Mar 2014 - Austin Gem and Mineral Society

March 2014
Austin Gem & Mineral Society
The
Stone
Chipper
Presidential Message--
Vol. 53.03
Each one teach one
THE AUSTIN GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. (AGMS)
is a member in good standing of the South Central Federation
of Mineral Societies and the American Federation of Mineral
Societies. Its editors are also members of SCRIBE. The
club address is 6719 Burnet Lane, Austin, Texas 78757, and
phone (512) 458-9546. The AGMS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization. Visit our website at www.austingemandmineral.
org Contact our webmaster for website updates at DiannH@
austingemandmineral.org.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the AGMS is to promote interest and
education in the various Earth Sciences and other related
subjects.
MEETINGS
The society meets at 7:00 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every
month except October, which is show set up day. The
November meeting will be held on the THIRD Thursday.
December is the Officers’ Induction Banquet held on a date
to be determined. Board meetings are held the first Tuesday
of every month. Show committee meetings are held on the
third Thursday of each month. All meetings are open to
anyone. Society officers are listed on the second page of
this publication. Please feel free to contact any of them for
information
Dues for 2014
Annual membership dues are:
Adult-$30.00 Couple-$40.00
Junior--$4.00
(Josie will rejoin us next month)
Harding Mine
Dixon, New Mexico
Table of Contents
photo by J. Perkins
The Harding pegmatite mine near Dixon, New Mexico, is the source
of a variety of minerals, including bityite, eucryptite, fluorapatite,
quartz, smoky quartz, gahnite, lepidolite, microcline, amazonite,
microlite, albite, muscovite, lithian muscovite, piemontite, and
spodumene. It was mined intermittently between 1900-1958 and
is currently a protected geological site owned by the University of
New Mexico. Limited collecting is allowed with prior permission. For
information contact Gilbert Griego, gilgriego@windstream.net
Board Meeting Minutes...............................Page 2
General Meeting Minutes............................Page 3
April Presenter.............................................Page 5
Hunts & Events............................................Page 5
Harriet & Mac...............................................Page 6
Regular Features.........................................Page 6
AGMS Program Competition.......................Page 6
Pipestone (Catlinite)....................................Page 7
Minerals SIG Meeting ................................Page 9
AGMS Meetings Schedule..........................Page 9
Stone Chipper
Officers
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March 2014
Building Chair - Glen Gilbreath
President—Josie Middleton
president@austingemandmineral.org
Display Cases - Jackie Fisher
1st VP—Les Postlethwait
vpresident1@austingemandmineral.org
Historian - Vacant
2nd VP—Kathleen Howard
president2@austingemandmineral.org
Treasurer—Charlotte Morriss
treasurer@austingemandmineral.org
Secretary—Shawn McMahon
secretary@austingemandmineral.org
Board Members
Lou Pulliam -lloup@austingemandmineral.org
Dee Fly –
flyd@austingemandmineral.org
Sian Schilhab –
sians@austingemandmineral.org
Cindy Murphy –
cindym@austingemandmineral.org
Craig Brandt -craigb@austingemandmineral.org
Laird Fowler -lairdf@austingemandmineral.org
Committee Chairs
Annual Show - Susan Postlethwait
showchairman@austingemandmineral.org
Education/Classes - Joyce Hrapsky
classes@austingemandmineral.org
Field Trips - Chip Burnette
trip@austingemandmineral.org
Junior Advisor - Jackie Fisher
juniors@austingemandmineral.org
Lead Librarian: Laird Fowler Co-Librarians - Terry
Barry, Roger Waguespack(periodicals),
Librarian@austingemandmineral.org
Webmaster – Diann Hill
webmaster@austingemandmineral.org
Federation/Conservation - Josie Middleton
Hospitality - Vacant
Membership -Harold Von Rosenberg
Scholarship - Stretch Young
School Programs - Wing Evans
Sergeant-at-Arms - Jackie Fisher
Sunshine - Fran Ellis
Newsletter Editor – Carolyn Perkins
stonechipper@austingemandmineral.org
Board Meeting Minutes
February 22, 2014
Josie opened the meeting at 7:05 PM. A
motion to approve the minutes from the
January meeting was made, with the
exception of one correction. The alternate
scholarships recipient brought up by Charlotte
was intended to be the Texas Memorial
Museum rather than the Bob Bullock Museum.
With that correction the motion to accept the
minutes was passed.
Our current bank balance as of JAN 31,
2014 is $8,504 (after the scholarships
were paid out). The revised club’s budget
is not competed yet for 2013. However, it
is estimated our current yearly income is
$11,329 and we should also be getting a
check for $13,500 from our 2013 show.
A complete updated inventory will be needed
for insurance purposes by JUN this year.
Current coverage on four buildings is for the
estimated value of $284,000. The estimated
value of our stock/material is approximately
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$170,000, but needs to be re-evaluated to
include newly added stock. We also need
to include our equipment’s estimated value
in our coverage. We may want do some
research before renewing our insurance, to
make sure we have the right coverage for the
right price.
It was decided that the Summer Auction will
be held August 23rd, at the clubhouse between
the hours of 10 AM – 6 PM (including setup
and breakdown times). Members should
participate in the Potluck.
We need to decide on nominees for the
nomination committee. No officers are eligible.
We need two Board Members and two
General Members. We will draw lots, if there
are no volunteers. Hospitality host position is
vacant, and will stay that way unless someone
volunteers.
Sue found a programmable thermostat
compatible with our system for about
$250. Charlotte motioned to buy it and
Craig seconded. The motion was passed.
Programmed temperature in the winter
should be set at 60 degrees and summer
temperature should be set at 85 degrees
when the club house is not in use. It is
estimated that this should save us at least
20% on our utilities during the year.
We are in need of updating our computer and
audio/visual equipment for guest speakers as
well as our in-house presentations. Rather
than exceed this year’s budget, Susan has
volunteered the use of her computer on these
occasions, with advance notice. Charlotte
suggests that we use Susan’s for the time
being. We can post our needs on our website,
if Susan is unavailable. Tabled for later…
Laird brought up options for scholarships
and shared information about GEO of the
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March 2014
Jackson School of Geosciences designed
to encourage students in math and science
curriculums and pursue higher education in
these fields. Scholarships will be targeted
to support the programs and not individual
students. Additional information is available
online at: www.jsg.utexas.edu/geoforce/
sponsors Please, check it out and give us
feedback from the club so that a follow up
motion may be made.
Charlotte needed help with drafting our
members list and Susan volunteered. Susan
will now be working on the membership
directory. The club door has been fixed, Josie
took care of it. Charlotte graciously donated
her DVD the club has been using to the club.
Karen has volunteered to help out with any
projection problems.
Josie indicated the agenda items were
complete, Laird motioned to adjourn and
Craig seconded the motion at 9:10 PM.
Minutes submitted by Shawn McMahon.
General Meeting
Minutes
February 27, 2014
Josie Middleton presided over the meeting
– opening the meeting at 7:05 PM. She
announced Kathleen Howard who introduced
the guest speaker of the month – Chip
Burnette who is also a club member.
Chip, an avid agate hunter himself, presented
photographs of agate collections from across
the US, but highlighted his collecting of the
Kentucky Agate. With the photographs,
he also set up a display of some of his
collection that attracted a lot of attention.
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The Kentucky agate is known for its brilliant
color and beautiful clarity when exhibiting
details of plumes and moss held within its
formation. Chip shared that most of these
stones are found within a four county area
and are different from most other agates.
Most agates are found in igneous rock areas,
whereas these are from limestone and often
found in stream beds. About a seven on the
hardness scale, these agates polish up nicely
for cabochons with very solid with smooth
interiors, not like the more fractured volcanic
examples we often find in Texas. Chip also
spoke about his last trip to West Texas and
some of the wonderful agate specimens’
people have been finding on their latest trips
to the Walker Ranch. A new section has been
opened up and it is proving very productive.
We had four new people become members
of the club: Welcome Allan who is interested
in minerals; Brianna who wants to check out
some of our lapidary classes; and, Tom and
Barbara Holmes who are both interested in
collecting gemstones (and have a pretty good
start).
Along with the new members we had several
visitors: Aaron and his son Diego who is a
dinosaur enthusiast that likes to collect fossils;
James a geologist rock hound that hales
from Dallas; Conrad who migrated down from
Alaska looking for gems and minerals; and
Gary who is seeking holey rocks (left open for
interpretation).
Josie presided over giving out the door
prizes. She also brought in a boxed display
of rock specimens that she offered to Diego
to start off his collection. Other winners were:
Greg Brant, Brianna Batson, Susan Von
Rosenberg, Allan Hues, Betsy Gager, Shawn
McMahon, and Barbara House - taking their
picks from the lovely offerings generously
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donated by other members.
The minutes from the JAN 2014 were
approved before the club.
Betsy announced that we have received more
awesome donations from Jeremy C. Smith
and some of the new displays have been
set up already in the club house, so make
sure to stop and admire the beauty before
us. Examples of the donations are hadrosaur
eggs, tourmaline, aquamarine, and cuprite
now on display.
Ron spoke up to remind people that the
Mineral SIG meets on the second Tuesday
of each month at 7 PM. Field trips are being
discussed so make sure to contribute your
destinations of interest.
Susan Postlewait is the chair of the Show
Committee and they are looking for some new
members. We need someone who is good (or
wants to be) at advertising; a person who can
work on the display cases as a repairman/
carpenter role; a head cashier who can work
with raffle tickets; and greeters/ticket takers
at the door. The committee meets the third
Thursday of each month for approximately an
hour. Our club’s next show is OCT 3rd – 5th
this year at the Palmer Auditorium/Events
Center.
Josie reminded us we still need a Hospitality
Chair person who will also be the coordinator
of the Christmas dinner celebration held
each year. We are also still in need of two
people as officers for the club’s Nominating
Committee.
See Geoff if you need a new badge.
Ron is working on arranging a field trip to
Mason to look for topaz and fluorite. Charlotte
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reported that we have received the deposit
of the 2013 Show’s profits of $13,500 into
our account. Roger is talking about taking a
field trip to Deming N.M. and brought some
brochures to share. Josie mentioned she also
brought some samples of what they found
and bought from their last trip, some very nice
strontianite.
Dee motioned to adjourn and Josie seconded
the motion. At 8:00 PM
Minutes submitted by Shawn McMahon
March 2014
Hunts & Events
April 10-27-- Alpine, TX area rock hunting
featuring the Walker and Singleton ranches
and East Needle Peak. Teri Smith says that
more people are needed (a minimum of 20) to
stage the Walker hunt. For more information
or to sign up, contact her at <agatehunter@
sbcglobal.net> or check Teri’s website-terismithrockhunts.com
April 12-- AGMS Rock Swap & Texas
Facetor Guild’s Bluebonnet Days
AGMS clubhouse 9-4 Sat. Reserve a table.
June 7-8-- 9th annual Ben E. Clement Gem,
Mineral, Fossil, & Jewelry Show with digs.
Fohs Hall, 205 North Walker Street, Marion
KY. For more information, call (270) 625-4263
or email at beclement@att.net
photo by J.Perkins
Ollen “Chip” Burnette was March General Meeting
presenter. With samples and a slide presentation, he
discussed agates, focusing on the Kentucky agate.
APRIL PRESENTER will be Bridget
Scanlon, who will speak on Drought and the
Water Energy Nexus in Texas.
July 9-13--Tulsa Rock and Mineral Society/
AFMS Convention & Show. Central Park Hall
Building at Tulsa Fair Grounds, 4145 E. 21st
St., Tulsa OK. Contact Ben Thomas, (918)
486-3788; bthomas630@cox.net or Finis
Riggs, (918) 587-4400; lriggs1331@cox.net
July 31-Aug. 4-- AFMS Multi-Federation
Field Trip, Terry MT. Rock & fossil hunting
trips, swaps, get-togethers, music. contact
Doug True (406) 670-0506; dtruefossils@
yahoo.com
(continued on page 6)
Stone Chipper
(continued from page 5)
Aug. 9-10-- Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral
Society Show & SCFMS Regional
Convention, 10-5 Sat. & Sun, Marriott Hotel,
Hilton Ave., Baton Rouge, LA.
Aug. 23-- AGMS Annual Auction & Picnic,
Sat. 10-4. Potluck picnic. Contact Les
Postlethwait, texasagate@gmail.com
Oct. 3-5-- AGMS Annual Gem Capers Show.
Move in on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Harriet & Mac
The current good news is that Mac Ellis has
returned home from rehab. His doctors
are very pleased with how quickly he is
recuperating from the stroke.
Harriet Streiber, also at home, continues to
progress with her post-surgical recovery.
We miss them both and hope to see them
back at the clubhouse soon.
Stone Chipper Ads
The Stone Chipper can now accept non-political AGMS
Board-approved paid advertising. If you are interested
in placing an ad or have questions about the process,
please contact Stone Chipper editor Carolyn Perkins at
stonechipper@austingemandmineral.org.
You can choose from a variety of sizes for your printready ad:
Full Page (7” x 8”) ($100 per issue)
Half Page (7” x 4”) ($50 per issue)
Quarter Page (3 1/2” x 4”) ($25 p.i.)
Business Card (3 1/4 x 2) ($12.50 p.i.)
There is no extra charge for full color, but mail out
copies will be black and white only.
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March 2014
Refreshments
Reminder!
We are still without a Hospitality Chairperson, so
no one will call to tell you that, if you did not bring
edibles to the last meeting, you might want to
consider bringing them this month. Neither will
they say that even if you did bring them in March
your edibles are welcome at any meeting. I’m
just saying....
AGMS List Serve
If you are currently not a member of the
AGMSList and would like to be, please email
Diann Hill at general@austingemandmineral.
org. It’s the best way to keep up with the
latest AGMS happenings.
AGMS Program Competition
The 2014 AFMS Program Competition is
being held to recognize authors of Earth
Science presentations and to make their
winning entries available to affiliated clubs.
Digital presentations or videos are eligible.
Categories for entries are: Education, Field
Collecting, How to Do it, and Just for Juniors.
Optimum length for adult programs is 30-40
minutes. Suggested maximum for juniors is
20 minutes.
Prizes: $200 for the highest scoring program
(95+ points) and $100 for 94-90 points in
classes 1-4. Winners wil be announced at
the AFMS Awards Banquet at Tulsa, OK on
July 12, 2014.
Address questions and entries to Marge
Collins, AFMS Program competition
Coordinator--ph: (269) 695-4313; margaret@
qtm.net
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THANK
YOU!
Each month Jim and JoAnn Wiersema & Cora
Caffey of Horizon Environmental Services
print, fold and seal the Stone Chipper for
mailing to those club members who do not
have computer access and for non-members
interested in finding out more about the club.
This is a real cost savings for AGMS and we
appreciate their generosity.
Pipestone (Catlinite)
INTRODUCTION:
Catlinite [Pipestone] is a rock that was a
favorite material of Native Americans for
making pipe bowls, especially those tribes
who lived on the Plains, Other decorated
items for ceremonial and religious purposes,
and articles for personal adornment, were also
Red pipestone from Delta, Utah.
photo by Way Sahoni
made from the stone. By ca 1700, the Dakota
Sioux controlled the Minnesota pipestone
and distributed the stone only through trade;
it found its way as far east as Georgia and
west to the Pacific coast. Catlinite from the
Minnesota quarries is sometimes referred to
as sacred pipestone.
March 2014
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
The name Catlinite was derived from the
artist George Catlin (b1796 -.d 1872). Catlin
traveled and painted extensively in the
American West and visited the Minnesota
quarries in 1835. Catlin is generally credited
with first bringing the stone to the attention of
mineralogists ca 1839.
Chief White Coud
painting by American
genre painter
George Catlin, who
popularized pipestone
when he visited the
Minnesota quarries in
1835; but Philander
Prescott first called
attention to the stone
by writing about it in
1832.
public domain photo
THE ROCK:
Catlinite is a metamorphic claystone, a type
of argillite. It is a fine-grained rock, commonly
colored by hematite. The often mottled or
speckled stone is grayish to brownish-red to
dark red in color. It occurs embedded as a
12 - 18 inch layer in a hard matrix of Sioux
quartzite. The quartzite was formed by the
metamorphism of sandstone. In some areas,
12 feet of quartzite must be removed to reach
the layer of Catlinite.
The quarries are located in southwestern
Minnesota in Pipestone County, near the
city of Pipestone. The location was reported
as early as 1702. The rock is also found in
Minnehaha County, South Dakota (southwest
of Pipestone). The South Dakota stone is
cut from the same geologic strata as that
quarried at Pipestone, Minnesota. The word
pipestone is frequently misused to describe
a wide range of materials used in crafting
pipes. True Catlinite can be distinguished from
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other pipe-making materials by using a streak
plate (a small tile, of unglazed porcelain) and
the Munsell Soil Color Chart. Catlinite has a
streak which falls, only within hue 5R on the
color chart.
Catlinite pipe, probably Ioway, late 17th century,
from the protohistoric Wamampito Site, Bremer
County, IA.
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March 2014
sometimes the images were far from flattering.
The Pawnee and Sioux were master effigy
carvers. The T-shaped bowl we recognize
today became widely associated with peace
pipes because the white negotiators usually
encountered them at treaty ceremonies.
Ceremonial pipes were used by the Lakota
Sioux as a means of conveying prayers or
wishes to the creation forces or beings. The
tobacco mixture that was burned in a pipe
and the resultant smoke was thought to
carry those prayers. The pipe was smoked
in personal prayer, as well as at collective
rituals. It served as a means of conveying
the thoughts of the smoker. Assembling the
pipe (i.e. connecting the bowl with the stem)
and the smoking mixture symbolically formed
a bridge believed necessary for successful
communication with non-humans that
influenced fates and outcomes.
photo by Bill Whittaker at en. wikipedia
THE PIPE IN ITS SPIRITUAL CONTEXT:
Ceremonial smoking marked important
activities of the Plains people; rallying forces
for warfare against rival groups, prior to the
trading of goods and hostages, ritual dancing,
and in medicine ceremonies. The pipe bowl,
stem and tobacco were stored in animal skin
pouches or in wrapped bundles along with
other sacred paraphernalia. After smoking the
tobacco ashes were disposed of in special
places. Pipes had an identity, were a valued
possession, and were frequently buried with
their owner.
Pipe designs varied over time and by the
time of Catlin’s visit in 1835, the simple tube
of earlier times had developed into elbow
and disk forms, as well as elaborate animal
and human effigies. In the 19th century, the
pipes found their way through trade into white
society. Bowls were sometimes carved effigies
honoring white politicians and explorers;
Calumet (pipe) used by Black Hawk, on display at the
Black Hawk Historic Site in Rock Island, Illinois.
Photo by Wikipedia user: Bill Whittaker
CRAFTING AND SHAPING:
Catlinite is soft enough to be carved with
stone or metal knives and drills. Native
Americans traditionally used bow drills; the
tip of the drill was fashioned with a quartz
point which (when combined with water) could
bore out even the hardest pipestone. They
then employed moistened, thin rawhide strips
rolled in pulverized quartz, that were stretched
with a bow handle. The bow saw was used
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to rough-shape the blanks for the pipe bowl.
Bowls could then be shaped with gradations
of sandstone. After shaping, the bowls were
polished using water and progressively finer
abrasive grits, then worked with animal hide,
and finally hand rubbed with buffalo tallow or
facial oils to complete the polishing.
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March 2014
in Pt./vol. 1. Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Gov’t Printing
Office: Washington, DC.
King, J. C. H. 1977. Smoking Pipes of the North
American Indian. British Museum: London, England.
63p.
Sigstad, John S. 1970. A Field Test for Catlinite.
American Antiquity 35:3, 377-382.
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catlinite, Also
see nicotiana, peace pipe, various others.
Woolworth, Alan R.(ed.) 1983. The Red Pipestone
Quarry of Minnesota:
Archaeological and Historical Reports. Minnesota
Archaeologist 42(1-2). Minneapolis, MN
From Gem Cutters News, June-July 2011 via The Rockhound,
June 2011
Early 20th Century Native American owl-shaped
pipestone pipe.
photo by Shooting Brooklyn from Flickr
Today, the rough rock can be cut and shaped
using common, carpenter hand tools. A
regular hacksaw blade can rough-shape the
blank. The blank can scraped w with a file,
rasp, or knife blade, then smoothed with
various gradations of sandpaper.
If desired, the piece can be incised using any
thin, sharpened tool. The piece can then be
gently heated and rubbed with beeswax (fat
and facial oils still work). The item can then be
immersed in cold water to harden the wax that
was worked into pores of the rock.
Finally, the item can be polished with a soft
cotton cloth.
REFERENCES
DeMallie, Raymond J.(ed.) 2001. Handbook of North
American Indians. Plains, Vol. 13 Parts 1 & 2.
Smithsonian Institution: Washington, DC,
Holmes, William H. 1907. Catlinite. Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico.
Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 30. p. 217- 219
Minerals SIG Group
Tuesday, March 11
The Minerals Special Interest Group will meet
on March 11 at 7 p.m. at the club house.
No formal presentation is scheduled, so
show & tell will head the agenda, with a few
administrative items to discuss.
AGMS Meetings Schedule
Metalsmith SIG-- 2nd & 4th Monday--6:30 pm
Board Meeting-- 2nd Tuesday--7pm
Minerals SIG -- 2nd Tuesday--7pm
Gem Capers Show-- 3rd Thursday
General Meeting-- 4th Thursday--7 pm
The Stone Chipper is the official publication of the Austin Gem and Mineral Society.
It is
published monthly in Austin, Texas. Expanded minutes of Board Meetings are available upon
request. Note: Clip art images are under Copyright 2014 by the AGMS and its licensors. All rights
reserved. Unless otherwise noted, text items in The Stone Chipper may be reproduced in other
nonprofit publications as long as proper credit is given to the author and The StoneChipper. All
authors who make submissions to this newsletter are presumed to agree with this policy.
The Stone Chipper
Carolyn Perkins, Editor
6719 Burnet Lane
Austin, Texas 78757
stonechipper@austingemandmineral.org
Address Correction Requested
Austin Gem and Mineral Society
Austin, Texas
Please visit us at www.Austingemandmineral.org
March 2014 Newsletter