the tidewater prospector · treasures of the earth shows rosanne hinshaw (757) 467-8570 newsletter...

Newsletter for the Tidewater Gem and Mineral Society January 2020 Virginia Beach, VA

PRESIDENT

Robin Stoughton (757) 340-531

1st VICE PRESIDENT (Membership) Mike Jackson

(757) 855-1207

2nd VICE PRESIDENT (Program/Entertainment)

Kelley Finch

TREASURER (Finance)

Lloyd Schiffelbian (757) 495-7946

SECRETARY (History/Library)

Cheri Jackson (757) 855-1207

WORKSHOPS Bill Stoughton

(757) 340-5391

SHOWS Rosanne Hinshaw

(757) 467-8570

NEWSLETTER Judy Hyszczak (757) 533-1512

FIELD TRIPS Kelley Finch

(757) 630-6607

WAYS & MEANS Roger Tiangco (757) 490-3768

LIBRARIAN

Wesley Jacocks [email protected]

(757) 466-8138

HOSPITALITY Robin Stoughton (757) 340-5391

WEBSITE Brooks Britt

(757) 745-7104

Notes from the President by Robin Stoughton

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hoping 2020 will be a great year for all of us!

We had one of the best Christmas parties we have ever had! Thanks

to all members who helped make it a great success! Judy's new game with the plastic wrapped prize filled balls was a lot of fun and everyone seemed to love the game! We plan on getting some new surprises for the game for next Christmas.

Happy Birthday to all members who are celebrating one this month.

No minutes were taken at the December meeting due to our secretary being absent.

REMINDER: ALL newsletter input is required to be to Judy by the 3rd of each month, unless otherwise stated. If your info is not to her by the deadline, it will not be printed in that month’s newsletter. It takes Judy quite a while to get the newsletter together, as it is a lot of work, and when she doesn't have what she needs, it causes delays which is not fair to her.

Our annual club auction will be on Friday, March 20th, and will start earlier at 7:00pm. We do need donations for the auction. You may bring them to the meetings before the auction or with you in March. Please label them and if needed, put a minimum bid on the item.

Hospitality: Thanks to everyone who brought all the yummy foods to our Christmas party! All members are welcome to bring snacks to any of our meetings.

The Tidewater Prospector

Our Treasures of the Earth show dates this year are as follows: April 3rd-5th, July 17th-19th and October 9th-11th. PLEASE mark your calendars so that you don't forget the dates. We need members to set up displays so please start thinking about it now. We have some very nice display cases and it is a shame to let them sit in storage all year. We have small and large cases. If you have any questions on what to display please ask me at any of the meetings. We will also need members to demonstrate their art/ craft at the show. You may do as many hours as you like. Rosanne Hinshaw is our show chairman and you can reach her at 467-8570 or email her at [email protected]

Some of the other shows you may be interested in going to:

Highlands Road Gem Show and GL&W show: Franklin, NC, May 7-10 and July 22-26

Treasures of the Earth shows: Richmond, VA March 13-15 and Sept.18-20

Workshop: The workshop this month all depends on Mother Nature. If it is too cold, we will not have it. We will know the week of the meeting. If we do have it, we will be cabbing and cutting/polishing rocks and it will run from 10-5. You must be current on membership and there is a $5.00 fee. If you will not be attending the meeting, you may call Bill the week of the meeting to see if we are having the workshop or not. Bill's cell is 757-343-8656.

We are also in need of old towels, rags, t-shirts to use in the workshop to clean up spills, and the really old ones are used to clean out the saws. You can bring them to any meeting or workshop or drop them off at the house if you are in the area.

If any member would like to do a program, please let Kelley Finch know. You can reach her at 630-6607 or [email protected]

Thanks to all of our members for making our club a great one! Hope we all have some great rockhounding adventures this year!

mailto:[email protected]


THE TIDEWATER PROSPECTOR - Newsletter for the Tidewater Gem and Mineral Society, January 2020 Virginia Beach, VA

Treasurer’s Two Cents

Wesley’s Library Corner by Wesley Jacocks

Welcome back to the Librarian’s Corner. All the books I describe in this section are available for club members to check out and read.

The first book I’ll introduce to you is titled Cameos Old and New 2nd edition by Anna M. Miller. This is an interesting introduction to the appreciation and collection of cameos with their history from the Egyptian period to the present day. A cameo is basically a sculpture cut into a material by removing the material around it Just by reading through this book, I was interested in seeing if there are any old cameos in my family. The main thing I learned about the cameo is that the female figure seen on many cameos is only a recent, less artful form of the cameo which had previously represented emperors, kings, gods, and events.

The second book is Wire Sculpture and Jewelry by Warren Redford. This is an interesting book with many examples of pieces to start wire sculpture. Starting with a basic pendant mount, he takes the reader through pendants, display stands, different types of pendants and necklaces, different shapes for wire wrapping. Using this as the start, the reader should be able to come up with their own ideas for wire wrapping.

Dues remain at $15.00 for the year for adults; $7.50 for children

When renewing at the meeting, you will be filling out a new application. Review what we have on record to ensure that the information we have is accurate. Please let us know if you are using a new phone number or new email address.

December was a quiet month for the club's treasury. If you missed the Holiday Party, you missed a real treat with plenty of food and desserts, great camaraderie, and holiday gifts! The club raised $120 when 8 members renewed their memberships or joined the club. Please welcome our three new members: Hank FINCH, Kim HARRISON, and Sharon HISHOK. Club expenses were routine, except the club made a $100 holiday donation to the church for their hospitality throughout the year. The treasury balance is about $6,229. Membership now stands at 112 adults and four children.

by Lloyd Schiffelbian


January Program

This month’s presenter is Thomas Hale who is a recent graduate from Virginia Tech University & Virginia Western Community College. During his time at Virginia Western, he became heavily involved in mineral collecting and Virginia mineral research. He was the founder of A&T Relic Hunting and The Geology Man educational websites on Facebook and YouTube, and is one of the original founders of the Virginia Rockhounding group on Facebook. His newest endeavor is the “Virginia Mineral Project (VMP)” which just partnered with the Science Museum of Western Virginia in Roanoke Valley. Thomas has a strong passion for geology and has worked with researchers and museums collecting over 6,000 mineral and fossil specimens over the last five years. His primary collecting focus is Virginia minerals. His primary goal is to preserve Virginia mineral history and make sure that the hobby continues on to the next generation." He will present, “The New Generation of Virginia Mineral Collectors”: Have you ever wondered what the new generation of Virginia mineral collecting would look like? How would new rockhounds use technology and information to locate spots and outreach to those across the state and country? This presentation will be an introduction into his adventures in geology over the last five years and how he became involved in Virginia mineral research and history preservation. He will share beautiful photographs showcasing the power of high definition imaging to capture specimens like never before! Then discuss the importance of preserving our stories and sharing them with the community online using technology in ways that could not be done previously. At the end of the presentation he will share information about the "Virginia Mineral Project (VMP)" and how the club and its members can contribute to preserving Virginia mineral heritage. If you have stories, photographs, high-quality specimens to photograph, or just want to contribute through services or assistance you can reach Thomas Hale at 540-529-4506 or send a brief email to him at [email protected].



ROGER’S REFLECTIONS By Roger Tiangco

IT’S A YUMMY, YUMMY WORLD IN THE YULE DAYS, AND THE COLD WEATHER CAME ROLLING AROUND. WE ALL HAVE BUSY, BUSY DAYS – I WAIT FOR THIS THE WHOLE YEAR ROUND!

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! And we were treated to a smorgasbord of foods, foods and foods galore! The TGMS Christmas celebration is one special occasion we always enjoy. Whether it’s rainy or whether it’s snowy - the weather will never dampen the spirit of camaraderie – enhanced by wall-to-wall Club members and Guests that decorated the Meeting Hall. How true, how true as the proverb goes: “GOOD FRIENDS AT EASE, ARE LIKE HAM AND CHEESE”.

Talking about food – we had trays after trays of fresh cut salads, all kinds of fruits and varieties of delicatessens – hams, cheeses, hot dogs, steaming meatballs, green bean casseroles, fried chicken, Shrimp hors d’oeuvres, deviled eggs, bread buns, bread biscuits, dips and sauces, all sorts of cakes – pineapple upside cake, all variety of scrumptious desserts, chocolate balls impregnated with Bourbon liqueur and strong coffee throughout the evening.

We owe a great deal through the efforts of President Robin Stoughton, Hospitality Committee and everyone that brought in the most palatable cuisine in the World. TGMS, you all did a very wonderful job! THANK YOU!

Another facet of the Party was the Christmas gift giving part. Where is the Grinch? No Grinch man, no Grinch! Thanks to our Newsletter Editor - Ms. Judy H. had devised a brilliant gift-exchange where we formed a circle and while there was music playing - gifts were passed and changed hands, then when the music stopped – whoever is holding the gift it became theirs, then they exited the circle. The music played again and gifts were passed and changed hands again - and so forth and so on, until the gifts were all finished and everybody had their Christmas gift.

The second part of the gift-giving was the Plastic Wrap Ball Game. This game was held at each table and whatever gifts fell out while the player was unwrapping the ball were theirs to keep and they kept unwrapping the ball, until the person next to them threw the dice and came up with “doubles” – then THEY got the ball to unwrap and so on it went around the table, until the ball was completely unwrapped.

Our hearts filled with joy and excitement!

We were so thrilled to receive these Christmas gifts; there were so many of them. Please allow me to just mention a few as follows: Polished Brazilian

Agates, Amethyst specimens, Garnet balls and Specimens, Quartz Crystal specimens, Pyrites, Tiger Eye Specimens, and outstanding necklace – composed of such polished is over 18 inches in length with over 4-inch cascading gemstones at midpoint. MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPPY NEW YEAR!


Brad’s Bench Tips by Brad Smith

DEPTH GAUGE FOR DRILLING Sometimes you need to drill a number of holes all to the same depth. One quick and easy way to do this is to wind some tape around the drill bit so that the tape just touches the part surface when the hole is deep enough. You can set the depth either by measuring from the tip of the drill to the tape or by drilling to the correct depth, leaving the bit in the hole, and wrapping tape around the bit at the surface level. Note that a little extra tape left free on the end will blow away debris from the drilling.

CUTTING A BOLT Whenever you have to cut a threaded bolt shorter, it's often difficult to get the nut to thread back onto it. And the smaller the bolt, the more difficult it is to restore any distorted threads. The problem is easily solved with the use of a nut. Here's how I do it. First, screw a nut onto the bolt before cutting it. Grip the bolt by the threaded section that is to be sawed off. Then saw the bolt to the desired length, taper the end with sandpaper or file, and unscrew the nut from the bolt. Unscrewing the nut over the freshly cut end of the bolt will straighten out any damage that sawing and filing did to the threads. Gripping the bolt by the piece to be sawed off localizes any crushing damage to the piece that will be thrown away.

Be More Productive With Brad's "How To" Books Amazon.com/author/bradfordsmith

SCRAMBLES Mine hotspot ___________ Cab haze it ___________ Halite dune ___________ Bite list ___________ Hippie list ___________ Finally, what do all these minerals have in common?

Answers on page 13


CHRISTMAS PARTY MEMORIES Photos by Kelley Finch & Judy Hyszczak


I know a few people I could call rara avis, Latin for “rare bird”. Such people are interesting, fun but unusual, and, come to think of it, most are mineral collectors. But rarae aves (plural) could refer to rare minerals or rare specimens, and therein lays a problem. Can a person who claims to collect pretty things responsibly collect a specimen just because it is unusual. Isn’t that a conflict?

This came to mind because I claim not to specialize but rather to collect pretty things. But I recently pulled a few minerals out of my shoebox from the last Tucson Show, and I recalled that I bought them because they were kinda rare.

We should clear up the term “rare” before we go further. Some minerals are rare because there are only one or two samples known to the human race, and some are rare in spite of being a little more common. If a mineral is so scarce that few mineral collectors can find or afford a specimen, then it is surely rare. But we could also apply the term “rare” to minerals that are just not usually in collections – minerals you might not have heard of. That’s what I mean by rare.

So, when I had a chance to buy a specimen of Gorceixite from Neal Hubbard for just a few dollars, I didn’t pass it up. It didn’t look spectacularly pretty in its little box; it was just a hunk of light brownish stuff with a black spot, but the price was right. When I got it home under the microscope, I discovered that the Gorceixite was no more than a few tiny balls of bright yellow plates in a little vug. I bought it because I had not heard of it before, but those little balls are really bright and delicate at maximum magnification. I accidentally bought something rare that turned out to be pretty. Demerits? Neal also had kapundaite. That’s something I had heard of and the spreadsheet in my phone said I had at least one specimen, but it was unusual. I don’t think you will find many hand-size crystals of kapundaite. Through my loupe it was brown and black and lumpy and I didn’t remember quite what the mineral looked like, but the price was less than a cup of coffee, so I took it home in my shoebox. Under the scope, you will find that there is only a tiny vug of kapundaite on the larger specimen, but that vug is full of brilliant yellow needles arranged in sprays. It looks like a Disney special effect. The mineral I bought because it was a rara avis turns out to be a very pretty bit of nature’s art.

Shoebox Adventures 79: Rara Avis Photos and text by Mike Seeds

Little balls made of yellow plates. Gorceixite Les Montmins, Aller, France. Field of View 2 mm.

Continued on Page 9


Shoebox Adventures 79: Rara Avis (Continued)

Across the convention center, a dealer had a few micromounts in a flat, and as I went through them I found a specimen of haynesite, a uranium oxide. I have that mineral in my collection, but it was fun to see it again. It is named after a pal, Pat Haynes, and the price was only a few dollars, so put it in my shoe box. I didn’t buy it for its beauty, and not just because it is rare, but rather because it is named for a friend. I intended to remount the haynesite because it was just a small plate stuck in stickum in a box quite different from those I use. And also, someone had scribbled on the label, so it needed remounting. But when I got it home and looked closely, I discovered that what was written on the label was “P. E Haynes”, and it was dated 4/4/92. I think Pat signed the label, so, no, it does not get remounted. It gets promoted from being just another specimen of an uncommon mineral to a special mount, a rara avis named after a rara avis

It is not quite an accident that the three minerals shown here are bright yellow. Someone who collects pretty things is likely to be attracted to bright colors, and yellow is nice. But none of these were bought because they are pretty. That’s just the confounded sense of humor of the universe messing with us yet again.

Some people specialize in phosphates or minerals from a certain mine, but I don ’t want to limit myself, so I always say I collect pretty things. That is code, and it means, “I collect anything I like.” So, I don’t think I deserve any demerits for buying a few things because they are rare or unusual even if they later turn out to be pretty. Most of nature is pretty. I’m simply obeying Rule #1 of micromounting: There are no rules.

Kapunddaite from the type locality in Toms Quarry, Kapunda, South Australia. Field of View

Yellow Haynesite, Repete Mine, San Juan County, Utah. The Repete Mine is not only the type locality for Haynesite, it is the only known location for the mineral. Field of View 5.5 mm.


Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature January 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM

This tour is free of charge. It is a “hidden gem” with a large and diverse collection of rocks, minerals, gems, fossils, meteorites, dinosaur fossils as well as lab made specimens. It also has a room that showcases many fluorescent rocks. There are also ceramics, statues, glass work, coins and art work. These items date from Pre-Historic to Modern eras and are from China, Greece, The Roman Empire and India. There is something for everyone! We will be able to see several exhibits including:

Explore the Large Minerals Collection Across Time and Culture Ceramic Vessels from the Collection Continuum: Contemporary Ceramics in Historical Context

I must give a list of the tour attendees to the curator in advance. If you would like to attend please get in touch with me, Kelley Finch, no later than January 17th; let me know at one of our meetings (I will have a sign-up sheet)

or Email: [email protected] or Cell: 757-630-6607 (leave a message)

Museum Tour Rules: Please be mindful for what can be touched and what cannot be touched. Even the slightest fingerprint contains destructive chemicals that endanger even the hardest surfaces. Kindly help preserve objects for future generations.

Photographs are NOT permitted of any work of art on loan to the museum. Non-flash photography is only allowed in the permanent collection areas. No photographs or videos are permitted in the special exhibition galleries.

Food, beverages, gum, backpacks, water bottles, and umbrellas are not allowed in the galleries; these item must be left in your vehicle or at the coat check.

Directions & Parking: 5 Richmond Way Richmond, VA 23226

I recommend you plan on giving yourself at least three hours to get there as it is at least a two hour drive with no traffic. The gallery is on the ground floor of the Boatwright Memorial Library (Building 261) with a separate exterior entrance on Richmond Way. The reserved visitor parking for the Lora Robin Gallery of Design from Nature, is severely limited. There are a limited number of visitor parking places along Richmond Way. If these visitor spaces are full, please stop by the museum to receive a tem-porary parking pass. You may register in advance with UR Parking Services (804-289-8703) or [email protected] and have a parking pass mailed to you. This pass will allow gallery patrons to park in parking spaces for students, faculty and staff.


Imagine yourself spending a week away from the hustle and bustle of life, the noise of car and truck horns, blaring radios, stories of crime blaring at you from the local news, and the pressures of everyday life. We have a wonderful opportunity to get away from all of the above and immerse yourself in relaxing, learning a new skill or two, and learning new things from a guest speaker. Imagine – a week away in the mountains of North Carolina attending one or both of the 2020 EFMLS Workshops at Wildacres Retreat. Wildacres is a fantastic haven located on Pompey’s Knob just off the Blue Ridge Parkway about an hour north of Asheville. The property consists of over 1,000 acres, much of which is truly kept “wild.” Think rocking chairs, comfortable nights, starry skies, and great conversation! The facility features two large lodges with private, motel style bedrooms (each with private bath), well equipped lapidary and jewelry studios and other classroom spaces, an auditorium, hiking trails, a dining room, and fantastic views of Mt. Mitchell and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Wildacres is owned by a private foundation that allows non-profit groups, such as ours, to come for a few days for workshops that encourage the betterment of mankind. We’ve been privileged to be allowed to use the facility for the past 47 years. Think of Wildacres as summer camp, but without the tents.

Imagine – a week immersed in our hobby, getting to know others who share that hobby—whether you’re interested in jewelry, lapidary, or minerals. Each session consists of time for participants to take one or two classes (one 4-day class or two 2-day classes) and hear excellent talks from our guest speaker -- Bob Jones for our Spring Session. Bob Jones is a renowned author, speaker, and prolific writer for Rock and Gem Magazine. He always enthralls audiences with his knowledge and effervescent presentations to audiences. Join a field trip, explore the area, and participate in a variety of other

activities. Our instructors, all volunteers, are outstanding and bring with them a wealth of knowledge about their subject, lots of teaching experience and above all, patience! Imagine – a week of no cooking, housekeeping, or errand running! The food is well prepared, abundant and accommodating to special dietary needs. Meals are served family style in the very pleasant dining hall. Dates for 2020 are May 18 – 24 and August 24 – 30. Descriptions for our spring classes can be found on the next two pages. Fall classes will be announced later. Tuition for each session this year will be $435 per person, which includes your room and board for the week and gratuity for the Wildacres Retreat staff. You will be asked to pay your instructor a materials fee, but that depends on what class or classes you select. Materials fees will be announced closer to the workshop session since costs, especially that of metals, do tend to change. Since some classes fill quickly, we ask that you include 4 options per “semester”. More information about the EFMLS Workshops at Wildacres (https://efmls.org/wildacres) can be found on our website. Do register, but not before January 1, 2020. In a nutshell, an EFMLS Workshop at Wildacres should be on your bucket list of places to experience. We hope to see you there in 2020! EFMLS Wildacres Registration Form link: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/af096484-e167-4bf1-9ca1c7a7decb6f97/downloads/wildacres%202019%20registration%20form%20(fillable).pdf?ver=1575996944029.

EFMLS Wildacres Workshop Registration Opened This Month!

https://efmls.org/wildacres

https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/af096484-e167-4bf19ca1c7a7decb6f97/downloads/wildacres%202019%20registration%20form%20(fillable).pdf?%20ver=1575996944029




EFMLS Wildacres Registration Form Link

WILDACRES SPRING CLASES MAY 20-26, 2019 SPEAKER-N-RESIDENCE: RENEE NEWMAN


EFMLS Wildacres Registration Form Link

2019 WILDACRES SPRING CLASSES - Continued

Tidewater Gem & Mineral Society P.O. Box 61021 Virginia Beach, Va. 23466-1021

About This Publication The Tidewater Prospector is the monthly newsletter of the Tidewater Gem and Mineral Society, Virginia Beach, Virginia, associated with the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Permission to copy freely granted when proper credit given to both the publication and the author. The Tidewater Gem and Mineral Society is a non-profit organization devoted to the collecting and study of minerals, gemstones, geology, paleontology and the lap-idary arts as well as the love and deep appreciation of the great outdoors. Meetings are the third Friday of each month at 7:30 PM at Memorial United Methodist Church located at 804 Gammon Road, Virginia Beach, VA Our monthly meetings are open to everyone, no admission is charged. Website: http://tgms.weebly.com/ Please contact Brooks Britt with any photos that you would like to add to our site. Email him at: [email protected] You can also view this newsletter on the site. Email [email protected] to submit articles to the newsletter editor. Deadline is third of the month for material for the newsletter - but the sooner, the better! Facebook: http://www.facebook.com Login to FB, then go to Groups and in the search box, type in “Tidewater Gem & Mineral Society”, The page is open to view by anyone. Click “join” to join the group to add photos of your own and to post information. Brooks administrates the site and will get back with you. The puzzle was made using the Word Search Generator on www.atozteacherstuff.com.

Our meeting in January is on Friday the17th at 7:30 pm at Memorial United Methodist Church,

804 Gammon Road, Virginia Beach, VA. (Gammon Road is off of Indian River Road, in

between Military Highway and Providence Road)

FAIR USE NOTICE: This publication may contain cop-

yrighted material the use of which has not been been

specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are

making such material available in our efforts to advance

the educational understanding of the amateur jewelry

fabrication and rock collecting hobbies. We believe this

constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material

as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law.

If you wish to use material from this publication for

commercial or purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair

use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright

owner.

Scrambles: Answers

Mine hotspot Thompsonite Cab haze it Chabazite Halite dune Heulandite Bite list Stilbite Hippie list Philipsite What do all these minerals have in common? They are all zeolites.

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