MARCUS WHITMAN GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY
2014 Officers President
Jim Brain Vice-President
Jack Edwards Secretary
Kathleen Weston Treasurer
Sandy Kinsfather At Large Board Members
Vern Young Rick Magnaghi Lauren Page Lisa Stearns Federation Director
Olan Long Federation Delegate
Norma Long Immediate Past President
Keith Bacus
Other Support Programs Ralph Trethewey Field Trips Janel Lacey Gem and Mineral Show Lisa Stearns Refreshments Lauren Page Lapidary Shop Mgr Vern Young Newsletter Editor Jim Brain
Lifetime Members Bill Stonecipher Linda Stonecipher Jack Edwards Charlene Edwards Richard McCann Marilyn McCann Jerry Nielson Janice Nielson
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President’s Message—Jim Brain It is show time, are you ready to help? First up is the Northwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies annual meeting and show in Hermiston, Oregon. It runs from August 15-17. The Hatrockhounds Club has taken on the huge task of hosting the event for the federation and will need any help we can provide. (See the August NFMS newsletter for more show details.) Three weeks later (Sept. 13-14) is our club’s annual Gem and Mineral Show at the fairgrounds. Lisa Stearns and Carol Knoble have been working their tails off pulling things together to produce a successful event but will need help from everyone as they pull it all together. The big crunch time is Friday, Sept 12 when we have to set everything up for the vendors as well as the demonstrations and display cases. Typically it takes 25 plus people working most of the day to get things ready for the show opening. Setting up is just the tip of the iceberg
so to speak. During the show we need to have members to staff several tables and activities. After the show closes on Sunday, we need help to tear everything down and store it away for next year. In past years we have had upwards of 60 members working in one capacity or another supporting the show. This year it is going to be a little harder to get that many involved as our membership is down a little and several of those involved in the past are no longer available. We are all a year older also. With all that said, lets all make a concerted effort to help out at the show in one way or another. We have had very successful shows in the past and there is no reason this years can’t be an even better show. A successful show provides a large portion of the income that it takes to run the club for the year. It also provides an opportunity to showcase our hobby in the community and recruit new members.
From the Federation Newsletter The August NFMS newsletter has several articles worth reading. These include one submitted by Andy Johnson that talks about the BLM entering into
a new round of planning and urging people to become involved to protect our rights to rockhound on public lands. There is also a good article on a Juniors Activity
to create their own Rock Book. Finally there is link to a closure order closing the Lolo Pass area in Montana to crystal digging.
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Federation Show Needs Our Help This year’s NFMS annual meeting and show will be hosted by the Hatrockhounds Club of Hermiston Oregon. It will run from August 15-17 at the Hermiston Conference Center. For more details on the meeting and show see the August federation newsletter. Judi Allison, the show co-chairperson, has taken us up on our offer to provide help with the Federation Show. They need two kinds of help. The first is for help with set up and take down. They will be doing most of the set up on Wednesday. August 13th, so would appreciate as many (hopefully fit) bodies that day as we can provide to help them out. They will also need help with take down immediately after the show on Sunday. The other help they are looking for is for people to staff the front desk and the kids area each day of the show. If you can help in any of these areas, they will plug you
into the schedule. As a perk they have offered free admission passes to anyone who helps with the show. I need to let them know by August 8th the names of club members who will be able to help. Please call Jim Brain at 509-522-2261 or drop him an e-mail at
[email protected] if you are available to help them out. In addition to the show activities there will be a field trip on Monday, August 18 to the China Hollow Picture Jasper Claim outside of Wasco, OR. You must register in advance to go on this trip so call or e-mail Judi Allison at 541-720-4950 or
[email protected] to get your name on the list.
Our August Program In preparation for our Gem and Mineral Adults Juniors Show in September, the August program will Rough rock Fossils be the club’s annual rock and lapidary comMineral Specimens Petrified Wood petition where members get a chance to see Cabochons Rough Rock how their work compares to others in the Jewelry Crystals club. Faceted stones Agate The top two places in each category will be Free Form pieces Thunder Eggs honored by having their entries shown in a Spheres Other display case at the annual show. The categoOther ries have been changed slightly from previous years. Below is a list of the adult and junior Please remember only three items or sets per class. categories.
August Refreshments If your last name starts with the letters A thru M please bring : Ice cream or Pie for the refreshment break at the August meeting
Did You Know there is a “National Rockhound and Lapidary Hall of Fame”? It is co-located with the Pioneer Auto Show museum in Murdo, South Dakota. Though the AFMS is not officially connected with the Hall of Fame, it has been involved in the nomination process. All the regional federation clubs or members can submit nominations with supporting documentation stating why the nominee should be considered.
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Safety Corner by Will Self Equipment Safety Not every rockhound has a massive amount of machinery in their shop. Those that do tend to take care of them. By taking care of them, I mean are they well maintained and free of hazards? There are many hazards associated with any type of equipment. You can minimize potential injuries just by following a few simple steps. Each day before use take a quick look at the equipment you are going to use, are the belt nice and tight, are all the guards in place, are the electrical wires in good condition with no bare wires exposed, is there oil on the floor that you or someone might slip and fall on?
Equipment should be well guarded to prevent exposure to the nip points between the pulley and the belt. I can vouch for this being a hazard as I had a fingertip removed when I was younger when I got my finger between a belt and pulley, it hurt. Check for shafts being unguarded, also look at the shaft ends. Is there a keyway that could grab loose clothing? If you were to look at state and federal regulation for shaft ends it will tell you that the shaft can protrude no more than ½ the diameter of the shaft, so a one
inch shaft can protrude no more than ½ inch. Those can be covered with a non rotating cover or shortened by cutting them off. A lot of people think that because a gear or pulley is not rotating at a high speed it is not as dangerous. My way of thinking is its just going to take longer for you to get hurt. If equipment can be moved in such a manner that the unguarded portion is up against a wall or something similar, it could be considered to be guarded by location. Guards don’t have to be fancy. I have seen a lot of guards constructed of plywood or similar material that worked just fine.
Club News Lapidary Shop Schedule Below is the shop schedule for the next two months. Also, I am looking for more members to be shop foreman. Interested parties, please call me. Vern Young 509-200-6939 Lapidary Shop hours are 6:00-9:00 on the dates listed below.
Aug 7 Jack Edwards Aug 14 Carole Knobel Aug 21 Vern Young Aug 28 Tom Hargrave Sept 4 Kathleen Weston Sept 18 Jack Edwards Sept 25 Tom Hargrave Shop will be closed Sept 11.
Ask not what the club can do for you but what you can do for the club.
Show Information by Lisa Stearns We are still looking for more display case entries, people to put on demonstrations, and volunteers to help with decorations and staffing the various areas of the show. Please feel free to get involved in any or all areas. I have sign-up sheets available, e-mail me at
[email protected], or leave a message on my phone (509)386-0584.
You don’t have to be an expert to help. Again this year we will have a tailgating/vending activity from 7:00 to 10:00 on Sunday Sept.14. If you want to have a tailgate spot, the fee will be $10. Thanks to all, in advance, for your help with the show. Lisa Stearns and Carol Knobel Your Show Co-coordinators
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Club News Election of officers is coming up soon.
Future Programs and Activities
This year we will be electing a new Vice President, Treasurer, and two at-large board members. All positions serve a two year term on the Board of Directors whose roll is to coordinate the activities of the organization.
The next field trip will be the All Rockhonds Powwow trip to Teanaway the weekend of Sept 6-7. That will be followed by a trip to the John Day Fossil Beds and Paleontology Museum on September 20. The October program will be a members swap meet where you will be able to buy, sell, trade, or whatever items you have made with other members of the club. November is our annual members only rock auction. This year we will be upgrading the material offered by including some of the material the club has purchased this past year. December will be our annual holiday party and white elephant gift exchange.
The requirements to hold an elected office are that you are a member in good standing for at least a year (meaning you have paid your membership dues) and are available to attend a monthly board meeting. I will be announcing a nominating committee at the August meeting. In the meantime think about throwing your hat in the ring and making yourself available for one of the positions when the nominations are opened. Even if you opt not to be considered for an elected office, you can help out by serving on one of the support groups that make the club run smoothly. Jim Brain
Pictures of the Month—Basalt Flows
Columnar basalt at Steamboat Rock State Park
Palouse Falls
in Grant County. Photo Greg Vaughn
Whitman County Washington
Taken from Washington State Magazine Spring 2014 Issue
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From the Kitchen
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by Lisa Stearns
As summer is upon us and the garden grows, it is time to start thinking of how to use the abundant supply of zucchini we end up with. This recipe is for those squash that hide under the plant until they are too big to cook the regular ways. One of the gentlemen and his wife (thanks Frank & Patti) at our office brought this in to a staff meeting one day and asked us to try with an open mind and taste buds. What a wonderful surprise in flavor it has!!!! ZUCCHINI CRISP Crust: 4 cups Flour 2 cups Sugar, or a little less ½ tsp Cinnamon ½ tsp Salt 1 ½ cup cold margarine or butter
Filling: 8-10 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed zucchini 2/3 cup Lemon Juice 1 cup Sugar, or a little less ½ tsp Nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon
Filling: Place zucchini & lemon juice in saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and cook 6-8 minutes until tender. Stir in remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mix.
Directions: Crust: Combine flour, sugar. Cinnamon, & salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside 3 cups until later. Sprinkle the rest into a 9 x 13 pan. DO NOT pack, pat lightly. Bake @ 375° for 12 min.
From the Garden by Lauren Page A lot of rockhounds try to spread them I found this effective on their time between more than one my jalapeno plants as well as hobby. For me it is rockhounding other pepper plants. and gardening. Because of that I am asked gardening questions by club 1 quart of water members questions now and then. 3 Jalapenos chopped up We are always looking for ways to 5 cloves of garlic make things easier. Below is my 2 drops of cooking oil trick for treating jalapenos plants to 2 drops of dish soap prevent insects from devouring
Bring water to boil Add ingredients and steep 24 hours. Strain and put in Spray bottle. It makes about 1 quart.
Save Your Canceled Postage Stamps Members are encouraged to save canceled postage stamps and give them to Norma Long, our Federation Director, who will forward them to the Federation which in tern sells them to a stamp broker. Proceeds from the stamp sale are donated to organizations that support cancer research. The most desirable stamps are the commemorative stamps, not the American Flag or Liberty Bell forever stamps, so save commemorative stamps whenever possible.
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The Mineral Halite Halite is the mineral form of sodium chloride, NaCl, commonly known as rock salt. Halite occurs as cubic crystals that are typically colorless to white, but may also be light blue, dark blue or pink. Halite typically forms in sedimentary rocks of evaporative association and may form immense beds, in cave deposits, dried up playas and enclosed lakes, and in salt domes. Its crystallization comes from oversaturated brines in open vugs formed by pressurized gas. Halite’s crystal structure is predominantly cubes but is also found in granular, fibrous or compact forms. It has a vitreous luster and a hardness of 2 to 2.5 on the Mohs scale. Halite occurs all over the world but the most notable deposits are in Germany, Poland, Sicily, and India. Rose to pink colored cubes are formed in the salinas such as the Salton Sea and Searles Lake in California. Halite is found in extensive underground beds in the Michigan Basin, underlying Ohio, Michigan and New York, as numerous salt domes along the Gulf Coast, and in the Permian Basin of Texas and New Mexico. Rare large “golden” halite cubes were found in the PCA mine, in the Carlsbad potash district, of Eddy County, New Mexico. The large crystals, measuring more that 1 meter in size, were discovered in April of 1962, and a second cave was discovered several months later with even larger crystals. The remarkable “golden” color of the crystals came from finely dispersed iron oxides, which are quite common in these deposits. Smaller crystals were recovered by miners but the fate of these crystals is unknown. At the moment there are plans under way to flood the entire mine and convert it into a salt brine production facility which will mean the loss of any remaining crystals. Information for this article came from: www.newworldencyclopedia.org; http://giantcrystals.strahlen.org/ America/Carlsbad.htm and www.cochise.edu. via The Quarry, 6-7/10; via Pick - Hammer News, 5/10; from WGMS Quarry, 5/10 and The Golden Spike News, 7/14
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Endowment Fund—What is it?
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story here.”
One of the major activities of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies is overseeing an endowment fund that is funded by member donations and the proceeds from an annual raffle. Prizes for the raffle are donated by individual members or regional federations. Raffle tickets are sold throughout the year at various member federation shows and meetings. The interest from the AFMS Endowment Fund investments is used by the AFMS to support programs that benefit the clubs in all of the federations.
In the past several years, interest money has been used to purchase badges for the juniors program (which are given at no charge to clubs with organized junior activities programs), digitize the old AFMS slide programs that have been distributed at no charge to the regional federations, purchase new commercially produced programs for the regional federation libraries and support the Judges Training Program. The 2014 raffle is over but you will be hearing soon about the 2015 event.
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WHAT ARE ORGANIC GEMS? Although most gemstones are mineral materials, a number of organic materials are also considered to be gemstones. The most common of these are pearl, bone, amber, coral, and ivory. These are materials, produced by organisms, that have been cut into gems and other ornamental objects.
Coral (left) and bryozoans (right) are organisms that live in warm, shallow marine waters. They are often fossilized by infilling and replacement with quartz and calcite. These materials can be polished into attractive gems. Taken from Amazing Geology BlogSpot article 7/27/2014 http://amazinggeology.blogspot.com
THE ROCK LICKER is the official monthly publication of the Marcus Whitman Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. (NFMS Club # 719), PO Box 338, Walla Walla, WA 99362. The objective of the Society is to encourage the study of earth science through suitable programs, field trips, exhibits and other educational activities. People of all ages are welcome to join us. There are junior club activities for youth aged 18 and under. Regular club meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month (except July and December) at the Lions Club Field House on the corner of SE 8th St and SE Larch Ave. in College Place, WA. Both the Juniors club activities and general club meeting start at 6:30 pm. Note: July is reserved for a club picnic and December is reserved for the Christmas party and potluck.
The Rock Licker Editor Jim Brain 509-522-2261
We are on the WEB https://sites.google.com/site/mwgemandmineral/
The Marcus Whitman Gem and Mineral Society is affiliated with the: American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Northwest Federation Mineralogical Societies Your business tag line here.
American Lands Access Association
Marcus Whitman Gem and Mineral Society PO Box 338 Walla Walla, WA 99362 Return Service Requested Remember to save your stamps
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