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Volume 57 Number 8 August 1, 2016

From Da Prez:

Thank you, Shaun Shelton, for a very informative program on cleaning specimens with an impressive array of displayed. We learned a lot, even who is ready with a short joke once asked! A large group of 11 travelled to Marshall, NC for the month’s field trip to Little Pine Mine. I believe it was about 6 degrees cooler there at 90 degrees, and even cooler inside the mine, of course. The mine has changed and weathered considerably in the last few years. Digging in the creek bank proved to be the most productive as Steve Smith and Mike Smagner found. At least they gave us a group discount rate. Unless more of the mine is opened up, I don’t know that it will be cost effective as a destination, but always good to get outdoors and find a few specimens. We hope many of you can make it for the Grassy Creek Show and to Crabtree Mine while in the area of Little Switzerland and Spruce Pine. [ The] August meeting will offer a rare look into the history of the club, offered by Joe Maguire [Gary Parker, Ed Deckert, Joyce Patton, Steve Smith, John Hiller, Mary Pendergraph, and others.] See you soon! Keep cool! K B Montgomery

Hospitality Report 2016: Next Club Meeting Janet Woodcock

August 1, 2016 7:00 PM Jan. 4: Joe Maguire New Garden Friends Feb. 1: Debbie Bechtold 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC March 7: Dawn & Shawn Healy April 4: Debbie Bechtold May 2: Gary Parker Joe Maguire—GGMC History June 6: Mary Pendergraph July 11: Shelton family McCreery Scholarship: $ 1,096.00 Aug. 1: Montgomery Family 2016 Specimen raffle $17.00 Sept. 12: Smith family Oct. 3 Roy Carlson Nov. 7: Adams brothers Next Meeting September 12, 2016 Dec.5, Holiday Dinner

Expenses are reimbursed. Please try to keep cost below $50.00 Piedmont Prospector© Volume 57 Number 8 Page 2

August Birthdays: Stephen Westbrook Carol Maguire Kelly Patton Jim Montgomery Dawn Healy Shawn Healy Ron Hammond Peter Moss

Visitor & New Member: Fred Patrick Nancy Brenseke

2016 Field Trips 2016 Programs: Jan . none Feb. 27 Night at the Museum– Raleigh Jan. 4 DVD part 1—trim saw Daytime scavenger hunt Feb. 1 Gem Trees, Gary Parker March Burgin , Norwood, NC quarry March Lapidary DVD part 2 April open April 4 Spring Auction May 14 cookout/rock swap, Shelton’s May 2 June 4 show June 6 Lapidary DVD part 3 July 23 Garnet mine / Spruce Pine, NC July 11. Shaun Shelton August Crabtree Mine, Aug. 1 Joe Maguire, GGMC History Little Switzerland, NC Sept. 12 Sept none Oct. 3 Fall Auction Oct Quarry Nov. 7 Nov none Dec. 5 Holiday dinner; “Dirty-Rotten-Santa” Dec:. 5 Club Holiday Special carry in meal

Highlights of the July Meeting by Joyce Patton

President, Kathie Montgomery, began the July 2016 meeting by welcoming 28 members and guest Fred Patrick, who later joined the club. Shelton provided refreshments consisting of olive dip, sausage balls, California pasta salad, snicker doodle cookies, fruit bowls and dip, chips and salsa, and soft drinks. New member Nancy Brenseke also contributed a big bowl of watermelon. Thanks, la- dies.

Door Prize and Raffle Winners Steve Smith— from Hunan Province, China Ron Hammond—Smithsonite from Gila Co., Arizona McCreery Scholarship 50-50 winner—Mary Pendergraph, $21.

Club Show Kathie reported that the Farmers’ Market has responded positively to our request and reserved the first Saturday in June for our annual gem and show. This is an ongoing slot. The Market personnel are pleased to have us there. And judging by comments, club members, as well as vendors are thrilled with this site. The show committee will be organized soon so that news of the 2017 show can be sent to national publications in January.

Member News Club member Phil Everhart is recovering from quadruple bypass surgery and is now recovering in a regular room. He is doing well and hopes to be at the August meeting. Steve Adams has published a book—The Wizard of Oz as a Parable—an allegory of the spiritual path through life. It is available from Steve or on Amazon for $15.

Committees Debbie Bechtold who has been Hospitality Chairman, is moving from Greensboro so Kathie asked for a volunteer. Janet Woodcock agreed to serve in the position. Thank you, Janet. The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 56 Number 8 Page 3

Joe Maguire requested that someone else take stewardship of the 50/50 McCreery Scholarship fund as well as the year-long specimen raffle. Roy Carlson agreed to take over the duties. Thanks, Roy.

Program—Mineral Specimen Cleaning and Safety by Shaun Shelton

Shaun began his discussion with the all-important necessity of safety equipment including safety goggles, nitrile gloves or the longer yellow chemical gloves, and ventilation. He emphasized that unless you have access to a laboratory fume hood, to take your cleaning outside, never in a garage. Home bathroom vents will not be strong enough. Different cleaning processes can give off sulfur compounds with a strong smell while other reactions produce carbon dioxide.

As to cleaning processes, that depends completely on the type of mineral, but he mainly dis- cussed cleaning quartz. To remove oxide (rust) stains, Shaun recommends using super Iron-Out, a replacement for oxalic acid. However, oxalic acid works well for cleaning Arkansas quartz crystals. He has found super Iron-Out to be safe and efficient and is effective for any silicate. A container of holding a specimen is sprinkled with the Iron-Out and left for a day or two. If the solution turns yellow, it has lost effectiveness. The used solution can be flushed down the drain except in the case of septic tanks as a strong solution could kill the bacteria. The solution can also be neutralized with a little bak- ing soda before disposal.

Sometimes for a difficult stain such as on quartz Shaun will make a solution of 50/50 muriatic acid/water (always add acid to water). The specimen is added then Iron-Out sprinkled on the surface. Bubbles indicate that a sulfur compound is being given off—not pleasant to breathe. A top on the container aids in keeping the solution concentrated. For cleaning Graves mountain rutile crystals in , Shaun uses muriatic acid diluted a little in a Crockpot. Heat outside for several hours and the matrix will dissolve. To clean carbonates Iron-Out works but never use muriatic acid as it will dissolve the carbonates producing carbon dioxide gas. To clean green stains of organic matter such as moss, you can use a 50/50 solution of bleach then a hard bristle brush.

Shaun showed examples of the difference between before cleaning and after cleaning. He also had some beautiful specimens of mica crystals from Hiddenite. The mica was dark, but rich in chro- mium that showed green when light was shined through. Our thanks to Shaun for taking time to share great information and samples with us.

************************************************************************************ Ammolite: Geology.com / Contributor: Hobart King Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation Li- cense, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front- Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License.

What is Ammolite? Gem-quality Ammolite produces a spectacular display of iridescent color when it is observed in reflected light. The colors of an individual stone can run the full range of the visible spectrum or be limited to just one or two colors. The color display can rival fine and in its intensity and beauty. Ammolite is a trade name given to a thin iridescent shell mate- rial that is found on two species of extinct ammonite (Placenticeras meeki The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 57 Number 8 Page 4 and Placenticeras intercalare). Other less-frequently used trade names for Ammolite are "Calcenite" and "Korite." It is also known simply as "ammonite shell." Ammolite is a rare material. All of the world's commercial production comes from a small area along the St. Mary River in southwestern Alberta, Canada. There, two companies mine Ammolite from thin layers in the where the ammonite fossils are found.

Ammolite The color-producing shell layer of Ammolite is usually very thin (often less than one millimeter) and attached to a dark gray to brown base of or . Exceptional pieces can be cut into gems without stabilization.

Most Ammolite is used to produce triplets. These are made by backing the fragile iridescent ma- terial with a thin slab for stability and topping it with a transpar- ent cover for protection. Clear quartz or can be used for the transparent cover. Black shale or another material can be used for the backing. Some Ammolite is made into doublets, which only requires adding a backing or transparent cover as needed. Many stones are impregnated with for stability.

The best stones: 1) produce a vivid display of multiple col- ors; 2) have a strong that can be observed from a wide range of angles; and, 3) have a pleas- ing pattern of color with minimal interruption by gaps, inclusions or fractures. The highest quality rough is usually cut into freeform shapes to produce gems of maximum weight. These are used in designer jewelry. Other grades of material are cut to standard shapes for use in commercial jewelry.

When assembled stones include a clear cap, it normally has a minimum amount of doming to provide the best view of the Ammolite below. A small number of stones have a faceted cap for custom- ers who like that appearance. Uncapped stones are best used in , , pins and where abrasion and impact are less likely. This is because the material is soft (H: 3.5 to 4), brittle, and can cleave upon impact.

Physical Properties of Ammolite Chemical Classification carbonate Color Iridescent colors that can traverse the entire spectrum - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Red and green are the most common colors. Luster vitreous, accepts a bright polish Diaphaneity The gem layer is transparent to translucent / brittle with distinct cleavage Mohs Hardness 3.5 to 4 Specific Gravity 2.6 to 2.9 Diagnostic Properties A thin layer of iridescent color, often with a fractured appearance, on a base of siderite or shale Chemical Composition CaCO3 Mineral Composition aragonite, usually on a base of siderite or shale Crystal System orthorhombic Uses

The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 57 Number 8 Page 5

Geology of Alberta Ammonite The story of Ammolite begins about 70 to 75 million years ago when forces within the Earth were building the in what is now northwestern . The area on the east side of the mountains was covered by a broad body of water known as the . It con- nected what is now the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.

Rains falling on the eastern flank of the young Rocky Mountains washed into the sea- way. These sediments accumulated and eventually formed a rock unit known as the Bearpaw Forma- tion. The Bearpaw is composed primarily of marine shale but contains some thin sandstones and layers of volcanic ash.

The Western Interior Seaway contained many forms of life, including bony fish, shellfish, sharks, sea turtles, and ammonites. Ammonites (the source organisms for Ammolite) are an extinct group of marine invertebrates that possessed a tightly coiled shell similar to the modern . The ammonites in the seaway grew to a diameter of up to one meter - but most were about 1/4 to 1/2 that size.

When the ammonites died, their shells fell to the bottom of the seaway and were covered with . Many of them served as a nucleus for the formation of siderite which are now found in the Bearpaw Formation. The ammonite fossils within these concretions sometimes have an outer shell layer composed of gem-quality Ammolite.

The Bearpaw Formation The Bearpaw Formation is exposed at Earth's surface in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Mon- tana and Utah. The only area known to yield gem-quality Ammolite in commercial amounts is located along the St. Mary River in southwestern Alberta, but small amounts of gem Ammolite have been found in other areas.

Iridescent ammonite fossils are found in many outcrops of the Bearpaw Formation, but these are often too damaged by weathering to serve as good gem materials. The best gem-quality material is found in the excavations of mining operations where depth has protected the Ammolite from weather- ing. Some of it still requires stabilization to be used as a gem material. Some of it is too thin for use in manufacturing.

Other Iridescent Ammonites Ammonites with iridescent material in their shells are not unique to the Bearpaw Formation or to Canada. They have been found in Utah, England, Morocco, and Madagascar. When compared to iri- descent material from the Bearpaw formation, these materials typically have iridescence that is: 1) too thin to use in the production of gems; 2) too patchy to produce a good display; or, 3) too weak to catch the eye.

Ammolite History The Blackfoot people have known about iridescent ammonite fossils for hundreds of years. They called the material "Iniskim" (meaning "buffalo stone") and used it as a talisman.

Scientists from the Canadian Geological Survey described iridescent ammonite shells in 1908, but the first exhibition of iridescent ammonite in lapidary projects did not occur until 1962, when cut gems were mounted in jewelry and exhibited in a small gem show in Nonton, Alberta.

The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 57 Number 8 Page 6

In 1967, Marcel Charbonneau, owner of a Calgary rock shop, began assembling doublets of iri- descent ammonite shell on matrix with a clear quartz cover and calling them "Ammolite." The material quickly became popular. In 1981, Ammolite was recognized as a gemstone by CIBJO Colored Stones Commission, and in 2004 it was named as the official gemstone of the Province of Alberta. The Colored Stones Commission brought international attention to Ammolite, and its becoming the "Official Alberta Gemstone" produced enormous local popularity.

Today, two companies operate Ammolite mines in the Bearpaw Formation. They are the only mines in the world that produce gem-quality Ammolite. The companies are Aurora Ammolite Mine and Korite International. Korite's marketing materials report that they produce 90% of the world's supply of Ammolite. Most of the Ammolite they produce is cut into finished stones before leaving the company. As a result, very little rough enters the lapidary market.

The size of Alberta's Ammolite resource is difficult to assess. Searching outcrops does not yield reliable information because weathering has destroyed and altered much of the original Ammolite. The productive zones in the Bearpaw Formation are only a few feet thick, and the gem material is concen- trated in large fossils. This makes drilling an ineffective exploration method.

In areas where there is a potential for gem-quality material, the Bearpaw Formation is typically dipping. This limits mining to a thin zone between the outcrop and where the overburden is too thick to mine profitably. This limits the size and value of any discovery. Together, these facts make the long- term availability of Ammolite uncertain.

Three Ammolite made from material mined from the Bearpaw Formation at the Aurora Ammolite Mine in Alberta, Canada. All of these cabo- chons are assembled triplet stones with a transparent quartz cap. The two rectan- gular stones are 12 x 5 millimeters in size, and the oval-shaped stone is 10 x 8 milli- meters in size.

Ammolite triplet cabochons used in two pendants and a pair of earrings, all with accents. The jewelry and Ammolite gemstones were produced by Korite International. Photo used here under a GNU Free Document License.

An ammonite with iridescent shell material (Ammolite) mined from the Bearpaw Formation of Alberta, Canada and expertly prepared for display as a fossil specimen.

A paleogeographic map showing the position of the Western Interior Seaway in which the Bearpaw Formation and Ammolite-producing ammonites were deposited. Image by the United States Geological Survey.

The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 57 Number 8 Page 7

Iridescent ammonite shells are not unique to the Bearpaw Formation. They are found in many parts of the world. This ammonite specimen was collected in Madagascar and shows beautiful iridescent zones in its shell. The difference be- tween most other iridescent ammonites and those found in the Bearpaw is that the Bearpaw Formation specimens have a layer of iridescence that is thick enough to cut into gems or to use in manufacturing assembled gems. This specimen is about 33 millimeters across. ************************************************************************************ Jewelry Bench Tips - Brad, www.BradSmithJewelry.com Please include the following attribution with each publication: "Bench Tips for Jewelry Making" and "Broom for Creative Jewelry" are available on Amazon

And as a personal note, I'm excited to tell you about my family memoir. "The Reluctant Farmer of Whimsey Hill" is the true, light-hearted love story about a city boy (me) moving to a farm where deal- ing with my new wife's crazy rescue animals almost did me in. If you enjoy a good pet story like "Marley and Me" or "All Creatures Great and Small", take a look at the sample chapters on Amazon. http://amzn.to/1XoblsP

SHEET & WIRE STORAGE The more you work with jewelry, the more problems you have the piece of metal you need. My pieces of sheet were generally stored in various plastic bags, and the wire was in separate coils. Few were marked, so it often took me a while to locate that piece of 26 ga fine sheet I bought last year, especially since I usually take my supplies back and forth to classes.

A tip from a friend helped me organize everything. I bought an expanding folder from the office supplies store (the kind that has 13 slots and a folding cover) and marked the tabs for each gauge of metal I use. Then I marked all my pieces of sheet with their gauge, put them in plastic bags, marked the gauge on the bag, and popped them into the folder. I usually store coils of wire loose in the folder, but they can also be bagged if you prefer. I use one tab for bezel wire and one for the odd, miscellaneous items. The resulting folder is really convenient when I want to take my metal out to a class or workshop, and it's colorful enough for me to easily find in the clutter of the shop !

LITTLE BALLS I often use little balls of and as accent pieces on my designs. They can be made as needed from pieces of scrap. Cut the scrap into little pieces, put them on a solder pad and melt them with a torch. Then throw the balls into a small cup of pickle.

If you need to make all the balls the same size, you need the same amount of metal to melt each time. The best way to do that is to clip equal lengths of wire. But there's an easier way to get a good supply of balls. Some casting grain comes in near perfect The Piedmont Prospector © Volume 57 Number 8 Page 8

ball form. Just grab your tweezers and pick out the ones you need. When you need larger quantities of balls, pour the casting grain out onto a baking pan, tilt the pan a bit, and let all the round pieces roll to the bottom. Bag the good ones, and pour the rest back into your bag for casting. Balls can be sorted into different sizes using multiple screens.

**************************************************************************************** August Birthstones: and Sardonyx. Peridot is said to host magical powers and healing properties to protect against nightmares and to bring the wearer power, influence, and a wonderful year. As peridot is a gemstone that forms deep inside the Earth and brought to the surface by volcanoes, in Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes. Today, most of the peridot supply comes Arizona; other sources are China, Myanmar, and Pakistan. This gemstone comes in several color variations ranging from yellowish green to brown, but most consumers are attracted to the bright lime greens and olive greens. Peridot, in smaller sizes, often is used in beaded and

Sardonyx Sardonyx is a form of and is recognized by its layers of reddish brown and white banding. It was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans who carried into battle talismans of sardonyx engraved with images of heroes such as Mars or Hercules, believing that this would bring courage and vic- tory. Because of its attractive banding, sardonyx has long been used to cameos (carved raised figures) and intaglios (the reverse of cameos). This gemstone is found throughout the world. The most attractive specimens are found in India, but material also is mined in Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Uruguay, Germany, and in the United States.

*********************************************************************************** Earth Songs 2106 Patterson Street Greensboro, NC 27407 336.294.2111 “The largest collection of specimens between Atlanta and Washington DC”- Editor

2016 SCHEDULE

Jan. 4: MEMBERSHIP MEETING 2016 Dues Due Feb. 1: MEMBERSHIP MEETING March 7: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Board of Directors, membership roles updated. April 4: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Spring Auction May 2: MEMBERSHIP MEETING June 4: Our annual outdoor show June 6: MEMBERSHIP MEETING July 11: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Aug. 1: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Board of Directors and Nomination Committee Sept. 12: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Oct. 3 MEMBERSHIP MEETING Nov 7: MEMBERSHIP MEETING Ballot in Newsletter, mail or bring to meeting. Dec 5, Holiday dinner, “Dirty-Rotten-Santa”; Awards; Election results;

Meetings are held the first Monday of each month (except holidays ) at 7:00 PM at New Garden Friends Meeting Friendship Hall, 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro, NC,. Phone (336) 288-7452 or e-mail [email protected]. How to get to the meeting: Get off Interstate 40 ( I-40 ) at Guilford College exit, Go north towards Greensboro. You will cross railroad tracks at Market Street; Continue north another 1.1 miles to the second traffic light, this is Friendly Avenue. The meeting is at the next light so get into the left lane. Continue north one tenth of a mile to the next traffic light and driveway entrance. Turn left into the meeting property and park in the back.

Have your Family and Friends “Like” us on Facebook: Greensboro Gem & Mineral Club See us on the web: www.ggmc-rockhounds.com

Year 2016 Officers: President & Chairperson Vice President Treasurer (TEMP) Secretary Program Chair Charlie Finch Joe Maguire Joyce Patton Chief Executive c/o Club address c/o Club address c/o Club address Kathie Montgomery charliefinch@ [email protected] c/o Club address bellsouth.net [email protected]

_ Board of Directors for 2016:

Gary Parker ‘16 Ed Deckert ‘17 Steve Smith ‘18 Shaun Shelton ’16 Charlie Finch ‘17 Roy Carlson ’18 Dawn Healy ‘16 Joyce Patton ‘ 17 John Hiller ‘18

Honorary Life Members:

Dr. Cyril H. Harvey & Judith W. Harvey Joe Meadows Steve and Grace Smith Joe & Pat Maguire Steve Adams Laurie Adams Dr. Jean & Kevin Bonebreak Joyce & Kelly Patton Mac & Marie Anderson-Whitehurst Dr. Tim & Elaine Biggart Debra Livingston Dr. Joseph & Maria Mountjoy Ed Deckert John Hiller Kathie & Jim Montgomery Gary Parker

Program Chair: Kathie Montgomery Hospitality: Janet Woodcock Membership: Joyce Patton Editor: Joe Maguire Historian: Joe Maguire Show Chair: OPEN Librarian: OPEN Web Chair: Glenn Woodfin Auctioneers: Steve Smith / Gary Parker Trip Consultant: Shaun Shelton Publicity: OPEN McCreery Fund: Club Treasurer Special events/Geodes: Steve Smith Show Hospitality: Joyce Patton & Grace Smith Holiday Chairperson: Janet Woodcock Facebook: Kathie Montgomery August Dates: Items of interest: (Something going on? Let us know.)

July 2016-August 2016

30-7—SPRUCE PINE, NORTH CAROLINA: Annual show; Parkway Fire & Rescue, Parkway Fire & Res- cue; PO Box 188 Hwy.226 South; Daily 10:00 am-6:00 pm; Admission is Free; Open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM Daily; contact Roger Frye, NC, (828) 385-2884; e-mail: [email protected]

31-7—SPRUCE PINE , NORTH CAROLINA: Annual show; Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show , Park- way Fire and Rescue Department; 12966 South Hwy 226 South; Daily 10-6; Free Admission; The 32nd An- nual Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show is put on by the Parkway Fire and Rescue to raise money for new equipment. There will be dealers from around the world and a few local ones too. Anything in the way of gemstones, jewelry, fossils, mineral specimens or lapidary equipment can be found here. ; contact Donna Col- lis, 12966 South Hwy 226 South, Spruce Pine , NC 28777, (828)-765-5519; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://sites.google.com/sites/grassycreekgemshow/

4-7—SPRUCE PINE, NORTH CAROLINA: Annual show; Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, The Former Food Lion Building; 12121 Hwy. 226 S ; Thu. 10:00-6:00, Fri. 10:00-6:00, Sat. 10:00-6:00, Sun. 12:30-5:00; $3, Free; The 2016 NC Mineral and Gem Festival will be held in the Spruce Pine, NC August 4-7 at the former Food Lion Building on Hwy 226 S. For over 50 years rock hounds and gem lovers have flocked to Spruce Pine, the most important mining district in the world. Visitors will find aisles of beautiful jewelry, gemstones, minerals, fossils and more. Hours are Thursday-Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 12:30-5:00 PM. Ad- mission is $3 with kids under 10 admitted free. Don't miss Senior Citizen Day on Thursday when seniors are admitted for $1. ; contact Patti Jensen, (828)-765-9033; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http:// www.ncgemfest.com

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No.8 57, Vol.

August 1, 2016 2016 1, August

3087 3087 - 27415 NC Greensboro,

P.O. Box 13087 Box P.O.

c/o GGMC Editor GGMC c/o

The Piedmont Gemcutter's Guild Gemcutter's Piedmont The

The Greensboro Gem and Mineral Club, Inc. Club, Mineral and Gem Greensboro The

Bulletin Large AFMS winner 2002

Bulletins Large mention Honorable 2012

The Piedmont Prospector© Piedmont The