NEXT MEETING: January 17th

PROGRAM: A Trip Down Memory Lane with Bessie Rodgers

REFRESHMENTS. L thru R please bring goodies.

CLUB CALENDAR

Jan.17th                  Regular club meeting at North School 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 20th                January field trip-Pot luck at Alaiedon Township Hall 1:pm

Jan. 26^th          State Museum’s “Statehood Day” (See article by Milt Gere)

Feb. 2^nd                                   Okemos Science Fun Day (See article)

Feb. 7^th                                Board Meeting at the Okemos Library 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 21^st          Regular club meeting at North School 7:30 p.m.

 

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January Field Trip: Again we will take to the field with knife, fork, and spoon in hand and meet at Alaiedon Township Hall, at 1:P.M. to enjoy a potluck dinner and the company of our fellow rock hounds. Please bring a dish to pass and your own table service. Coffee, tea, milk and punch will be provided. We hope that all members old and new can come on this field trip, it’s a good way to get acquainted. The whole family is invited not just the CML&MS member.

Alaiedon Township Hall is located at 2021 West Holt Road, about ½ mile east of Okemos Road. Holt Road is 3 miles south of I-96.

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February, 2008, meeting program… We will visit Michigan’s Copper Country via video materials loaned by Sue Casler. Maybe we can squeeze in a mini-silent auction too?

Dues are due: If you have not paid your dues, Ernie will be glad to accept them at the JAN.. meeting or by mail.  Ernie’s address is

Ernie Aughenbaugh, P.O. Box 67, St. Johns, MI 48879-0067

 

As a reminder to those who receive this via email ;

Annual Dues are as follows:   Adults $10.00,  Families $15.00,   Students under 18 years $2.00 .

 

Reminder, if your dues are not paid by the February meeting you will not be included in the 2008 directory.

 There were a lot of mistakes in the 2007 directory (most of them my fault) please check your entry in the

2007 directory and if it is not correct please let me know.  Also check email address and advise if you don’t want to receive the newsletter via email.

 

 

State Museum's "Statehood Day" 

CML&MS has been invited to take part in the State Museum's "Statehood Day" celebration on Saturday, January 26, 2008, between 11 A.M. and 3 P.M. We would be set up in the geology / mining area of the museum and display our geology hobby items and activities. We could talk about Michigan's past mining of iron and copper and other positive features of Michigan and it's mineral resources. It is suggested that we could gain new members by giving out information about CML&MS membership, our meeting dates & location, information about our annual show, etc. Admission is free and past attendance reportedly ranged between 200 and 400 for the day.

 

I am planning on being there and hope several of you will join me in representing our club for all or part of the day.

I cannot attend our Jan. 17 meeting, so please call me at home, or just show up…if you get there and are in doubt as to what part of the museum to go, ask museum staff member, Joanne Arasim, for directions.

 

Museum Location… Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing.  Parking lots next to the building front off of Kalamazoo, and across the street on Allegan St., next to the Viet Nam War Memorial.

 

Okemos Science Fun Day

We have again been invited to participate in the program on Sat. Feb 2.  Hopefully by our meeting Dan Sine will have more details regarding space available and setup time.  Last year six members participated.  It would be nice if a few more members could fit the educational activity into their schedule.    

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NEWS ABOUT OUR MEMBERS

 

2) Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mary Ann Smith, our corresponding secretary. May you soon be back with us.

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3) We had a nice e-mail from Gail Hopkins

Just a short note.  I'm doing well here.  The weather has been great, except for all the rain and flooding this summer.  That did keep the temps below 100, but the flooding was bad.  For days on end I couldn't mow my lawn it was so wet.  So it was always like cutting hay!  It is drier now, almost too dry - can't win!  I have found a

gem and mineral club here and already pulled into a job!  It is a small group, but they are nice people - aren't all rock collectors nice people??

 

Gail’s email,  ghopkins003@satx.rr.com.  

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Needed. Editor for the news letter, I know Jean Ann did it for 17 years, but I am not

 Going to do it that long. Current editor.

 

Needed. Small stones for the pebble pond, when we use 1200 a year its hard to keep up with the demand  so as you travel or walk or any place there are stones remember that the club needs them, washed preferred.

 

The Field Trip Coordinator for the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Society, Bob Sherwood, has put together the following list of possible collecting trips for 2008.  He asks that we advise  him of firm interest  in participating by the end of January so that additional plans can be a made. Please let me know of your interest so that a coordinated response can be made.

Roger L.

FIELD  TRIP  POSSIBILITIES

 

“Basement” Field Trips  to club members’ homes to see collections.  A Saturday in January or February.  Volunteers?

 

Alpena, MI,  Lafarge Quarry.   FOSSILS: PETOSKEY, HORN CORAL, FAVOSITE, BRACHIOPODS, CRINOIDS.

        Organized groups.   5 hr. drive, 300+ miles  Ages 7 and older.  Full safety equipment.

 

Grand Rapids, MI.  Michigan Natural Storage Co. (formerly G.R. Gypsum mine).  PINK & WHITE ALBABSTER, GYPSUM and SELENITE crystals in underground tunnel ceilings and cavities.  55 degree temperature.  Saturday field trip.  Maximum of 15 in group.  End of winter, early spring.  Full safety equipment.

 

Elmhurst, IL / Chicago.  Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Arts; special exhibit at Field Museum? (fee)  1 day bus trip (winter)

 

Bloomfield Hills, MI.  Cranbrook Institute of Science.  Wonderful mineral and natural history museum.  (fee)  1 day bus

       trip  (winter)  Ann Arbor, MI.  U. of M. Museum of Natural History;  Bloomfield Hills, Cranbrook Institute of Science.

       (fee)  On the return, but only in combination with above.

 

North Carolina, Georgia.   Mineral collecting at diverse locations.  Considerable hiking uphill might be involved.  1 week,

       Spring Vacation.  Fee collecting areas.

 

*Utah.  PETRIFIED WOOD, AGATE, JASPER, SEPTARIAN NODULES, BARITE NODULES, DUGWAY GEODES, 

       TRILOBITE, collecting.  3- day drive each way, approx. 1550 miles, leaving in May.  Collect 1½ to 3 weeks.   

       Extensive driving involved throughout the state.   Utah has 5 National Parks, all in red rock country of southern UT, 7

       National Monuments, several which we will visit for their natural beauty and historic past. All ages. Info. sources:

       “Gem Trails of Utah” by Mitchell; www.utahoutdooractivities.com/rock.html 

 

*“Wonderful World of Agates,”  Menasha, Wisconsin.  Hosted by the Weis Earth Science Museum.  July 10-13, 2008.   

       Displays, vendors, programs by specialists, silent auctions,  author book signings, agate tail-gate area in parking lot,

       other show events related to agates world-wide!  Registration deadline March 15, 2008, to attend programs. 

       Web-site for details: www.weismuseum.org (then click on Agate Show).

 

Wyoming, Nebraska, & South Dakota  in 17 Days.  Collect FOSSIL FISH, PETRIFIED WOOD, VERTEBRATE

       FOSSILS, CHALCEDONY, and MINERALS.  Approx. 1500 miles to begin at Kemmerer, Wyoming.  All ages.

 

Northwest states.  May to July.  Drive to Oregon spend 3 weeks in the Prineville-Madras area with day trip prior to rock  

       Shows.  Collect on return East in Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska and South Dakota for WOOD, THUNDEREGGS,

       JASPER, AGATE, FOSSILS, ROSE QUARTZ, TOURMALINE, etc.  You may do entire trip or partial.  Ride sharing

       possible.  All ages.

 

Upper Peninsula, MI.  Ishpeming Rock & Mineral Club Show, 1^st week in August  Around old Cleveland Cliffs plant: TACONITE (processed iron pellets); Champion: SPECULAR HEMATITE  in tailings;  Lindberg Quarry for KONA DOLOMITE (small fee); JASPILITE in Incline Mine tailings;  VERDE ANTIQUE MARBLE near Ropes Gold Mine.  475 miles to Ishpeming.  Some fees.  All ages  

 

Keweenaw Peninsula:  “Copper Country Mineral Retreat.”  Houghton Gem & Mineral Club Show, August 3-10, 2008

       COPPER, DATOLITE, related minerals, chisel chips, Native American hammer stones in some mine tailings

       Numerous mine tailings bulldozed & fee accessible during CCMR Seaman Museum collection at Michigan Tech

       in Houghton is outstanding.   www.museum.mtu.edu   All ages.      

                                   

Thunder Bay, Ontario.  AMETHYST   (fee)  Collect with local miner on his claims  approx. 980 miles.  1 week+  Optional, return Minnesota-Wisconsin around Lake     Superior collecting through the U.P. on the return.  All ages.

 

 

Hamilton, Ontario.  Dundas Quarry  (Lafarge Corp.)  CALCITE, SPHALERITE, CELESTITE, MARCASITE, PYRITE, GALENA, ANHYDRITE.  Lincoln Quarry, Beamsville, Ontario. Field trips over Mother's Day weekend (2 quarries); July 4^th weekend; Sept.?  Full safety equipment.  Tim Elliott and John Elliott   385 miles. 4 days

 

Arkona, Ontario.  Abundant fossil HORN CORAL at Hungry Hollow pit.

 

Upper New York State, St. Lawrence Co., with Steve Chamberlain, Center for Mineralogy, NY State Museum.      

       Outstanding opportunity to collect MINERALS with the expert.  Available late April or after.  Considerable driving

       required between sites.  Approx.  640 miles to Calcium, NY; min. 5 days necessary.  All ages.

 

Herkimer, NY.  HERKIMER (QUARTZ) 'DIAMONDS'.  Hard limestone strip mines.  Daily fee.  approx. 780 miles.

Niagara Falls, Finger Lakes, wine tasting in the many vineyards, Corning Glass Factory & Museum, Watkins Glen & Falls.  Combine NY's wonderful autumn color with scenic and other attractions.

 

Keokuk, Iowa area.  Keokuk GEODES.   Gary Jacob, Dennis Stevenson, & other locations. Hamilton, IL, Keokuk, IA;   (fee)  Approx. 420 miles.  4 days +    Club trip spring/summer, or October “Geode Fest” another possibility.  All ages.

 

Central/Northern Iowa.  Possible coordination with Cedar Rapids club on a Saturday quarry field trip.  Approx. 550 miles.  3 days   Full safety equipment required.

 

Mt. Ida, Arkansas.   QUARTZ crystals.  Prearrange digging at several open pit mines.  Approx. 900 miles.  1 week

(Spring vacation time)   (fees)  Full safety equipment; all ages at most sites. 

 

Irvine, (Berea area) Kentucky AGATES, occasional fossils   Walk stream beds; With Lamon Flynn, our local guide.  Approx. 480 miles.  5-7 days.  (lapidary use)  Spring vacation or fall

 

Flint Ridge, OH.  40 miles e. of Columbus.  Colorfully patterned Ohio FLINT.  Fee-based collecting at John Nethers' farm.  Approx. 370 miles.  (lapidary use)  Current status of access unknown.

 

Paulding, OH.  Lafarge Quarry.   FOSSILS: TRILOBITES, HORN CORAL, BRACHIOPODS, CRINOIDS.  Approx. 3 hour drive.  Saturday only.  Overnight Friday in Bryan at Plaza Motel.  Full safety equipment.  Ages 10 and older. 

 

Pendleton, IN   Pendleton Quarry (Irving Materials, Inc.).  HONEY CALCITE and IRIDESCENT CALCITE in vugs in

limestone.  No fee; organized groups.  Approx. 250 miles.  3 days.  Full safety equipment .  Collect Saturday a.m. Visit Terry & Sue Boswell's Joshua Tree Imports, in Lakeville, (s. of South Bend)  View shop and museum, featuring fossils & minerals from Morocco, fluorescent minerals, meteorites.

 

Corydon, Indiana.  Corydon Stone Quarry.  Pink DOLOMITE, CALCITE, occasionally FLUORITE.  Approx. 375 miles,

       Ages 13 and older.  Full safety equipment.  Collect Saturday a.m.

 

Deming, New Mexico area.  Numerous collecting sites for AGATE, CHALCEDONY, PSILOMELANE, FLUORITE,

       PICTURE RHYOLITE & BARITE, APACHE TEARS, PERIDOT, CHRYSOCOLLA, GEODES, etc.  Concludes with

       Deming show (March 6-9, 08) where Mexican miners bring material to sell reasonably.    Approx. 1500 miles, 2 weeks

       latter part of Feb. thru show.  All ages.