Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page Volume 45
Issue 4
April 2014
The official publication of the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. The RMFMS is a regional member of the American Feder- ation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. and is issued monthly (except June and July). It is a privilege of membership of the RMFMS and cannot be exchanged by the editor for individual club newsletters from other regional federations. www.rmfms.org
Inside this Issue: Ramblings from Tucson 2014 by Dr. Mike Nelson Klicks & Klacks from the Editor 6 n or about New Year’s Day most rockhounds begin to dream AFMS Endowment Raffle 7 about “Tucson” and fanaticize about finding a big hunk of crys- The Lure & Lore of Rocks 8 O tals during one of their field excursions---at least I do! I have nev- World Rock Tumbling Contest 8 er located one of those worthy crystals but have lived out some [email protected], www.csmsgeologypost.blog ACROY 9 of my dreams by attending the Tucson “shows” for the last few spot.com years. I suppose that luxury is probably reserved for ole guys like RMFMS Juniors Rockhounds Excel 9 me who are no longer gainfully employed. At any rate, Tucson is probably near the News from AFMS 11 top of the bucket list for most rockhounds. The official 2014 Show poster. Directory Edits 12 When the word “Tucson” is mentioned most rockhounds think of the four day Protecting Junior Authors 12 “official” show held in the Convention Center during the second full weekend in Create Your Own Mineral Book 13 February (beginning on Thursday). The show is sponsored by The Tucson Gem and Helpful Tips 14 Mineral Society, Inc. and is the largest gem and mineral show in the U.S. although we
Invitation from Grand Junction 14 often hear largest in the world. Approximately 250 dealers provide a variety of goods for sale ranging from reasonably priced mineral specimens for the average Tooele G&M Society’s 50th Anniv. 15 collector (smaller number of these dealers every year) to high end dealers selling Hour Glass Selenite Field Trip 16 crystals for tens of thousands of dollars to all types of jewelry shops (CZ to large emer- Laughter is the Best Medicine 16 alds). The number of booths is overwhelming and essentially impossible to observe in Diamonds of New York State 17 a single day. In addition to dealers, the show is “dedicated to presenting extraordi-
Wanna Trade? 18 nary mineral, gem, fossil, lapidary and jewelry exhibits…and [providing] a rare win- dow into private and museum collections from around the world.” These exhibits SCRIBE Meeting 18 form the core of the show and always offer some outstanding pieces, often cen- Shows & More 20 tered on the show theme. Kids and adults alike flock to the show to see specimens AFMS Land Use Policy 21 usually reserved for displays in major museums.
AFMS Code of Conduct 21 But, the official “show” is not the only game in town. Starting around February 1st, Delegate Credential Form 22 dealers begin to establish their selling booths at one of the satellite shows scattered Proxy Form 23 around the city. These shows are sometimes centered around a motel/hotel such as nd Officers & Committees 24 the Hotel Tucson City Center, or a “really large” tent-like structure (22 Street Show), a permanent building (Mineral and Fossil Co-Op), individual booths/tents/trucks in a parking lot (Miner’s Co-Op), or a mixture of booths and the really large tent-like structures (Kino Gem and Mineral Show). Some handle only high-end gems (The Westward Look Show) while several specialize in beads (Tucson Bead Show). I have even seen pickups parked in empty lots selling rocks or whatever (not associated with any official show). Usually the official vendors sell items associated with rocks, gems, minerals, beads, and equipment, but I have seen sunglasses and coon skin hats for sale. These entire activities make for a fantastic array of sale items at all prices—from two minerals for a dollar to individual crystals costing tens of thousands of dollars. And these public sales don’t take into account all of the private transac- tions taking place around the city, often before the shows even begin. Rather than duplicate material, I have a small article on satellite shows in the April CSMS Pick & Pack, the Newsletter of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society (www.csms.us). Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 2
The BIG day arrived on Thursday, February 13, as the 60th show opened with a PUBLICATIONS theme of Diamonds, Gems, Silver and Gold; I was in line for a ticket at the opening bell! As usual, the events and booths inside the Center were almost overwhelming. Editor: I made my way through the many jewelry dealers crowded in a large preliminary room to what I presume is the main hall—I wanted to see the diamonds, gems, sil- Betty Cain ver, and gold! 2702 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
Colo. Springs, CO 80909 719-634-8205 [email protected] Circulation Manager: Made for a mistress! The Cartier Bandeau was created in the Cartier Paris House in 1920. The 58 carats of dia- Bill Cain (see above) monds set in platinum converts to a choker, earrings, 719-322-6089 bracelet, lapel clip pins, and pendant drop. Does anyone do [email protected] the Charleston? Maybe the Lindy Hop? Subscriptions:
Gene Maggard 8318 SE Highway 77 Leon, KS 67076 This tiara from the Smithsonian Institution with 1198 “old mine” 316-742-3746 and rose cut diamonds set in [email protected] silver and gold in a garland of wild roses. The gems are set Rates—$3.50 a year for “en tremblant” where the flow- the Rocky Mountain Fed- ers are mounted on trembler eration News only. $7.75 springs so that every movement a year for both the Rocky enhances the brilliance and sparkle. It was created in the Mountain Federation News mid-1800s. and the RMFMS Directory.
Directory only—$5.00 Order from Supplies Chair,
Kim Blanton 728 E. Sandy Dunes Dr. Sandy, UT 84094 801-604-1263 Not full of fire, a ~740 carat carbonado dia- mond from Africa. This is a polycrystalline [email protected] diamond composed of numerous micro- and cryptocrystalline crystallites. Deadline Bulletin submissions dead- line is the third week of the month prior to publica- tion date; i.e., the dead- line for the May bulletin is the third week of April or earlier as requested. Tiffany and Company created Unless otherwise marked, (1950s) this Colombian emerald materials from this publica- and diamond necklace. The three large emeralds average about 7 tion may be reprinted by carats each. members, giving credit to the author and the Rocky Mountain Federation News. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 3
This piece features diamonds and a 39.80 carat pink topaz.
~3.4 pounds of mine run diamonds from Zimbabwe seized by the U.S Customs Office and now in the possession of the Smithsonian Institution.
My assessment, and only mine, is that the show displays were not as spectacular as in previous shows. For one thing, diamonds are small, and the crystals are tough to really see in a showcase behind glass. Unfortunately, cuts like the Hope Diamonds are too valuable and perhaps too fragile for travel outside their museum home. And who could forget the AUSROX gold nugget of over 60 pounds displayed a couple of years ago. Perhaps my favorite year was the Arizona Centennial display of Arizona minerals—wow. At any rate, I enjoyed observing the many cases at this year’s event and continued to marvel at the many wonders of nature. Some of my favorites are shown.
Nearly 40 carats of faceted tanzanite. That is a real gem!
The famous Farncomb Hill in Summit County, CO, has produced beautiful wire gold.
California gold on quartz. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 4
Would I ever like to spot this little beauty in the wild! From Western Australia.
With all of those really nice gems and pieces of gold, it might be difficult to pick a favorite display; however, I have done so! It is not as flashy as the emeralds or as valuable as the gold, but the geology behind the specimen is fasci- nating (after all I am a geologist rather than a mineralogist). My vote for the best: a small display of amethyst from Four Peaks Arizona. Why--the geology of the quartz deposit in the Mazatzal Highlands.
The Mazatzal Mountains are located immediately northeast of the Phoenix metro area trending north to their mergence with the Mongollon Rim near the small com- munity of Pine. The Rim is the transitional boundary between the Colorado Plateau (north) and the Basin and Range (south) physiographic provinces. Much of the Mazatzal landscape is protected as the Mazatzal Wilderness Area although there is major access via AZ 87 (Beeline Highway) from Fountain Hills to Payson. More rug- ged access via forest roads and mine roads may be found to the northeast of the Cave Creek area where I have briefly explored. The south end of the Mazatzals is buttressed by Four Peaks, a mountain visible to much of the Phoenix area, especial- ly the eastern metro area. During my many camping trips to Lost Dutchman State Park, (far eastern metro Phoenix), I note that Four Peaks is quite visible and is the first local area to be covered by periodic winter snow. The only named peak of Four Peaks is Brown’s Peak at 7644 feet. I once had a hankering to hike the peak but quit midway because the upcoming more technical terrain sort of frightened me (since I did not have a hiking companion). As I am fond of saying, “my momma didn’t raise no fools!”
The geology of Four Peaks is an interesting blend of Precambrian rocks—Lucchitta (2001) noted that the Peaks “owe both their height and distinctive shape to roof pendants of Proterozoic-age [Precambrian] Mazatzal Peak Quartzite and Maverick Shale [Mazatzal Group] engulfed by 1500 million-year old granite. Roof pendants are remnants of the country rock (the surrounding or pre-existing rock) into which an igneous pluton is intruded. They occur at the top, or roof, of the intrusive mass.” The Mazatzal Quartzite was cooked by the granite intrusion, silica was added, the rock “hardened”, and forms a rough and erosion-resistant peak. Although the quartzite is now a metamorphic rock, it (and other group members) originally was deposited (~1.70 Ga) as sand and silt/clay along the trailing edge of a continent. Sometime ~1.65-1.60 Ga, a plate collision of the proto-North American continent with another plate (probably a vol- canic arc) accreted the trailing edge sediments to the continent. The intrusion of the granite followed.
Whitmeyer and Karlstrom (2007) published a fascinating article on the growth of the Precambrian North American continent and their ac- companying figures will help non-geologists understand the technical jargon (necessary words in a professional journal). They noted that Mazatzal Mountains, Four Peaks. Public domain the core of the North American continent was in place by about 2.0- photo. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 5
1.8 Ga (billions of years before present) after plate collisions of several smaller Archean (early Precambrian) conti- nents. Along the southern margin of this early continent, a series of volcanic arcs and oceanic terranes were ac- creted by a numerous plate interactions, one of which was termed the Mazatzal Orogeny. During this interaction rocks, ~1.70-1.65 Ga in age, were added to the continent during the1.65-1.60 Ga Mazatzal Orogeny. Whitmeyer and Karlstrom (2007) likened the Mazatzal accretionary event to the modern, and ongoing, convergence between Australia and the Indonesian island arc. Later Tertiary faulting, volcanism, uplift, and erosion created the current Mazatzal Highlands.
OK, back to Four Peaks. It turns out that the Mountain is home to some of the most beautiful amethyst found in the U.S. Anthony and others (1995) stated the “gem-quality amethyst crystals of a rich, red-violet color rival the best Si- berian material.” The latter seems to be the standard for quality amethyst.
There is speculation that collection of the crystals goes back several centuries. Blair (1992) stated that “Spanish explorers who passed through the area during the 1500’s likely paused to collect specimens. It has been said that a portion of the royal purple amethyst found in the crown jewels of Spain came from the Four Peaks deposit.” If the explorers did collect during their foray into the Mazatzals, then they had to experience a pretty tough hike up the mountain since the depos- it is in a crevice near the top. Also absent is no reference for “It has been said….” I do know that some serious mining has taken place since at least the early 1900s. The mine has gone through numerous owners, and a local rock shop employee could not tell me about current ownership. He did say that the owners use a heli- copter to access the site, dropping off miners and bring back rough. That method of transportation means the cost of faceting or specimen rough is quite pricey and out of my budget. It also is tough to locate good pieces in local shops (local scut- tlebutt is that most of the good pieces go to China for faceting). The mine is on a patented mining claim and collecting is strictly prohibited for us peons. The guy at the rock shop did tell me that some more wealthy collectors may get private tours Diagram showing accretionary rocks of Mazatzal Orogeny. Dia- via helicopter. However, I can’t give readers a reference on that point or on the gram courtesy of University of China rumor! Wisconsin, Green Bay at: Lowell (1976) described the formation of the amethyst: "The amethyst of this de- www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/ posit occur in linings of voids in faults of the Mazatzal quartzite. The voids were in- CrustMvtsPPT/Subduction% 20Zones.ppt termittently filled with hot liquid solutions from intrusions below. Successive stages of quartz deposition occurred, as evidenced by alternating concentric rings of colorless quartz, hematite and amethyst around the angular fragments." The color seems the product of trace man- ganese, but Blair (1992) noted that some of the crystals may be “greened” by heat treatment to produce prasiolite! My question is “why”? So, there it is in a nutshell—the 2014 Tucson shows are all wrapped up, vendors have disappeared with some moving to Albuquerque and Deming, and I sus- pect the members of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society are mighty tired. I cast a vote in my little private competition for Best of Show and also was able to visit with my hero, author Bob Jones, who graciously signed my volume of The Frugal Collector (the best under $50 mineral book on the market). REFERENCES CITED Anthony, J.W., S.A. Williams, R.A. Bideaux and R.W. Grant, 1995, Mineralogy of Arizona (3rd Edition): The University of Arizona, Tucson. Blair, G., 1992, Rockhounding Arizona: The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, CT. Lowell, J., 1976, Mineralization of the Four Peaks Amethyst Deposit, Maricopa County, Arizona: Mineralogical Record, March-April. Lucchitta, I., 2001, Hiking Arizona’s Geology: The Mountaineers Books, Seattle. Whitmeyer, S.J. and K.E. Karlstrom, 2007, Tectonic Model for the Proterozoic Growth of North America: Geosphere, v.3, no.4. The Frugal Collector may be ordered from www.rockngem.com Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 6
Klicks & Klacks from the Editor by Betty Cain
just love reading the newsletters from other rock clubs all over the U.S. and Canada. These ex- I change editors provide me with wonderful articles and examples of some great newsletters and amazing ideas. However, I guess that’s what being a rockhound newsletter editor and a S.C.R.I.B.E. member is all about – sharing.
Kristin Lolmaugh, editor of The Rockhounder for the Gem, Lapidary, and Mineral Society of Montgomery County, Maryland asked a very thought-invoking and provoking question of her readers, “Who Owns the Rocks”. She quot- ed her society’s purpose of increasing knowledge and popular interest in earth sciences, geology, mineralogy, paleontology, lapidary arts, and related subjects. I am sure every club in our Federation has a similar guiding princi- ple. I was curious and looked up the purpose of the Rocky Mountain Federation … “to bring a closer association of all clubs in the Society, and to promote the study of earth sciences, including the lapidary arts, the study of fossils and paleontology, and related crafts.” I found this on the home page of our web site.
Kristin wanted to know what her club considered “related subjects” to be; Rocky Mountain uses “related crafts” as the all-encompassing qualifier. The examples used by Kristin were a photographer with a passion for microscopic crystals and huge mountains, a cosmetologist that loves the way rocks can be used to enhance beauty, yogi prac- titioners’ meditation stones, the love of crystal rainbows, and people who believe that rocks have the ability to in- crease our health and well-being. Should these people be shunned and denied club admission?
In today’s politically correct driven world, does our purpose adequately state what we are all about? You would agree, I’m sure, that “related crafts” is a very broad subject and open to interpretation. I wanted to see if the other areas listed covered what we do and the type of members we pursue.
Let us look at some definitions: (from Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia) Earth Sciences – an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. Note to my editor friends: Since we are referring to the place where we live, should we capitalize Earth or not? My answer is yes, we should use Earth sciences instead of earth sciences. Rockhounds generally think of the Earth in terms of its geol- ogy (rocky parts of the crust), with its subdisciplines of mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, geomorphology, paleontology, stratigraphy, structural geology, engineering geology, and sedimentology. Mineralogy - The modern study of mineralogy was founded on the principles of crystallography (the arrange- ment of atoms) and to the microscopic (too small to be seen with the naked eye) study of rock sections. Physi- cal mineralogy is the specific focus on physical attributes of minerals for identification, classification, and cate- gorization by determining crystal structure, crystal habit, twinning, cleavage, luster, diaphaneity, color, streak, hardness, and specific gravity. Lapidary arts – The study of forming stone, mineral, and gemstones into decorative items such as engraved gems, including cameos, or cabochons, and faceted designs; a person who is an expert in precious stones is called a lapidarist. Paleontology - scientific study of prehistoric life and includes the study of fossils. So, looking back to the Rocky Mountain’s purpose, is “the study of fossils and paleontology” a redundant statement? Perhaps.
I have touched on but a few of the areas specified as Earth sciences; there are many “ologies” listed on Wikipedia. My point is that we should not focus so much on the title of our members but more on their love of the hobby. We need all those “related crafts” to make our clubs function and of interest to our members and prospective new members. Case in point, I barely know the difference between a crystal and an agate, but I know my way around a newsletter. I sometimes feel a bit intimidated when someone is explaining their latest and greatest find to me, and they probably don’t understand when I explain why I need a week or more to put the newsletter together. We need each other and should not be mutually exclusive with semantics. Why not see how many new areas of Earth sciences we can find in which to recruit new members. It might add a new dimension to our clubs. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 7
AFMS Endowment Fund DeLane Cox, Past President
ne of the featured events of the American Federation meeting each year is the drawing for the Endowment O Fund donations. The AmFed annual meeting is coming to Tulsa in July, the Rocky Mountain Federation is the host federation, and the Endowment Fund needs some help.
What can you do to help this year? Well, there are two things that need to be done right away. First is to purchase tickets. Second is to donate a prize.
Right now, we are running behind because there was no one in the Rocky Mountain Federation to sell the tickets because our En- dowment Fund person is now the AmFed President, and his plate is full. So I volunteered. I am trying to get information out to all of our clubs and members about this great program. The AmFed auction chair is also in need of donations of prizes. Things have been a bit slow this year in coming in, and I am asking everyone to consider what they might have to donate to the drawing. Need- ed are lapidary or earth science-centered items that people would like to have. The item needs to have a value of $50 or over, and be able to ship or transport to Tulsa for the July Show.
If you have looked at the donations in the past few years, there have been a wide variety of items up for new ownership, from beau- tiful framed mineral photograph posters to fossil fish to excellent specimen stones to handmade jewelry, and everything in between.
We need our members to purchase tickets, which sell for $5 each or five for $20, with every ticket going into the drawing at the Am- Fed meeting. As in the past, each federation will have their tickets kept separate, and one prize is drawn from each federation first. Then all tickets are put together, and the remainder of the prizes will be drawn from the amalgamated group of tickets.
I’m sure you are now asking why you should contribute, and what the proceeds go for. The Endowment Fund, a separate fund from the General Fund of the AmFed, goes primarily for three things. The first is to make and re-condition all of the old slide programs into DVD productions for circulation among federations. Another thing the funds go toward is the Juniors programs, helping finance the program’s awards and badges. The third thing the funds support is the AmFed Judges Training seminars. This is where our judges receive training in what must be considered when judging the wonderful competition display cases at shows, from local club shows to regional federation shows, to the American Federation Show each year.
All these funded areas are very important to future growth of the federations and to our hobby. It is important to every member of our federations to keep these important projects going and growing.
So, I am asking each club to have someone be their “banker” and sell tickets. That person will contact me, and I will send tickets to the club for each person who has purchased tickets. I will deliver all of the Rocky Mountain Federation tickets to the right person in July in Tulsa.
If you have something you can donate to the drawing, please let me know as soon as possible. We will need a picture of the item to put into the AmFed newsletter (lets people know what is being offered in the drawing). Then get the item to the Show in July, and include your name and address and a brief technical description of the item for records.
I can be reached through email at [email protected]. Please give this very deserving program your consideration, and buy a few tickets!
Donations (left-right, top-bottom, valued at): Fossil Fish, donated by Richard Jaeger, $100 Mosasar Tooth, donated by Dennis Westman, $50 Page of Mineral Stamps, donated by Barbara Sky, $40 Montana Limb Cast Agate, donated by Jim & Sharon Marburger, $75 Calcite Cluster, donated by Jim & Sharon Marburger, $20 Two 2-lb. Float Copper tags and stock certificate, donated by Pam Hecht, $65 Spinel and Crystal Sterling Necklace, donated by Bob Miller, $75 We would love to add your donation to the list! Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 8
The Lure and Lore of Rocks: Amazonite by Kristin Lolmaugh, Moroks, March 2014
Brazilian legend boasts of the Amazon people giving “green stones” to the visitors of the region. Europeans were A already familiar with green microcline from Russia and assumed the blue-green rock given to them by the Indians of South America was the same stone. As it turns out, Amazonite is not found in the Amazon Basin and the legend was most likely referring to Nephrite (jade). It is believed that Amazonite was first called “Amazon Stone,” and was later changed to Amazonite. Amazonite is said to have a soothing effect on the nervous system. Since the nervous system con- trols our emotions, this stone is said to soothe tense and aggravated situations and enhance love. It is said to bestow truth, honor and integrity to its wearer. Amazonite balances feminine and mascu- line energy and promotes kindness and practicality. It is an excellent stone for artists and for men. Pale azure blue amazonite is known as the lucky “Hope Stone” since it thought to be lucky for all your hopes and dreams. Amazonite helps balance the emotions and gives physical stamina. My sister and I have found beautiful pieces of Amazonite at the Morefield Gem Mine at 13400 But- lers Road, Amelia, Virginia 23002. The Morefield Mine is a highly mineralized pegmatite dike having a length of 2,000 feet and a depth of 300 feet. The mine is open to public for a fee during the late spring, summer, and fall. Photos by Kristin Lolmaugh
Fifth Annual World Rock Tumbling Contest (2014)
The Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society invites you to join us for our fifth annual World Rock Tumbling Contest. This year we will be using Brazilian Agate. Prizes First place $250.00 Second Place $100.00 Third Place $50.00 For more information Phone: (530) 877-7324 or Email: Tum- [email protected] This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This article is your invitation. Application is available at
AFMS Club Rockhound of the Year (ACROY) by Bill Cain, ACROY Chair
Lois Splendoria’s work with the Mineral Society of Arizona (MSA) is a story of service and devotion. Lois is a Milestone Life Member in 2014 and has served as President 1998, 1999, and 2009 and worked the more strategically important position as Editor of our Rockhound Record newsletter for three different intervals: first time for 1 year, second time for 2 years, and most recently for over 3½ years.
On behalf of MSA, we are grateful for Lois’ many years of service. MSA is here largely due to her talents and passion. We will always appreciate her contributions and can continue to enjoy her Rockhound Record newsletter legacy as archived on MSA’s website under the Newsletters tab. Thank you, Lois, and we wish you well in all of your future endeavors. MSA Needs You!
RMFMS Juniors Rockhounds Excel!
Harris Kominski in front of his Best of Show case at Chloe Main in front of her 2014 Tucson Show 2014 Tucson Case Photo by Chuck Kominski * * * * * * * Photo by Chuck Kominski
Balanced Rock By Luke Sattler, Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society
This red rock stands so sound, effortlessly balanced, among the rocks of Garden of the Gods. It does not dread the life it has; nor sitting quietly where the other red rocks resides. Children come each day to play around it, ride on horses to it, or climb its red sides!
This red rock is called Balanced Rock: seen by ancient peoples, prospectors, and tourists. Generations of people passed Bal- anced Rock, always in awe of its beauty.
Generations of people will come in the future, and to protect it is our solemn duty.
For this red rock time stands still today. Immovable and balanced, carved from erosion:
Water, wind, chill, frost, and ice take there pick at this red inexorably carving it as a sentinel The rock stands so still, does not budge nor hold a grudge or judge—just beauty that is plentiful.
The rock will eventually erode to sand, but today it makes its balanced stand! It sits softly, silently in wait for its destined geological fate.
Bio of poet: Luke Sattler is a member of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society, Earth Science Scholar, researcher, author, artist, and his flint knap arrow- heads are works of art. He lives in Castle Rock, CO.
Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 10
Three students taking online college courses in dinosaur biology and archaeology Florissant, Colorado March 5, 2014: Two students who participate in the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups have enrolled in a dinosaur biology class as online students. The course is through the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Philip Curie, a noted paleontologist, is the lead instructor. This is a complete semester-length course that is rich in lecture notes that can be downloaded and videos that are standard lectures plus footage of field activities. The lecture notes are excellent and rival the quality of the most current textbooks. The video lectures are excellent and students can actually interact with the lecture at any time. The video format allows our students to see and hear about immediate field discoveries and new concepts regarding dinosaurs. The course comes with a discussion forum that is optional. Another Pikes Peak Pebble Pup is enrolled in a class in archaeology that is also online. The course is through Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. This is a complete semester-length course with video lectures, interviews with professional archaeolo- gists, and a number of activities for students to do. A number of the Pebble Pup classes each year deal with an aspect of geo- archaeology, an emerging field in science. All three Pebble Pups are in middle school and are several weeks into each course. When they reach middle school, we dis- continue calling them Pebble Pups and use a new name, Earth Science Scholars. These courses are free of charge and a valuable way to learn more about our hobby at a deeper level. It is also a way for these middle school students to see how demanding a college course is. The Pikes Peak Pebble Pup Leader, Steven Veatch has enrolled in both courses as the content was too irresistible and also to be in a position to help the Pebble Pups who are en- rolled. Please view the Pikes Peak Pebble Pup website/blog often. It can be found at this URL http://pebblepups.blogspot.com/ Call Steven Veatch at (719-748-5010) for more information. * * * * * * Blake Reher Brings Local Geology to theColorado Campground Florissant, Colorado March 6, 2014: Blake Reher is an Earth Science Scholar in the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society’s Pebble Pup program. This summer Blake, along with Steven Veatch, did interpretive campfire talks for the US Forest Service “Colorado Campground” three times last summer. Blake was given more and more responsibility in interpreting the specimens until the last presentation of the summer when he did the entire program by himself. Blake will be helping Steven Veatch in 2014 doing more of these campground talks for the Forest Service and he will do one at the 11-Mile State Park Amphitheater. Below are images of the fun.
* * * * * * Dream on Haiku By: Richie Martin
Children in school bored Dreaming of riches in gold Poet bio: Richie Martin is 13 and in seventh grade. His favor- Don’t dream, just do it ite school subject is science. My hobbies are playing the French horn and trombone, hiking out- Vintage postcard of the Cripple Creek High School. The side, and going on the comput- southern portion was built in 1897. The northern portion, con- er. When I finish school I want taining the gymnasium and auditorium was completed in 1905. to be an engineer. This high school was one of 17 high schools in the Cripple Creek and Victor Mining District. This postcard is part of the Pikes Peak Pebble Pup collection. No copyright Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 11
News from American Federations of Mineralogical Societies …
AFMS President Do you know that one of our very own Rocky Mountain leaders is this year’s AFMS President? Yep, we are very proud of Richard Jaeger of the Tulsa Rock and Mineral Society for being elected to this prestigious post. Richard has been a leader of RMFMS for many years serving as President 2007-2009, Past President 2009-2011, AFMS Endowment Chair, Nomination Committee, and Name Badge Committee. We should show our allegiance to Richard by sup- porting the Federations and all planned events, especially the combined show being hosted by Tulsa in July.
A.F.M.S. Newsletter Is your club on the distribution list? If you haven’t been receiving mailed copies of the newsletter, maybe it’s be- cause the AFMS Central Office doesn’t have your club’s current information. You may provide them with the cor- rect information by e-mail at [email protected] listing the name of your club, and the name, address, and office for each of your officers and editor.
Safety Matters—Moving On by Ellery Borow, AFMS Safety Chair Moving on is what folks do in our busy society and in our busy clubs. Sometimes in our clubs, a treasurer or president or editor may hold their position for years and years. In most instances, however, after serving faithfully for a few years, a person is ready to move up, ease down, slide over, or simply move on. With all the many moves possible in a club, an outgoing president would hand the incoming officer “the files”. The departing editor hands the new editor “the files”, the departing treasurer passes “the files” to the newly elected treasurer. I’m sure you see the pattern emerging here. The wealth of experience and history of the club is passed on, added to, and continues helping to grow a club with its accumulated wisdom. In growing a club, matters of safety are important in keeping a club on the path of growth. A club’s new safety chair (hopefully your club indeed has a safety chair) deserves the same path to growth. They deserve to be hand- ed “the files” from the outgoing chair. No doubt every club would have in its safety files both specific to their club safety materials, and general to the hobby guidelines. General safety items in the file might include items such as the AFMS Safety Manual, a regional organization’s safety guidelines or perhaps a binder containing years of AFMS or regional federation newsletter safe- ty articles, and maybe an accumulation of various safety tips. Club specific safety files may include such things as a list of supplies and equipment included in their first aid kit (you do have a first aid it, don’t you?), a list of specific safety guidelines for your club’s digs and field trips, your club’s lapidary and jewelry workshop MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets), or perhaps a list of safety articles from past issues of your club’s own bulletin. A full safety file should include every bit of a club’s accumulated wisdom, knowledge, and experi- ence available to you. There could be many “who” lists included within a safety file as well. Who in the club has completed club-sponsored first-aid or CPR training? Who has the specific OSHA, MSHA training required to visit some area mines, quarries, and pits? Who has received training sufficient to instruct at a club’s lapidary or jewelry workshop? Who has the responsibility to maintain the first-aid kit? Why, there may be a plethora of information in a club’s safety library. All that information could weigh up to be quite a large bundle. Having a bulging safety file is all well and good, but who is going to read all that information? For the information to be valuable and useful a truly dedicated club safety chair would most likely want to be famil- iar with all of the information—after all, part of their charge is to help the club members be as safe as they can be. Any truly dedicated safety chair will also be diligent in passing on that file to a new safety chair when the time comes to be moving on. If you club has just recently established a brand new position of safety chair, it is easy to start one’s own safety file. Other area clubs, state and regional organization, and the AFMS Safety Manual may all be good sources of infor- mation. There is also this “new thing” call the Internet that has a wealth of good safety articles—you just have to do a bit of surfing. With long-term club safety chairs, when your time comes along for moving up, or over, or just on, please help make sure the accumulated safety wisdom in the club also moves on to the new safety chair. Please be safe and use proper lifting techniques when picking up those heavy safety files. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 12
Conservation & Legislation by Dr. Mike Nelson, Conservation & Legislation Chair Dr. Mike Nelson has been doing an excellent job of helping us understand the governmental agencies that control the lands we rockhounds use for collecting. He advises us to visit our local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offic- es to ask about collecting areas they govern. The other major multi-use agency in the federal land management area is the United States Forest Service (USFS), an agency of the Department of Agriculture. Both the BLM and USFS diver from more single-use agencies like the United States National Park Service (USNP), part of the Department of Interior) where a national park or monument is designated to protect and preserve “something” - an ecosystem, dinosaur fossils, a historic building, etc. The USFS is active in protecting resources but also in providing for resource extractions (timber cutting, petroleum drilling, personal Christmas trees, etc.) as well as recreation. For a more de- tailed report on agencies that have authority over land use of rockhounds, I suggest you read Dr. Mike’s complete report in February and March newsletters. For answers to your questions, please contact the specific agency regu- lating the area in which you want to collect. You may contact Dr. Mike vial email at [email protected].
Directory Changes by Kay Waterman, Directory Committee Chair ADD ADD (cont’d) CHANGE Secretary Parliamentarian Editor/Publications to Peggy Maggard See Treasurer Editor/Publicity 8418 SE Hwy 77 STANDING COMMITTEES PLAC—Arizona Leon, KS 67064 Publication Contest Harry Kilb’s email to [email protected] Beth Simmons [email protected] Treasurer See Colorado State Director RMF PRESIDENT [email protected] 2013-2014 Long-Range Planning FEDERATION CONTESTS Judy Beck, See Nominations REPLACE Change all references of Betty Cain DeLane Cox Nominations to Beth Simmons 303.986.9693 See Past President Richard Jaeger with [email protected] Robert Carlson DeLane Cox S.C.R.I.B.E. See NM/TX State Director See Past President RMFMS Regional VP with Name Badges S.C.R.I.B.E. Regional VP 3515 E 88th St Tulsa, OK 74137-2602
Publishing—Protecting Junior Authors by Beth Simmons, RMFMS BEAC
hanks to all the editors who submitted entries to the RMFMS Bulletin Contest. We completed judging in Febru- T ary, and the winning entries were forwarded to the AFMS judges. Results will be announced at the July Break- fast with the Editors and Webmasters in Tulsa, OK.
Questions arose during judging regarding the publication of identified photos of junior and adult members and use of their full names. Jim Brace-Thompson, AFMS Junior activities chairman, answered the queries.
"First, a legal perspective speaking as someone who works for a publishing company and who also contributes to Rock & Gem magazine’s kids’ section. In terms of photographs of kids, if kids are identified individually within a pho- to intended for publication, then a photo release form should be used. This release form requires the signature of both the child and the parent or other legal guardian. For a group photo taken at a public event, with no individu- als specifically named or identified, there’s no need for such a release form."
As for providing the name of a child in a publication as the author of an article, Jim's and Linda Jaeger's, AFMS Bul- letin Advisor, personal opinions are that "this is up to the discretion of the local club. Once published in a local club newsletter, it is already ‘out there’ with the implied consent of the parents”, and "if the article is subsequently submit- ted for competition in a regional or AFMS competition and reprinted, the assumption is that the local club has ap- proved the matter". Again, this is a local club decision to begin with."
If the newsletter is to contain photographs of adult club members, they also should sign an annual release form as part of their membership packet. Contact me for a sample release form [email protected]. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 13
Create Your Own Mineral Book by Rev. Darryl Powell, Jr Act. Chair, EFMLS
computer is easily the most powerful and flexible tool you have to educate, inspire and grow A your youth in the mineral sciences. First, keep in mind that your youth have grown up with computers and computerized, digital technol- ogies. They are amazingly adept at using computers, software, cameras, camera phones, scanners, and more. Your challenge (and pleasure) is to guide them to apply their technological skills to miner- als and mineralogy. They can write a book Really! Your youth have the tools needed to actually write a book about minerals – minerals of your state, minerals in the home, mineral forms, mineral colors . . . the list is truly endless.
They can take good quality pictures of specimens, play with them using software like Photoshop, and arrange them in a document. Your group could literally create a book of mineral photographs of the best mineral specimens in the collections of club members. Combined with the photos, club members can write a paragraph or two on each picture. Who collected the specimen? What is outstanding about the specimen? How is it unique or rare? This gives them experience in interviewing club members (research and relationship skills), research in books and on the web, writing, and publishing.
Do you want to explore minerals and art? Instead of photographs, your youth can draw and paint. Artwork can be scanned and placed in documents as easily as a photograph. (Editor’s Note: They also make great “Drawn Fea- tures” entries in the annual Bulletin Contest!). How do I print a book or booklet There are many affordable options to printing books, even in small numbers, in ways that are surprisingly cost- effective. For very small numbers (printers call them “short runs”) you can go to the local UPS store, Staples, or a copy center where they can be printed, even in color. There are also a number of companies that do what is called “Print on Demand.” Let’s say your group has been very ambitious and you have created a 100 page book on the minerals of California. Companies like DiggyPod (a clever name which means “Digital Print on Demand”) can receive your PDF digital document and, in relatively short time, send you printed, finished copies. Think Big Please don’t be afraid to think big. Local mineral clubs and societies tend to think in terms of “what is the lowest cost experience I can do?” Let me encourage you to think in terms of in- vestment and return on investment. There are people and companies, probably in your club, or perhaps in your community, who would finance a publication for you. In my little, at-home publishing business, I can print a 28-page mineral booklet for about 35 cents/copy (for 2,500 copies). Imagine if you were to produce a similar book and someone was willing to put some money up front to make it happen. Then, you sell the books – to club members, at your show and other shows, through the Internet, to Federations, to local museums, to local businesses like bookstores and gift shops. Charge $1 each. $1 for a book is a GREAT value. In time, you will be able to pay back the money you were provided to have the book printed, and now you are making a profit.
This is also a wonderful experience in marketing. Look around you at a mineral show. There are hundreds of people (thousands, probably) selling minerals and mineral-related items and making a living at it. A project of this type can help your youth gain valuable skills as business people. You can lead them from initial concept through the planning stages through preparation, writing, editing, through production of the product through marketing and sales. You can literally use the mineral hobby experience to teach some life skills that could stay with your youth their entire lives.
If you wish to pursue this concept and want some guidance or help, please call or contact me. I’d love to support your efforts. My contact info is:
Good luck! May you find great success in your leadership. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 14
Ever forget which key Keep ‘Em Neat & Tidy – opens your chemical Place a coat rack close to the floor to keep grungy field-trip shoes/boots off storage locker? the floor; also works for garden shoes
Draw out a splinter for easy removal by applying a paste of baking soda & water
Repurpose a cereal contain- er as a trash can for the car. Framed corkboard makes a very good display for jewelry
Announcement from the Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club
Call to all Jewelry Design Artists! TOP Jewels, a juried National Jewelry Design Exhibition
TOP Jewels National Jewelry Design Exhibition to be held May 16-June 28 in Durango, is is aa excitingexciting newnew eventevent CO is offering four master workshops in
at the Durango Arts Center in Durango, CO jewelry making led by renowned jewelry artists. This is an opportunity to enter “How to Make Chinese Beaded Beads,”
and have your work exhibited in the Southwest. on May 17-18 with artist Valerie Hec- tor. $5000 in Awards “Not Your Mothers' Cameo” on June 7- Selection Judges: Susan & Jeff Wise, renowned jewelry 8 led by artists Lisa and Scott Cylinder. designers “Precious Metal Clay for Jewelers” on Award Judge: Allison Barnett, Patina Gallery in Santa Fe June 21-22 led by artist Tim McCreight NM “Stack It, Smack It, Squish It, Screw It”
For entry details: on June 14-15 by artist Deb Karash.
http://durangoarts.org/top-- Registration deadlines vary...early nationaljewelryexhibition registration is encouraged.
and submit your entry online at CAFé at More information can be found www.callforentry.org at bitly.com/TOPjewels or call 970-259-2606. Deadline to Enter -- April 11, 2014 Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 15
Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 16
Hourglass Selenite Crystals From the Shawnee Gem & Mineral Club
ould you like to join us for a field trip to the Great Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge for unique hourglass sel- W enite crystals? Digging season officially opens on April 1. Our invita- tion is open to anyone who would like to attend. Everyone digging will find crystals.
April 5 and 6, 2014 GREAT SALT PLAINS STATE PARK Jet, Oklahoma 73749
Phone: 580-626-4731
Their website is.....http://www.stateparks.com/great_salt_plains.html http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.3204
This field trip is open to all rock clubs in Oklahoma and surrounding areas. You can come one day or both days. The park has cabins, tent areas, and RV areas. Plus, there are motels in near-by towns.
Saturday night, we will have a big potluck cookout. The Shawnee club will supply hot dogs and buns. Please bring your own drinks. I don't think any of us are that picky, so bring your favorite foods to share. And, if you have a fold up table, you might throw it in.
We will meet on Saturday at 10am at the dig- ging site and at 9am on Sunday. We will be digging for the unique hourglass-shaped sele- nite crystals.
Things you might want to bring: Snacks EXTRA CLOTHES Plastic Bags Towels Buckets Shovels Sun Screen Tin Foil for wrapping crystals (old rags work, too) Chairs Tables
Laughter is the Best Medicine ...
I was in a Starbucks recently when my stomach started rumbling, and I realized that I desperately needed to toot. The place was packed, but the music was really loud so to get relief and reduce embarrassment I timed my toots to the beat of the music. After a couple of songs, I started to feel much better. I finished my coffee and noticed that everyone was staring at me. I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my Ipod (with ear piece)!! and how was your day? This is what happens when old people start using technology!
Yesterday I was at my local Kroger's buying a large bag of Purina Dog Chow for my loyal pet, Jake, the Wonder Dog, and was in the check-out line when a woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think...I had an elephant? So because I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I add- ed that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well, and I was going to try it again. (I have to men- tion here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no; I stopped to pee on a fire hydrant, and a car hit me. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Kroger's won't et me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 17
Diamonds of New York State Rocky Reader, Jan 2014
hey really aren't diamonds, but they glisten and sparkle and people prospect for them. The Herkimer Diamond T is actually a double terminated hexagonal quartz crystal with 18 facets discovered in Herkimer County, NewYork. The source of the crystals is the Little Falls dolostone, a Cambrian formation of dolomite and calcite that dates to about 495 million years ago. The rock crops out in various places in the Mohawk Valley in Herkimer and Montgomery counties. As the Cambrian rock was slowly buried the temperature rose and over centuries the quartz slowly formed clear and beautiful crystals in cavities known as vugs. Larger cavities are called pockets. The Herkimer Diamonds can be completely clear or cloudy with impurities. Sometimes black or brown specks are seen in the crys- tal. These came from the original fossil organic material that was the foundation for the formation of the stones. Hunting for Herkimer Diamonds is available at Ace of Diamonds Mine and the Herkimer Diamond Mine. No prospecting is allowed on state owned land at any time or on privately owned land with- out permission and or a fee. The mines are located close to the village of Middleville and the season normally runs from April 1-November 1. There are campgrounds at both mines and information is available on their websites about fees. Ace of Diamonds mine information can be found at http:// www.herkimerdiamonds.com/ The Herkimer Diamond Mine information can be found at www.herkimerdiamond.com. Note there is only a slight differ- ence in the web addresses. Mining Herkimer Diamonds is no easy task. Power equipment is not permitted at the mines so miners must come prepared with steel wedges, and a variety of hammers and sledgeham- mers. Miners break a lot of rock in hopes of finding a pocket of Diamonds. If you are not up to the heavy rock pounding re- quired to open a site in the dolostone, you can search the tail- ings for loose crystals. Many have been found that way.
Wanna Trade? The Rockhound Record - February 2014
f you are interested in making a trade for corresponding Oregon state rocks and minerals, plead read. Jim Ur- I baniak, Vice President, Oregon Agate & Mineral Society, is interested in trading for representative pieces of Ari- zona minerals. In turn, he would be able to trade for some local Oregon material. He has Ochoco Mountains thun- dereggs from the Lucky Strike Mine and Richardson’s Ranch (cut and uncut), black Augite crystals from Cedar Butte (Tillamook), petrified wood the Holleywood Ranch (cut and uncut), various types of obsidian from central Oregon (Prineville area) to Northern California (this includes sheen, flame, mahogany and rainbow), and some slabs of vari- ous Oregon Jaspers, other petrified wood and banded carnelian agate. He also has a limited number of specimens of Quartz on Calcite from the Wildcat Caldera in the Ochoco Mountains.
He would like to exchange photos of materials available for trade if possible. Inter- ested parties would each pay the corresponding shipping charge for the items being shipped. He also has a PayPal account, should any individual feel more comfortable going this route for covering shipping costs. Otherwise, he can simply send a check.
As incoming president for the OAMS, Jim is hoping to develop intra-trade with some of the other clubs around the country as well. He is the primary mineral Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 18 specimens collector within his organization (most everyone else is fairly focused on agate/jasper/obsidian materials and lapidary work), and he is hoping to expand the level of interest in the “minerals” side of the Society’s name. Jim figures this is a good way to test the waters and see if this might work.
If any members find themselves out in the Portland, OR, area, please contact Jim to see if you can arrange a field trip for the occasion. Jim Urbaniak President, Oregon Agate & Mineral Society [email protected] (206) 450-2298 Cell 6330 SE Monroe Street Portland, OR 97222
How to Give Your Bulletin a Facelift—Part II Presented by Gene Stirm at the January 2014 SCRIBE Meeting
A question came up during the talk as to emailing Newsletter and making them compatible with all computers. I used MS Word 10 to format these notes. It is very versatile and can produce great looking newsletter/bulletin. To make it digital and compatible with all computers we have to make a PDF (Portable Document File). A PDF is a file that can be opened on any computer with Adobe Acrobat or similar free software, which is virtually standard on all computers. MS Word 10, MS Publisher, along with most current word processing software offers this option under FILE. CREATING A PDF: First save your document as normal, them go to FILE again and select Save & Send> then Create PDF/ XPS Document> In the dialog box choose your save in location and give your newsletter and short name your recipient will recognize. In file Type, make sure PDF is selected and select Minimum Size (publish online) and then click Publish. Now you have a PDF that you can attach to any email. ELEMENTS: Once physical size it determined our attention can turn to the must haves, unique features and special needs of your particular bulletin. CREATE A STYLE SHEET: A style sheet is your map to success. Get a pad of paper and start thinking with a pen or pencil. Look at other bulletins find the look you like then create a style sheet. Once you get an image of how you want your bulletin to look, sketch a full-size page. Now go to your computer and compose your sketch on the screen. I will as- sume you will compose and produce your bulletins on a computer. Make up a dummy page or two on your computer. Try different type styles and layout ideas in the program you are going to use for producing your bulletin, print out the page, and look at it. Do any needed refinements and repeat the process until you have what you want and then cre- ate your style sheet. You will continue to refine your design as you create your style sheet. A style sheet should contain the following information: Page Size & Orientation: I think this is obvious. Margins & Columns: Main issue to consider in choosing these is line length and readability as it relates to body copy and type style. Heads & Subhead Style & Size: These are elements beyond Masthead, headers, and page numbers. Page numbers, bulletin name, and date should be on every page. Body Copy & Style: Consistency and readability are the number one priorities here. TYPOGRAPHY
Photo Captions: Again, look for consistency and readability along with clarity. Special Notations in Copy: This information needs to be separated from other content without being conspicuous. Photo & Art Specs: You need this information for preproduction and submission. Once you have your dummy layout on your computer, with masthead and if used mailing page in place, save it as your Master Layout, and then type up your style sheet from your Master Layout and save it and make a hardcopy. (MAKE A BACK UP!) Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 19
THE LAYOUT
Now it’s time to layout your bulletin with the MUST HAVES, UNIQUE FEATURE,S and SPECIAL NEEDS in place. I prefer to do this in thumbnail sketches all on one sheet of paper. I sometimes work 2 or 3 months ahead. From this point, your bulletin is more of less a fill-in-the-blanks situation. If you are lucky enough to have regular and consistent contributors, you will have pretty smooth sailing. Remember to set deadlines and stick to them.
Non-Changing Must Haves: These are the elements of your bulletin that will be It’s YOUR bulletin—don’t be constant from month to month. Always start your layout with the must haves in afraid of color or white spaces! place. Mission Statement, meeting place and time(s), mailing page, etc., and save that to your master layout. (I treat these as ads, blocks that are easily Listen to your readers. moved and dropped into place. Unique Features: Anniversaries and birthdays (if used), president’s message, list of officers & committees, member fea- tures, rock of the month, field trips, meeting highlights, guests, new members, drawing, prize winners, programs, upcom- ing events, and so on. Note, I do not include a treasures report for security reasons. Special Needs: There are one-time elements such as memorials and special announcements.
TYPOGRAPHY (Excerpt from my book, The Art and Craft of Cover Design)
Typesetting has changed dramatically in the last couple of decades, and as desktop computers get more powerful, the simplicity of setting your own type gets even easier. In addition, you now have the tools to produce type with style and dynamics to fit your bulletin needs without being a trained typographer. There are simply a few basic rules to master and a couple of pitfalls to avoid. Typefaces are the basis of all typography. When desktop publishing was in its infancy, Adobe Type Manager with Adobe fonts were the only software that allowed quality type to be set and out-put to film from a desktop com- puters. From personal experience, I find that for cover creation using Photoshop, it is best to use only the Adobe typestyles that came with your software. If you use software other than Adobe’s, I again encourage you to stay with the type fonts that come with your software unless you are confident in your computer skills and imbedding all the needed information when you create your PDF files for uploading your cover to your printer. Front cover type, called display type, is usually bigger, bolder, and fancier than type that is used for the body of your book. When you set display type, you have virtually infinite variations to make it entirely your own art. To appreciate what your software can do, you have to play with it. Try out different typestyles. Print out samples, and make notes. Re- member, readability is the number one criteria of any typestyle. Fonts A font is an assortment of type, an alphabet plus numbers, punctuation marks, and sometime symbols. Most fonts have both capitals, called uppercase a carryover from hand- setting days) and lower case. Not all fonts have both upper and lower case letters. There are two families of fonts. Serf or Roman letters have embellishments at the beginning and ending of the stroke. The embellishment was originally from the starting and end of the chisel when letters were carved in stone. The other font family is sans- serf or Gothic (sans means without), and the letters have no embellishment. This style of letter developed during the Gothic period, and that is where it got its name. There is one other use of the name Roman pertaining to type that sometimes causes confusion. Slanted type is called italic, but straight type is sometime referred to as Roman. So when an editor notes, make Roman to a line of italic type, they are not saying to add serfs, they are referring to making the type straight by remove the italic. Examples of serf or Roman Fonts: Garamond, Times Roman, Palatino.
Examples of sans-serf of Gothic Fonts: Arial,Century Gothic, Tahoma.
Examples of Decorative Fonts: Some decorative fonts are hard to classify as to serf or sans-serf and are simply referred to as Art or Display type. Some of these fancy font are so difficult to read when they are set as all caps the must be avoided.
Assembling letters of a font into words, it is called setting, thus typesetting is the process of formatting a manu- script for printing. When font letters come together, the kern is the space between the letters. Adjusting the space between letters becomes kerning. The power of typesetting software is so efficient that in most cases you will seldom have to worry about kerning. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 20
T h i s l i n e o f t y p e i s t h e s a m e a s a b o v e , 1 2 p o i n t G e o r g i a , b u t i n s t e a d o f a u t o m a t i c k e r n i n g , 3 p o i n t o f k e r n i n g h a s b e e n a d d e d b e t w e e n l e t t e r s e x p a n d s t h e s e l i n e s.
Thislineoftypeisthesameasabove,12pointGeorgia,butnowcondensedbyminus1pointkerning fromnormal. When type was assembled, the space between the lines of type were controlled by adding thin pieces of lead; and the space between lines of type are known a leading. As you work with your type, adjusting leading is one of the controls you will most likely use.
This line of type is the same as above, 12 point Georgia on 14 point leading, but this sample has been leaded out to 20 points.
This line of type is the same as above, 12 point Georgia, but this sample has been leaded minus 2, at 10 points, something that was not possible with hot type. There are rules about mixing fonts, weight, and size, but if you will follow the simple concept of readability, I don’t believe you have to worry about all these rules. Play with various fonts, leading, and kerning; practice and experiment.
4/7—World 4/13—Palm 4/15—Tax 4/15-4/22 4/18—Good 4/20— 4/22—Earth Health Day Sunday Deadline Passover Friday Easter Day
4/23—Admin 4/25—Arbor 4/27 - Holo- Prof’s Day Day caust Remem- brance Day
To have your RMFMS member club sponsored events listed here, Shows, May 3-4, 2014 Kingman, AZ email bettycain3 @comcast.net. You may include other info about Mohave County Gemstoners Annual Show, Kingman your show if you wish but will only be printed as space permits. Events & Academy of Learning HS, 3420 N. Burbank, Kingman; All RMFMS clubs are also encouraged to register their event listings on the RMFMS web site at: www.rmfms.org. Email your submis- contact Mary Gann 928-757-8121. sions to the Webmaster at [email protected]. May –8-10, 2014 Logan, UT April 11, 2014 Arvada, CO Cache Rock & Gem Club Show, Bridgerland Vocation School, 1400 N. 1000 West, Logan; contact Gary Warren, 435-720-1775, North Jeffco Gem & Mineral Club Silent Auction, 6:45pm, APEX [email protected] Community Rec Cntr, 6842 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada; contact Bill Jones 303-503-6288, [email protected] May 16-18, 2014 Sandy, UT April 12, 2014 Arvada, CO Wasatch Gem Society Annual Show, Salt Lake Co. Equestrian Park, 2100 W. 11400 South, South Jordan, UT; contact April Rob- North Jeffco Gem & Mineral Club Silent Auction, 6842 Wadsworth inson, 801-824-4984 [email protected] Blvd, Arvada, CO. June 6-7, 2014 Colorado Springs, CO April 12-13, 2014 Siloam Springs, AR Annual Pikes Peak Gem & Mineral Show at Western Museum of Northwest Arkansas Gem & Mineral Society Spring Show, AR Mining & Industry, 228 North Gate Blvd., I-25 Exit 156A; contact Community Bldg. on Mt. Olive; contact DeLane Cox, 479-254-0894, Kim & Bodie Packham, (719) 748-1041 runninboar@hot [email protected]. mail.com April 25-27, 2014 Wichita, KS June 6-8, 2014 Flagstaff, AZ Wichita Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show, “It’s not just gold Coconino Lapidary Club Annual Show, Silver Saddle Trading Post, that glitters”, at Cessna Activity Center, 2744 George Washington 9001 US 89; contact Wayne Scott, 928-607-3185, nsgs Blvd. Wichita, KS. Contact Gene Maggard, 316-742,3746 or [email protected] [email protected]. June 13-14 2014 Carlsbad, NM May 2-4, 2014 McPherson KS Carlsbad Gem & Mineral Society Annual Show, Living Desert State Park, 1504 Miehls, Carlsbad; contact Steve Travis, 575-885- McPherson Gem & Mineral Club Annual Show, 4-H Fairgrounds, 1622, [email protected] 710 W. Woodside, McPherson; contact Kim Vasper, 620-241-7732, [email protected] June 21-22, 2014 Victor, CO The second annual Gem & Mineral Show sponsored by the South- May 3, 2014 Lakewood, CO ern Teller County Focus Group (STCFG) in Victor, Colorado will be Colorado Mineral Society Annual Auction, Holy Shepherd Luther- held June 21-22. in downtown historic Victor and is free to the an Church, 920 Kipling, Lakewood; contact Richard Nelson, 303- public; contact Ruth Zalewski [email protected],or 719-689- 697-1574, [email protected] 2675. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 21
AFMS Land Use Policy AFMS Code of Ethics
1. Adherence to the AFMS Code of Ethics assures compli- I will respect both private and public property and will ance with most statutes and regulations governing do no collecting on privately owned land without collecting on public lands and encourages respect the owner’s permission. for private property rights and the environment. Clubs are urged to read the AFMS Code of Ethics in at least I will keep informed on all laws, regulations of rules one meeting every year, to publish the Code fre- governing collecting on public lands and will ob- quently in the club newsletter, and to compel com- serve them. pliance on club field trips. I will to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary 2. Individuals and clubs are urged to write their elected lines of property on which I plan to collect. representatives and land use management agency I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting supervisors regarding issues of rule making, legislation, and enforcement affecting field collecting of miner- areas. als and fossils. I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - 3. Individuals and clubs are urged to join and support ac- fences, signs, and buildings. tivities of the American Lands Access Association I will leave all gates as found. (ALAA), a sister organization with responsibility for ad- I will build fires in designated or safe places only and vancing the interests of earth science amateurs with legislatures and land use management agencies. will be certain they are completely extinguished be- fore leaving the area. 4. The AFMS will receive a report from ALAA at its annual meeting. I will discard no burning material - matches, ciga- 5. The AFMS endorses the principle of multiple use of pub- rettes, etc. lic lands as a guarantee of continuing recreational I will fill all excavation holes that may be dangerous to opportunities. livestock. 6. Wilderness and monument designations are incon- I will not contaminate wells, creeks or other water sup- sistent with the principle of multiple use. In view of ply. the vast amount of public land already designated I will cause no willful damage to collecting material as wilderness and monuments, future such designa- tions should be minimal, taking into account the in- and will take home only what I can reasonably use. creased demand for recreational opportunities, in- I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize cluding rockhounding, created by a growing popula- fully and well the materials I have collected and will tion. recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of 7. In furtherance of the principle of multiple use, the AFMS others. believes that laws, regulations, and rules established I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Elimi- by relevant governmental authorities should be de- signed to allow freest possible access to all public nate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas lands, coupled with minimal restrictions on the recre- devoid of litter, regardless of how found. ational collection of minerals, fossils, gemstone mate- I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in des- rials ,and other naturally occurring materials. ignated authority in all collecting areas. 8. A right to collect minerals and fossils on public lands I will report to my club or Federation officers, Bureau of should be protected by statute. Land management or other authorities, any deposit 9. The AFMS urges its members to work with any or all gov- of petrified wood or other materials on public lands ernment authorities to achieve a good working rela- that should be protected for the enjoyment of future tionship in order to improve the “Public Image” of generations for public educational and scientific recreational collectors. purposes. I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources. I will observe the “Golden Rule”, will use “Good Out- door Manners” and will at all times conduct myself in a manner that will add to the stature and public “image” of rockhounds everywhere. Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 22
Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc.
Credentials for Delegates and Alternates
Society Name City State Zip Delegate #1 (President) Alternate #1 (Member) Delegate #2 (Member) Alternate #2 (Member)
The above chosen Delegates and Alternates will represent this society at the Annual Business Meet- ing of the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies at the House of Delegates Meeting to be held at Tulsa, OK on July 12, 2014.
Society Secretary Date
Please Note: Delegates or Alternates will only be allowed to vote if their Society is in good standing (See Articles of Incorporation, ART. III, Sec. 5)
This completed form must be submitted to the RMFMS Credentials Committee Chair no later than One Hour before the Delegates Meeting.
If mailing prior to June 23, 2014, mail to: After June 23, 2014, bring this Robert L. Carson form to the convention and give 1585 Los Pueblos it to the Credential Chair at the Los Alamos, NM 87544 Host Hotel Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 23
Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc.
PROXY
City State Know all men by these presents:
That the __(society) does hereby constitute and appoint
and
as Delegates with full power of submission and revocation to represent this society at the Annual Business Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, held at Tulsa, Oklahoma on the date of July 12, 2014 and at any adjournment thereof, and hereby authorizes said proxies to the said meeting in our stead, granting them all powers to which the society is entitled at said meeting.
We further constitute and appoint: and
as alternates at said meeting with like powers.
Society President
Society Secretary
Date
Mail prior to June 23, 2014, to If not mailed prior to June 23, 2014, Robert L. Carlson turn in at the Credential Committee table 1585 Los Pueblos one hour before the start of the Delegates Los Alamos, NM 87544 Meeting at the Host Hotel Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 24
RMFMS Officers, Executive Committee, and Committee Chairpersons 2013-2014 OFFICERS Oklahoma/Arkansas 2nd Committee Member Ribbons Wyoming Virgil Richards DeLane Cox Kaye Thompson Jim McGarvey President 26815 51st St See Past President 1830 Mesita Ct. See WY State Director Diane C Weir Broken Arrow, OK 74014 3rd Committee Member Colo. Springs, CO 80906 918.640.9592 Vacant 719.636.2978 2300 S Union Ave [email protected] UNIFORM RULES Roswell, NM 88203 Program Library Scholarship COMMITTEE 575-317-6146 S Dakota/Nebraska Jennifer Biddle Sandy Cannedy Sony Hemscher 15071 County Rd 1170 [email protected] 1620 Kingsway St Lee Whitebay, Chair PO Box 376 Sapulpa, OK 74016 Binger, Okla. 73009-5006 Vice President Piedmont, SD 57769 405.656.9019 4669 N Prentice Rd 918.361.1957 Ponca City, OK 74604 Jeri House 605.431.2755 [email protected] [email protected] 1604 Sunset Place [email protected] 580.765.2074 Roswell, NM 88203 Publications Contest Supplies [email protected] 575.622.3688 Utah Beth Simmons Kim Blanton B. Jay Bowman [email protected] Tom Burchard 1420 S. Reed 728 E. Sand Dunes Dr. 875 E. 4500 S. Lakewood, CO 80232 Sandy, UT 84094 191 Bowman Rd Secretary S. Ogden, UT 84403 303.986.9693 801-604-1263 Ponca City, OK 74601 Peggy Maggard 801.479.4286 [email protected] [email protected] 580.761.5966 [email protected] 8418 SE Hwy 77 [email protected] Safety Trophies Leon, KS 67064 Wyoming Vacant Robert L. Carlson Roger Burkhalter 316.742.3746 See NM/TX State Director See Fossil Technical [email protected] Jim McGarvey Webmaster PO Box 116 Robert Carlson Jennifer Biddle See NM/TX State Director Treasurer Kinnear, WY 82516 See Program Library PUBLIC LAND ADVISORY Gene Maggard 307.856.6188 [email protected] Jack Thompson 8418 SE Hwy 77 [email protected] 1830 Mesita Ct. Leon, KS 67064 Webmaster Contest Arizona/Nevada Colo. Springs, CO 80906 316.742.3746 STANDING COMMITTEES Vacant Bill Jaeger 719.636.2978 [email protected] 3441 E Astro St SPECIAL COMMITTEES Hereford, AZ 85615 Updated 3/2/14 Historian Circulation Cinda Kunkler Bill Cain 520.803.6590 Address on page 2 AFMS Club Rockhound of [email protected] 210 NE35th St the Year Award (ACROY) Topeka, KS 66617 Convention Advisory Harry Kilb 785.286.1790 Robert L Carlson Bill Cain 3411 Tomahawk Dr NOTE Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406 [email protected] See TX/NM State Director Address on page 2 All Officer and Commit- 928.855.1630 Editor—Publicity Endowment Fund [email protected] tee Chair reports are PAST PRESIDENTS Betty Cain DeLane Cox Colorado Address on page 2 due to the Secretary by See Past President Tim Austin DeLane Cox Finance All American Club 2918 Plymouth Rd April 15. 8152 Spanker Ridge Dr. Robert Haines, Chair Vacant Grand Junction, CO 81503 Bentonville, AR 72712 104 S. Brookside St. 970.263.7404 479.254.0894 Wichita, KS 67218 Boundaries [email protected] [email protected] 316.683.9021 Robert L Carson See NM/TX State Director Mike Nelson Bill Smith Wayne Cox See Int’l Relations PO. Box 311 8152 Spanker Ridge Dr. Credentials Kansas Hardtner, KS 67057 Bentonville, AR 72712 Vacant Today’s Chuckle: Do you 620.296.4652 479.254.0894 Mike Nelson Directory See Int’l Relations [email protected] [email protected] Kay Waterman know how to tell when you Fluorescent Technical 1334 N. McFarland Place Nebraska become an “old rock- STATE DIRECTORS Pete Modreski Claremore, OK 74017 Leroy Meininger 3555 Mill St 918.521.4386 81 Toluca Lane hound”? When someone is Arizona/Nevada Wheat Ridge, CO 0033 [email protected] Gering, NE 69341 308.623.2661 discussing “cleavage”, and Russ Stewart 303.425.9549 International Relations [email protected] 1300 N. Matterhorn Rd [email protected] Mike Nelson you didn’t think about Payson, AZ Fossil Technical 645 Popes Valley Dr New Mexico/Texas women! 928-474-9712 Roger Burkhalter Colo. Springs, CO 80919 Vacant [email protected] 16560 E. Maguire Rd 719.522.1608 N Dakota The Ammonite 3/14 Colorado Noble, OK 73068 [email protected] Rodney Hickle Beth Simmons 405.899.4260 Junior Program 1631 28th Ave SW 1420 S. Reed [email protected] Diane C Weir Central, ND 58530 Lakewood, CO 80232 Insurance See President 701.794.3342 303.986.9693 Gene Maggard Long-Range Planning Oklahoma/Arkansas [email protected] 8418 SE Hwy 77 Judy Beck, Chair Bill Lyon Kansas Leon, KS 67064 See Nominations 112 N. Hillcrest St Lyle Koerper 316.742.3746 DeLane Cox Ada, OK 74820 1644 Valleyview Court [email protected] See Past President 580.332.8666 Wichita, KS 67212 Lapidary Tech [email protected] Ofcrs & State Directors Robert L. Carlson are elected by the House 316.722.7115 Mike Snively See NM/TX State Director Doris Perkins [email protected] 8495 W. Starr Circle 405 SE Ave G I of Delegates Littleton, CO 80128 Name Badges Idabel, OK 74745 580.286.3133 New Mexico/Texas Richard Jaeger Robert L. Carlson 720.981.0752 [email protected] [email protected] 3515 E 88th St Executive Committee 1585 Los Pueblos Tulsa, OK 74137-2602 S Dakota Los Alamos, NM 87544 Mineralogical Tech [email protected] Jan Baumeister consists of Officers, 505.662.5534 Jim Hurlbut 3901 Hall St State Directors, and two illegitimusnoncarbor 2240 S Adams Parliamentarian Rapid City, SD 57702 [email protected] Denver, CO 80210 Gene Maggard 605.342.5517 immediate Past North Dakota 303.757.0283 See Treasurer [email protected] Presidents Ray Oliger [email protected] Permanent Address Utah 516 N 20th St Nominations Robert Carlson Jim Alexander Bismarck, ND 58501 Judy Beck, Chair See NM/TX State Director 360 5th St Committee Chairs 701.223.4986 3021 E Country Club Rd Program Competition Ogden, UT 84404 are appointed by the [email protected] Saline, KS 67401 Jennifer Biddle 801.399.0785 President. 785.823.7069 See Program Library [email protected] [email protected]
Rocky Mountain Federation News—April 2014 Page 25
2014 April
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