In this economy, we all could use some career advice. Here is an interview with a former curator of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, explaining how he got the job and what it entails. (more…)
Colorado
Anthracite
Q: What makes rockhounds different from non-rockhounds?
A: They are happy to receive coal for Christmas.
Rockhounds love coal, and they love anthracite even more. Anthracite is a type of coal. It is very hard and burns slowly and cleanly due to its high carbon content and few impurities. It is rarer than bituminous coal (the soft, most common form of coal); in fact, less than 2% of the coal in the United States is anthracite. Also unlike bituminous coal, anthracite won’t leave soot on your fingers when you touch it.
There are four types of coal in all. The last two we haven’t covered yet are lignite coal and subbituminous coal, which have the lowest carbon content and are even softer then bituminous coal. Anthracite is the hardest and has the highest carbon content. Most of the coal in the United States is found in Colorado and Illinois, and is used primarily for making electricity and coke (coke is used by foundries to make iron and steel).
Pyrite
Photo by Stephanie Reed
At our August meeting, Martin showed off this unusual iron pyrite specimen from Colorado. The gold parts are pyrite and the black streaks contain small amounts of gold ore.
Christmas Rhodochrosite
Ex. J. Vorpahl Mineral Collection, http://www.themineralgallery.com/rhodoroom.htm
This gorgeous crystal specimen is perfect for Christmas! It has red rhodochrosite crystals on a green matrix (green pyrite?), with pale lavender fluorite cyrstals that look like little snowdrifts. From Steve’s Pocket, Fluorite Raise, Sweet Home Mine, Alma, Colorado.
Dendritic Agate
Photo by Pat McMahan from http://www.agateswithinclusions.com/images/US/col/Del_Norte_Dendritic2.jpg
Dendritic agate has inclusions that look like thin, two-dimensional tree-like growths. They are usually black or dark brown, especially if they are found in Montana. Often dendrites form, between flat “waterline” bands of agate. Dendrites may also occur in limestone, talc, sandstone, beryl, corundum, and other minerals. Dendritic and moss agates both look amazing as cabochons, because they look like little pressed flowers or landscape scenes. The specimen pictured is from Del Norte, Colorado.
Source: The Gemrock, 7/2014
Fossilized Leaves for the First Day of Fall
Paleocene Leaves from Montana
Eucommia Leaf from Montana
Sycamore from Colorado
Climbing Fern Leaves from Utah
Allophylus Leaf from Colorado
Legume Leaf from Colorado
Sycamore and Poplar
Happy first day of fall! Or happy first day of autumn, if you prefer. To celebrate, here are some great fossil leaves from fossilplants.com.
Show-Me Rockhounds Kansas City 
