Cake and photo by Stephanie Reed
We had several Show-Me Rockhound members with birthdays in January, and I got thinking about what kind of cake a rockhound would like. I’ve seen some amazing geology-themed cakes but I’m not skilled enough at cake decorating to come close to those. Then I saw these chocolate rocks at Price Chopper and I knew exactly what to do. This is the result. Happy birthday, David, Charley, and Sharon!
Photo by Stephanie Reed
Some thunder eggs from the personal collection of David Reed. The largest one has purple amethyst crystals on the inside. It was originally from the collection of the late David White, who lovingly polished it by hand to a reflective shine. The medium one is from Oregon. The smallest one is a slab cut from a thunder egg and was from the Show-Me Rockhounds gift exchange.
At the IGAMS Christmas Party, there was a potluck dinner and a White Elephant gift exchange.
Photo by Stephanie Reed
We love the mineral specimens on your shirt.
Photo by Stephanie Reed
Everyone in a circle preparing for the White Elephant Gift Exchange.
Photo by Stephanie Reed
You could have received one of these! The gifts included rocks, wire wrapped necklaces, shark teeth, books about rocks, a hammer, a can of beans, calendars, and much more. Perhaps you’ll join us next year.
Photo by Stephanie Reed
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.
Rob Lavinsky, http://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/9080
What is a reindeer’s favorite copper sulfate mineral? Antlerite! Antlerite is named after the Antler Mine in Arizona, but was more often found in Chuquicamata Mine in Chile. That mine has been closed, so antlerite is pretty rare now. This is a close-up of a specimen from the Chuquicamata Mine measuring 7.4 x 3.8 x 2.2 cm.
Rob Lavinsky, http://www.irocks.com/minerals/specimen/9080
The whole plate, with fingertips included for scale.
‘Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a Rockhound was stirring,
I felt like a louse.
For the lapidary gifts I was making this year
Lay down on my bench, UNFINISHED, I fear!
The pendant my dear wife wanted so much
As I polished the cab, it fractured with a touch;
And the lovely jade brooch for Grandma so sweet,
Just wouldn’t polish – it looked terribly beat.
As for Sister’s new bracelet with baroques dangling lightly,
I ran out of bell caps after the stores were closed tightly.
Then the tie clasp for Uncle that would make such a hit,
After I cut the cab, no mounting would fit!
And even Junior’s new crystal growing set
Though I’d sent for it months ago, had not arrived yet!
So I tossed and I turned as though caught in a trap.
I could not settle down for a “long winter’s nap.”
When all of a sudden I heard such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
I raced for the door then saw with a flick,
A red-suited man I was sure was Saint Nick.
As I reached for my robe and was turning around,
Down the basement stairs, Santa went with a bound.
He went straight to my workbench to see what I lacked,
Then with a nod of his head, he opened his pack.
Out tumbled such mountings and bell caps without stop,
I was sure Santa must own a lapidary shop!
He said not a word but went straight to work,
And finished each piece, then grabbed his pack with a jerk.
And shaking his white-bearded face with much glee,
Took out some new slabs I knew were for me!
Then laying his finger aside his nose,
With a nod of satisfaction, up the stairway he rose.
Went straight to the door, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Merry Christmas, Dear Rockhounds, and to you a good night.”
Source: Hy Grader, Coastal Waves 2005, Scribe 2010, Lake Rocker Newsletter 12/2012, The Gemrock 12/2014.
Photo from: http://www.rocksforkids.com/R&M/apatite.htm
Apatite is a general name for a group of very soft phosphate minerals that form big crystals that are fun to collect. This red and green double-terminated apatite crystal is 21 inches long! It was found on the Miller Property in Eganville, Ontario, Canada during a CCFMS (Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical Societies) field trip in July 2002. For more photos and information, and a cute poem about collecting apatite, check out the website linked in the photo, http://www.rocksforkids.com/R&M/apatite.htm
UPDATE 2017/06/02: Rocksforkids.com reorganized their website and the apatite page is no longer there. So, here is the apatite poem.
A Poem about Rock Collecting – Digging for Apatites in Eganville, Ontario
DUST CLOUDS
The peaceful silence of the northern woods, interrupted by a wail,
A soaring screaming roar, louder than a stomped on tigers tail.
A cloud of dust obscures a man, how can he see to use that tool,
With nothing to cover his nose and ears, I think the man’s a fool.
Suddenly the screaming noise stops, I think I have gone deaf.
The dust cloud drifts on by, but I keep on holding my breath.
Out of this swirling maelstrom, staggered a large ghostly form,
Coughing and hacking, he lugged a saw that had caused this dusty storm.
I guess he had some trouble; his saw had broken down.
Behind the mask of dust, his face displayed a worried pasty frown.
I guess Nick was finished for the day; the Apatite can wait.
However, Elfi kept finding more crystals; and they were looking great
The best laid plans of mice and men sometimes go awry.
Nick had brought that saw along and he just had to give it a try.
While he cut one out for his wife, the others were finding more.
Soon Nick had a full time job, I began to hate that rock saws roar.
Crystals of Apatite, some of exceptional size, like something from a dream.
They cleared off a Calcite vein they looked like salmon going up a stream.
Now there is a quandary, do we go or do we stay,
The planned trip was interrupted, they stayed another day.Part of us stayed to the plans, we took the scheduled trip.
More than half went back to the trenches, old Frank near had a fit.
Two more days of pounding, another broken saw,
More large crystals were being located, there ought to be a law.
Well this trip is finally over and we missed a place or two,
I cannot say it wasn’t interesting and I’m really not too blue.
Nick’s planning went out the window, next year will be better I am told,
I hope your appetite for Apatite is sated Elfi, next time pick on gold.by Dick Stata Aug. 24th. Thinking back on the 2002 CCFMS summer trip.
Edgar Müller, http://www.mindat.org/photo-482805.html
Shiny red cinnabar from Germany. Also known as HgS, mercury (II) sulfide, cinnabar used to be mined to extract the mercury (mercury is only found in ores like cinnabar, calomel, and livingstonite) or to be mixed with sulfur and used as red pigment. Due to mercury’s toxicity, it is no longer allowed in paints, pesticides, batteries, and many other products. In fact, the United States and many other countries have stopped mining mercury because of the environmental hazard and a decrease in demand.
If you own a cinnabar specimen, keep it in a glass cabinet or enclosed box, wash your hands after touching it, don’t break it and inhale the dust, and don’t let children or pets eat it. These are good rules for your entire rock collection.
Photo by Yaiba Sakaguchi from http://www.mindat.org/photo-523282.html
These spiny agardite crystals have conichalcite balls on the ends which make them look so otherworldly, but they are from Nevada! Both contain copper arsenate, which gives them their green and turquoise colors.
Photo by Germano Fretti, http://www.mindat.org/photo-448694.html
Rruffite is a crystal named after the Rruff Project which is building a database of Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction data, and photos of very small minerals. This specimen is from the Jote Mine in Chile and belongs to Luigi Chiappino.
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