Brevard Gems. Web address:

Transcription

1 Page 1 N E W S L E T T E R F O R C E N T R A L B R E V A R D R O C K Brevard Gems Web address: Open Shop Hours: Sun. 1-4 PM; Wed. 9 AM-12 PM, 1-4 PM, and 6-9 PM; and Thurs. 6-9 PM. (except on meeting nights) A N D G E M C L U B V O L U M E 5, I S S U E 4 A P R I L REMINDERS: Next regular meeting is April 7th at 6:00 p.m. at the Merritt Island Library. Board Meeting is Monday, April 4th at 7:00 p.m. I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Meeting Minutes Meeting Minutes Continued Show Pictures Special Raffle Gem Tree Class Just for Kids 5 Calendar 6 April s Mineral SFMS 2016 Workshops Don Norris Demo Club Officers & Reminders President s Message Please come to the annual club picnic and auction scheduled at KARS Park, Merritt Island, on Saturday, April 16, and plan to arrive between 11 am-noon as lunch will be served at noon. The club provides hamburgers, hotdogs, and cold drinks. Please bring a dish to share. Also, if you would like to donate something lapidary to be auctioned, you may leave it at the shop by Wednesday, April 13, or bring it to the picnic. Bill Dewey will auction some things and other items will be in the silent auction conducted by Mary and Emily. Cheryl Ostman is in charge of the picnic and, at the meeting, will ask for members to indicate what dish they plan to bring. Tom brings a grill to cook the meat but it would be most helpful if someone else could also bring a grill and help with the cooking. Also, you may buy tickets ($5 each) for a chance to win the beautiful carved stone vase from China donated by Rick Spechler of Rare Earth Minerals, member and show vendor. The drawing for this prize will occur at the end of the picnic/auction but you do not need to be present to win. Tickets will be sold at the club meeting on April 7 as well. Thank you to Don Norris for a most interesting and useful presentation and demonstration of his silversmithing theory and technique at our evening session workshop on March 16 which he provided at no charge. If he returns to this area next winter, we hope to arrange some classes with him. To keep our club going by providing a slate of officers to be elected to serve the club for 2017, we must have a Nominating Committee Chairman plus one or two Committee members. We also need one or two members to perform the annual Audit. These functions are required by our Bylaws. The Nominating Chairman cannot be a current officer or director. I do hope there are some members willing to provide these services to the club. Pam is continuing her series on rockhounding in the USA and will finish the West zone NV, ID, MT, UT and CO at the next club meeting on April 7. If you have any rocks or stories from these states that you would like to share, please contact Pam at PFelski@cfl.rr.com. New members must attend a meeting to attain membership. Membership Renewals are accepted at both meetings and workshop. Michele Huntington 2016 President

2 Page 2 Meeting Minutes CBRGC General Meeting March 3, 2016 Michele called the meeting to order at 1800 hours at the Merritt Island Library. Pledge of Allegiance Approval of minutes for February 4, 2016 as published in the January newsletter was requested by Michele and approved by the general membership present. 28 members were present. Treasurer s report for January 2016 and February 2016 was given by Eivor Brown. Preliminary financial report of the show was also given. Membership report was presented by Sara membership currently stands at 54. New members must attend general membership meeting to attain membership. CBRGC Show 2016: Roz gave a recap of the show, which went well. Suggestions were given for the 2017 show by general membership present show financials are still being finalized. Workshop report: There are no equipment issues at this time. Current shop hours remain: Sunday 1-4, Weds 9-12, 1-4, and 6-9, and Thurs 6-9. Class Schedule: Roz will be collecting $10.00 deposit for signing up for classes which covers fee for first shop session; members are requested to show their membership cards and receipts at first class. Craig or Bill are available for Faceting 9-12 Wed mornings. John is offering Silversmithing on Tuesday evenings 6-9 PM. Mario and Tom will teach cabbing on Monday evenings 6-9 PM. Michele will offer Intarsia on Tuesday evenings in March, class is full with two members. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR A CLASS TO LEARN CABBING, SILVERSMITHING, CHAIN MAKING, or FUSED GLASS. COME IN DURING OPEN SHOP TO FIND OUT WHAT MATERIALS ARE NECESSARY AND YOU CAN LEARN DURING OPEN SHOP AT $5.00 A SESSION. Please write in book at shop if there are any classes that you would like to see offered. New Business: 2016 Committee assignments need a nominations chairman and committee members who are not officers. Also, an audit committee is needed. A new editor for the newsletter is needed, as Mary will be unable to continue after May issue Member Picnic on April 16 th at KARS Park will be organized by Cheryl Ostman, Eivor Brown, and Sue Grindle.

3 V O L U M E 5, I S S U E Page 3 4 Meeting Minutes Continued Both live and silent auctions will be featured and outstanding food will be served. Old Business: Website and Newsletter status by Mary MacLaughlin. No further library showcases are scheduled for Fund Raising continues with Club mugs $5.00, Club Tote Bags $3.00, Patches $1.00, Decals.50. Frank Forester presented an overview of rockhounding in Colorado, including specimen samples that he brought back. There were no meeting door prizes as Mario Vento did not attend the meeting. The meeting was adjourned at Pictures from the Show

4 V O L U M E 5, I S S U E Page 4 4 Special Raffle Get Your Tickets Now! Through the generosity of club member Rick Spechler, the club is having a special raffle to win this beautiful one-of-a-kind vase. Valued at $200, this stone vase from China would be a wonderful addition to your home or office. Tickets are only $5 each and the drawing will be held at the annual club picnic on April 16th. You do not have to be present to win. Support the club by buying your tickets at the March and April meetings, at the shop, or at the picnic. Gem Tree Class Left to Right: Lucy Caracoglia, Matt Castor, Emily Holston, and Erica Plemmons. Mary s Gem Tree Instructor Jerri Heer Left to Right: Sara Fellows, Pam Felski and Joan Balis

5 Page 5 Just For Kids In honor of Women s History Month, from Mini Miners Monthly, Sept 2015 B R E V A R D G E M S

6 Page 6 Calendar Faceting class arrangements need to be made directly with Craig. For kumihimo, please see Mary or Emily to schedule. For information about a specific class, or to sign up for a class, please contact Roz or the individual instructor. Sign up sheets will be available at the meeting. Roz roz.mestre@att.net or ; Opal and Wire Wrap Class Michele at raymich06@bellsouth.net; Cabbing Class Mario at rok3269@gmail.com; Silver Casting John at j.catana58@gmail.com; & Glass Fusing Lucy at

7 Page 7 April s Mineral Star Garnet Star garnet is an unusual form of garnet. Asterism (the star effect) is associated mostly with star sapphire and star ruby. Actually there are other gemstones that can also exhibit this effect, though specimens are fairly rare. The other star gems include moonstone, quartz, spinel, citrine, diopside, emerald, chrysoberyl and beryl. Star Garnet Gem Rough Star garnets are so rare that to date they have only been found in two places in the world; in the state of Idaho in the USA and in India. The garnet varieties that occasionally exhibit asterism are almandine and a mixture of almandine and pyrope garnet. Star garnet gemstones are usually opaque and deep brownish-red or reddish-black. Like all star gems, the star effect is caused by inclusions of rutile. In order to display the star effect, the rutile needles must have the correct alignment to reflect light in a pattern forming a multi-rayed star. Most star garnets display a 4-rayed star, but 6-rayed stars are sometimes seen. Some gemstone dealers claim that only the Idaho star garnets ever display a 6-rayed star, but this claim is difficult to verify since specimens with 6-rayed stars are very rare. Physical Properties of Star Garnet Chemical Formula ((Mg,Fe) 3 Al 2 (SiO 4 ) 3 ) Chemical Name magnesium iron aluminum silicate Crystal System cubic Color Light To Dark Purplish Red To Reddish Purple Luster SubAdamantine Cleavage None Specific Gravity (Typical is 3.84) Hardness Refractive Index The people of Idaho are so proud of their star garnet deposits that star garnet has been declared the state gemstone. Star garnets are mined in Northern Idaho in a region that is northeast of Moscow and southeast of Coeur d'alene. The star effect in most star garnet gemstones is subtle and requires the correct lighting to be seen clearly. The best lighting is direct sunlight. However, a light source such as a narrow beam halogen spotlight or small flashlight will also work. The star is best seen by standing directly above the stone and looking straight down. Information from Gemstone.com, JTV.com, and Minerals.net Transparency Streak Inclusions Transparent to translucent White Pyrope-almandite garnet is a type II clarity stone. Needle like inclusions produce 4 to 6 rayed stars and will sometimes show both in well cut stones. Stones might have zircon crystals with stain halos and irregular rounded included crystals that might be zircon or apatite.

8 Page 8 Don Norris Demo at the Shop B R E V A R D G E M S

9 Page 9 Club Purpose: The purpose of this club is to foster interest in and to promote knowledge and appreciation of minerals, gems, fossils, and the earth sciences. We also disseminate information and instruction in the lapidary arts and the utilization of precious metals in our crafts. These purposes are accomplished through regular meetings with informative programs, workshops, study groups, and field trips. Officers: OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Michele Huntington (321) raymich06@bellsouth.net 1st Vice President: Pam Felski (321) PFelski@cfl.rr.com 2nd Vice President: Sara Fellows (321) sunysara@cfl.rr.com Secretary: Cheryl Ostman (321) rickostman@yahoo.com Treasurer: Eivor Brown (321) eivor99@cfl.rr.com Directors: Emily Holston 2016 Shop Location: Roz Mestre Imperial Blvd, Unit D Tom Brown 2017 Cape Canaveral, FL Bill Dewey 2017 (Imperial is located off A1A just south of the Port) Member of Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. - Affiliated with the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies - Reminders Pam continues her Rockhounding series and will finish the West zone NV, ID, MT, UT and CO. If you have any rocks or stories from these states that you would like to share, please contact Pam at PFelski@cfl.rr.com. Mary MacLaughlin, Editor (321) cbrgc407@gmail.com Deadline for items for May issue is April 22nd. B R E V A R D G E M S

10 Page 10