we are all in this together. · handout/bhp billiton not all diamonds are brilliant. carbonado,...
TRANSCRIPT
April 2020 http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/
Contact Us
NPGS info: 289-214-1151 (Christopher White, Vice President)
general email address: [email protected]
mailing address: NPGS c/o 120 South Drive, St Catharines, ON L2R 4V9
group page show page
Opera singers, Cara McLeod (Edmonton) and Teiya Kasahara (Toronto) serenade their neighbours with “their love and their
voices” - inspired by videos of Italians singing to each other during the pandemic.
Even though neither of these lovely ladies were singing rock music (betcha, though, they could!!), they both “rock”
‘coz of their gift to us all in these trying times. Pictures - including the Italian rainbow - courtesy of CBC & CTV.
We are all in this together. Apologies that monthly meetings are temporarily on hold.
We missed seeing many of you in March - and we’ll miss seeing you in April.
However, for May - because we feel that there may still be closures
- we have a plan if the May meeting can’t go ahead - a virtual Annual Auction! (online on Facebook and via email - we’ll let you know more details soon)
(We’re practicing good physical distancing, yes?) (Though we are hoping that Brock U will be open in May.)
It’s also likely that a number of field trips plus lapidary events will be postponed. Nevertheless, we’ve booked what we can, in hopes, that by June or July plus summertime heat will make a difference.
Our June GEOventure! show may also be postponed.
We will keep everyone informed about what’s happening as it happens. Please look out for notices posted in our newsletters, on our website, and on social media.
And, please reach out to us anytime.
Your NPGS Board, Patti Anderson, Christopher White, Melynda Broadbent,
Ashley Pollock, Janis Foster, Hannah MacDonald, Sarah Stasiuk, Brian Dear,
Farzaneh Haj Soltan, Ashley Marazzo.
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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President’s Corner
Happy Staycation!!
I hope all of our members and families are well and
safe, and for those of you working in essential
services, a big thank you!
I realize that with so many cancellations and
postponements some people are finding this time
difficult. I am fortunate enough to have a lot to do,
almost too much, but at least I am working through it.
I have been actively rock collecting since 2009 and
have not kept the best of notes. I always seem to
think I will get to them as soon as we get home but it
just doesn’t seem to happen. It has been suggested to
me a number of times over the years to put good
notes in each bag or box and I try, I really do.
Unfortunately my rocks have been moved to the
basement where these pictures (to the right) were taken
and some of the notes got separated from their rocks.
Oh well, at least now, I have the time to attack
everything and hopefully get it all sorted out. One
thing this has taught me is to “always use paper bags”
and write on the outside a bit of everything, not just
the date and what it might be.
Some of you may know that I have been known to
pick up attractive garden rocks for family and friends
and these I don’t really label. So my dilemma is are
they garden rocks or specimen rocks?
A geologist I am not but I do enjoy going on digs and
learning something every time … now if I could just
remember it all!
Here are some pictures from the basement!
Please everyone stay safe.
We will get through this trying time and get to
spend time together again.
Until then, I will be hiding out in my basement!
Take care, Patti
Location: Brock University, MacKenzie-Chown
Building, Dept of Earth Sciences, Room MCD-309,
St Catharines, ON
Parking @ Brock University is free in Zones 1 & 2
after 6 pm. Please click on this link:
http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/meetings.htm to
find out “how to get there” & parking maps.
Planned Location for Dec & Feb potlucks:
Royal Canadian Legion Merritton Branch 138, 2
Chestnut St East, St Catharines, ON
Parking is free.
Please click on this link:
http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/meetings.htm to
find out “how to get there”.
Below - where we normally have our meetings, usually on the 3rd Friday of each month.
Board meetings, too, are on hold - but we’re trying to hold an April one virtually!
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Diamond
- the traditional April birthstone by Janis Forster withs excerpts from American Gem Society,
Wikipedia, Isadora’s Antique Jewellery, & Erstwhile Stories
Natural diamonds are a rare and unique gift for a loved
one as well as the most popular gemstone in the world.
Diamonds are both the traditional birthstone of April
and symbolic of eternal love.
A little bit of science
• Adopted from the Greek word, adamas, meaning
invincible, diamonds are the hardest natural mineral
on earth. It’s the crystal lattice structure that makes
diamonds so hard (vs graphite, which also is pure carbon,
but a very soft mineral). The chemical composition of
both minerals is C.
• Diamonds date back billions of years - most
between 3.5 to 1 billion years old - formed at depths
between 150 - 250 km in the Earth's mantle
(extremely hot & highly pressurized) - then carried to the
surface in volcanic eruptions and deposited in
kimberlite & lamproite igneous rocks.
Colour
• Diamonds come in a wide range of colours such as
black, blue, green, pink, red, purple, orange, and
yellow. Colour is dependent upon the type of
impurities / inclusions that are present in the stone.
Yellow stones have minuscule traces of nitrogen
while blue ones contain boron. Visit
www.naturallycolored.com to find out more.
• The very famous (or infamous) deep blue Hope
Diamond was found in India in 1642. Originally
132ct (carats), it was cut down to 45.52ct, and last
sold for $250,000. It now resides in the US
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
• The latest most expensive diamond is the Blue
Moon of Josephine Diamond, which sold for $48.5
million in 2015.
• The 2 most expensive diamonds are the Koh-i-Noor
and the Cullinan (cut into 9 diamonds), worth
approx $1 billion and $2 billion, respectively. Both
diamonds are part of the British Crown Jewels. (Interestingly enough, both the Hope & Koh-i-Noor have what’s
called “shady” histories - stolen? cursed? etc. The Cullinan has
a pristine history!)
a plethora of rough (uncut) diamonds, showing range of colour;
picture © 2017 Dominion Diamond Mines (Canada)
a nearly octahedral diamond crystal in matrix
picture © 2005 USGS
right: “The Hope Diamond (1974 setting), one of
the largest of all blue diamonds, is exhibited at
the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History. The gem is slightly lopsided, possibly
because the bottom of the teardrop shape was
cut away so that the original stolen jewel could
not be identified. The setting is a circlet of
smaller white diamonds on a chain of diamonds.”
© Smithsonian
left: Blue Moon of Josephine © Sotheby’s
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Brilliance and facet-cuts
• Diamonds have the highest non-metallic lustre
(optical property) - known as “adamantine” - of non-
metallic minerals - that brilliance and sparkle we all
love.
• For centuries, most diamonds (even when cut or
slightly faceted) had very little brilliance.
• In or around 1476, Lodewyk (Louis) van Berquem,
a Flemish polisher, Bruges, introduced the first
facet-cut (and enhanced brilliance) for diamonds in
Europe.
• It’s also believed that rose-cut faceting from India
greatly influenced medieval European diamond
workers.
• Over the next 4 centuries, both mathematical
precision models and diamond-cutting technology
developed the “round brilliant” cut - now considered
the most “valuable” and popular cut for diamonds.
• Today’s round brilliant cut diamonds sparkle,
scintillate, and have fire.
• India was the source of diamonds during the Middle
Ages in Europe - though this source was greatly
surpassed by the discovery of diamonds in South
Africa in the 1870s.
• India, today, is still the world's top diamond cutting
and polishing centre.
• Canada, currently, is one of the top producers of
diamond - 3rd largest in 2018. • And, we can hardly wait to go to Arkansas to the Crater of
Diamonds State Park - planned for either October 2020 or next
spring in 2021.
Economic Importance
In addition to diamond’s hardness, it also has the
highest thermal conductivity and durability of any
natural mineral - giving it huge economic and political
importance and value. Diamond drills and grit are
ubiquitous to modern life as well as lapidary.
Beliefs surrounding diamonds
• Ancient theories touting the magical powers of
diamonds were prevalent: some thought lightning
bolts formed diamonds, while others asserted that
diamonds were the tears of the Gods.
• During the Middle Ages, diamonds were thought to
hold healing powers and to cure ailments stemming
from the pituitary gland and brain. By heating a
diamond and taking it to bed, it was thought to draw
out the harmful toxins that were crippling the body.
• Wearing diamonds was purported to bring other
benefits such as balance, clarity, and abundance as
well as boost energy when combined with other
crystals like amethyst.
round brilliant cut
diamond showing "fire"
round brilliant cut is the
most popular of all
diamond facet-cuts
© iStockphoto / Greg
Stanfield
An aerial view of the Ekati diamond mine in Canada.
Handout/BHP Billiton
Not all diamonds are brilliant.
Carbonado, known as black diamond, is an impure form of diamond
consisting of diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon - found
primarily in alluvial deposits in the Central African Republic (where
specimens are from) and in Brasil. Its natural colour is black or dark
grey and it’s more porous than other diamonds. Published research
indicates they are 3.2 billion years old (mid-Mesoarchean).
Specimens are from Central African Republic.
© flickr / James St John
inset: a polished & faceted black diamond that does sparkle!
© Boulevard Diamonds
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Diamond balance scale
Have you ever wondered what a carat is?
The carat is a unit of mass equal to 200 mg and is
used for measuring gemstones and pearls.
(K = karat - measures gold purity)
Wikimedia Commons
A diamond encrusted
sword hilt containing
nine large and 770
smaller diamonds,
along with a matching
scabbard.
Along with a number
of other priceless
jewelled items, stolen
from the Green Vault
Museum, Dresden
Castle, Germany. The
theft is believed to
have been worth 1
billion US dollars.
Collection created in
1723 CE by Saxony's
ruler, Augustus the
Strong.
King George VI gave his
wife Queen Elizabeth this
diamonds set in platinum
maple leaf brooch to mark
their 1939 state visit to
Canada. Princess
Elizabeth was loaned the
piece for her 1951 trip to
Canada, but it stayed in
the Queen Mother’s
possession until her death
- and she continued to
wear it, even at age 100.
Designed & made by UK
jeweller Asprey.
Cartier diamond rings - women’s & men’s - from left to right:
• 2 solitaire diamond rings with pavé diamonds set in platinum
• Hindu floral diamond ring set in rose gold
• 2 men’s diamond rings - princess cut diamonds in yellow gold setting and an emerald cut
diamond in a platinum signet setting
• emerald-cut solitaire, vintage ring with 2 tapered baguette-cut diamonds set in platinum
• 18K white gold setting with twisting bands of pavé diamonds & a round brilliant cut solitaire
right from top to bottom
- all for home use:
1) diamond drill bits
(Wikimedia Commons)
2) Dental diamond drills
(ouch) (Acerdent)
3) rock saw with a diamond
blade (DeWalt)
A huge diamond drilling saw - cuts through
anything!! - particularly, concrete.
picture courtesy US Air Force
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Not all that is clear & sparkly are diamonds!
Herkimer diamonds - crystal clear, smoky, iron-
stained, & bitumen-included (black, opaque stuff)
high-quality quartz.
Herkimer isn’t the only place where quartz
diamonds are found - in fact, there are many
“diamonds” locations all over the world. Invariably,
they’re double-terminated.
Collected over the years by Ashley Pollock
2 views of a
quartz cabochon
- rutile-included
(giving the quartz
a golden sheen
from a distance) -
up close, though,
you can usually
see the individual
rutile “straws”,
from Minas
Gerais, Brasil
Brian Dear
Collection
Nope, this is not a
mineral nor a rock
- but it can qualify
as “clear”.
It’s actually a
glass cullet, glass
that is crushed
and ready to be
remelted, from
Australian Glass
Works
Brian Dear
Collection
Steam-tumbled
clear topaz with a
polished window
to see interior
clarity, pegmatites
in Vietnam
Inset - flower-cut
clear topaz - looks
like a diamond,
doesn’t it?
tumbled topaz -
Brian Dear
Collection
faceted topaz,
Wikimedia
Commons
Clear, well-
crystallized
apophyllite,
Jalgaon, India
- Deccan Traps
location - where
volcanic basalt
reins supreme
along with
secondary
minerals like
apophyllite.
Brian Dear
Collection
Danburite makes
for great lapidary
- has good lustre
and clear crystals
with a slight pink
tint towards the
tip, from Charcas,
San Luis Potosí,
Mexico
Brian Dear
Collection
Crystal clear
selenite (a variety
of gypsum - yes,
your walls are
made of this stuff),
from Dundas
Quarry - but you
can also find
these crystals in
Beamsville Quarry
Brian Dear
Collection
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Friday, September 20th @ Brock University
Show & Tell
Our September meeting is when we get to see who we
haven’t seen all summer and show off what we collected
during the summer. We also held elections for an Interim
Board at this meeting.
Friday, October 18th @ Brock University
Ashley Marazzo, Midgard Metal Works - intro
lapidary (a mini workshop)
Wire trees, plus pendants for windows, cars, necklaces,
& walls.
Ashley will have kits & findings available for us; but you
can also bring your own stuff.
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Interesting
Friday, November 15th @ Brock University
Joe Moysiuk - co-discoverer of Cambroraster at
Burgess Shale
Joe talked about the newly discovered Cambroraster
fossil from the Burgess Shale & the new ROM Dawn of
Life exhibit
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Spellbinding
Friday, December 13th @ Legion Merritton Branch
138 (2nd Friday)
Annual Potluck Dessert Social
& a Special auction for selenite crystals from the
Winnipeg Floodway
& demos by our members of various collections
Please bring a dessert to share. Meeting starts early @
6:30 pm (so we can eat!)
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Jolly - Food: Yummy!
Friday, January 17th @ Brock University
Michael Bainbridge - minerals & photography
Always a favourite speaker, Michael was amazing!
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Startling
Friday, February 21st @ Legion Merritton Branch
138
Annual General Meeting
& Potluck Dinner Social
& Don Lapham - Newfoundland rock hunting
Please bring a dish to share. Meeting starts early @ 6:30
pm (so we can eat!).
Elections! and constitution update.
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Icy - Food: Delicious!
Friday, March 20th @ Brock University
Bonnie Stevenson, Bijou Heaven - metaphysics &
crystal energies (& a short intro to titanium & silver
wire-wrapping)
& 2nd special auction for selenite crystals from the
Winnipeg Floodway
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Amazing
Saturday, March 21st @ Legion Merritton Branch 138
Bonnie Stevenson, Bijou Heaven - a full lapidary
workshop - cost $40
How to do beading & wire-wrapping with titanium & silver
wire for bracelets, pendants, and rock art.
Bonnie will also have extra kits & findings available for
us; but you can also bring your own stuff.
Friday, April 24th @ Brock University (4th Friday)
Kevin Kidd - Beecher’s Trilobite Beds
exceptionally preserved trilobites with soft tissue intact
Silent Auction & Member Displays: Fascinating
tentatively, Saturday, April 25th @ either Brock
University or Legion Merritton Branch 138 (location
being confirmed)
Ashley Marazzo, Midgard Metalworks - a 2nd full
lapidary workshop - cost to be announced
Ashley Marazzo is also our NEW Workshop Director
Friday, May 22nd @ Brock University (4th Friday)
Annual Auction
Please bring any rocks, minerals, fossils, gems, &
jewellery that you’d like to auction off.
Please arrive @ 7:00 pm if you are auctioning items.
Our Auctioneer and the selection will be outstanding!
Our Auction Co-ordinator will assign auction numbers.
Please contact us for auction slips & numbers.
If using blank auction slips, please ensure that you get
numbers from the Auction Co-ordinator. Thanks.
Auction rules blank Auction slips
Saturday & Sunday, June 6th & 7th @ Heartland
Forest, in Niagara Falls.
GEOventure! 2020 - our Annual Gem, Mineral, &
Fossil Show
Saturday from 10 am ‘til 5 pm, Sunday 10 am ‘til 4 pm.
Updates will be regularly posted in our newsletter, on our
website, and on social media.
And, yes, we’re looking for volunteers, please & thanks.
Annual Picnic tentatively, Saturday, June 13th from
noon ‘til 4 pm - location to be announced
We provide hot dogs, hamburgers, pop, & water.
Please bring a salad or a dessert to share as well as
sunscreen, bug spray, and a lawn chair.
Please let us know if you’ll be attending - so that we can
have accurate numbers for the food. Thanks
.
Meeting & Events Schedule for 2019-20
postponed
postponed
postponed
If we need to postpone our May
meeting, we’re trying to have a
virtual auction on Facebook as well
as via email.
Please stay tuned for updates.
Thank you.
postponed
possibility will be postponed
possibility will be postponed
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
8
2020 Lapidary Events
BRANTFORD LAPIDARY AND MINERAL SOCIETY
workshop facility
The cost is by punch card system:
Prices are listed on the poster.
**Please bring exact change.**
Punch card earnings go towards workshop supplies and
ensuring equipment is in tip-top shape.
Please contact & confirm with one of the following
Brantford club volunteers ahead of time of your visit
- to ensure that the workshop facility is open.
There is no guarantee that the workshop will be open -
volunteers may be ill or may have other commitments.
Workshop Chairperson Ernie Edmonds 519-583-9457
Workshop Administrator Ellen Boyington 519-753-5191
Lead Instructor Jordan Hill 519-717-8171
Workshop Instructors Allan Hietapakka 519-732-9825
Workshop Hours can change - please check their website
for hours - link is:
https://www.brantfordlapidarymineral.ca/workshops
Just so that you know! All CCMFS club members are
invited to use Brantford club’s workshop facility.
Sure, everything is “on hold” right now.
We will be getting Bonnie Stevenson back to do a “chaos wrap” workshop.
And … Ashley Marazzo, our Workshop Director,
also has another workshop planned.
For both workshops, we’re just waiting to re-schedule.
And, Christopher White, our lapidary Director (and Vice-President as well),
is chomping at the bit - he can hardly wait to get back to the Brantford club
workshop facility to polish, grind, saw, etc, etc. (Thank you, again, Brantford club - even though the facility is closed right now.)
Got any suggestions, wishes, hopes, dreams, when it comes to lapidary &
workshops. Please do contact Ashley M or Christopher.
They both want to hear from you.
Tumbler with grit, dowels, cab shapes, & rock waiting to “go” - FDJ Tools
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
9
Jewelry Bench Tips
Problems with small drills
Drilling small holes can be a problem. With drills that are
less than 1 mm (18 gauge or .040 inches), some chucks
will not tighten down well enough to hold the drill securely.
The problem is easily solved in either of two ways - with a
chuck adapter or by buying your small drills with a 3/32
inch shank size. Either way you have a large shank to be
gripped in your drill press or Dremel, so changing bits is
fast and easy.
Pre-made bezel cups
As a general rule of thumb I assume it's going to take me
15 - 20 minutes to make a bezel for an ordinary cabochon,
so for some projects buying pre-made cups can save a lot
of time. But if you go this route, keep in mind three things.
• First, try to get cups made from fine silver, not sterling.
Fine silver is softer and burnishes over the stone more
easily.
• Second, you may have trouble matching the shape and
size of the stone with the shape and size of the bezel
cup. Purchased cups can only be found in a limited
number of standard sizes. You may have to adjust your
choice of gemstone to match the cup. The other
consideration is that pre-made cups often have fairly
low side walls. While these are fine for low-dome
stones, they're not dependable for stones with steep
side walls.
• Lastly before setting, check the fit of your gemstone in
the cup, particularly around the bottom. The bottom
corners of a stamped cup are much more rounded than
a bezel you would fabricate yourself. This causes a
problem with stones that have a sharp edge around the
bottom. Burnishing the bezel over one of these stones
will place a lot of stress on the stone and may cause it
to crack. To avoid this, I round off the bottom edge of
the stone with a diamond file (or use sandpaper on soft
stones).
Discover New Jewelry Tricks in Brad's "How To" Books
@ https://www.amazon.com/Bradford-M.-
Smith/e/B009LYAE0C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Brad’s email address: [email protected]
Stay safe, stay healthy, and if possible, stay home.
Best to all and Happy hammering, by Brad Smith
Lapidary
gotcharocks.com
bezel
cups
left: chuck adaptor - above: small drills
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
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Hungry Hollow near Arkona, ON
• Saturday, May 2nd - co-hosted with London Gem,
Mineral, & Fossil Society
• also mid-summer CCFMS field trip - date to be
confirmed
• possibility of fall trip with London Gem, Mineral, &
Fossil Society
• mid-Devonian fossils
• kid-friendly
CCFMS Beamsville Quarry
• 2 times per year
• Saturday, May 9th on Mother’s Day weekend
• plus late September / early October on a Saturday
• mid-Silurian fossils & minerals
• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older
Herkimer Diamonds near Herkimer, New York, USA
• Saturday thru Monday, May 16th thru 18th
(Victoria Day weekend)
• Cambrian-Ordovician boundary “diamonds” &
fossils
• long-weekend camping trip
• kid-friendly
• pay-to-collect
Winnipeg Floodway Miocene selenite crystals
• hosted by Mineral Society of Manitoba
• May/June (dates to be confirmed)
• probably mid-week - 2 or 3 days
• probably flying to Winnipeg with accommodations in
Winnipeg
• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older
CCFMS Bowmanville Quarry
• 2 times per year
• usually May into early June on a Sunday
• plus late September / early October on a Sunday
• mid-to-late Ordovician fossils
• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older
Beryl Pit & Smart Mine
• Saturday & Sunday, June 20th & 21st
• Rose Quartz Mine still not confirmed
• mid-Proterozoic minerals
• weekend camping trip
• kid-friendly
• pay-to-collect
Ridgemount Quarries, Fort Erie, ON
• tentatively, Friday, June 26th for early-to-mid
Devonian fossils at the “south” quarry
• tentatively, Friday, August 28th for late Silurian
fossils at the “north” quarry
• minimum age requirement: 16 years or older
Thunder Bay amethyst, agate, jasper, Banded Iron
plus Lake Huron puddingstone
• Saturday thru Saturday, July 11th thru July 18th
• Early Proterozoic minerals & fossils
• puddingstone is 100% EXPLORATORY
• week-long camping trip
• kid-friendly
• partially pay-to-collect
Bancroft
• Saturday thru Monday, August 1st thru 3rd
• mid-Proterozoic minerals
• partially EXPLORATORY
• long-weekend camping trip
• Bancroft Gemboree is on that same weekend - so
also an option
• kid-friendly
River Valley, Temagami, Gowgonda
• tentatively, Sunday thru Saturday, August 9th thru
15th
• Archean minerals & fossils
• partially EXPLORATORY
• week-long camping trip
• kid-friendly
Madoc
• tentatively, Saturday & Sunday, August 22nd & 23rd
• mid-Proterozoic minerals
• partially EXPLORATORY
• weekend camping trip
• kid-friendly
Toronto, ON
• tentatively, Saturday, September 12th
• special Tiffany Jewellery exhibit @ ROM from
June 6th until September 13th, 2020
• minerals, fossils, dinosaurs, meteorites, amber,
& jewellery from every geologic age
• kid-friendly
• admission fee
Arkansas quartz, diamonds, wavellite, novaculite
• Saturday thru Saturday, September 26th thru
October 3rd
• Ordovician thru mid-Cretaceous minerals
• 100% EXPLORATORY
• week-long camping trip
• kid-friendly
• pay-to-collect
Field Trips planned schedule 2020 season - some dates are now confirmed. The NPGS field trip schedule is posted on our website at http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/trips.htm.
Our field trip webpage also lists field trip Codes of Ethics, trip safety rules & equipment, as well as lots of handy info. Please click on the
buttons for dedicated site webpages (which provide loads & loads of info & maps) - you’ll be able to download documents or open up links.
A number of pages are still under construction. Thanks for your patience.
Field trip dates, as they come up, are also posted on our Facebook & Instagram pages and shared with all CCFMS clubs.
Anyone can attend any NPGS field trips as long as they are a member of a CCFMS club.
postponed
We’re still hoping & wishing for May field trip dates (probably way too optimistic)
- and then, June dates (iffy as well, sigh) - and then …
probably will be postponed
until spring 2021
possibility will be postponed
postponed (probably until next
year - sorry), US border is closed
until June 30th
possibility will be postponed
possibility will be postponed
possibility will be postponed
possibility June date will be postponed
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
11
Hungry Hollow by Brian Dear (Editor’s note: When Brian wrote this article, a field trip to
Hungry Hollow was scheduled for May 2nd - now we’re
not sure if it will happen - so we’re bringing you a small,
virtual field trip to Hungry Hollow. Please enjoy.)
Well, after a long cold winter, once again
spring has sprung and thoughts (at least MY
thoughts) turn to the great outdoors, field trips,
and collecting.
One of the first field trips of the season is
always fossicking for those amazing Devonian
fossils at Hungry Hollow. (Gotta love that name,
makes me think back to that Burt Reynolds movie
“Deliverance” ha ha!)
Hungry Hollow field trips are attended by a
number of CCFMS club members along with
family. Yes, it is a “Kid Friendly” trip and be
assured you will come home with some of
those cool 385 million year old fossils.
• lots of various corals, brachiopods,
gastropods, crinoids, cephalopods are to be
found
• and, if you’re lucky, you may find a blastoid
or one of those ever elusive trilobites.
The end of April, beginning of May is an
excellent time of year to collect, fossils have
worked themselves up out of the clay over the
winter and can usually be seen just sitting on
the surface waiting to be found.
• no digging, picks, or shovels required
(though you can if you want to dig deeper).
Two other benefits of early Spring collecting
are that the weeds and grasses haven’t had
time to grow and cover the collecting areas and
it is too early for those very annoying, pesky
black flies.
A word of warning … it will likely be muddy …
VERY muddy! I mean suck the boots right off
your feet muddy so a change of shoes and
socks is always a good idea.
Bring a bucket or box to put your treasures in.
It will come in handy, trust me your pockets
won’t be big enough!
A few other recommended essentials are a hat,
sun screen, water, and snacks.
top: brachiopods, clams, crinoid stems, a horn coral, and a
cephalopod
middle: besides trilobites, brachiopods (as in the “butterfly
winged” ones) are also a perennial favourite to collect at
Hungry Hollow
bottom: horn / rugosa corals abound at Hungry Hollow so
are easy to find When you come home with Hungry Hollow fossils, you’ll be scrubbing
them a lot to get them as not-mud-caked as Brian’s pictures show. You
can even try - for small fossils - an ultrasonic jewellery cleaner. It works.
pictures by Brian Dear
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
12
Question ... Why doesn't the Earth have as many craters at the moon?
Answer ... It does, but our craters have gradually eroded away or been over grown by vegetation.
Iceland looks huge on a regular map, but it's approximately the size of Kentucky. This is because the
Mercator Projection maps we use make countries nearer the poles look much larger that they actually
are.
Earth quakes in the Great Lakes Region are caused by the earth rebounding after having been
"smushed" under the weigh of the glaciers during the last Ice Age. (Smushed isn't exactly a geological term, but it
should be.)
Mt Everest is not the tallest mountain on Earth. Mauna Kea, a volcano on Hawaii's big island originates
deep beneath the ocean and rises more than 33,500 feet from top to bottom. Mt Everest is only 29,029
feet tall.
Completely useless trivia
Alaska is both the Western most and the Eastern most State in the USA.
The University of Alaska spans four time zones.
Africa is the only continent that is in all four hemispheres.
Glass takes one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an
infinite amount of times! (Best glass is made from silica = quartz!)
Gold is the only metal that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years.
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of
blood surging through the veins in the ear.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair (Note: If they have hair! The “stupid” ones don’t have
zinc, copper, or hair. LOL)
left: partially uncovered trilobites in limestone right: horn corals, a bunch of brachiopods,
pictures by Brian Dear and a platyceras
spoiler alert - this
article contains
sarcasm
courtesy Brian Dear
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
13
At this moment, our
show is still on ‘coz
we’re wishing &
hoping that June will
prove to be healthier &
safer (with no more closures).
If our show can’t happen in
June, we can always
re-schedule.
We invite you to
take a poll.
If we can re-schedule GEOventure!
for this year, we’re thinking,
maybe, the last weekend in August
- Sat & Sun 29th & 30th. (However, it is the last summer weekend before
Labour Day when loads & loads of people go for
that “last gasp of summer” before school starts.
Will people be here?)
Added to this, a number of other
shows are being re-scheduled to
September & October - alongside
shows that are normally scheduled
in Sept & Oct, which we feel will
create a conundrum for both
vendors and people.
“Which show do I attend?” (decisions, decisions, decisions)
Please click on the green button
and let us know which choice you
feel is better? (sends an email to us)
1) Try to re-schedule
for the last weekend in
August.
2) Wait until next year.
GEOventure! our show
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
14
2020 shows - a number postponed right now
Funny story!! For years and years, the NPGS has
been saying that we had our first show
in 1967.
WRONG!!! We actually had our first show in 1964 (same year that we incorporated - 2 years after
we started up.) And we can prove it, too!!
See the poster (to the left) that our
wonderful Secretary, Melynda
Broadbent, found while digitizing our
archives. (Thank you, Melynda, it’s a big job
- incredible gold nuggets, though, about our history.)
Two 60th DIAMOND
anniversaries - club in 2021
& show in 2023. Gear up!!
Buffalo Geological Society 52nd Annual Gem-Mineral-
Fossil Show is hoping to re-schedule to September or
October.
Brantford Lapidary & Mineral Society 48th Gem &
Mineral Show is hoping to re-schedule to September or
October.
Robert Hall Originals “closing” sale is postponed (no
dates yet).
Kitchener-Waterloo Gem and Mineral Club Show is
postponed (no dates yet).
29th Annual Spring Toronto Gem Show has been
cancelled (1st weekend in May); however, there’s a good
chance that the Fall Show will go on! (no dates yet).
Sudbury Rock and Lapidary Club 38th Annual Show is
still scheduled for Fri thru Sun, July 17th to 19th.
The Gem Expo is still planning on having their mid-
summer show happen - dates are Fri thru Sun, July
24th to 26th - and they usually have a Fall Show as well
(no dates yet for the fall show).
Kawartha 7th Annual Rock Swap is scheduled for Sun,
Sept 6th.
Montreal Gem and Mineral Club show has been re-
scheduled to Fri thru Sun, Sept 11th to 13th.
Ottawa Lapsmith & Mineral Club 54th Annual Show is
scheduled for Sat & Sun, Sept 19th & 20th.
Gem and Mineral Club of Scarborough 51st Annual
Wonders of the Earth Show is scheduled for Sat & Sun,
Sept 26th & 27th.
Ancaster Show is scheduled for Fri thru Sun, Oct 2nd to
4th.
Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club 51st Annual Gem
Storm! Show is scheduled for Fri thru Sun, Oct 16th to
18th.
London Gem & Mineral Show is scheduled for Fri thru
Sun, Oct 30th to Nov 1st.
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
15
We were already planning on adding crosswords, word finds, word scrambles, etc to the newsletter - and then the pandemic
arrived - so we felt that it would definitely be a fabulous idea to include puzzles NOW.
Please enjoy. (And, yeah, yeah, we’re workin’ on getting the background to be completely white.)
brought to by Brian Dear via www.education.com
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
16
Executive Committee positions
President
Patti Anderson
Vice-President
Christopher White
289-214-1151
Secretary & Archivist
Melynda Broadbent
Treasurer & Membership Chair
Ashley Pollock
905-687-6503
3 Directors-at-large
1. Janis Forster
2. Hannah MacDonald
3. Sarah Stasiuk
Elected at the AGM - positions not part of the Board
Auditor
Geri Kerekes
CCFMS Council Representative
Christopher White
Appointed positions - making up the balance of the
Board
Past President - VACANT
Interim Newsletter Editor - Ashley Pollock
Contributing - Janis Forster
“roving reporting” - Brian Dear
All 3: [email protected]
Librarian - Farzaneh Haj Soltan
Field Trip Director - Ashley Pollock
Lapidary Director - Christopher White
Workshop Director - Ashley Marazzo
Show Chair - Ashley Pollock
Social Director - VACANT however, Geri Kerekes, often brings refreshments &
goodies to most of our meetings (so we’re neither
parched nor starving!) Thank you, Geri.
If needed, the 2 following positions can be
separated:
Archivist (from Secretary) - Melynda Broadbent
Membership Chair (from Treasurer)
Committee - Melynda Broadbent, Hannah
MacDonald, Ashley Marazzo, Ashley Pollock
Other volunteer positions
Annual Auction Co-ordinator - VACANT
Touch Table Co-ordinator - Melynda Broadbent
Welcomes & Thank yous! Aiden has now joined. And thank you to the Ward family for renewing.
Board & Volunteer positions
If you’re interested in volunteering some of your time - and it doesn’t matter to us if you
can commit a small amount of time or lots of time. Every little bit helps.
Many hands make small work. (And, yes, lots of stuff can be done remotely.)
Invite everyone you know! If you know of anyone who likes to make jewellery, loves to do rock art, is crazy about collecting rocks,
gems, minerals, and fossils, please don’t hesitate to invite them to one of our meetings.
Exciting speakers, really good auctions, yummy tidbits, and fun & friendly people.
Something to sell? Something to buy?
Something to trade? Important notices? We welcome all notices & enquiries about selling, buying, and trading by our members
as well as any CCFMS club members plus other important notices.
Please contact us at our general email address [email protected]. Thank you.
The Pink Dolomite Saddle - Monthly Bulletin of the NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society - April 2020
17
NPGS - NIAGARA PENINSULA GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
was established in 1962 - and incorporated on March 11, 1964 - to promote the study of earth sciences as well as the hobbies of lapidary
arts and mineral & fossil collecting.
Meetings are held the third Friday of each month, September thru May, beginning at 7:30 pm and usually ending 9:30 pm. Meetings consist
of current club business, auctions, swaps, refreshments followed by a guest speaker. Open to the public.
• September thru November, January, and March thru May, we meet at Brock University, MacKenzie-Chown Building, Dept of Earth
Sciences, Room MCD-309, St Catharines, ON.
• Our May meeting is also our Annual Auction - fast & furious bidding - and loads of laughs.
• In December & February, we meet at (new location) Royal Canadian Legion Merritton Branch 138, 2 Chestnut St East, St Catharines,
ON for our Annual Potluck December Dessert and Annual February Potluck Dinner. Potlucks begin earlier at 6:30 pm.
• The February meeting is also our AGM Annual General Meeting when we hold elections for our Board of Directors.
Each year the NPGS hosts GEOventure!, our annual gem, mineral, and fossil show. Taking place on either the 1st or 2nd weekend in June,
the show consists of gem, mineral, and fossil vendors along with NPGS member displays and demonstrations.
Collecting field trips to quarries and other locations throughout Ontario and New York state are arranged several times during the year
- along with co-hosted/partner field trips with other geology clubs - and with the CCFMS Central Canadian Federation of Mineralogical
Societies.
Christopher White, our new Vice-President & Lapidary Director, and Ashley Marazzo, our new Workshop Director, are both working hard
on re-developing our lapidary program.
New members and guests are welcome any time. Individual memberships are $15. Family memberships are $20.
THE PINK DOLOMITE SADDLE BULLETIN is the “official” newsletter of the NPGS and is geared towards keeping NPGS members informed of club activities,
regional events, and other items of general interest to the NPGS.
The Pink Dolomite Saddle is published ten times per year - from September through June
- and distributed to members of the NPGS as part of their membership dues.
Members are requested to submit articles or reports of interest regarding earth sciences or the hobbies of lapidary arts and mineral & fossil
collecting. All articles should be submitted to the Editor before the 1st of each month.
Non-members may receive the Pink Dolomite Saddle - subscription $10.00 per year. Nominal charge for business advertisements.
Items from this bulletin may be reprinted, unless otherwise stated, providing proper copyright credit is given. Please respect copyright.
Thank you.
NPGS NIAGARA PENINSULA GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY Please bring to a meeting/field trip OR mail along with a cheque payable to:
NPGS, c/o 120 South Drive, St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 4V9
OR send an Interac transfer to [email protected] & please use the password geology.
Please check what applies: Family Membership $20.00 Individual Membership $15.00
Name: ________________________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
City: ___________________________________________Postal Code_____________________
Phone (Home): ___________________________Phone (Cell):___________________________
Email Address: _________________________________________________________________
What are your interests? __________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________ NPGS email: [email protected] NPGS website: http://www.ccfms.ca/clubs/NPGS/
NPGS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392693367698780/
Membership term is from September 1st until August 31st. Membership fees are due in September & December.
Please click on this button to download a printer friendly membership form. Thank you.
The NPGS takes pictures & videos at all our events
and publishes them in our newsletter and on our website & social media.
If you don’t wish to be included in any of our pictures or videos, please let us know by emailing us at [email protected].
We also have a photo release form if you wish to fill one out. Thank you.