hurst. Many of us recall an earlier talk Claire gave on jade and were wondering what
more could be said on this topic. Well, there were “shed loads”. This time there were virtually no images of jade carvings. It
was more muck and bullets. We were treated to a most interesting talk about the mining of jade in Burma (Myanmar), where
the Chinese source most of their rough. Jade mining was transformed in 2001 from a labour intensive cottage industry to a
fully mechanised one at the behest of the ruling military junta. Images were shown of mining pre-2001, where there could be as
many as 10,000 bodies labouring ant-like in a single open cast pit, to a fully mechanised twenty-first century industry with
virtually no humans to be seen. I had never given a thought to how the raw material was won when viewing images of finished
pieces in Claire's earlier talk.
Not many of those present knew what Maw-Sit-Sit was before the meeting but Claire set us right, describing the properties of
this mineral, which seems to be a compound of a bit of lots of things and a far from homogenous material.
It was fascinating also to learn about the gem sales and the way people lived at the mines. It was no different from the Wild
West with brothels, drinking saloons and gambling dens. A different slant on jade and completely fascinating. Thank you,
Claire for an excellent evening’s entertainment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHO’S COMING?
10 October : Dr Tom Muxlow from Jodrell Bank will be speaking about “Planetary Geology”. It promises to be a fascinating
evening. Dr Peter Thomasson was due to talk to us but he has to be in New Zealand on that day and that’s a bit far to travel.
He has very kindly arranged for his colleague, Dr Tom Muxlow, to speak on the same topic instead. It promises to be a most
interesting evening!
Another evening to look forward to comes on 5 November when Dr Fred Broadhurst will talk to us. As yet, we do not have
a title for this venture but I am sure that, as ever, it will be well worth hearing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAGNETIC COWS
Claire Hurst
Have you ever wondered why cows in a field all face in the same direction? It has crossed my mind on occasion but I have
never really analysed the question. I have usually forgotten about it by the time I get home. I certainly did not realise that they
will probably be facing north. Why?
According to research by a team from Duisberg-Essen University, many of the species use the Earth’s magnetic field to
navigate during migration, including turtles, salmon and termites who are thought to have their own internal magnets, made of
crystals of magnetite. But cows do not migrate! No, they do not today but their ancestors did and our modern cows retain
some of the instinct which led them across the plains of Europe, Asia and Africa. The research team studied thousands of
images on Google Earth and found the phenomenon in cattle in Britain, Ireland, India and the United States
(Source : The Daily Telegraph, 27 August 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LETTER FROM AMERICA
Don Cameron (Tomoka Faceting Guild)
I'd like to share a couple of things with your faceters. First, if you have any corundum cutters in your faceting group, I'd like to
recommend a design of Jim Perkins that is on the Facette website. I've cut this many times in both natural and the lab grown
sapphire and it produces an excellent stone when the stone is polished well - and the design is free! You can find it at:
www.fac-ette.com/files/modern_brilliant_2.pdf You will also note that there are several other free designs on this site as
well - all well worth cutting. If you click on either name - Ernie Hawes or Jim Perkins, you will have access to several designs.
If you're looking for something quick and simple to cut, try Jim's Illuminator. I've cut this a couple of times in
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
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several lower RI materials, and was particularly pleased with it in an 8 mm Golden Beryl and in some Brazilian Champagne
Citrine. It is simple and fast to cut and makes for a nice stone. In addition, Ernie's designs offer an excellent variety of shapes
and of course, he has a wonderful reputation as a fine designer.
Second, I'd pretty much given up polishing any of the quartzes as I found them simply more trouble than I felt they were worth.
However, we had a guest speaker at a recent meeting, Marsh Howard, the developer of the Lightning Lap. To cut a long story
short, I bought one and now my carefully selected amethyst and citrine rough I've kept stashed away for a number of years is
moving back towards the top of my cutting list - all thanks to the LL!
You can read more about the LL here: www.lightninglap.com/ As you can see, it has a cerium oxide coating on one side and
the other is plain. In addition, there is a brief demo video showing it in use down low on the right hand side of the page. So far
I've used only the CeO side for citrine and I'm now about to try polishing a nice spinel an the reverse using Italdo spray
diamond. So far, that's looking pretty good too, although it's going to have to be REALLY good to make me stop using my
ceramic, since I think the ceramic has no equal for sapphire, which is my favourite stuff to cut. However, it may well work fine
with the softer spinel, so we'll see. Several of our members are using the LL for almost everything they polish and simple rave
about it.
Editor: This contribution was a result of the last issue of Facets being received by the Tomoka Guild, Florida.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHINESE GOLD
from material supplied by Norma Bingham
China has been much in the news recently and we heard from Claire Hurst about the demand there for jade in the run-up to the
Olympic Games. China has become the second biggest market for gold in the world as demand increased by 26% in 2007.
Only India demands more gold, at 773.6 tonnes last year, whilst the United States has been supplanted as the second biggest
consumer, with a mere 278.1 tonnes. China’s demand in 2007 was 326.1 tonnes of which some 302.2 tonnes were for
jewellery. There was considerable demand, also, for the traditional new year mementoes to be made of gold this year.
China does not just import gold, it is a producer in its own right. Last year’s production was up by 12.67 tonnes from 2006 to
270.29 tonnes in 2007. This is only two tonnes short of South Africa’s output. South Africa has been the biggest gold
producer since 1905.
(Based on an article in The Times, 22 February, 2008)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE JAMB PEG AND ITS DERIVATIVES
Peter Hurst
Reading about facetting, one inevitably comes across the jamb peg, a simple, early facetting machine. It consists of a concave,
drilled piece of wood mounted on a vertical mast, into which one pushes one’s quill
at whatever angle is required. The concave nature of the block on the vertical mast
gives the operator a choice of angles and he/she gauges just which one is required
for a particular facet. A drawing of such a machine is shown to the right
Modern facetters tend to dismiss it as crude and
quaint but a recent discovery of a modern day
Spanish equivalent led me to alter my views. This
version is still in use in Barcelona. The wood has
been replaced by a curved piece of brass drilled
at intervals to take the quill. It seems altogether
more sturdy than its forerunner, though altering
the angle looks as if it would be a fairly
long-winded, tiresome task. See left.
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
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Having said that I suddenly realised there is a whole family of modern, high technology facetting machines that utilise the
concave principle of the original jamb peg for angle alteration. The difference is that the concave piece of metal has become a
giant protractor, against which any angle is capable of being set. Which machines precisely am I talking about? Have a look at
two Australian machines, the Drabsch and the VJ machine. More familiar to American facetters will be the Facette machine
and finally, the Brazilian Lapidart machine. It had just never quite struck me like that before!
Lapidart Machine
Drabsch
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NWLMS WEB SITE
Chairman
We had always thought it would be very expensive and no-one had the expertise to create it, but that is all changed now. New
member, Simon Cradden, showed us at the last meeting the skeleton for a website. Things have moved on since then
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and Simon has registered the domain name www.nwlms.co.uk which has cost us the princely sum of £9.99 for a year. Simon is
now wanting some flesh to put on that skeleton which is shown on the previous page.
Use the boxes as an aide memoir as to the sort of material we are looking for. If you have any images or text/information or
ideas, please bring/forward them to me so that I can pass them on to Simon. Alternatively, you can email Simon direct at
[email protected] . We really want that information NOW so that Simon can launch the site as soon as possible. It wont
be perfect or complete when it is launched, but we need sufficient on it to make people, who visit, want to return to see what is
new.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GEM BUG’S DIARY
The August Videos
The August meeting is often poorly attended so it should have come as no surprise that only nine people and a visitor attended.
Of course, that’s why we started having videos in the first place and it did mean that we had plenty of time to chat afterwards.
This year Bill Bellerby and Peter Hurst had arranged two interesting films for us. The first was the acclaimed favourite. It
explored the use of freestone in building materials. Apart from anything else, it explained how these freestones can be split in
any direction and how architects and builders can utilise this characteristic.
The second film introduced us to a clock maker. It was interesting in its own right but did not grab the attention in the same
way.
Thank you to our two video organisers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please check the programme on page 7. Remember, there may be
unavoidable changes! You will also find two web sites there to keep you up
to date. If you have any other suggestion about how we can inform you
more efficiently, please tell a member of the Committee or your Editor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A LETTER TO MEMBERS
Margaret Renwick
4 August 2008
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your words of sympathy, cards and flowers which you sent on the death of my husband,
Denys.
We shared such happy memories of trips to quarries, holidays in Scotland and the monthly meetings etc.
May I also thank so many of you for your support at the memorial service at Saint Michael’s on Friday 1st.
August.
Margaret Renwick
and family
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
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THE HARROGATE SHOW 2008
Claire Hurst
As far as I know, only two members ventured across the Pennines to Harrogate this year. They were not impressed! The trend
of the last few years continues. They report a growing number of stalls selling ready-made jewellery and millions of beads and
a few mineral stands. They found very, very little facetting rough, which was what they wanted particularly. There was no
machinery or tools for sale. One stall was selling gemmological instruments. How the show has changed!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FORTHCOMING EVENTS 2008
MEETINGS
Unless otherwise stated, all meetings are held at Bramhall Village Club (Small Hall), Lumb Lane, Bramhall, Cheshire. The
formal part of the evening begins at 8 pm and is followed by refreshments. For more information contact the Secretary (See
back page).
1 October
Dr. Tom Muxlow
Planetary Geology
(N.B. Change of speaker but same subject)
5 November
Fred Broadhurst
Geology - Subject to be advised
3 December
Christmas Social
Photographic Competition
COMPETITIONS
3 December
Photographic Competition
Now that Autumn is here there could be good light around for taking effective prize-winning photographs. If you are unsure
of the rules, please see our Competition Organiser, Enid Bellerby.
ROCK AND GEM SHOWS
6/7 September
13/14 September
27/28 September
11/12 October
18/19 October
25/26 October
1/2 November
9 November
15 November
22/23 November
7 December
Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon (Rock and Gem Show)
Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire (Rock and Gem Show)
Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset (Rock/Gem)
BAKEWELL ROCK SWAP, Lady Manners School, Bakewell
Margam Park, Neath, Port Talbot (Rock and Gem Show)
Cheltenham Racecourse (Rock and Gem Show)
Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury, West London (Rock & Gem)
WARRINGTON SHOW, Grappenhall Youth Centre (BLMDA)
Sussex Mineral Show, Clair Hall, Hayward’s Heath (BLMDA)
Brighton Racecourse (Rock and Gem Show)
Oxford Mineral and Fossil Fair, Exeter Hall, Kidlington BLMDA
CHECK FOR LATE CHANGES AT:
www.villagescoops.co.uk/bramhall_clubs_societies.shtml
www.maccweb.org.uk/news/cat_index_126.shtml
http://tiny.cc/oFuwu and http://tiny.cc/L1qxU
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
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SOCIETY OFFICERS
LIFE PRESIDENT
Peter Doodson
CHAIRMAN
Peter Hurst
TREASURER
Eric Turner
(For address etc. see Secretary)
[email protected]
Sheila Turner
9 Wallingford Road
Handforth
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 3JT
SECRETARY
01625 250361
Claire Hurst
4 Wayside Road
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK10 1RE
[email protected]
EDITOR
01625 431859
NWLMS FACETS 29/2
(For address etc. see Editor)
Contents
Page
Editorial
Denys Renwick : A personal view : Peter Hurst
Gem Bug’s Diary : Burma Jade and Maw-sit-sit
Who’s coming? : Dr Tom Maxlow and Dr Fred Broadhurst
Magnetic Cows : Claire Hurst
Letter from America : Don Cameron
Chinese Gold : from material supplied by Norma Bingham
The Jamb peg and its derivatives : Peter Hurst
NWLMS web site : Chairman
Gem Bug’s Diary : The August Videos
A Letter to Members : Margaret Renwick
The Harrogate Show 2008 : Claire Hurst
Forthcoming Events
Society Officers
2
2
3
3
3
3/4
4
4/5
5/6
6
6
7
7
8
8