- Cuyuna Rock, Gem and Mineral Society

Cuyuna Rock, Gem and Mineral Society
The Agate Explorer
September 2015
*someone who could mail out
the newsletters monthly to
approximately 15 members.
You can get reimbursed to
print them yourself or find
somewhere to print them.
*someone who can
maintain the Club website.
*someone to call
members that do not have
email to receive information
between newsletters.
*someone to babysit the Club
tumblers.
*Someone to set up a new
equipment space in the
Clubhouse.
PLEASE! We really
need your help!
Kids’ Program
Come at 1:00 to learn basic wire
wrapping. If you have a round
stone (1/2”-1”) and wire cutters,
please bring them along. Wire will
be provided. Ages 6 & up.
Club Calendar
Club Information
Meeting Place
Cuyuna Range Community Center
Directions
2 blocks north of stop sign at
Hwys. 6 & 210 intersection in
Crosby. Meeting in basement on
the 2nd Saturday of each month
at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
Club Dues
$20/ family
Free /unaccompanied juniors
Membership runs
from Jan. 1-Dec. 31st.
Club Shop Days
will be the same day as
meeting days, starting at
9:00 a.m. If you wish to
attend, call Ed Opatz
at 320-250-1363.
September 12—speaker on digging for dinosaurs in Glendive, MT; Board Mtg. at 12:30; speaker at 2:00.
October 10—shop day and Wyoming trip
October ?, wire wrapping class by Amy Baron; more info. to follow
November meeting—date may change due to opener of hunting
December 12—Christmas party
Information subject to change.
Club Purpose
To foster an interest (& encourage
young & old) to study earth science,
enjoy the art of lapidary, hunting for
rocks, and semi-precious stones. We
also strive to use what we know and
acquire to further educate everyone
who has an interest in our hobby.
We are a not-for-profit organization.
Record: The Largest-Cut
Yellow Topaz In The World
Finest Opal Displayed
www.artdaily.com
An Australian museum said Monday it would exhibit what it believes is the best opal
stone ever found -- a 6.0-centimetre (2.4 inch) multi-coloured gem unearthed in the Outback named the Virgin Rainbow.
The South Australian Museum said the stone, valued at more than Aus$1.0 million
(US$730,000), would go on public display for the first time in September to mark the
centenary of opal mining in the country.
"It's of unequalled quality, it's a fully crystal opal," museum director Brian Oldman told
AFP.
The American Golden Topaz currently
holds the record for the largest piece of
cut yellow topaz in the world. More importantly, it is one of the largest faceted
gems of any kind. It is sized at 22,892
carats (4.5785 kg) and has 172-facets (flat
-faced cuts applied to gems, in order to
help them reflect light.) The gem was cut
from a piece of yellow topaz that was
11.8 kg (26 lb) in size.
The original mineral was discovered in
the Minas Gerais, Brazil, and cut by Leon
Agee over a period of two years. In 1988,
the American Golden Topaz was donated
to the Smithsonian Institute, and put on
display in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
The price of the gem remains unclear.
"It's almost as if there's a fire in there; you see all different colours. As the light changes,
the opal itself changes. It's quite an amazing trick of nature."
Dug up in the South Australia desert town of Coober Pedy in 2003 by local miners, the
Virgin Rainbow came into the museum's possession about 18 months ago and will be
part of an exhibition opening in Adelaide next month.
Some 90 percent of the world's opals come from South Australia, once covered by an
inland sea which over millions of years provided an ideal environment for the formation
of the stone.
"I think this exhibition will have the finest collection of precious opals that we believe
have been brought to one place in the world," Oldman added.
Opals were first discovered at Coober Pedy -- widely-known as the opal capital of the
world -- in 1914 by a boy named Willie Hutchison who was on a gold mining expedition
with his father.
"The story goes that Willie set out in search for water one day, rather than staying at
camp as he'd been instructed to do by his father," Oldman said. "He came back to camp
with water, but also with precious opal gemstones."
www.toptenz.net
State by State
Missouri
State Mineral
Galena
September Birthdays
State Rock
Mozarkite
Brenda Perlowski
MacKenzie Perlowski
Tom Jacobson
Chuck Durnan
Tom Kulju
Dolores Sibet
Sally Hotchkiss
9/5
9/5
9/6
9/7
9/11
9/12
9/12
David Johnson
Randy Hipple
Ron Morrin
9/21
9/23
9/24
September Anniversaries
Wayne & Ann Royston
9/18
Joe & Virginia Casey
9/22
Rox Box
A place to advertise
rock items to sell and
to inquire about items
to purchase.
The Cuyuna Rock, Gem & Society
accepts no responsibility for any dissatisfaction that may occur by either party,
seller or buyer. The Society does not
profit in any way by sales transactions.
For Sale:
Portable
Benzomatic
torch
$20. Call
Kevin
Martini at
218-770-8917.
For Sale: Calway
Lot-O Tumbler
(Vibratory); single
barrel, 4 lb. Capacity. Used only a few
times. $100. See a picture and
specs. on the link below.
http://www.lapidarysupplies.com/
catalog_pages_2014/page_06.pdf
Call Bev Williams at
218-821-5684.
For sale: One large cabinet and three cabinets that are four feet long. The sizes are on the photos. No reasonable
offer will be refused. Please call Randy at 320-412-6230 after 6pm if interested.
FOR SALE: Lortone 3A tumbler. 3
pound capacity beginners model. Still in
the original box. Runs just fine. Includes
Lortone complete instruction book. No
grit included. $45. Call Butch at 320-252
-3335."
For Sale:
ROC brand
24" saw.
Needs new
blade (will
allow cost of
blade off asking price)
$2200 or best
offer, can
deliver,
located in
Milaca. Call John 320-310-7895.
We’re on Facebook!
Cuyuna Rock, Gem & Mineral Society
This is a closed group, so you must
ask to join. After being approved
you can follow the members’ posts
and add your own information.
Sunshine Requests
If you know someone who could
use a little sunshine— birth,
illness, surgery, family death—
please contact Christi Higgins at
320-224-6650.
Jewelry Making Tip
By Brad Smith www.BradSmithJewelry.com
Heatproof Bench Surface
An inexpensive and very effective heat proof
surface for a soldering area or casting bench can
be made using a building material called Hardie
Backer Board. It is a fiber reinforced cement
sheet that is typically used as a waterproof base
for ceramic tiles in bath tubs and shower stalls.
It is available from lumber yards and home fix-it stores. Cutting it requires a masonry
blade on a circular saw. Be sure to wear a mask and use eye protection while sawing.
Mineral Cleaning for Amateurs—
How to Use Oxalic Acid
By John H. Betts
Anything that has the word "acid" sounds
ominous. But oxalic acid is easy to find, use
and the safest for the home. In fact it is found
in many vegetables including spinach. It is
used to dissolve the iron oxide (brown) stain
on all minerals. Specimens collected at Phoenixville, Ellenville, Case Quarry, NH smoky
quartz and many others clean up beautifully
with oxalic acid. Zeolites do not respond as
well, so you should test beforehand on small
specimens to see how they react.
To make this as simple as possible I will give
a step by step guide to its use. Do not take any
shortcuts or make substitutions.
Purchase a one pound box of Oxalic Acid
(OA) powder at your local hardware store in
the paint department or at a paint store. It is
used as wood bleach and will be labeled as
such. The most common brand is Rainbow.
Fill a plastic one gallon container 3/4 full
with distilled water. Pour in the OA crystals
and stir for five minutes. Be careful not to
inhale any powder when adding the crystals.
Once the OA is dissolved top off the container
to a full gallon. Label the container and put
out of reach of children or pets.
When you are ready to use it place your specimens in a plastic container and add enough
OA solution to cover. Set aside for several
days.
Heat speeds up the reaction, as does agitation.
If you have a hot plate and can set up outdoors
or in an area with good ventilation the repeat
step 4 but heat the solution to bath water hot
(110o f.). Never Boil! You will find that an
hour in hot solution will usually do the trick.
Best of all is an ultrasonic cleaner with built in
heater. Sometimes only 30 minutes is necessary. But you should not put the OA directly
into the stainless steel basin. Make a double
boiler type of arrangement by partially filling
the ultrasonic cleaner basin with water. Then
place your specimens and OA solution in a
plastic container or heavy duty plastic bag that
is suspended in the water.
You can reuse the solution over and over. As
it dissolves more and more iron it will get
darker often taking on a green color. After it
gets really dark I would discard it and mix a
new batch.
Safety is important. OA solution is highly
toxic. It can absorbed through the skin and
builds up in your organs cumulatively. Same
goes for the fumes, which is why you never
boil the solution and always have proper ventilation when using the heated solution. Be careful not to spill the solution on porcelain and
keep away from food preparation surfaces.
After the iron color has disappeared then you
can remove the specimens (with gloves on)
and wash under running water for three hours.
NOTE: If you have hard water in your area, it
is smart to use distilled water for the first few
rinsings to prevent the formation of insoluble
oxylates that will stain the specimen yellow
when dry.
Then soak in clean water for a day changing
the water as often as possible. The best formula for washing minerals is:
 Change the water every minute for an
hour.
 Change the water every hour for a day.
 Change the water every day for a month.
The best way is to place the rocks to be
washed in a 5 gallon bucket. Drill a small hole
in the bottom, then fill with water and adjust
the flow of the water trickling in to equal the
flow out through the small hole. Acid is heavier than water. It will settle to the bottom and
flow out through the hole. The trickle in ensures that all specimens are covered with water.
In spite of the fuss, this is the best all around
method of cleaning minerals. I keep a large
five gallon bucket with tight fitting lid filled
and ready, I drop specimens in as I collect
them. It always works and the large volume
does not exhaust quickly. Mastering this technique will provide an important tool in your
mineral cleaning and preparation arsenal.
This article and others can be found at Mr.
Betts web site: http://www.johnbettsfineminerals.com
Rockhound Terminology
“F”
Facet – Flat surface on a cut gemstone.
Fairy Cross – Twin crystal of staurolite.
Fault – A long fracture in rock along
which rock masses move.
Feldspar – Feldspars are the most common, rock-forming minerals and constitute 60 percent of the earth’s crust. They
include gem varieties such as labradorite
and they weather over time to produce
clays.
Feldspathic – Rock containing feldspar.
Felsic – Rock rich in feldspar and silica,
typically light in color.
Fire Agate – Fire agate is a form of chalcedony that contains inclusion of iron
oxides that result in a play of colors much
like that of precious opal.
Fissure Volcano – Volcano that erupts
through a long crack.
Float – Pieces of rock that have moved
from their original source.
Flood Basalt – Plateau formed from huge
eruption of basalt from fissure.
Flowstone – The general term for the
sheet-like mineral deposit on a cave wall
or floor.
Fluorescence – The emission of brightly
colored light by a substance when exposed to ultraviolet light rays.
Foliation – Flat layers of minerals in
metamorphic rock formed as minerals
recrystalized under pressure.
Fool’s Gold – Pyrite. Named so to emphasize that pyrite is not gold.
Formation – A related deposit of rocks
formed during the same time period and
under generally the same circumstances.
Fortification – A form of agate with angled concentric banding.
Fossil – The remains, traces, or impressions of organisms (plants and animals)
that lived millions of years ago and usually are preserved in rocks. Some of the
oldest fossils are trilobites which can be
up to 500 million years old which is much
older than dinosaurs.
Fossil Fuels – The fuels coal, oil, and
natural gas all of which are formed from
the remains of once-living organisms.
Fracture – The way in which a rock or
mineral breaks when it does not break
along cleavage planes.
Fulgurite – Sand fused by lightning.
Fumarole – A hole or vent through which
a volcanic gases escape.
http://www.gatorgirlrocks.com/resources/
glossary.html
September Rock
Shows/Sales
4-7—RALEIGH, NC: Treasures of the
Earth, Inc., NC State Fairgrounds; Fri. 12
noon-6 pm, Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. 10 am5 pm, Mon. 10 am-4 pm; Adults $5 Military ID & under 17 free; www.treasuresoftheearth.com
4-7—HENDERSONVILLE, NC: Henderson County Gem & Mineral Society,
Whitmire Center; Fri. 10am-6pm, Sat.
10am-6pm, Sun. 10am-6pm, Mon. 10am5pm; $4.00, Under 12 free. hcgms.com
5-7—SILVER CITY, NM: Grant County
Rolling Stones Gem & Mineral Society,
Western New Mexico University Intramural Gym; Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am5pm, Mon. 10am-4pm; http://
rollingstonesgms.blogspot.com/
5-7—CANBY, OR: Clackamas County
Fairgrounds; Daily 10 am-6 pm; Free; email: karmicbeadsandgems@yahoo.com
11-13—GREENFIELD, IN: 500 Earth
Sciences Club, Hancock County 4-H Fairgrounds; Fri. 10am-7pm, Sat. 9am-7pm,
Sun. 10am-4pm; Free; e-mail: clhamilton1951@gmail.com
11-13—RENO, NV: Gem Faire Inc, Reno
Sparks Livestock Events Center; Fri.
Noon-6 pm, Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am
-5 pm; $7, 0 - 11 Free; http://
www.gemfaire.com
11-13—ORLANDO, FL: Central Florida
Mineral & Gem Society, FL National
Guard Armory; Fri. 1 pm-6 pm, Sat. 10
am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm; Adults $5,
Students $2; www.cfmgs.org
11-13—TOLEDO, OH: Toledo Gem &
Rockhound Club, Stranahan Great Hall;
Fri. 2 pm-8 pm, Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 11
am-5 pm; Adults $4, Srs & Student $3.50,
Under 12 , Military w/i.d. & scouts in
uniform free; www.rockyreader.com
11-13—WINSTON-SALEM,
NC: Forsyth Gem & Mineral Club, Education Building, Winston-Salem Fairgrounds; Fri. 10am- 7pm, Sat. 10am-7pm,
Sun. noon-5pm; Adults $3, Students K-12
Free; www.forsythgemclub.com
12-13—HANFORD, CA: Diggin's Productions , Hanford Civic Center; Sat.
10am-6pm, Sun. 10am-6pm; Adults $2,
Children Free; Digginsproductions.com
12-13—PORT ANGELES, WA: Clallam
County Gem & Mineral Association,
Vern Burton Community Center; Sat. 9
am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-4 pm; Free; contact
Jennie Bourassa, PO Box 98, Sequim,
WA 98382, (360) 681-0372
12-13—NORTH ADAMS, MA: Northern
Berkshire Mineral Club, Eagles Hall; Sat.
10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-4 pm; Adults $4,
Srs., Students, Children Free; e-mail: lmichon@rcn.com
12-13—WALLA WALLA, WA: Marcus
Whitman Gem & Mineral Society, Walla
Walla County Fairgrounds; Sat. 10 am-5
pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm; Adults $2,
Children Free; e-mail: jcedwards1475
@yahoo.com
12-13—SILOAM SPRINGS, AR: Northwest Arkansas Gem & Mineral Society,
Clubhouse; Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. 10 am-4
pm; Free; Annual Fall Swap, www.nwa
rockhounds.org
12-20—DENVER, CO: Eons Expos,
LLLP, Denver Coliseum; Sat. 9 am-6 pm,
Sun. 9 am-6 pm, Mon. 9 am-6 pm, Tue. 9
am-6 pm; Free; http://ColiseumShow.com
13-20—DENVER, CO: Martin Zinn Expositions, L.L.C., Ramada Plaza Denver
Central; Daily 10am-6:00 pm, Sun. 10am5pm; Free; http://www.mzexpos.com/
colorado_fall.html
18-20—SAN RAFAEL, CA: Gem Faire
Inc, Marin Center; Fri. Noon-6 pm, Sat.
10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm; Free;
http://www.gemfaire.com
18-20—RICHMOND, VA: Treasures of
the Earth, Inc., Richmond Raceway Complex; Fri. 12 noon-6 pm, Sat. 10 am-5 pm,
Sun. 10 am-4 pm; Adults $5, military &
under 17 Free; www.treasuresofthe
earth.com
18-20—HOLLAND, MI: Tulip City Gem
& Mineral Club, Civic Center; Fri. 9 am8 pm, Sat. 9 am-7 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm;
$3; www.tulipcity.org
18-20— FISHERSVILLE,
VA: Shenandoah Valley Gem & Mineral
Society, Augusta Expo; Fri. 2pm-6pm,
Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm;
Adults $3, Srs & Students $2, Under 13
Free!; www.shenandoah valleyrockclub.org
18-20—LINCOLN, MI: Mozarkite Society of Lincoln, Inc., Lincoln City Park;
Fri. 9 am-5 pm, Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. 9
am-3 pm; Free; Mozarkite.com
19-19—TWO HARBORS,MN: Agate
City Rock Shop; Sat. 9am-5pm; Free;
www.agatecity.com
19-20—HARRISBURG, PA: Central PA
Rock & Mineral Club; Zembo Shrine;
Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm;
Adults & Srs. $6, Under 13 Free;
www.rockandmineral.org
19-20—MAYS LANDING , NJ: CapeAtlantic Rockhounds, Mays Landing, Sat.
9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-5pm; Free; http://
capeatlanticrockhounds.com/
19-20—CHICO, CA: Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society Inc, Silver Dollar
Fair Grounds; Sat. 9:30 am-5 pm, Sun.
9:30 am-5 pm; Students, Adults + Seniors
$3, Under 16 Free!; www.featherriver
rocks.org
19-20—HOWELL , MI: Livingston Gem
& Mineral Society, Hartland Support Service Center; Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am
-4 pm; Adults & Srs. $2, Students 1218 .50¢, 0-11 Free; http://www.livingston
gemandmineralsociety.com/home.html
19-20—CASTLE ROCK, WA: Southern
Washington Mineralogical Society, Castle
Rock Fairgrounds; Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun.
10 am-4 pm; Free; e-mail: spuds@clats
kanie.com
19-20—TORONTO, ONT: The Scarborough Gems & Mineral Club, Don Montgomery Community Centre; Sat. 10am6pm, Sun. 11am-5pm; $5, Children $1;
www.scarbgemclub.ca
25-27—JACKSONVILLE, FL: Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society & Tomoka
Faceters Guild, Morocco Temple; Fri. 10
am-7 pm, Sat. 10 am-7 pm, Sun. 10 am-5
pm; Adults $3, Srs $2, Under 12 Free;
www.jaxgemandmineral.org/show.html
25-27—HUMBLE, TX: Houston Gem &
Mineral Society, Humble Civic Center;
Fri. 9am-6pm, Sat. 9am-6pm, Sun. 10am5pm; Adults $8, Srs & Students $7,Under
11 Free; Web site: hgms.org
25-27—SANDY, UT: Gem Faire Inc,
South Towne Expo Center; Fri. 10 am-6
pm, Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm;
$7, Under 12 free; http://www.gem
faire.com
25-27—OCEAN CITY, MD: Treasures
of the Earth, Inc., Roland E Powell Convention Center; Fri. 12 noon-6 pm, Sat.
10 am-5 pm, Sun. 10 am-4 pm; $5, Military with ID & Under 16 Free;
www.treasuresoftheearth.com
25-27—TOOELE, UT: Annual show;
Tooele Gem & Mineral Society, Dow
James Building; Fri. 10am-7pm, Sat.
10am-7pm, Sun. 10am-5pm;Free;
www.tooelegem.com
25-27—JOPLIN, MO: Tri-State Gem &
Mineral Society, Joplin Historical & Mineral Museums Inc.; Fri. 9am-5pm, Sat.
9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm; Free; e-mail:
jmc-cwiseman@sbcglobal.net
26-27—SOUTH SIOUX CITY, NE
NE: Siouxland Gem/Mineral Society,
South Sioux City Senior Citizens Center;
Sat. 9 am-4 pm, Sun. 10 am-4 pm; Free;
e-mail: bobphyl.com
26-27—SANTA ROSA, CA: Santa Rosa
Mineral & Gem Society, Wells Fargo
Center; Sat. 10am-6pm, Sun. 10am-5pm;
$6, Under 12 Free; www.SRMGS.ORG
Continued on next page.
Continued from previous page.
26-27—FRANKLIN, NJ: Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin Elementary
School; Sat. 9 am-5 pm, Sun. 10 am-4
pm; Adults $7, 6-16, $4; Outdoor Swap:
Sat.7:30am-6pm, Sun. 10am-5 pm; http://
spmom3.wix.com/franklin-gem-mineral
26-27—DOWNEY, CA: Delvers Gem &
Mineral Society, Elks Lodge; Sat. 9 am-5
pm, Sun. 9 am-4 pm; Free; https://groups.
yahoo.com/neo/groups/delvers/info
26-27—MONTEREY, CA: Carmel Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Monterey
Fairgrounds; Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10
am-5 pm; $4, Under 12 Free;
www.cvgms.com
26-27—LODI, CA: Stockton Lapidary &
Mineral Club, Lodi Grape Festival
Grounds; Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 10am5pm; $6, Under 13 Free; e-mail Jerold-
Kyle@Yahoo.com.
26-27—OSHKOSH, WI: Oshkosh Earth
Science Club, Sunnyview Expo Center;
Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun.10am-4pm; $2, Students $1 w/ID, Under 12 Free; Web site:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/
Oshkosh-Earth-Science-Club
26-27—WEST FRIENDSHIP, MD; Gem
Cutters Guild of Baltimore. Inc, Howard
County Fairgrounds; Sat. 10 am-6 pm,
Sun. 10 am-5 pm; $5,Under 12 Free;
gemcuttersguild.com
27-27—HIGHLAND PARK, IL: Ayla's
Originals, The Art Center; Sun. 10 am-4
pm; $4; info@aylasoriginals.com
September 2015-October 2015
30-4—JOSHUA TREE, CA: Hi-Desert
Rockhounds, Sportsman’s Club of Joshua
Tree; Daily 9 am-6 pm; Free; Web site:
www.jtsportsmansclub.com/gem.html
Metaphysical & Healing
Properties of Gems, Minerals,
& Crystals
Fluorite: (all colors) it is said to
strengthen the teeth
and bones;
improves absorption of vital nutrients; benefits blood
vessels and the
spleen; grounds
excess energy; aids
in advancement of
the mind, concentration, and meditation;
helps one grasp higher and more abstract
concepts; helps clarify ones mental processes; facilitates interdimensional
communication; is said to be a powerful
healer .
http://www.rocksinmyheadtoo.com/
MetasLis.htm
Kids’ Corner
10 Top International Gem
& Mineral Shows of 2014
1. Tucson Mineral & Gem ShowsTucson, AZ
2. Denver Gem & Mineral ShowDenver, CO
3. Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Show,
France
4. Munich Mineraltage-Germany
5. Tokyo International Mineral Fair—
Japan
6. Rockhound Gemboree– Bancroft,
Ontario, Canada
7. Quartzsite Gem & Mineral Shows—
Quartzsite, AZ
8. NY/NJ Mineral, Fossil, Gem, &
Jewelry Show-Edison, NJ
9. Houston Fine Mineral ShowHouston TX
10.Changsha Mineral & Gem ShowChangsha, Hunan Province, China
The Rock Cycle
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Igneous rocks
Some of the melted rock cools inside
the Earth, some rise to form
volcanoes.
Some rocks get heated even more
and melt..
Metamorphic rocks
Some rocks get squashed and heated
and change into different rocks
Some rocks get pushed upwards to
form mountains.
8.
9.
Sedimentary rocks
The layers of sand, mud, and pebbles
are pressed together and become
solid rocks.
10. Sand, mud, and pebbles from rivers
and the sea settle into layers.
11. Rivers carry sand, mud, and pebbles
towards the sea.
12. Mountains are worn down by the
wind and the rain.
www.onegeology,org
A Taste of the West
Marcia Opatz, Editor
Cuyuna Rock, Gem &
Mineral Club
P.O. Box 151
Crosby, MN 56441
FIRST CLASS MAIL
The Agate Explorer
September 2015
Official Publication of the Cuyuna Rock, Gem & Mineral Society
Members of AFMS & MWF
2015 AFMS/SCFMS
Convention and Show
Rocks and Gems
of the Indian Territory
October 23rd - 25th, 2015
Convention Location
Doubletree Inn
6505 North Interstate Highway 35
Austin, TX 78752
(512) 454-3737
Show Location
Palmer Events Center
900 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX 78704-1169
(512) 472-5111
Ten Best Grad
Schools for
Geology
1.
2.
3.
3.
5.
5.
7
8.
9.
9.
9.
Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park
University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
Tie Stanford University
Tie University of Arizona
Tie California Institute of
Technology
Tie University of Texas-Austin
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
University of California-Berkeley
Tie University of California—Santa
Barbara
Tie University of Colorado—Boulder
Tie University of Wisconsin—
Madison-Madison
Club Officers
& Board of Directors
President: Ed Opatz
opatz1@att.net
320-250-1363
Vice-President: Lisa Hughes
lisamhug@yahoo.com
218-821-2729
Secretary—Sharon Smith
218-343-7037
Sharon@agatesrock.com
Treasurer: Kevin Martini
kjspumanti@yahoo.com
612-916-0485
Director: Joan Guerra
Director: Dick Salzwedel
Director: Ed Walton
Newsletter Editor: Marcia Opatz
theisma@hotmail.com