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Rocky Mountain Federation News, Vol 51, Issue 3

Rocky Mountain Federation News

The official publication of the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. The RMFMS is a regional member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. 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

April 2020 Volume 51, Issue 3


Contents

From the Editor ................................................. 2

Affiliations ......................................................... 2

President’s Message ......................................... 3

RMFMS Treasurer Report ................................. 4

RMFMS Honorary Scholarship Awardee ........... 5

GJGMC Hosts Petrified Wood Class .................. 6

A Few Tidbits and Remembrances from Tucson........................................................................... 7

Upcoming Shows and Events .......................... 14

Upcoming Show Flyers .................................... 16

RMFMS Convention Packet ............................ 20

2020 RMFMS Board and Committees............. 29

Cover photo courtesy and copyright of Mike Nelson of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society. “Ammolite is a biogenic gemstone and is composed of material (nacre) that is found in the shells of large coiled mollusks termed ammonites. Nacre (also found as mother-of-pearl and pearls) is made of the carbonate mineral aragonite (CaCO3). The microstructure of the aragonite reflects light and produces an opal-like iridescence. This type of display is very rare as most aragonite in ammonites is unstable and at other localities has been replaced by calcite or perhaps pyrite. Most gemmy ammonites are "mined" from Cretaceous Bearpaw Formation exposed along the St. Mary

River near Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. Entire specimens of Placenticeras covered with ammolite are prized as display specimens and drew many visitors to the Korite International venue at the Tucson Pueblo Show.”

From the Editor

Please submit your contributions for the next issue by May 10th to [email protected].

Heather Woods, PG

Affiliations

The Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies (RMFMS) is a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS).

mailto:[email protected]


President’s Message By Bob Regner, RMFMS President

Hello All,

I hope all of you are still doing fine during these strange times. Things appear to be loosening up everywhere in the world and people are tired of being cooped up. I had to burn up 2 weeks of vacation in the last few weeks. We got our garden built and planted in that time. We already have baby plants popping up everywhere. I went back to work full time last Monday and I am working 10 or 11 hours per day. People want their internet service more than ever now and that is what I do. Yes, my doctor finally released me to full duty with no restrictions after my back surgery.

Our show chairman Jim Gray sent us a letter and as it stands right now, the show will go on. He will let us know if there are any changes as soon as they happen. I hope all of our clubs send representatives to the convention this June. If you are not able to send your representatives, please fill out your proxy votes and send them in ASAP. I have been to the conventions for my home club since 2015 in Cody, Wyoming. The conventions are not all fun and games as you might think. We also have a few business meetings during the weekend. I look forward to seeing you all there in June. Don't forget to check out the convention packet at the end of the newsletter or on the RMFMS website at rmfms.org. Oddly enough, that is where you can also find great information on our programs.

I also want to take this time to welcome all the new clubs and new members that have joined their clubs and the Rocky Mountain Federation. Please take the time to look into all the programs RMFMS and the American Federation has to offer. Next month I plan on starting to write little tidbits of some of our great programs and all we can do for all of our clubs and their members. We are all here for you if any of you have any questions about anything. The boards contact information is in every newsletter and once again, on the website. Our Web Manager Joel has done a great job getting the website redesigned and all kinds of good stuff posted there. There is even a great video on there from last year’s convention in Prescott. Jeff Walker from Prescott put this together and I am hoping we can do this every year now.

I think we have at least one more newsletter before the convention so you will probably hear this one more time. I look forward to seeing all of you in Wyoming in June,

Bob


RMFMS Treasurer Report By Gene Maggard, RMFMS Treasurer

All collections and annual reporting for fiscal year 2019-20 are complete for all clubs that are renewing their membership in RMFMS.

Dues collections are about $1,000 above last year and also about $1,000 above budget. This over budget amount is caused by an increase of dues paying membership of 753 members for a total of 10,886 dues paying members thus far in 2019-20 as compared to 10,133 dues paying members in 2018-19. The increase is caused by both the addition of a large club, the United States Faceters Guild, having 498 dues paying members, and a general increase of club membership of 253 dues paying members. Total club membership thus far in 2019-20 is 12,074 members compared to 11,233 members in 2018-19.

Income from savings and investments is on track at $1,095.09 compared to budget of $4,000 for the year. The Vanguard bond fund closed at $10.80 per share for the quarter, yielding an unrealized capital gain of $426.15. We had an unrealized gain of $2,829.76 in 2018-19. After the financial crash of 2009, bonds kind of stayed in the toilet bowel for a few years but have come back strong in the last 2 years. For whatever reason investors are bidding up the price of short-term bonds, causing the strong capital gains for the last year or so. Vanguard must have a steady net cash inflow to the short-term bond fund because they have not had to sell any bonds which would result in distribution of capital gains or losses. The $10.80 close is near an all-time high for the Vanguard Short Term Bond Fund. I doubt that there is much growth potential left.

All cubs have reported and paid dues except for the Chaparral Rockhounds. I so far have not gotten any response from them. Also, the Fossil Basin club has disbanded. It was a small club of only 8 members. There were some personal problems and one accidental death with the officers, which resulted in the club disbanding. Hopefully, we will hear from them, again, in the future.

We have received and I have paid our insurance premium for insurance year 2020-21. The policy renews on March 25 of each year. The premium was $6,581, compared to the budgeted amount of $6,300. Insurance premium collections from the clubs was $7,209, compared to the budgeted amount of $6,300. An increase of 900 individual members from 2018-19 numbers being covered by our insurance resulted in the increased collections.

Everyone is excited about the 2020 convention being in Big Piney/Marbleton, Sublette County, Wyoming the Weekend of June 19-21. Hope to see many of your there.

Gene Maggard RMFMS Treasurer


RMFMS Honorary Scholarship Awardee By Richard Jaeger, RMFMS Scholarship Chair

Wayne Sutherland, director of the Wyoming Geological Survey, is our RMFMS Honorary Scholarship Awardee for 2020. The information about Mr. Sutherland is taken from himself and from Aleta Baltis of the Wyoming State Mineral and Gem Society.

Wayne is a long-time Wyoming resident and geologist who has experienced first-hand much of the geology and geography of Wyoming. Wayne has worked more than 40 years as a geologist for private companies and government agencies in Wyoming, Montana, and Utah. His training and experiences include: gold and other metals, diamonds, colored gemstones and lapidary materials, coal, oil and gas, industrial minerals, mining claim evaluation, and federal mineral regulations.

Wayne Sutherland has gone above and beyond his job at the Wyoming State Geological Survey to benefit Wyoming rockhounds. For many years, Wayne has shared his earth science knowledge with Wyoming residents around the state by providing educational programs to Wyoming rock clubs, school students, and at the Wyoming Mineral and Gem Shows. He is a real asset to the Wyoming State Clubs by being available to answer questions and to provide educational materials. Wayne has also judged display cases and provided table displays of Wyoming Geological Survey publications at many Wyoming Mineral and Gem Shows.

As an undergraduate student in geology at the University of Wyoming, Wayne spent the summer of 1969 exploring for uranium in Wyoming and Montana for Newmont Exploration Ltd. That fall and winter he worked as a field assistant in Antarctica. He also helped with mapping Quadrangles for the USGS in his undergraduate years. While working on his MA in geomorphology at the University of Wyoming he did his thesis on Wyoming’s Horsethief Cave; he also co-authored ‘Caves of Wyoming’. He also worked as a Mine Geologist for Lucky Mac Uranium. His career also included 12 years as a geologist for the US Bureau of Land Management. Among his many other published articles and maps are ones on Iron Resources of Wyoming, Rare Earth Elements of Wyoming, and Wyoming Jade.

The Rocky Mountain Federation is proud to be able to honor Wayne Sutherland as our Honorary Scholarship Awardee for 2020. Wayne has selected the two students who will receive the $4,000 scholarships awarded by the AFMS Scholarship Foundation for the fall semester of 2020-2021. Both are graduate students attending the University of Wyoming Department of Geology and Geophysics.

One is Greg Stark, a PhD candidate, whose dissertation project is the “Jemez volcanic field, its derivation and geochemistry."

The other is Adam Trzinski, a PhD candidate, whose dissertation project is "Evaluating a mechanism for an orogenic plateau in the southern U.S. Cordillera."

I wish to thank Wayne for his selection of the two outstanding students to receive our scholarships.

Respectfully submitted, Richard Jaeger Scholarship Chairman


GJGMC Hosts Petrified Wood Class


A Few Tidbits and Remembrances from Tucson By Mike Nelson, Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society, [email protected]

This is an interesting time that we are now experiencing, one that is pretty frightening to those who are “most venerable” (like me, over 70) but also for many children and for those who have lost their source of income. I am a fairly social person so separation from my friends has been difficult! Well not really difficult as that term is reserved for those suffering medical difficulties, for those who are hungry and without shelter, and for our medical workers who are doing a terrific job under not very good conditions. So, I am well, pretty much sheltered in place, and making the best of it. I am hopeful that all of our rockhounding readers and friends are well and safe. Be careful.

Sometimes a beer advertisement just brings a smile to my face and makes me forget, for a moment or two, anything

about a virus. The time finally arrived—Tucson 2020. According to advertisements there are 51 different show venues this year with the culminating Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®, the main show, running February 13-16 at the Convention Center downtown. Smaller shows “officially” started Saturday January 31 although my dealer friends tell me that high end trading and buying in hotel rooms started much earlier. In fact, some collectors of fine minerals had left town by February 1. However, I am just an ole rockhound from Colorado Springs and happy to be here in the sunshine talking to the friendly, often mom and pop, dealers, and frugally buying a few goodies that light up my eyes. Life is good (luckily the Show was pre-pandemic).

After arriving in town, I started my wandering on Monday the 3rd and was able to hit a couple of venues in the afternoon. My worn-out knees will simply not allow me to wander aimlessly so I pick my shows



carefully where some of my favorite dealers reside, and where I am able to see some interesting specimens.

Although I am not into collecting fossils at this stage in my life, I enjoy seeing nice vertebrates (clones) and invertebrates collected from private lands. The molding and casting processes get better each year, and the prep work on some of the invertebrates is fantastic. I generally stay away from Moroccan fossils since so many of them are repaired, carved and painted, and are simply unauthentic.

Small fish from the Green River formation in western Wyoming (Eocene) dwarfed by a large Xiphactinus from the Smoky Hill Chalk (Cretaceous) of western Kansas.

Displayed at the Mineral and Fossil Marketplace on north Oracle Road.

South on Oracle a half block from the fossils is an amazing store called Superb Minerals, 12,500 sq. Ft. of the nicest zeolites one can observe—anywhere. These minerals are from the Deccan Plateau in India and are found in concretions, GIANT concretions. One can purchase Indian zeolites in about any rock shop or show and different minerals are very showy and quite reasonable in price. However, these concretions are spectacular, and some could set you back $75,000 or more. But they are nice.


Zeolites and more zeolites. The Mineral Habit venue is a Show that is “new” to Tucson. Actually, most of the dealers moved out of the “Slaughterhouse” on Grant Avenue to vacated buildings on north Oracle—a good move with nicer facilities. The group of dealers is anchored by Shannon Family Minerals, an internet dealer. with a huge inventory. Mike Shannon always has some interesting, and often rare, minerals for sale including (this year) talmessite, a hydrated calcium magnesium arsenate: Ca2Mg(AsO4)2-2H2O).

Prismatic/stalactitic and translucent

crystals of talmessite, each 1-3 mm in

length. Collected from Gold Hill in western

Utah.


One of the really big venues in the City is the Kino Gem and Mineral Show, formally the Kino-Electric Park Show. By my rough count there are ~240 vendors ranging from Idaho Bling Bling to Australian Mineral Mines. A rockhound could easily spend a day or two wandering through indoor and outdoor displays.

Outside stalls with large tents in the background at Kino. The Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show at Hotel Tucson City Center has been a staple show for many years. Many rockhounds refer to the show as the Inn Suites; however, changes are a coming. I certainly am not privy to the “real information” but vendors are leaving the Show and moving on due to—who know—contracts fights or something? At any rate the “official” Show will move next year to the Hilton El Conquistador “way” north of downtown Tucson in Oro Valley. Some vendors have already moved to the Old Pueblo Show and to the new Mineral City Show. I suppose we will know more in 2021.


The motel rooms, two stories, at Tucson City Center were not overly busy during my visit. Many vendors were interested in visitors chatting

about rocks and minerals. I found Joe Dorris of Colorado Springs in one of these rooms; however, Joe had his crew scattered out in 4 or 5

different shows. At one of the rooms I was able to snag a specimen of karibibite, a beautiful, but rare, iron arsenite consisting of microscopic, orange yellow, sharply pointed, radial sprays of fibrous crystals usually less than 1 mm in length. They are very soft and may be flexible and with a yellow streak. Karibibite is found in granite pegmatites and seems to be a weathering product of löllingite, an iron arsinide.

Photomicrograph of karibibite. Each of these individual

prismatic crystals are submillimeter in length.


West across the Interstate from the 22nd Street Show is the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show/Ramada by Wyndham. This is a very large Show scattered among motel rooms, large tents, small tents and many other structures. By my count there are approximately 275 vendors ranging from metaphysical, beads, fossils, wholesale jewelry, retail jewelry, giant quartz crystals, opals, rocks and minerals, etc. etc. This was one of the last Shows I visited, and the displays seemed to be like the movie Groundhog Day, seen it all before! But, I did have a good time wandering around and was able to locate a few crystals, and visit with nice dealers.

How would an ole rockhound haul a quartz specimen like this home?

I am pretty much a sucker for wulfenite, a colorful lead molybdate [PbMoO4] appearing as thin tabular crystals. The theme of the 2019 Tucson Show was wulfenite so no need to repeat mineral info here. The wulfenite specimen I acquired was from the La Morita Mine, Ascención Municipality, Chihuahua, Mexico and also displays some nice yellow botryoidal crystal masses of the lead chloroarsenate, mimetite. According to MinDat, this small polymetallic (mostly lead, zinc, and silver) mine started producing these lustrous wulfenite-mimetite crystals (both secondary minerals) in 2018 & 2019.


A really nice cluster of wulfenite crystals on a barite matrix with several "balls" of microscopic crystals of mimetite perched on the wulfenite in

the upper left quadrant. Width FOV ~2.1 cm. I will get additional information on the Main Show in a future Federation newsletter. Meanwhile, “Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.”

-Roy T. Bennett


Upcoming Shows and Events

Editors Note: Check before you go! I have indicated the cancelled shows according to the information I have been provided or have been able to find.

April 24 – 26, 2020; Cancelled: Wichita Gem & Mineral Society’s Annual Show: Rocks of the USA; Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 10am-5pm; admission $5 adults, $4 with coupon, students 12 to 17 $1, children under 12 free with adult admission; Cessna Activity Center, 2744 George Washington Blvd., Wichita, Kansas. Featuring dazzling gemstone jewelry, gems, crystals, beads, agates, polished stones, meteorites and fossils. Dealers, demonstrators and exhibits. For more information contact Gene Maggard: (316) 742-3746, [email protected] or go to wichitagemandmineralsociety.org.

May 1 – 3, 2020; Cancelled: McPherson Gem & Mineral Club’s Annual Swap; For more information contact go to gemstoners.org.

May 2 – 3, 2020; Cancelled: Mohave County Gemstoners’ Annual Rock & Gem Show; For more information go to mcphersongemandmineralclub.org.

May 2 – 3, 2020; Cancelled: Southern Nevada Gem & Mineral Society’s Spring Jamboree Gem and Mineral Show; Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-4pm; Parks and Recreational Building, 401 California Street, Boulder City, Nevada. Vendors, children’s activities, geode sale, strolling dinosaurs, and other fun stuff. For more information go to snvgms.org.

May 23 – 24, 2020; Santa Fe Rock, Gem, and Mineral Show (see flyer on page 16); Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 11am-5pm; Admission free; Buffalo Thunder Casino and Resort, 20 Buffalo Thunder Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Featuring minerals fluorescent minerals, fossils, rocks, rocks, crystals, kids’ activities, and door prizes. For more info contact Ronnie Huizer, [email protected], (505) 362-0444.

May 29 – 31, 2020; Coconino Lapidary Club’s Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show (see flyer on page 17); Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-4pm; admission $2.50 adults, children 12 and under free; Fairgrounds Commercial Building, Fort Tuthill County Park, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff, Arizona. Gems, minerals, jewelry, lapidary equipment, food, dealers, exhibits, raffle, kids’ zone crafts and activities, lapidary/jewelry demos, florescent mineral exhibit. For more information go to flagstaffmineralandrock.org.

June 5 – 7, 2020; Cancelled: Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society’s Pikes Peak Gem, Mineral, & Jewelry Show; Friday TBD, Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 10am-4pm; admission $5 adults per day, $8 for multiple days, and children 12 and under free; Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rocks, minerals, fossils, meteorites, sculptures, jewelry, crystals, and more. For more information go to pikespeakgemshow.com.




June 19 – 21, 2020; Wyoming State Mineral & Gem Society’s Annual Show and RMFMS Convention; (See flyer on page 18) Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm, and Sunday 9am-4pm; admission $2 adults, children free; Sublette County Fairgrounds, 10937 Hwy 189, Big Piney, Wyoming. Dealers, lectures, demonstrators, exhibits, field trips, Mr. Bones, Fossil Butte National Monument walking fish fossil, fluorescent mineral display, kids’ activities, food concession & more! For more information go to wsmgs.org.

July 3 – 5, 2020; San Juan County Gem and Mineral Society’s Annual Show; Friday and Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm; admission free; McGee Park, 41 Road 5568, Farmington, New Mexico. Gemstones, mineral specimens, jewelry & repair, books, tools, rough material, polished rocks, silent auction, hourly drawing, wheel of fortune, blacklight display, and more. For more information contact Tory Bonner at [email protected] or visit us on Facebook.

July 11 – 12, 2020; White Mountain Gem and Mineral Club’s 23rd Annual Show; Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 10am-4pm; admission $2, junior 18 and under free with paid adult and student ID; Country Court Event Hall, 3369 W. White Mountain Blvd., Lakeside, Arizona. Jewelry, gems, minerals, beads, slab & fossil dealers, lapidary equipment and lapidary supplies, silent auction, door prizes, grand raffle, wheel of fortune, and more. For more information contact Rose Fowers at [email protected] or go to www.whitemountain-azrockclub.org.

July 25 – 26, 2020; Western Dakota Gem & Mineral Society’s Annual Show (See flyer on page 19); Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 10am-4pm; admission $5, children 12 and under free; Ramkota Convention Center, I-90 Exit 59 – Rapid City. Fossils, mineral specimens, gems, jewelry, wire wrapping while you wait. For more information go to www.wdgms.org.



http://www.whitemountain-azrockclub.org/

http://www.wdgms.org/


Upcoming Show Flyers


RMFMS Convention Packet


2020 RMFMS Board and Committees

President Bob Regner [email protected] Vice President Sheri Johnson [email protected] Secretary Wayne Cox [email protected] Treasurer Gene Maggard [email protected] Historian Cinda Kunkler [email protected] Past President Richard Jaeger [email protected] Past President Liz Thomas [email protected] Arizona State Director Jodi Brewster [email protected] Colorado State Director Kathy Honda [email protected] Kansas State Director Bill Smith [email protected] New Mexico/Texas State Director

Dr. Robert Carlson [email protected]

North Dakota State Director Tom Tupa [email protected] Oklahoma/Arkansas State Director

Ceclia Evans [email protected]

South Dakota/Nebraska State Director

Sony Hemscher [email protected]

Wyoming State Director Stan Strike [email protected] Utah State Director Tom Burchard [email protected] AFMS All American Club of the Year

Delane Cox [email protected]

AFMS Club Rockhound of the Year

Sheri Johnson [email protected]

Boundaries Bill Smith [email protected] Convention Management Liz Thomas [email protected] Credentials Janet Smith [email protected] Directory Joel Johnstone [email protected] Editor Heather Woods [email protected] Finance Wayne Cox [email protected] Flourescent Technical Pete Modreski [email protected] Fossil Technical Patrick Rowe [email protected] Gold Pan Award Judy Beck [email protected] Gold Pan Award (chair) Richard Jaeger [email protected] Gold Pan Award Bob Carlson [email protected] Insurance Gene Maggard [email protected] International Relations Mike Nelson [email protected] Junior Programs Terri Harris [email protected] Lapidary Technical Bill Smith [email protected] Long-Range Planning Richard Jaeger [email protected] Long-Range Planning Bill Smith [email protected] Long-Range Planning (chair) Judy Beck [email protected] Mineralogy Technical Pete Modreski [email protected]






































Name Badges Richard Jaeger [email protected] Nominations Judy Beck [email protected] Nominations (chair) Richard Jaeger [email protected] Nominations Diane Wier Parliamentarian Gene Maggard [email protected] Program Library Gene & Peggy Maggard [email protected] Programs Contest Gene Maggard [email protected] Public Relations Delane Cox [email protected] Publications Contest Linda Jaeger [email protected] Ribbons Peggy Sue Moore [email protected] RMFMS Show Chairman Jim Gray [email protected] Safety Scholarship Richard Jaeger [email protected] Stationary Robert Carlson [email protected] Supplies Roberta Wagle [email protected] Trophies Robert Carlson [email protected] Webmaster Joel Johnstone [email protected] Webmaster Contest Jennifer Gerring [email protected] PLAC Arizona Dr. Alex Schauss [email protected] PLAC Colorado/Nebraska/ North Dakota

Mike Nelson [email protected]

PLAC Kansas Jared Kyner [email protected] PLAC New Mexico/Texas PLAC North Dakota Mike Nelson [email protected] PLAC Oklahoma/Arkansas Stan Nowak [email protected] PLAC South Dakota Brandon Nelson [email protected] PLAC Utah/Nevada Jack Johnston [email protected] PLAC Wyoming Richard Gerow [email protected] Uniform Rules Leon Reeder

Lee Whitebay Jay Bowman Roger Burkhalter Dr. Robert Carlson Paul Otto (chair)

Leonreeder47@ yahoo.com [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]


























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