Rock of the Month Fire Agate - Arlington Gem and Mineral Club

1408 GIBBINS ROAD, ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76011Volume 69, Issue 04, April 2014
ROCKHOUND NEWS OF THE ARLINGTON GEM & MINERAL CLUB
Rock of the Month
http://www.fireagateartstudio.com/sales4.html
Fire Agate
April 2014
THE HOUNDS TALE
1
President’s Speaking
CLUB PURPOSE: To encourage the study of
earth sciences, lapidary arts and other related
fields, and to enjoy good fellowship with those
who share like interests.
CONTACTS
[email protected]
World Wide Web Home Page
http://www.agemclub.org
Business meeting and program
1st Tuesday 7:30PM
AGMC Board Meeting
7:00PM on Last Tuesday of the Month
I am officially TIRED of winter, I have been tired since
about November 16th, or maybe a few days earlier. It
is still a chilly 34 F outside, but our daffodils are
hanging tough, and that eternal optimist The
Weatherman assures me it will reach 73 this afternoon
and that is indeed spring-like. I'll take it.
The new season brings with it some refreshing
changes in our club website. After a pair of meetings
in March, our most visible guru’s gathered with other
interested club members and improvements began to
come about! Jeremy Dubhroz, Torre Quinn, and Tom
McCormick III created and shared passwords and
other electronic hocus pocus, and suddenly, longstanding problems were resolved. Features became
current! Dates for the show appeared for 2013!
But that’s not all. The creative among us showered
them with new ideas to make the site easier to
navigate, more attractive looking, and more efficient to
communicate with our target audiences! Many of the
suggestions came from Emie Stewart, as well as from
John Alexander and Kris Kistner. The group is so
effective I have asked them to continue to meet on a
regular basis to see that we follow through on the
planned improvements to the site. They selected April
th
15 for our next meeting. It will be held at 7:00 PM at
the clubhouse. Other people whose input will be
helpful will be sought, and others who would like to
join the effort may please contact me.
The improvements don’t all appear at once, because
rebirth takes time—but they are on the way, just in
time to become a lot more useful in promoting our
upcoming Jewelry Gem and Mineral Show!
ARLINGTON GEM AND MINERAL CLUB
MEMBER OF
SOUTH CENTRAL FEDERATION OF MINERAL
SOCIETIES
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MINERALOGICAL
SOCIETIES
April 2014
The show for this year is shaping up, thanks in no
small part to our new Show Chair, Kris Kistner, and we
have now contracted with the Grapevine Convention
Center to hold our 2015 show there as well—second
weekend in June. This will build a sense of continuity
with our show visitors, and will help building
participation. This will, in turn, help build membership
in the club. It’s all good.
One final note regarding the show. There are only a
few slots left for dealers. We have in hand contracts
for dealers whose payments will cover the costs for
renting the facilities. That’s a milestone for
development of a cost-effective outreach effort. Now
let’s move ahead with planning for our displays, which
show off our talents and the effectiveness of our
classes. The classes are what bring new members to
the club, and a sense of revitalization to all of us.
What are you going to display this year?
Now it’s back to the reality of what the coming of
Spring really means: For me, that’s back to the
drawing board—for INCOME TAXES! I hope we’ll get
ours done before our next club meeting—April 1,
2014!
Your President—Carl Wells
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I N S I DE T H I S
ISSUE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE MEETING: 7:00 PM LAST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH
COMMITTEE MEMBERS SERVE AS UNPAID VOLUNTEERS. IF YOU
ARE INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING TO FILL A VACANT POSITION
PLEASE CONTACT THE PRESIDENT.
ELECTED OFFICERS (Voting)
President
Secretary
Treasurer - Finance
1st Vice Pres (Operational/Educational Classes)
2nd Vice Pres (Programs)
3rd Vice Pres (Field Trips)
4th Vice Pres (Youth Programs)
Delegate at Large (Ombudsperson)
4
How to Cut Fire Agate
APPONTED POSITIONS (Voting)
5
Rare Diamond
7
April Fools Day Recipe
8
Bench Tips
Past President (Donations Chairperson)
Bulletin (The Hound’s Tale) Editor
Show Chairperson
Lapidary Department Chairperson
Membership Chairperson
9
May InterGem Show
9
Annual AGMC Show
10
April Class Report
11
April Class Schedule
12
May Tentative Class
Schedule
Carl Wells
Marlenia Cohen
Stephen Bennett
Emie Stewart
Jesse Baum
Billy Harris
Janet Gray
Ray Wilkes
Sue Dale Miller
Gerald Pennington
Kris Kistner
Val Babineaux
John Crabb
APPONTED POSITIONS (Non-Voting)
13
Lapidary Calendar
14
Programs
14
Lapidary Shop Talk
15
Area Gem & Mineral Shows
16
March Minutes
Library Chairperson
Building Chairperson
Hospitality Chairperson
Welcome Chairperson
Jacqueline Chirunga
Mike Armstrong
Leslie Wilkes
Sandra Brazzale
AGMC needs leadership volunteers for constitution and parliamentary
procedure; jewelry making; long-range planning, and club history. People
interested in serving the club in these areas, please discuss it with President
Carl.
OPERATIONS VOLUNTEERS (Non-Voting)
Webmaster
Sunshine
Newsletter Mailing
Grounds
Computer/Electronics Technology
International Gem and Jewelry
AKS Shows
Jeremy Dubhros
Marge Harrand
Lois McCormick
Barbara Poplin
Torre Quinn
Joyce Speed
Kris Galbraith
THE HOUND’S TALE
Published monthly by the Arlington Gem and Mineral Club.
ADS AND ARTICLES
Lapidary related ads and articles from members of AGMC are welcomed.
They will be placed on a space available basis, first in first out. Include your
name and contact information.
Send ads and articles to the editor at our web site:
http://www.agemclub.org, click on “CONTACTS” (upper right), then, on the
next page click on “Hound’s Tale Editor” (bottom center). Alternatively, you
can send them to [email protected].
Deadline date for ads and articles
is the 15th of the month.
April 2014
THE HOUNDS TALE
Arlington Gem and Mineral Club
1408 Gibbons Road
Arlington, Texas 76011
3
How To Cut And Polish Fire Agate
Nova Wells, cc
Fire agate has the same properties common to all agates, plus some special
conditions. It is a chalcedony and is formed in botryoidal layers, which means
‘like a bunch of grapes.’ The ‘fire’ comes from very thin layers of iron oxide
that coat occasional layers of clear chalcedony, with other clear and brown
layers in between. Fire agate is predominately brown in color but often has
masses of white attached. Good fire agate will have more than one layer of
‘fire,’ or iron oxide which produces iridescence in the same way a skim of oil
produces color on water. There are places in both New Mexico and Arizona
where the stone may be collected and it is also mined in Mexico.
Begin by using the saw to remove any amount of plain white stone that is
attached. Be careful to check each saw cut to be sure you didn’t cut into some
color (fire). If there is no layer of fire visible begin to grind carefully over the
surface of the stone until you can spot one or more layers of iridescence. Fire
agate sold by dealers will often have a ‘window’ cut to show where the color is.
Because it is botryoidal most fire agate must be worked by hand because it
involves concave as well as convex surfaces. There are two types of tools
you can use with equal success to work fire agate. You can use a Dremel or
Flex Shaft with a series of diamond tools or you can use short pieces of wood
dowel in several sizes that you shape yourself. The dowel can be put in an
electric drill and used with commercial diamond powder in grades from grind
to polish.
The trick is to locate the layer of iridescence covering as much surface as
possible and then remove all but the thinnest layer of clear chalcedony that
covers it. I begin with small round or pointed diamond bits in the Dremel to
remove unwanted stone. USE LOTS OF WATER WHEN GRINDING.
Because you are working close to your eyes (and nose) and producing
powdered stone, it would be very easy to inhale the dust causing permanent
damage to your lungs if you allow any dryness to occur. Never mind the
possibility of cracking the stone. Stones are replaceable—your lungs aren’t.
The next series of steps is to use diamond-imbedded Dremel tools graded
from 180 grit to 15,000 grit. There are two types of tools you can use with
equal success to work fire agate. Mine are ‘Nova Points’ but there are
probably other brands that are just as good. Getting the stone smooth and
showing the iridescence in a finished state may take several hours. Final
polish can be done with a felt wheel and tin oxide. The rewards are worth the
patience required.
April 2014
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Rare Diamond Reveals Earth's Interior is All Wet
By Becky Oskin, Senior Writer March 12, 2014 2:14 PM
A diamond from Juína, Brazil, containing a water-rich inclusion of the olivine mineral ringwoodite.
Credit: Richard Siemens/University of Alberta
A battered diamond that survived a trip from "hell" confirms a long-held theory: Earth's mantle
holds an ocean's worth of water. "It's actually the confirmation that there is a very, very large
amount of water that's trapped in a really distinct layer in the deep Earth," said Graham Pearson,
lead study author and a geochemist at the University of Alberta in Canada. The findings were
published today (March 12) in the journal Nature. The worthless-looking diamond encloses a tiny
piece of an olivine mineral called ringwoodite, and it's the first time the mineral has been found on
Earth's surface in anything other than meteorites or laboratories. Ringwoodite only forms under
extreme pressure, such as the crushing load about 320 miles (515 kilometers) deep in the mantle.
What's in the mantle?
Most of Earth's volume is mantle, the hot rock layer between the crust and the core. Too deep to
drill, the mantle's composition is a mystery leavened by two clues: meteorites, and hunks of rock
heaved up by volcanoes. First, scientists think the composition of the Earth's mantle is similar to
that of meteorites called chondrites, which are chiefly made of olivine. Second, lava belched by
volcanoes sometimes taps the mantle, bringing up chunks of odd minerals that hint at the intense
heat and pressure olivine endures in the bowels of the Earth. In recent decades, researchers
have also recreated mantle settings in laboratories, zapping olivine with lasers, shooting minerals
with massive guns and squeezing rocks between diamond anvils to mimic the Earth's interior.
These laboratory studies suggest that olivine morphs into a variety of forms corresponding to the
depth at which it is found. The new forms of crystal accommodate the increasing pressures.
Changes in the speed of earthquake waves also support this model. Seismic waves suddenly
speed up or slow down at certain depths in the mantle. Researcher think these speed zones arise
from olivine's changing configurations. For example, 323 to 410 miles (520 to 660 km) deep,
between two sharp speed breaks, olivine is thought to become ringwoodite. But until now, no one
had direct evidence that olivine was actually ringwoodite at this depth. "Most people (including
April 2014
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me) never expected to see such a sample. Samples from the transition zone and lower mantle are
exceedingly rare and are only found in a few, unusual diamonds," Hans Keppler, a geochemist at
the University of Bayreuth in Germany, wrote in a commentary also published in Nature today.
Earth's deepest ocean
The diamond from Brazil confirms that the models are correct: Olivine is ringwoodite at this depth,
a layer called the mantle transition zone. And it resolves a long-running debate about water in the
mantle transition zone. The ringwoodite is 1.5 percent water, present not as a liquid but as
hydroxide ions (oxygen and hydrogen atoms bound together). The results suggest there could be
a vast store of water in the mantle transition zone, which stretches from 254 to 410 miles (410 to
660 km) deep. "It translates into a very, very large mass of water, approaching the sort of mass of
water that's present in all the world's ocean," Pearson told Live Science's Our Amazing Planet.
Plate tectonics recycles Earth's crust by pushing and pulling slabs of oceanic crust into subduction
zones, where it sinks into the mantle. This crust, soaked by the ocean, ferries water into the
mantle. Many of these slabs end up stuck in the mantle transition zone. "We think that a significant
portion of the water in the mantle transition zone is from the emplacement of these slabs," Pearson
said. "The transition zone seems to be a graveyard of subducted slabs."
Keppler noted that it's possible the volcanic eruption that brought the deep diamond to Earth's
surface may have sampled an unusually water-rich part of the mantle, and that not all of the
transition-zone layer may be as wet as indicated by the ringwoodite. "If the source of the magma
is an unusual mantle reservoir, there is the possibility that, at other places in the transition zone,
ringwoodite contains less water than the sample found by Pearson and colleagues," Keppler
wrote. "However, in light of this sample, models with anhydrous, or water-poor, transition zones
seem rather unlikely."
Ride on a rocket
A violent volcanic eruption called a kimberlite quickly carried this particular diamond from deep in
the mantle. "The eruption of a kimberlite is analogous to dropping a Mentos mint into a bottle of
soda," Pearson said. "It's a very energetic, gas-charged reaction that blasts its way to Earth's
surface."
The tiny, green crystal, scarred from its 325-mile (525 km) trip to the surface, was bought from
diamond miners in Juína, Brazil. The mine's ultradeep diamonds are misshapen and beaten up by
their long journey. "They literally look like they've been to hell and back," Pearson said. The
diamonds are usually discarded because they carry no commercial value, he said, but for
geoscientists, the gems provide a rare peek into Earth's innards.
The ringwoodite discovery was accidental, as Pearson and his co-authors were actually searching
for a means of dating the diamonds. The researchers think careful sample preparation is the key to
finding more ringwoodite, because heating ultradeep diamonds, as happens when scientists polish
crystals for analysis, causes the olivine to change shape. "We think it's possible ringwoodite may
have been found by other researchers before, but the way they prepared their samples caused it
to change back to a lower-pressure form," Pearson said.
Email Becky Oskin or follow her @beckyoskin. Follow us @OAPlanet, Facebook and Google+. Original
article at Live Science's Our Amazing Planet.
April 2014
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April Fools Day Recipe
Okay, there is always some April fooling going around on April 1st.
Start the day off with a wonderful breakfast of "ostrich eggs"! Some will refuse to eat them, but
those who try it will realize ostrich eggs taste a lot like vanilla yogurt and peaches.
This is easy to do. Add vanilla yogurt to a bowl and then add half of a peach, round side up. It
looks like an egg doesn't it?
http://www.serendipityfromjewels.com/
April 2014
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Bench Tips by Brad Smith
POLISHING WHEELS
In the finishing sequence there's a step called pre-polishing, between sanding and buffing, and one
of the most effective tools I've found to help here is the little silicone wheels used in a Foredom or
Dremel. They come in several different abrasive levels and several different shapes. The wheels are
color coded to denote their abrasive level. Different shapes (coin, knife, cylinder, point, etc) are
available to match the geometry of the area being cleaned up.
For a starter, I'd suggest a medium, a fine and an extra fine wheel in both the coin shape and the
knife-edge shape. The thicker coin shapes are particularly handy. Be sure to get a few extra
mandrels so you'll have one of each wheel shape mounted and ready to go.
Cylinder shapes are nice for doing the inside of rings. Knife-edge shapes clean up the base of
bezels quickly. Most jewelry catalogs carry these wheels, but often the color codes don't match
between different manufacturers.
_____
RESHAPING SILICONE WHEELS
Silicone polishing wheels in the Dremel or Foredom are a great time saver, but after using them a
bit they often need to be reshaped. This is particularly true with the knife-edge wheels.
The natural thought is to grab one of your files and hold it up against the rotating wheel to reshape
it. But this gives you a problem. The grinding grit in the silicone wheel is much harder than steel,
meaning that you end up grinding down the teeth of your file.
The best way to reshape your polishing wheels is to use a diamond file. If you don't have one and
must use a steel file, I sacrifice the area of the file that is closest to the handle. That's an area which
is not used in normal benchwork.
"Get all 101 of Brad's bench tips in "Bench Tips for Jewelry
Making" on Amazon "
http://amazon.com/dp/0988285800/
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April 2014
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April 2014 Class Report, by Emie Stewart
Bezel-setting Fancy-cut Faceted Stones: Jurgen Maerz returns on April 26 and 27 to teach an advanced
class in bezel-setting fancy-cut faceted stones such as marquis, pear, trillion, and emerald-cut. The class
will cover the use of burs, creating a proper seat, removing excess materials, and the finer points of
finishing. The class is full.
Precious Metal Clay: On April 2, John Crabb will teach a one-day class on using precious metal clay.
Signups were at the March meeting, and the class is full.
Beginning Enameling: On Saturday, April 5, Barbara Maloney and Sue Poarch will teach a beginning
enameling on copper class. Signups were at the March meeting.
Chainmaille: Helen Vaught’s monthly chain maille class will not meet in April because of the Easter
holiday. Her class will resume on the 3rd Sunday of May, from 2 – 4 PM in the library. Students will need to
bring two pair of smooth-jawed pliers. Helen will provide kits for purchase for each class. Signups will be at
the monthly meeting.
Casting Lab: In May, Jack Spinks and Katiri Peters will be hosting the casting lab for those who have
already had casting. Thursday, May 15, from 7 – 10 PM, is investing. Saturday, May 17, from 9 – noon, is
the pour. Signups will be at the April meeting.
Big Saw Class: On the second Monday of every odd numbered month, Val Babineaux will be teaching
how to use the big saws. The class will be from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. The next class will be in May, with
signups at the April meeting.
**Re Cabbing: The cabbing class is NOT a pre-requisite for other classes, including but not limited to, silversmithing. The
cabbing class is a pre-requisite before members are allowed to use the lapidary equipment, which they may do only
during open shop hours when a shop supervisor is present.
Arlie Bucks: If you are using Arlie Bucks for a class or lapidary shop, please make sure you sign
them on the front so that we know they have actually been used rather than being misplaced.
Thank You: A HUGE thank you to the approximately 30 people who donated over 1500 hours of their
time to teach classes and workshops at AGMC during January – October, 2013. While other clubs are
dying on the vine, AGMC continues to experience robust growth, due primarily to active members just like
you. If you are interested in teaching a class or workshop, please contact Emie Stewart at
[email protected]. Our instructors and supervisors are volunteers and do not get paid for their time.
Thank you for the generous gift of your time and talent.
AGMC Facebook Page: The club’s Facebook page has over 300 fans! Visit the page regularly to see
what’s new, and “Like” it and “Share” it with your Facebook friends. This is free advertising for the club and
its annual show.
Class Postings: Please be considerate of your fellow club members during class signup times. A line
usually forms just before 7:00 PM when the signup sheets for classes and workshops are posted. These
sheets are posted at 7:00 PM on the hallway bulletin board at the clubhouse on the 1st Tuesday night of
each month. They are usually posted a month before the class is scheduled to begin. Only current
members in good standing, who have paid their membership fee, may sign up. Whenever possible,
advance notice of upcoming signups is given in The Class Report and on the club’s Facebook page. The
class schedule is emailed to club members approximately mid-month, and published in the club’s
newsletter, available via email. When you sign up, please include your phone number and email in case
the instructor needs to contact you. Also, please note the club’s no show policy, set forth below and on
each signup sheet.
No Shows: If you sign up for a class and are unable to attend, you must let the instructor know before the class date so
that they can offer your slot to someone on the waiting list. Failure to do so may cause you to be listed as a “no show.”
Club policy is that no-shows will be wait-listed for future classes at the instructor’s discretion.
General Class Information: Class fees are $3/hr to cover building usage, plus any applicable supply fee as noted on the signup
sheet. Students are expected to provide their own tools and materials except as noted on the signup sheet. The vast majority of
instructors are volunteers who are not paid for their time but are willing to share their knowledge. Students are expected to follow
instructor directions, cooperate in a classroom setting, and to observe all safety requirements. Failure to do so may be grounds for
immediate removal from the class at the instructor’s discretion. Occasionally, outside professionals may be brought in to teach a
class. These instructors are paid by the students, and the class fees are due at signup and are nonrefundable unless the Class
Supervisor can fill the student’s seat before the class begins .
April 2014
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AGMC April 2014 Class Schedule
SPECIAL WORKSHOPS:
Precious Metal Clay
Wednesday, April 2, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: John Crabb
Beginning Enameling
Saturday, April 5, 1 – 4 PM
Instructors: Barbara Maloney and Sue Poarch
Bezel Fabrication and Setting Fancy-cut Faceted Stones
April 26 – 27, all day
Instructor: Jurgen Maerz
ONGOING CLASSES:
Cab Class
1st Saturday, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Ray Wilkes
2nd Tuesday, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: Stephen Bennett
4th Saturday, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Barbara Maloney
Faceting
Wednesdays, 7 – 9 PM
Instructor: Mike Knuth/Elaine O’Donley/Frank Krystinik/Donna Mallory/Dudley Barnes
Beginning Glass Fusing Labs
2nd & 3rd Tuesdays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: Karen Cessna
Enameling Labs
2nd Saturdays, 1 – 5 PM
Instructors: Sue Poarch and Barbara Maloney
Chain Maille-cancelled for April due to Easter
Silversmithing
Beginning Silversmithing CLOSED
Mondays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructors: Jack Spinks/John Alexander
Intermediate Silversmithing CLOSED
Mondays, 7 – 10 PM in the cabbing room
Instructor: Rotating; Class Assistant: Sue Bedell
Advanced Silversmithing CLOSED
Fridays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructors: Emie Stewart/Marlenia Cohen/John Crabb
Special Projects in Silversmithing for Alumni
Thursdays, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Emie Stewart
April 2014
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AGMC Tentative May 2014 Class Schedule
SPECIAL WORKSHOPS:
Big Saw
Monday, May 12, 6 – 9 PM
Instructor: Val Babineaux
ONGOING CLASSES:
Cab Class:
1st Saturday, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Ray Wilkes
2nd Tuesday, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: Stephen Bennett
4th Saturday, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Barbara Maloney
Faceting
Wednesdays, 7 – 9 PM
Instructor: Mike Knuth/Elaine O’Donley/Frank Krystinik/Donna Mallory/Dudley Barnes
Beginning Glass Fusing Lab
2nd & 3rd Tuesdays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: Karen Cessna
Enameling Labs
2nd Saturdays, 1 – 5 PM
Instructors: Sue Poarch and Barbara Maloney
Casting Lab
Thursday, May 15, 7 – 10 PM (investing)
Saturday, May 17, 9 – noon (pour)
Instructors: Jack Spinks and Katiri Peters
Instructors: Jack Spinks and Katiri Peters
Chain Maille
3rd Sundays, 2 – 4 PM, in the Library
Instructor: Helen Vaught
Silversmithing
Beginning Silversmithing CLOSED
Mondays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructors: Jack Spinks/John Alexander
Intermediate Silversmithing CLOSED
Mondays, 7 – 10 PM in the cabbing room
Instructors: Rotating; Sue Bedell, class assistant
Advanced Silversmithing CLOSED
Fridays, 7 – 10 PM
Instructor: Emie Stewart/Marlenia Cohen/John Crabb
Special Projects in Silversmithing for Alumni
Thursdays, 1 – 4 PM
Instructor: Emie Stewart
April 2014
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Lapidary Lab Schedule
April 2014
Consider a Shop Supervisor Role – talk to Val!
Lapidary Calendar
4/5/2014
4/3/2014
4/12/2014
4/8/2014
4/10/2014
4/19/2014
4/15/2014
4/17/2014
4/26/2014
1st Sat
1st Thurs
2nd Sat
2nd Tues
2nd Thurs
3rd Sat
3rd Tues
3rd Thurs
4th Sat
Val "Pops" Babineaux
Ray
Jeremy
Val
Stephen
Barbara
Richard
Richard
Don
Val
9am-12pm
7pm-9pm
9am-12pm
9am-12pm
7pm-9pm
8am-12pm
7pm-9pm (FREE evening)
7pm-9pm
8am-12pm
Local Area Club Meetings
Dallas Gem & Mineral Society, 10205 Plano Rd, off of Plano Rd, Dallas, TX, meets the 3rd Tue. of
each month at 7 pm
Dallas Paleontological Society, EMGI (Bldg H, Brookhaven College, 3939 Valley View Lane, Farmers
Branch, TX 75244), 2nd Wed each month at 7:30 pm
Farmers Branch Senior Center, Rock & Mineral Club, 14055 Dennis Lane, Farmers Branch, TX
75234, meets the first Thursday of each month from 10am - noon.
Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Club, 3545 Bryan Avenue, Ft Worth, TX, meets the 4th Tuesday of each
month at 7:30 pm
Lockheed-Martin Stone Steppers, 3400 Bryant-Irving Road, Fort Worth, meets the 2nd Tuesday at
7:30 pm (Note: These meetings may be relocated or delayed due to construction at club site)
Oak Cliff Gem & Min Soc, South Hampton Community Hospital, 2929 S. Hampton Rd, Dallas, TX, 4th
Tue. each month at 7 pm
Pleasant Oaks Gem & Mineral Club, Garland Women's Bldg., 713 Austin, Garland, TX meets the 1st
Thur. each month at 7:30 pm
April 2014
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PROGRAMS/OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Programs – Jesse Baum
April 1 – Val Babineaux – Safety Meeting
May 6 - We will be preparing for the show, and there will be no program.
Note from the Editor: Please continue to send
in your interesting articles as it enriches club
members and makes our newsletter more
meaningful.
Lapidary Shop Talk
Barbara Maloney and Val Babineaux are rewriting the course for Beginning
Cabochon which includes an all day course of making cabochons in the morning and
operating the big saw in afternoon.
We are also starting an Intermediate course with focus on competition cabbing.
An advanced course will include cabochon material like opal, labradorite, etc., and
free form cabochons.
Saturday, May 3, 2014, is the Annual Rock Swap at AGMC, from 8am until...
Instead of a potluck lunch, the Junior Students will host a concession stand with hot
dogs, drinks, etc.
Our parking lot swap meets will resume the third Saturday of each month in April.
The swap meet will be moved indoors in case of inclement weather.
April 2014
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AREA GEM & MINERAL SHOWS
March 28, 29, 2014, Ada, OK, Ada Gem Mineral & Fossil Club Show, Pontotoc
County Fairgrounds,.
April 12-13, 2014, Abilene, TX, Central Texas Gem & Mineral Society, Abilene
Civic Center, N. 6th & Pine Street.
April 12-13, 2014, Siloam Springs, AR, Northwest Arkansas Gem & Mineral
Society Spring Show, Arkansas Community Building on Mount Olive.
April 12-13, 2014, Waco, TX, Waco Gem & Mineral Club, Extraco Events
Center, 4601 Bosque Blvd.
April 18-20, 2014, Alpine, TX, Chihuahuan Desert Gem & Mineral Club, Alpine
Civic Center, 801 W. Holland Ave., between 12th & 13th Streets.
April 25-27, 2014, Houston, TX, Fine Minerals Show - Annual Show, Embassy
Suites Hotel, 2911 Sage Road, Near the Galleria - Houston.
April 26-27, 2014, Lubbock, TX, Lubbock Gem & Mineral Society, Lubbock
Memorial Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Lane.
May 16-18, 2014, AKS Jewelry & Bead Show, Grapevine Convention Center,
1209 S. Main Street, Grapevine, TX.
May 24-25, 2014, Fort Worth, TX, Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Club, Will Rogers
Memorial Center, Amon G. Carter Exhibit Building, 3401 W. Lancaster.
May 31 - June 1, 2014, DeRidder, LA, DeRidder Gem & Mineral Society,
Beauregard Parish, 610 West Street.
June 7-8, 2014, Arlington, TX, Arlington Gem & Mineral Club, Grapevine
Convention Center, 1209 S. Main Street.
April 2014
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ARLINGTON GEM AND MINERAL CLUB
Date: March 4, 2014, General Meeting Minutes
Call to Order: President Carl Wells called the meeting to order at 7:30 pm.
Secretary’s report - Marlenia Cohen said minutes from last month were posted on the bulletin board and are
included in the Hound’s Tale.
Treasurer’s Report –Steve Bennett reported that we are solvent.
Classes -- 1st VP Emie Stewart listed new classes:
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Several years ago, a scholarship fund was set up to encourage members to take classes and share
what they learned. Members pay for their classes, but if the return home, develop a curriculum, and
teach what they learned, they may be reimbursed via the scholarship. Tonight we wish to
congratulate Sue Porch as one of our scholarship recipients. Sue and Barbara Malone have
developed an enameling program.
A new Beginning Enameling class, April 5 th, 1-4, is posted on the sign up board.
We need to dispel a rumor. The Cabbing Class is not a prerequisite for any classes. You need to
take the Cabbing Class if you wish to use any of the club lapidary equipment.
Linda Trahan will be teaching Keum Boo March 22, and 29 th, two Saturdays in a row.
Val Babineaux will be teaching Big Saw on March 10 th, 6 – 9 p.m.
John Crabb will be teaching a Precious Metal Clay class on April 2 nd, 7 – 10 p.m. There is a $70
non-refundable materials fee.
Casting Lab with Jack Spinks and Katiri Peters March 20 for investing, and March 22 for the pour. If
you have had the casting class, and have something ready to cast. Can also do Delft Clay casting.
There will not be a casting lab in April. The next casting lab will be May 15 for investment, and May
17 for the pour.
Enameling lab second Saturday of every month with Barbara Maloney and Sue Porch. If you have
had the enameling class, you are welcome.
Jurgen Maertz advanced stone setting class is full.
Helen Vaught will be teaching the DNA Chain the third Sunday of the month.
Programs – 2nd VP Jesse Baum - Program on Microfossils given by Dr. Nestell.
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April will be our Safety Meeting.
May we will be preparing for the show, and there will be no program.
Field Trips – 3rd VP Billy Harris – Andy Weinzapfel spoke for Billy.
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March 29th, there is a trip to the Hill Country. We will meet in Marble Falls, with five or six stops to
see. Andy Weinzapfel is helping to coordinate this trip. Carpooling in six or seven cars might be
necessary. We will be looking at the Marble Falls Fault, where we can find limestone and granite.
In the Llano River, we can see the Kingston Pluton, and collect xenoliths. After lunch, we will look at
a Llanite dike.
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April 18-20 a trip to the Walker Ranch is available. 20 people are needed to make the trip.
Youth Programs – 4th VP Janet Gray
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We have changed our meeting time to Saturday, 1 – 3 p.m. We had four new members at the last
youth meeting.
We have contacted 75 Arlington schools, with no response.
There is a signup sheet for the show, to get juniors active.
Suggestions for recruiting younger members are welcome.
At the show we will have a rock hunt. Donations for the juniors would be appreciated.
Delegate at Large – Ray Wilkes – No complaints. Any comments, or suggestions for the club, please send
them to Ray.
Sunshine Report -- Marge Harrand: One card sent to Winifred Hill.
Newsletter – The newsletter has a new editor, Gerald Pennington. Stephanie Makatura reported for him.
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The newsletter is ready to be proofed and will be online later this week.
March 15th is the deadline for the next Hounds Tale.
Show Report – We have a new dealer chairman, Carl Wells, with much help from Nova Wells.
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Nine dealers have reserved space in the show so far. We have room for 20 in the show.
Reminders will be sent out to dealers.
Kris asked for volunteers. Signup sheets are on the tables. Demonstrators are needed to show off
what we do.
There will be a rock hunt at the show.
We have a contract for the 2015 show. It will be the second weekend of June 2015.
Richard Makatura has been a big help on the mailers. Our cards have been designed, approved,
and have just arrived. They are pending mail out at this time.
Hospitality – Leslye Wilkes.
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Thanks for the great turnout of food tonight.
Keep it coming – we are a rock club that likes to eat.
Membership -- John Crabb - We now have 225 members. Four new members joined tonight.
Donations –Dale Miller – Not present tonight.
Lapidary -- Val Babineaux –
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One of our Genie’s needs repair. It was damaged at the last show. The Pixie is a better choice for
shows, since it is smaller and easier to carry.
 Randy and Ingrid Lantz are back.
 If you take the Big Saw Class, and have something you want to cut, bring it. The Cabbing Class is
not a prerequisite to take the Big Saw class
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Building Manager -- Mike Armstrong helped to set up the meeting, but left before the meeting started.
Librarian – Jacqueline Chirunga reminded everyone that we have an extensive collection of books and
magazines. Books can be checked out for a month. Magazines must be read here. This month’s
recommendation, A Field Guide to Fossils of Texas.
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Old Business— None reported.
New Business:
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Joyce Speed mentioned that the long range planning committee went through rocks from the
donation committee. About one third of it was sorted into buckets and is for sale now, here in
clubhouse. The rest of the material we have in the warehouse will be sorted later. Thanks to
everyone who came and helped out.
Fire extinguishers on the president’s desk are out of service. If anyone needs practice, use
those…outside.
Delbert Speed explained that the long range planning committee is made up of past presidents,
and that Carl Wells is the head of the committee. This group was put together to carry out
procedures that are outside of the realm of the executive committee. This group hopes to
develop a three year plan, and a five year plan. Our president would like additional volunteers,
other than just past presidents.
AGMC constitution may need to be revisited.
Anastasia Chaparro suggested that we keep a list of member expertise, so that we will know
who can help in specific areas, or can give referrals.
Barbara Malone thanked everyone who had sent well wishes.
Break
Fendol Chiles is making a cart for acetylene tanks. He had a sample to show. They will sell for $50.
Drawings/Raffle:
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Name Badge/Sign In:
o Richard Makatura won several pink cabs.
o Sharon Young won a mica specimen.
o Stephanie Makatura won a jasper slab.
o Carl Wells won several issues of Rock and Gem magazine.
Raffle:
o Carl Wells won a Brazilian agate.
o Ingrid Lantz won a piece of petrified wood.
o Kenneth Brown won a carnelian pendant on a gold chain.
o Kenneth Brown won a geode specimen.
o Sandra Brazzale won a mica specimen.
o Sue Porch won a hand carved ring.
Program: Microfossils and the GSSP (Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point)
Dr. Merlynd Nestell has been at UTA for 30 years. He, and his wife Galina, study General Invertebrate
Paleontology and Micropaleontology. His primary focus is the Late Paleozoic foraminifers and conodonts.
She prefers radiolarians. Together they work to define the boundaries of the Permian biostratigraphy.
Much of their research has been done in the Crimea, Greece, North Caucasus of Russia, and in the
Guadalupe Mountains and Apache Mountains of West Texas.
The Meeting Adjourned at approximately 9:45 pm.
Submitted by:
Marlenia Cohen
Secretary AGMC
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