no stone unturned - cairns mineral & lapidary club inc. · 2019-12-17 · set your imagination...

MARCH 2011 ISSUE This Year, Our Club is Celebrating 50 Years of Lapidary 1

No Stone Unturned

President Allan Rose

Secretary Jeanne Mora

Editor & Publisher:

Jeanne Mora

News and views of the

Cairns Mineral & Lapidary

Club Inc

Ph: 0450 185250

Email:

[email protected] Opening Times:

Monday: 7:00pm-9:30pm Wednes-

day: 8:30-4:00pm (7:00pm-9:30pm

tuition) Saturday: 10:00am-4:00pm

Club Rooms:

Youth Centre Grounds,

129 Mulgrave Rd. Cairns,

PO Box 389,

Westcourt

Queensland 4870

A

Touch

of

Fantasy SET YOUR IMAGINATION FREE.

Two of our club members, Trevor Hannam & Kay

Gadd have created these artworks from a mix of

media and gemstones

Above:

Created by Trevor Hannam, this silver dragonfly

perches on top of a clear quartz crystal which, in

turn is fixed to a thin slice of polished agate. The

wings are also cut from a thin slice of polished

agate highlighted by a silver bezel. The small eyes

are clear cubic zirconia, the head and chest are

enstatite and body is set with 8 blue sapphires.

Right:

Created by Kay Gadd, this gem tree features

leaves of tumbled citrine and smoky quartz.

Perched in the tree is a dragon and beside the rock

at the base is a skull, the remains of one of the

dragon’s victims

skull


CLUB PHONE NUMBER: 04 5018 5250

CLUB EMAIL [email protected]

OFFICE BEARERS

CLUB PATRON HON. DESLEY BOYLE MP

President Allan Rose* 40545850

Vice President Trevor Hannam*

Secretary Jeanne Mora* 40330028

Treasurer Carolyn Whittaker*

Assistant Secretary David Croft

Assistant Treasurer

OTHER PERSONNEL

Purchasers Bill Hall*, Betty Reece

Specimen Curator David Croft,

Cabochon Instructors Trevor Hannam

Silver Instructors Bill Hall, Sylvia Rose, Jan Saal, .

Faceting Advisor Jim Lidstone*, Joe Ferk,

Carving Advisors (position vacant)

Field Trip Officer (position vacant)

Machinery Curators David Croft, Jim Lidstone

Specimen Testers David Croft, Trevor Hannam

QLACCA Delegate Bill Reece

Youth Centre Delegate Bill Reece

Librarians Betty Reece, Jean Morrow

Events Coordinators (position vacant)

Honorary Auditor Vic Cummings

* Club key holders

Please give these people all the help and support that you can!

MEMBERSHIP FEES (due January 1st)

Family: New $60:00 / year

Family: Renewal $40:00 / year

Adult Member: New $30:00 / year

Adult Member: Renewal $20:00 / year

Junior Member: New $ 20:00 / year

Junior Member Renewal $10:00 / year

(Members are those over 12 years of age. Children

under the age of 12 are welcome on field trips and in

the main Clubroom under their parents’ supervision.

(They must not enter the workrooms.)

CLUB HOURS

Monday Nights: 7:00pm to 9:30pm

Wednesday; 8:30am to 4:00pm

Wednesday Night: 7:00pm to 9:30pm (Classes)

Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Club closed on long weekends and public holidays.

WORKROOM FEES

Monday Night: $4:00

Wednesday: $8:00 all day $4:00 morning only

Saturday: $6:00 all day $4:00 half day

NB:

• NON-FINANCIAL MEMBERS MAY NOT USE THE

WORK ROOMS.

• VISITORS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN WORK

ROOMS UNLESS THEY ARE BEING SHOWN

AROUND THE CLUB BY A MEMBER

INSTRUCTION CLASS COSTS

Dates will be advertised on notice board..

Cabbing $30:00 (includes material)

Jewellery $100:00 (may change subject to

silver costs)

Faceting $72:00 (includes material)

Carving $8:00 (includes materials)

Casting $5:00 firing/flask (materials extra)

(Purchase of all materials for casting., can be made at the

front counter. Please see Bill Hall to order commercial

waxes, which take up to three weeks to arrive. We sell

carving wax, for those who’d like to make their own wax

mould.)

INSTRUCTION CLASSES ARE ADVERTISED ON THE SANDWICH

BOARD NEAR THE FRONT DOOR. MEMBERS SHOULD CHECK

DATES AND DETAILS AND SIGN UP AT THE FRONT COUNTER IF

INTERESTED.

Inquiries may also be made at the front counter

ROCK CUTTING FEES 30c / inch² (members)

50c / inch² (non-members)

MEETINGS

General Meetings are held at 1:00pm on the first Saturday of each month. (unless otherwise advised). We keep the meetings as short as practical.

Please come along and meet fellow club members and have your say on how your club should be run.


PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hello there club members

This is your new president and there are a few things that I would like to say. My first comment would be to offer thanks to Bill Reece who had acted so ably as president for the

past years.

Since I now have the responsibility and wear the so-called hat there are some things I will comment on. I know that I can count upon the very few reliable and ever-present members that seem to do everything neces-sary within the club. They make the club have a real heartbeat and they know who I am talking about. What we do need is an infusion of members who are also pre-pared not only to do their own particular lapidary thing but also become involved in the heart of the matter.

Membership of our club offers opportunities to pursue interests within an environment second to none That is what we have with our clubrooms and equipment. Membership also requires participation in the maintenance of this our club (all members).... from the little things like cleaning up equipment after work sessions. Like helping to restore order in the kitchen after using the facilities. Like offering to run the carpet sweeper over the floor which everybody inadvertently soils.

I need say no more. Let us all enjoy the facilities that we have amongst friends in our 50

th. year.

Have a safe, healthy and creative year.

May the heart beat strong. Allan Rose.

DATES TO REMEMBER

5-6 Nth Brisbane Gem & Jewel Festival

Aviation High School, Hendra.

11-12 Minerama, District Services Club,

Cnr Lang and Gray Sts, Glen Innis.

19 QLACCA General Meeting, Gatton Show.

19 Gatton Lap, Club Gem, Wood & Pottery

Show. Sports Centre, Gatton Show Gnds.

2 QLACCA Management Meeting,

Gunya Club Rooms.

22-24 Darling Downs Bottle & Collectables

Club, Rock Swap. Warwick Show Gnds

22-25 47TH GEMBOREE, NATIONAL GEM &

MINERAL SHOW. Bathurst Show

Grounds

25 Anzac Day

30 Redcliffe Gem & Mineral,Jewellery Craft

Show. TBA

30 QLACCA General Meeting. TBA

BIRTHDAYS

We send birthday greetings to all members born in

March 2011.

David Croft, Jim Lidstone, Trish Harper, Carol Moore.

(If I have missed your name, please let me know so that I can send

you a birthday “hello”. Jeanne)

Those with birthdays in the month of March have

tourmaline and blood jasper as your birth stones

Because of their colour, luster, form and rarity, gem-

stones have always been regarded by humans as

special. They have always been surrounded by a touch

of mystery and many people believe they possess the

ability to protect the wearer against injury, to enhance

inner strength and to alleviate the symptoms of medical

conditions.

“The Crystal Bible” by Judy Hall has this to say about

the March birth stones, Tourmaline and Bloodstone:

“Tourmaline cleanses, purifies and transforms dense

energy into a lighter vibrations…..It forms a protective

shield around the body.”

“As the name suggests, Bloodstone is an excellent

blood cleanser and a powerful healer.”

For those interested in the Zodiac:

Those born under the zodiac sign of Pisces (20/2 to

20/3), your zodiac stones are amethyst and quartz but

the following are said to be closely aligned to your sign:

aquamarine, blue quartz, diamond, jade, moonstone,

opal, sapphire and sugilite. Those born under the zodiac

sign of Aries (21/3—20/4), Red Jasper and Carnelian

are your birth stones but the following are said to be

closely aligned to your sign: Bloodstone, Chalcedony,

Chrysoprase, Ruby and Silex. (Silex is jasper which is

yellow and either spotted or striped with a brown-red

colour).

EASTER AND ANZAC DAY

The Easter weekend and Anzac Day holiday fall at the

same time this April (making a very long weekend from

Friday 22nd

to Wednesday 27th). This means the club

will not be open on Saturday, 23rd. Monday, 25th. &

Wednesday, 27th. Please mark these dates on your

calendar.

Weather permitting, this is a great time of year to go to

O’Brien’s Creek to hunt up some gem stones. The

caravan park there has been upgraded and Carolyn

Whittaker has extended an invitation to club fossickers

to her house on the hilltop for a BBQ. Check the notice

board for further details.

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NZ CONNECTION.

We send our deepest sympathy to those people who

were in any way affected by the recent massive earth-

quake, that destroyed much of the beautiful city of

Christchurch. Many of our club members have friends

and relatives in New Zealand.

(The club regularly receives the Canterbury Mineral &

Lapidary Club Newsletter by email. You’ll find copies in

the club library.)

GET WELL SOON:

Our best wishes go to both David Roney and his wife

Margaret and also to any other club members who are

currently feeling below par.

VALE DOUG BALL

Many of our club members would have known Doug Ball

aka Mr Tumbles, Gemstone shop owner & dealer and ex

-member of NBLC who recently retired to Deepwater,

NSW. Doug passed away recently from cancer. His

funeral was held at Albany Creek Crematorium. Lakeside

Chapel at 1pm Wednesday, 19th, January, 2011.

LAPIDARY TIPS & HINTS:

Experienced lapidaries have some brilliant tips & hints on

how to get the best results in all things lapidary, from

how to find raw material to the best methods of cutting,

polishing and setting the gemstones. Although you may

feel that sharing such tips is like “reinventing the wheel”,

those of us who are new to the hobby, would appreciate

any help we can get. Please let Jeanne know any useful

tips to print in “No Stone Unturned”.

SOMETHING TO LAUGH ABOUT:

After all the natural disasters that have recently beset us,

we could do with a good belly laugh. If you have jokes or

funny anecdotes you’d like to share, that are suitable for

this publication, please pass them on.

(Some of my better sources have dried up…..Ed)

DID YOU KNOW?

The nicest thing about human beings is that when things are at their worst, they are at their best.

Happenings from

around the Club

CALL FOR RAFFLE DONATIONS

Bill Reece who is now running all raffles has asked

members to donate articles for

1. Monthly Raffles (not too expensive) and

2. Annual Raffle ( as valuable as you like)

WEDNESDAY’S LADIES

Are involved in the creation of a large gem tree for the

annual raffle. Kay Gadd has already crafted the main

trunk and large branches. A “whip around” of those

present on Wednesday collected sufficient funds to

purchase the gemstones and wire for the ladies to

complete this work of art. Many thanks to both creators

and donors of funds. These ladies really have initiative!

WINNER OF THIS MONTH’S RAFFLE

Of a gem tree (donated by Kay Gadd) was won by

Sylvia Rose. Thanks Kay and congratulations Sylvia.

GEM FESTIVAL JULY 30th & 31st

1. Colamon Mining are to be contacted & offered a

place in the main club room. A large free-standing

sign will be made to show visitors the location of

the dealers in the room next door to the club.

2. Food & refreshments will be moved to outside the

cab room windows, under gazebos. Power cords

will be run through the louvers of the cab room.

The kitchen will be used only for preparation and

storage and food passed out through the louvres

(this will prevent congestion near the kitchen).

3. The Ergon marquee will not be used (this will free

up a lot of space) & small gazebos will be

obtained for Refreshment areas.

AS THIS IS OUR MAIN OPPORTUNITY TO

# PUBLICISE OUR CLUB

# SHOW OFF OUR HOBBY

# EXHIBIT OUR PERSONAL WORK

# CELEBRATE OUR 50th ANNIVERSARY

PLEASE OFFER YOUR ASSISTANCE WHERE-EVER IT’S NEED-

ED.

DID YOU KNOW?

The price of silver continues to rise as do most things

apart from our incomes! Also Bill Hall now includes

silver casting in his instructions. That means the cost of

silver classes has risen to offset these expenses. Apol-

ogies to those currently taking instruction who were

expecting to pay the old prices.


METAL WORKERS

CHOOSING SAW BLADES & DRILL BITS

This chart will help you decide what size saw blade and/or drill bit

to use for the thickness of your metal.

To cut out and keep.

CHOOSING THE JUMP RING SIZ-ES TO BEST SUIT THE DIAMETER OF YOUR WIRE.

This handy guide will ensure that you make jump rings that are easy to work with.

DID YOU KNOW?

These precious substances should never be cleaned with chemicals: amber, coral, emerald, ivory, jade, labradorite, lapis lazuli, malachite, moonstone, opal, pearl, peridot, tiger-eye, topaz & turquoise. Use a soft cloth to polish these and when deeper cleaning is needed use warm water & a mild detergent. (do not soak) Those underlined may need to be lightly oiled.

These precious substances should never be placed in an ultrasonic cleaner: amber, carnel-ian, coral, emerald, ivory, jade, labradorite, lapis lazuli, malachite, moonstone, opal, pearl, peridot, tiger-eye, topaz & turquoise. Take care with quartz, ruby, & tourmaline which may also be damaged.

JUMP RING SIZES

Ring WIRE DIAMETER & GAUGE

Mm- . 6 .8 1 1.2 1.5 2

Gauge 22 20 18 16 14 12

Saw blades come in sizes ranging from 8/0 (smallest) to 8

(largest). The blade must be inserted into the frame with the teeth

pointing downwards and away from the frame


Source:- Encarta Encyclopaedia

SAFETY BASICS FOR METAL WORKERS

YEAR TRADITIONAL

Something made of

MODERN

Something made of

1 paper clock

2 Cotton or straw china

3 leather crystal or glass

4 Fruit, flowers or

books

appliance

5 wood silverware

6 Sugar& candy or iron woodenware

7 Wool or copper Desk accessories

8 Bronze or pottery Linen or lace

9 Willow or pottery leather

10 Tin or aluminium Diamond jewellery

11 steel Fashion jewellery

12 Silk or linen pearls

13 Lace Textiles or furs

14 ivory Gold jewellery

15 crystal watch

20 china platinum

25 silver silver

30 pearl Diamond jewellery

35 coral jade

40 ruby ruby

45 sapphire sapphire

50 gold gold

55 emerald emerald

60, 70,

75

diamond diamond

WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES

Although this subject has little to do with lapidary, I am frequently asked

what element symbolizes each year for gift giving …. So here goes

JADE IN AUSTRALIA Above: An outcrop of jade (nephrite)

at Cowell, South Australia.

Below: A harp of carved black Cowell jade and cast silver.


JADE

“The Stone of Heaven”

Jade has been known, used and respected by mankind for thousands of years.

Possibly the civilization which embraced the stone, elevating it to a level of great value and mysticism were the Chinese.. As far back as Neolithic times, the Chinese had found the stone very versatile and tough, using it for tools and weap-ons and even to create symbolic objects for religious rituals. It became so important in their religious ceremonies, philosophy, and art that it became known as “The Stone of Heaven”. For 2000 years of Chinese history, a phenome-na called “The Jade Cult” dominated Chinese society. The Emperor drew cosmic powers from a disk shaped piece of jade known as a pi. The pi was the most important of six ritual jade objects sacred to the Chinese. However the full story of their relationship with jade is far too complex to tell here. Suffice to say it played a vital role in their culture for thousands of years.

Unlike today where carving is often done quickly with a flexi-shaft, it could sometimes take an ancient Chinese artisan a lifetime to carve an intricate sculpture from jade . It was not an easy task and primitive tools made the work arduous. It was during the Ch’ien Lung Dynasty, that jade carvings reached the highest level of skill in the long histo-ry of jade sculpting.

Interestingly, despite the significance of jade in Chinese culture, there were no deposits of jade in China. All jade was imported, probably from Turkestan (which is now the Chinese province of Sinkiang). There were also deposits of jade in Tibet which were worked for 2000 years. Jade from deposits in Myanmar were also used.

Jade’s characteristics can explain why it was exalted by the Chinese. We now know that the jade used by the ancient Chinese was Nephrite, a calcium magnesium silicate, and a member of the tremolite-actinolite series of minerals, Nephrite differs from other minerals in this group in that it has typically fibrous crystals which are compactly and tightly matted and meshed together. This produces an extremely tough, tufted structure which allows it to be carved into very thin and delicate objects that are not as fragile as they look. Nephrite is three times denser than water and while its most valued and well known colour is green, it also occurs in shades of white, brown, yellow and grey to black (even shades of blue have been found) and samples where colours are mixed.. Most of these colours are due to the presence of traces of iron in the mineral.

However the knowledge and supposed religious significance of jade was not confined to the Chinese. Indian tribes of Central and South America also valued it. The Mayan people particularly valued jade. As the Mayan empire declined other tribes adopted the lore of jade. To these people, the magical values of jade depended more on its colour than on any other of its properties. In Pre-Columbian Central America, jade was more highly valued than gold, and when the jade supplies (demanded by the Aztecs as tribute from conquered tribes) began to dwindle, some large jade carvings were hollowed out to provide more raw material. Montezuma was reportedly relieved that the Conquistadors were seeking gold and weren’t looking for their jade which they regarded as far more valuable. This particular jade was jadeite. (For a comparison between the Nephrite and jadeite see page 8).

The name “jade” originated during the Spanish conquest of Central America and is a corrupted form of the Spanish piedra de ijada meaning “stone of the loins” as it was said to protect against and cure kidney diseases. In Central America, after the Spanish conquest, jade carving came to a sudden end. In China, however, this art was never interrupted.

Also, in the same time frame, soon after their arrival in their new country, the Maoris of New Zealand learnt the value of jade which was found mainly around Mt Cook in the South Island this jade (nephrite) known by the Maoris as pounamu (green stone) was mid to dark green and was used for tools and high quality samples were carved into the significant shape of the deity Hei-Tiki.

It wasn’t until 1863, in Paris that “jade” was proven to be two distinct minerals, Jadeite and Nephrite. These minerals differ in their properties but the term “jade” refers to both (see table page 8). Several other minerals are also called jade, but this will not be addressed here. Although jade is not as popular today as it was in ancient times, both Jadeite and Nephrite are cut and polished en cabochon , in other jewellery and for vases (for both decorative and religious purposes).

Above an emerald green jadeite jar

carved during the Ch’ien Lung period.

Hei-Tiki carved from New Zealand geenstone.


PROPERTIES JADEITE NEPHRITE

Colour Green: also all other colours Green:also other colours

Colour of streak White White

Moh’s Hardness 6.5—7 6.0—6.5

Density 3.30—3.38 2.9—3.03

Fracture splintery, brittle splintery, sharp-edged, brittle

Crystal System Monoclinic, intergrown, grainy aggregate Monoclinic, intergrown fine fibrous aggregate

Chemical Composition NaAlSi2O6, sodium aluminium silicate Ca2(Mg, Fe)5(OH)2(Si4,O1)2 basic magnesium

iron silicate

Transparency opaque, translucent opaque

Refractive Index 1.6 1.6—1.67

Double Refraction 0.020 -0.027 often none

Dispersion none none

Pleochroism absent absent

Absorbtion spectrum Green 691, 655, 630, (495), 450, 437,

433

(689), 509, 490, 460

Fluorescence Greenish, weak whitish glimmer none

Other Very tough and resistant because of its

interlocking grains.

Is more common than jadeite. Is a dense

felt-like fibrous aggregate variety of the

actinolite-tremolite mineral series that is

even tougher than jadeite.

From previous page

AUSTRALIAN JADE.

In 1965, Harry Schiller, a local farmer prospecting in the Cowell area of the Eyre Peninsular (South Australia), found

a large boulder of dense hard rock. In early 1966, this specimen was identified as nephrite at Adelaide University.

But it wasn’t until 1976 that the SA government funded a trial mining program and an evaluation of the colours,

texture and carving potential of the nephrite.

Shortly after Cowell Jade Pty Ltd became the dominant lease holder and marketeer of Cowell jade. In January 1987,

Cowell Jade Pty Ltd became a public company and changed its name to Gemstone Corporation of Australia which

entered an agreement with the Malaysian-based Royal Selangor Group to design, produce and market carvings, and

items of jewellery, and tiles from Cowell (nephrite) jade.

Quality and Value

Cowell jade exhibits a variety of colours and textures, but consists predominantly of medium to fine grained material

showing, greenish yellow to green hues, grading to black. Three main varieties are marketed:

• Green nephrite

• Black nephrite

• Premium black nephrite

Dark green to black varieties predominate, however the typical apple- and emerald-green colours of some overseas

deposits are lacking.

Jade of carving quality is first trimmed with a diamond saw, carved using diamond tipped tools, and then polished

with a diamond paste to achieve its characteristic final lustre. (source: The Gemmological Society of Australia)


Mario was going to be married to Maria who was truly

the sweetest girl on the face of the earth but his mea-

gre wage simply was not enough to support them both,

so he approached his boss to explain why he desperate-

ly needed a raise. He had rehearsed his speech and told

his boss about the need to rent a larger flat, that feeding

two (and later perhaps even more) mouths was not as

cheap as feeding one, and on and on he went. His boss

listened sympathetically then said, “Yes Mario, I can see

you can’t get married on the wage I’m paying you and

some day you’ll thank me for it.”

Three mates were having a drink together and two of

them were boasting how they ruled the roost at home

and their wives did everything they said. Through all this

the third man was unusually quiet. Eventually the other

two began to ask him how he managed the household

“pecking order”. The third man thought for a while then

said. “Well the other day my wife came to me on hands

and knees!”

The others were very impressed and wanted more

detail . “What else did she say?” one asked.

“Well, she said,” commented the third, “Come out from

under the bed and fight like a man!”

Pictured below: Christchurch NZ city centre as the February

earthquake struck. This photo was taken by a tourist and

emailed to me by Don Stanley of Canterbury Mineral & Lapi-

dary Club.

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

Camp fires are few and far between these days… the

rain keeps putting them out. In fact it rained so much in

the first 6 months of 2010 that we only had about 10 or

so fine days to dash out to cut the knee high grass. Then

during spring, when it’s really our dry season, the rain

eased off to constant drizzle and everything grew a coat

of mildew, except the cement paths. They turned an in-

teresting shade of green. Well we just finished with all

that rain and the wet season began, Yasi appeared and

hurled things around and it actually fined up for a couple

of days but its back to normal now….raining again!

Two patients limp into two different hospitals with the

same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear

to require a hip replacement. The first patient is

examined within the hour, X-rayed the same day and has

a time booked for surgery the following week. The

second patient sees his family doctor after waiting three

weeks for an appointment. Then he waits 8 weeks to see

a specialist, then is sent for an X-ray which isn’t reviewed

for another week. He is finally scheduled for surgery 3

months later. What was the difference between the two

patients? The first was a Golden retriever & his “doctor”

a vet. The second was a senior citizen! Makes you think

doesn’t it!


CAIRNS MINERAL and LAPIDARY CLUB INC.

129 Mulgrave Road, CAIRNS (Youth Centre Grounds)

DEALERS

MORNING &

AFTERNOON TEAS

DEMONSTRATIONS

* Cabochon polishing

* Faceting

* Silver-smithing

* Gold Panning

* Metal Detecting

DISPLAYS

* Club Members’ Work

* Polished Agates

* Mineral Specimens

WHY NOT VISIT THE NORTH’S GEMFIELDS WHILE YOU’RE UP HERE?

CHILDREN

FOSSICK FOR

YOUR OWN

GEM-STONE

EXPERIENCE OUR GOOD OLD-FASHIONED NORTHERN HOSPITALITY

NEED MORE INFORMATION? Club Phone: 04 5018 5250

Email: [email protected]

WIN GREAT

RAFFLE PRIZES

MICRO-SPECIMENS

See magnified micro-specimens.

Amazing detail on a large

screen.

Bargains at a variety

of STALLS

THIS YEAR OUR CLUB IS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF LAPIDARY

SAUSAGE SIZZLE & COLD DRINKS

AVAILABLE ALL DAY

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JOIN US IN CELEBRATING OUR CLUB’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

no stone unturned - cairns mineral & lapidary club inc. · 2019-12-17 · set your imagination...

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