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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
June 2007.
Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.
This month's photo is by Ed Clark.
Description: Calcite and Fluorite fluorescing.
Rambling Picture of the Month is photographed by a VGMS Member. Subject may be a specimen in their own collection or a rock, mineral, gem or lapidary creation of others, accompanied with documentation of subject origin. Selection is at the discretion of the editor. Submit candidate photos to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.
Permission is granted to quote any item, if proper credit is given. Exchange Editors: email to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com or mail to 3063 Bayshore Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001-4125.
For the record, any unsigned articles are by the Editor.
Table of Contents.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
Well, summer is now upon us and it's a good time to go out into the field on one of our collecting trips. Be sure to check the lineup of field trips in the bulletin and join us on one. I also hope everyone had a chance to visit and/or participate in the Annual California Federation Show in Lancaster/Palmdale. At this writing I don't know how I did in the competition, but I can tell you that I learned a lot about my minerals and lapidary skill in preparing my competitive exhibits. It really focuses your attention. And speaking of competition, now is the time to start preparing for the Ventura County Fair. Don't wait until the last minute!
Ed Clark, President.
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Table of Contents.
WORDS TO LIVE BY.
Some think it's holding on that makes one strong: sometimes it is letting go.
You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.
Memories are like pictures imprinted in the soul.
Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.
Collected by Wayne Ehlers.
Table of Contents.
UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.
Regular Meeting - Wednesday, June 27, 7:30 pm, The Lexington, Ventura.
Board Meeting - Thursday, July 5, 7:30 pm, The Lexington, Ventura.
Bulletin Article Deadline - Sunday, July 8. Email to: vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.
Workshop - Saturday, July 21, 9 am to Noon, Museum.
If omitted, time, location or address can be found on the VGMS Info Page. (Close the new window to return here.)
Table of Contents.
BIRTHDAYS.
Steve Mulqueen - June 01,
Wayne Ehlers - June 03,
Elizabeth Nightlinger - June 08,
Shirley Layton - June 23,
Darwin Cuddeback - June 27,
Kathryn Davis - June 27,
Esther Barshai - June 28.
Sharon Cunningham - July 07,
Nancy Brace-Thompson - July 27,
Ronald Chegwidden - July 29.
June Birthstones:
Modern: moonstone or alexandrite.
Ancient traditional:
Hebrew: emerald,
Roman: emerald,
Arabic: agate,
Hindu: pearl,
Polish: agate,
Russian: agate,
Guardian angel: muriel,
His talismanic stone: emerald.
June Flower:
Common Name: Rose;
Botanical Name: Rosa;
Color: Red;
Meaning: Love, Respect, I Love You, Beauty Of Youth, A Heart Innocent Of Love.
Zodiac gemstones:
gemini: agate,
cancer: emerald.
Table of Contents.
HOSPITALITY.
Nineteen members attended the May regular meeting.
Kathryn Davis, Cyndie Day and Sharon Cunningham provided refreshments for our May meeting and we thank them!
The following are the volunteers for the remainder of 2007. If anyone would like to volunteer for any of the open months, please contact Sharon Cunningham, and we thank you in advance. Hmmm, the schedule is looking a little slim. What's up with that folks?
June - OPEN,
July - Sharon & Mel Hixson,
August - OPEN,
September - OPEN,
October - Stephenson family,
November - Pumpkin potluck,
December - Holiday potluck.
Thank you to those who have already signed up. Contact Sharon Cunningham, 649-3579, if you are willing to supply refreshments for one of the open months in the schedule above.
Table of Contents.
MEMBERSHIP.
Club Yellow Pages: Sharing Your Interests.
While we all share a common interest in our rocky world, our individual interests vary. Some of us like fossils. Others like collecting specimen minerals for display. Others like flipping a switch and grinding rough stones into sparkling jewels. To help club members (particularly new members) connect with fellow members who share common interests, we're assembling a Club Yellow Pages of membership interests. Everyone should have received a letter this spring with a pre-paid return postcard on which you can circle those aspects of the hobby that interest you the most. Many thanks to all who have been filling out and returning these! We've received about 20 responses so far. We're compiling these and will be printing them on a yellow sheet to circulate to everyone to include in your 2007 Club Directory. If you haven't yet filled yours out, please take a few minutes to do so at this time, or call or email the info to us (phone 805/659-3577, email jbraceth@roadrunner.com). We would like to finish and distribute this by the time of our July meeting, so don't delay - return your postcard today!
Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson, Membership Chairs.
Directory Updates:
Richard and Shirley Bromser: OK, sorry for the confusion ... for the LAST time, the Bromser address is: 2005 East Main Street, Box 134, Gatesville, TX 76528.
Miriam Tetreault: Change email to: miriamtetreault@hotmail.com.
If there are any Adelphia customers who have converted their accounts to Roadrunner, we would like to hear from you, so we can update the membership lists.
Table of Contents.
PROGRAM REVIEW.
May Program: Video - Rhodochrosite, Red Treasure of the Rockies, 2004 Silver Mountain Productions.
This video, compliments of Kathryn Davis, is a documentary on the Sweet Home Rhodochrosite Mine, in Alma, Colorado. The graphical representation of the mining techniques and strategy were very informative. The use of state-of-the-art geophysical tools was explained and depicted in an easy to understand manner. My favorite part was the fortuitous documentation, by photographers from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, of the extraction of the Alma King crystal from the Rainbow Pocket. This gigantic rhombohedron, measuring 14 cm x 16.5 cm, was recovered in the wall of a narrow pocket on a matrix of white, needle clear Quartz, blue Fluorite, black Sphalerite and Tetrahedrite, brasse Chalcopyrite and pale yellow Calcite. It is on display in the Coors Mineral Hall at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Some of those very fine rhodochrosite crystals are still available. If this video spiked your interest, here is a link to the website of the firm that mined Sweet Home: http://www.collectorsedge.com/indexflash.cfm.
This link is to stories specific to the Sweet Home Mine. Some of the pictures will be familiar to you after watching May's video: http://www.collectorsedge.com/projects/mine.cfm?mine=shm&nav=summary.
Alma King Discovery (notice the HUGE grin on this miner's face!).
Image Source: http://www.collectorsedge.com/projects/mine.cfm?mine=shm&nav=successes#.
Partial contents of the over 3,000 crystal "Denver Pocket"
Reconstructed for display in the Denver museum.
Table of Contents.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE.
June Program: VGMS Book Club and Reports from the California (Lancaster) and National Gem Federation (Roswell) Conventions.
June's program admittedly is a hodgepodge of topics. First off, I would like everyone to rummage through their pile of geology-related books and find something relatively recent (i.e. still in print) to share with the rest of the club. I know from talking to people that there is a host of beneficial literature that people would want to own or read if they knew it existed. These books could be travelogues or rock-hunting guides, video or audio in nature.
In addition, I would like those who visited Lancaster and/or Roswell to tell us a little about the experience - what was great and maybe what was lacking, what was seen and what was heard and what was bought (please bring to brag and boast), as well as what was left behind as too pricey or gaudy.
I do apologize for a lack of a speaker this month, but I believe if we participate, this month's program will be quite enjoyable.
Lowell Foster.
Table of Contents.
MEETING MINUTES.
Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, May 23, 2007:
The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society was called to order by Ed Clark at 7:30 pm, on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 at the Lexington, Ventura, California.
The April membership meeting and the May board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/c as shown in the bulletin.
Ed Clark welcomed guests.
Ray Meisenheimer presented the treasurer's report and it was m/s/c to accept as stated. Ray announced that Cyndie Day has agreed to take on duties of treasurer. Richard Bromser will be assisting us from afar for a while only. Ray is also still presenting programs to schools along with one this past week in Camarillo.
Florence Meisenheimer - The big news is the upcoming June Federation Show in Palmdale.
Ron Wise - Upcoming field trips are Cerro Gordo on June 24, and the CFMS trips during the Palmdale show, which include Saturday, June 16, for onyx and Sunday June 17 for agate & jasper.
Mary Polacek - Articles to the bulletin will be required by the first Sunday after each board meeting. Any and all articles and photos are appreciated.
Greg Davis - The Lexington was contacted and we were given permission to hold monthly board meetings in the Piccadilly Room until we find something else. No word yet from Help of Ojai on space availability for our museum.
Jim Brace-Thompson - The idea of yellow pages for members willing to participate is still being assessed. It would be a method of listing one's expertise or favorite aspect of the hobby which you would then help new members with. Participation notices have been sent out to club members.
Jim next introduced Kathryn Davis' video on rhodochrosite, entitled Red Treasures of the Rockies, an introduction to the Sweet Home Mine in Colorado. What an excellent video it was and hopefully we'll be able to view the remainder at some time.
Refreshments were provided by Kathryn Davis, Cyndie Day and Sharon Cunningham.
The next board meeting will be held on June 7, at the Lexington, the next monthly membership meeting will be on June 27.
There being no further business, Ed adjourned the meeting at 8:45 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Greg Davis,
Recording Secretary.
Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting,
Thursday, June 7, 2007:
The regular board meeting of the VGMS was called to order by Greg Davis at 7:30 pm, on Thursday, June 7, 2007, at the Lexington in Ventura.
Present: Shirley Layton, Cyndie Day, Richard and Shirley Bromser, Kathryn Davis, Shirley Layton, Lowell Foster and Greg Davis.
Old business:
Greg Davis - Members still need to contact myself or Ron prior to going to the museum/workshop to confirm its availability. There will be no work shop June 16 as we'll all be at the federation show.
New business:
Greg Davis - Lisa Meeker of Help of Ojai has been emailed regarding status on our request. Any answer will be forwarded to club and/or board members. There not being a quorum, no club business was determined.
Lowell Foster - Possible presentations for June include Jim Brace-Thompson's talk on benitoite or perhaps the Gem & Mineral Book Club by Lowell.
The next general meeting will be on June 27, 2007, at the Lexington in Ventura and the next board meeting will also be held at the Lexington on July 5th.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Greg Davis,
Recording Secretary.
Table of Contents.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Neptunite - After Neptunus, the Roman god of the sea.
Halite - From the Greek "salt".
Microcline - From the Greek "small" and "to incline", the angle between its two chief cleavages is not quite a right angle.
Submitted by Ed Clark from Gems, Minerals, Crystals, and Ores by Richard M. Pearl.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
CHIPS AND BOULDERS.
Ventura County Fair 2007.
The 2007 Ventura County Fair will soon be here: August 1 through August 12. The theme for this year is "An Old Fashioned Fair".
Volunteers are needed, for four or more hours, to assist with set up of the Gem and Mineral building, beginning on Thursday, July 5. Lunch will be provided for the volunteers.
Entry dates for Hobbies and Collections: Friday, July 20; Saturday, July 21; and Sunday, July 22.
Entry dates for Gem and Mineral: Friday, July 27; Saturday, July 28; and Sunday, July 29.
We need people to help to accept exhibitor entries on all of these dates. If you can commit to four hours or more that would be great!
Judging will be done on two Tuesdays, July 24 and July 31. We need people to clerk for each judge on these dates. This will require a commitment of four or more hours on either date.
This is a good time to start planning your entries. Do you have your own case? Will you need to use one or more of the fair cases? Do you have single items to enter?
Please call Richard Bromser if you can help on any of the above dates, if you need more information, or to reserve a case. Just leave a message, if I don't answer. I'll be sure to return your call.
Richard Bromser.
Seeking a Theme for our 2008 Show.
It may seem a long time until our next show in March 2008, but it always has a way of quickly sneaking up on us. Thus, it's never too early to start planning! For publicity, in particular, we need to start the wheels rolling months ahead of time in sending notices to magazines, web sites, and other venues. To make a show a success, we want to attract as many people as possible, and one thing that helps is a theme or hook that catches public attention. For instance, one year we noted in our publicity that we'd have a display of meteorites, and that must have caught attention because we sure had a lot of folks come in with heavy rocks in their hands, asking if they'd caught a falling star. For our most recent show, we highlighted new things we had planned for our Kids' Booth. The local newspaper highlighted that in a pre-show article, and when we opened our doors, we saw crowds of families with kids swarm in.
What theme or hook can we plan for 2008? We talked a bit about this during our first show planning meeting, and we'd like to open this up to suggestions. One idea was to focus on petrified wood. For their annual show this year, our neighbors to the south in the Oxnard club plan to focus on amethyst. When the California Federation hosted their annual show in Ventura a few years back, they trucked in a big dinosaur skeleton and surrounded it with displays and booths focused on fossils. Is there a hook or angle that you believe would help spark public interest and draw a crowd? We're looking for ideas ranging from a theme for the entire show to ideas for individual displays. What aspects of our hobby do you believe would most interest the average person on the street? We welcome any and all ideas! Please tell me your thoughts at upcoming meetings or email (jbraceth@roadrunner.com) or call (805/659-3577) me. I look forward to hearing from you!
Jim Brace-Thompson,
Show Publicity Chair.
The VGMS Workshop is open the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 am to noon unless otherwise notified. Shop Supervisors are Ron Wise (805) 647-4393 and Greg Davis (805) 647-9214. If you plan to attend, call ahead to make sure the museum will be open. A big thank you to Ron and Greg for the opportunity they give the rest of us. The workshop is there for your use; take advantage of it.
Tumbling Grit is still available. Contact any board member to arrange for pick up or come to a workshop Saturday at the museum.
Rock Sale.
Kirk's Driveway in San Clemente - Capistrano Valley Rock & Mineral Club, Saturday & Sunday, June 23 & 24, 2007, 9 AM to 2 PM Both Days (NO Early Birds PLEASE!)
On Saturday and Sunday, June 23 & 24, all rockhounds are invited to Kirk's Driveway Sale/Field Trip in San Clemente. New materials including rough rock, slabs, and petrified wood, were recently donated to the club and are stored at Kirk's place. Rough rock is being offered at 50 cents a pound. Specimens of petrified wood will be 50 cents a pound. Slabs are 50 cents each. Help support our non-profit club and scholarship fund. The sale will start promptly at 9 AM and end at 2 PM, both days. (No early birds please...we won't be ready.) CASH ONLY please.
Directions: Go to San Clemente via Interstate 5 and get off the 5 freeway at the Vista Hermosa (exit 77) offramp in San Clemente and proceed east (inland) approximately 2 miles to Vera Cruz. Turn left on Vera Cruz (north) and head up over a hill. Halfway down the hill turn left at Costa (across from Forster Ranch Park entrance). Kirk's place is right in front of you. The street address is 2844 Campo Raso, San Clemente, CA. Watch for Rock Club signs. Email questions to handbookco@aol.com. If you see a sign saying Quartzsite - 12 miles ahead, and are surrounded by vast tracts of desert, call 949-361-7707. You went the wrong way.
Table of Contents.
Fun with Math.
Grab a calculator.
(You won't be able to do this one in your head.)
A) Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code).
B) Multiply by 80.
C) Add 1.
D) Multiply by 250.
E) Add the last 4 digits of your phone number.
F) Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
G) Subtract 250.
H) Divide number by 2.
(((((((A*B)+1)*250)+E)+F)-250)/2)
Do you recognize the answer??
Ha! Amazing!!
Table of Contents.
FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.
Field Siding and the Green Ash Hills:
Ok, here's my report on May 19th's CFMS/Co-Op field trip to Field Siding and the Green Ash Hills.
I counted 23 attendees plus a few pebble pups representing about a half dozen clubs including the Sierra Pelona, Del Aires, Searchers, Santa Ana Rock & Mineral Club, the Southern San Joaquin Lapidary Society (hope I didn't miss anyone) and all were anxious with some people already collecting at the meet area who were camping out the night before. By 9:30 am most everyone had arrived but without knowing who else was planning on coming we waited about 20 minutes more then decided to head to the search site before the heat of the day began setting in. This is a wide-spread area along the northern Cady's with the best collecting south of the RR tracks. Driving the short distance to the old siding ruins we parked and hiked from that point. Most took my advice and walked the flatlands a mile or so from the tracks to the richer, more diverse float and all found varied material of varying sizes including moss agates, moss jaspers, plasma agates of multiple colors, many many solid agates and jaspers of varying colors with everyone quickly filling their buckets and bags. Hiking back to the park area early with everyone satisfied we broke for lunch early comparing and washing our finds then drove the fifteen minutes to the Green Ash area. Thankfully, so far, no incidents of run-ins with squirrels with attitudes.
We stopped at the ice cream shop on the way to the Early Man turnoff only to find it was now open only on Sundays due to new ownership but all marveled at the pond with giant Koi (I think they're on steroids personally). Having ice cream from the service station across the road we continued on the road to the Early Man Site before turning off to the collecting area and parking.
From there we spread in all directions picking various ravines to search. The heat got hotter (funny how heat has a tendency to do that!). Shortly we resembled the Lost Battalion wandering the deserts of Libya and began our march to exhaustion with many leaving after collecting samples of more agate, jaspers, chalcedonies (which fluoresce), opals and petrified wood. Ruth and Paul, on their ATVs (they cheated! Heehee.) found the largest agates and a watermelon sized chunk of multi-colored petrified wood. They were the winners! By late afternoon most had left for their drives back home. Good collecting by everyone....and no incidents with squirrels with attitudes. Until the next trip, Happy Hunting!
Shep Koss via TheDiehardRockhoundGroup.
Somis Fossils Field Trip Sat., 6-16-07 Recap:
It was a nice day out, a bit warm, but not really hot. We had a good turnout Sat., 23 people showed up from many different clubs. Some drove quite far to be there. We had a fun day digging for fossils. Most of us found Sand dollars, clams, scallops. We scattered about the hill side looking for fossils, finding them. Mark Mason found a good spot that had lots of sand dollars so we converged and dug there for a while finding many sand dollars. I will post photos of some of my fossils once I clean them up. I had a great day, making new friends.
I found a pair of men's glasses near where we parked. Did anyone lose a pair?
Thanks all of you who came out. It's you that makes the field trips that much better.
Robert Sankovich, VP Field Trips Conejo Gem & Mineral Club.
Jade Cove Trip Report:
Eva from the San Diego club posted a very interesting review of her experience at the recent Jade Cove field trip. Eva has written and posted many field trip reports and she is, in my opinion, the most entertaining reviewer online (I think she has a book in the making). The report is a bit lengthy for the bulletin, but you can find in on LA-Rocks. Search by title (Jade Cove Trip Report). She posted it June 4, 2007. If you don't have internet access but do have email, I will be glad to send you a copy. All you need to do is ask.
FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE.
Field Trip Schedule 2007.
Tentative Schedule - As of 6/15/2007.*
| MONTH: | ||||
| Date(s), | Event/Location, | Sponsor/Leader, | Other Information. | |
| June: | ||||
| 24, | Cerro Gordo Mine, | Francis Pedneau, 760-876-4319, E-mail franceem@net.com. |
||
| LEADERS: | ||||
| Bret Johnson, | 805-984-8872, bj9709@yahoo.com, |
Oxnard G&M (OGMS). | ||
| Mike Miller, | 805-498-9586, | Conejo G&M (CGMS). | ||
| Robert Sankovich, | 805-494-7734, rmsorca@yahoo.com, |
Conejo G&M (CGMS). | ||
| Ron Wise, | 805-647-4393, clintwise@hotmail.com, |
Ventura G&M (VGMS). | ||
* Please call the field trip leader to confirm the schedule in the event of a change to published dates/times.
June 24:
CERRO GORDO MINE,
CFMS one-day trip.
The fieldtrip to Cerro Gordo is worth the experience of visiting the old mine and the views of the Owens Valley, Mt. Whitney and the Sierra Nevada mountains. This fieldtrip is only held once a year by the Lone Pine G&MS. The Cerro Gordo Mine was a silver, lead and tin mine, and over one hundred minerals are found there. Smithsonite is the real find there and if you are the lucky one to find it buy a lotto ticket on the way home.
June 24 is the fieldtrip date. Contact Francis Pedneau if you plan to attend to find out the meeting place and departure time. Do not forget sun screen, water and a lunch.
Ron Wise.
The following is an e-mail Ron received with a few good tips.
Hi Ron, Thanks for the reminder. I went on the trip two years ago and am hoping to go again. You might also remind folks that though the road is accessible to average non-4X4 vehicles, the road is long and steep and, in particular, brakes must be in good shape for the ride down as there is a tendency to overheat. Two years ago someone's transmission was low on fluid and they broke down on the trip up. Fortunately, there always seems to be help available.
For best results, you've got to be willing to dig and screen. A spray bottle of water is also a good idea.
Greg Slak.
The following is an update by Shep Koss of the Sierra Paloma G&MS posted Friday June 8, 2007 6:33 pm.
Cerro Gordo CFMS mine trip is Sunday, June 24th. Only open 1 day a year to rockhounders and this is your opportunity to collect an assortment of specimens including Smithsonite, Wulfenite, Fluorite and Malachite. The mines in this area offer dozens of collectibles. Hosted by the Lone Pine Gem and Mineral Club and is the 11th trip this club has hosted.
There is a $5.00 fee per person with proceeds going to the restoration of this old mining town. Smithsonite is only found in two areas in the United States the other being in New Mexico.
The club is leaving Lee's Frontier Chevron located on the south side of Lone Pine. Departure is at 8 am with about an hour drive to the mine site up Cerro Gordo Peak. It should be relatively cool at that 8000-foot altitude. High clearance vehicles mandatory and 4wd recommended. Carpooling, as available, will be at Lee's Chevron. Lee's Frontier Chevron is on US 395 on the south side of town near the base of the Sierras.
Campgrounds and motels are numerous for those wishing to arrive the day before. Observe the standard collecting rules and recommendations for collecting and being on private property. Bring sunscreens, lunch and a good attitude.
Happy Hunting, Shep.
Table of Contents.
LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE.
Tick removal.
"I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a tick. This is great, because it works in those places where it's sometimes difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc.
"Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and let it stay on the repulsive insect for a few seconds (15-20), after which the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me."
Sharon Goins, Administrative Assistant, HIM Frye Medical Center.
A school nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- and it really works!!
Bee Stings.
My arm swelled up so off to the clinic I went. The clinic gave me cream and an antihistamine.
The next day the swelling was getting progressively worse, so off to my regular doctor I went. Infected arm - needed an antibiotic. What was interesting is what the doctor told me. "The next time you get stung, put a penny on the bite for 15 minutes."
I thought, wow next time (if there ever is one) I will try it. Well, that night Shelley's niece got stung by two bees. When she came over to swim, I looked at the bite and it had already started to swell. So off I went to get my money and taped a penny to her arm for 15 minutes. The next morning, there was no sign of a bite. Wow were we surprised. Her niece, we decided, just wasn't allergic to the sting.
Well guess what happened again on Saturday night.
I was helping Shelley deadhead her flowers and guess what? You are right; I got stung again two times by a hornet on my left hand. Was I ticked! I thought, here I go again having to go to the doctor for yet another antibiotic.
Well, I promptly went into the house, again got my money out, and taped two pennies to my bites and then sat and sulked for 15 minutes. The penny took the string out of the bite immediately. I still wasn't sure what was going to happen. In the meantime the hornets were attacking Shelley and she got stung on the thumb. So, we applied the penny.
The next morning I could only see the spot where he had stung me. No redness, no swelling. Went over the see Shelley and hers was the same. Couldn't even tell where she got stung.
Then Shelley got stung again on Monday night on her back---cutting the grass. This penny thing is going to make us money at school! Again it worked.
We need to have a stock of pennies on hand at school and at home.
The doctor said somehow the copper in the penny counteracts the bite. I would never have believed it, but it definitely does work.
Field Trip Communication.
When going on a collecting trip, let someone know where you intend to go and what time you intend to return. The range of cell phones has increased as the companies put up more towers, so your site may be within reach of cell phone, but then again, it may not. If you are exploring a new area off the beaten path, by all means take your phone with you, however, it is best to assume you will NOT have service. Another option is to buy a pair of walkie-talkies and let your collecting buddy carry one. Lock your car when you park. Don't forget to bring eye protection if you will be breaking rocks. Consider leaving a note on the dashboard that says, I will be back by 5:00 pm or whatever time you plan to return to the car.
From Gem Scoops 10/2002, with modifications.
Table of Contents.
HINTS AND TIPS.
Cleaning Geodes/Crystals.
Bryant Washburn's Recipe:
Wear rubber gloves and a proper respirator.
Have two empty/clean buckets ready.
In bucket #1, put one quart of lukewarm water. Add 1 cup muriatic acid to the water.
Fill bucket #2 with clear, clean water.
Put geodes/crystals in bucket #1 for 30 seconds.
Pull them out of acid solution and let them drip for a minute. Transfer them into bucket #2 and rinse well.
Remove from rinse and allow to dry.
Look at them sparkle!
Note from Sally: Use Baking Soda to neutralize muriatic acid.
From Blue Agate News (Sally) 2/2007 via The Nugget 5/2007.
Manual car washes are good places to clean large rock specimens that are not fragile. The high pressure spray cleans all nooks and crannies.
From Dusty Rocks via Breccia 10/1997 via The Slate 05/2007.
Before grinding and sanding cabochons, put cold cream on your hands and rub them until they are dry. This fills the pores and cracks in your hands and fingers. When grinding, sawing, or sanding is completed, the dirt can be washed off easily. Good idea for painting also.
From Gemstar via Breccia 10/1997 via The Slate 05/2007.
When grinding and sanding obsidian, always grind from the center out. Otherwise, the wheel and sanding belts will pick up tiny chips of glass that will scratch your stone.
From Contact Zone via Gneiss Times 02/1998 via News & Views 03/1998 via The Slate 05/2007.
Do you put polyethylene pellets in the final polishing stage with a vibratory tumbler?
You can. Always change the pellets between different grit sizes. Re-use the pellets only with the same grit size. The grit becomes imbedded in the pellets and, again, you get contamination. I bought a bag of pellets several years ago. My neighbor went out to his garage and came back with a gallon milk jug full of 1/4 to 1/2 in pieces of agate screened from the good stuff.
I have yet to open the bag of pellets. You want small stuff to help the tumbling; as long as you have small pieces, you don't need pellets. I have added to the gallon jug and my wife sifts through and takes out stuff to make things like gem trees, if I let her near it. It gives you a reason not to throw away the small pieces when you are out hunting. You may never need the pellets. The chips don't have to be changed between grits. One caution, you should always tumble stuff of like hardness. Don't tumble obsidian with agate, etc. The most common thing people tumble are quartz-based agate, jasper, quartz, etc. which are all pretty much the same hardness.
From The Slate, 04/1996 via MWF Newsletter via Rock Chips 07 & 08/2000 via Dan from Blue Agate 04/2007.
The club presents these hints and tips for informational purposes only and does not specifically endorse or profess first-hand use or experience with any or all. As always, be aware of your situation, knowledge level and comfort zone before attempting anything new. When in doubt, stop! Get help before you need it.
Keep a log in your shop. Document your techniques and inspirations. You will come up with a journal full of useful tips, and maybe even an educational article or two!! Email hints and tips to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.
Let us hear about your good ideas!
Table of Contents.
EDUCATIONAL CORNER.
Definition of the Month.
Crude Oil and the 42-Gallon Barrel - The 42-gallon standard unit for crude oil may have had its beginning during the rein of King Richard III of England (late 1400s). For it was King Richard III who declared a standard for a wine cask to be 84 gallons and a tierce (wood barrel) as holding half that volume or 42 gallons. By the early 1700s, a colonial Pennsylvania statute made the 42-gallon watertight wooden tierce a standard container for shipping commodities such as fish, molasses, soap, butter, wine and whale oil. (Whale oil was used as an illuminating oil in lamps prior to the availability of oils refined from petroleum.)
In 1859, "Colonel" Edwin Drake's oil discovery near Titusville, Pennsylvania led to the world's first oil boom. With the boom came a sudden demand for wooden barrels. Thousands of empty barrels once used for shipping everything from anchovies to whiskey were gathered up for shipping crude oil. When filled with petroleum, a 42-gallon barrel weighed slightly more than 300 pounds, the practical limit to what a man of average build could handle. Twenty barrels of this size would fit on a standard railroad flatcar (of the 1860s) while eight barrels would fit in an average horse-drawn wagon. Larger barrels were found to be unmanageable while smaller barrels were less profitable.
In the early 1860s, the most common oil barrel held 42 gallons. By 1866, the abundance of the tierce-sized barrels led to the establishment of the 42-gallon barrel as an unofficial standard for the early oil industry. In 1872, the Petroleum Producers Association adopted this standard unit of volume. By 1882, the United States Geological Survey and U. S. Bureau of Mines also announced this standard. As the petroleum industry developed around the world, the 42-gallon barrel became the accepted unit of trade. Oil is no longer shipped in wooden barrels. However, the standard unit-volume of crude oil is still referred to as a "barrel", consisting of 42 gallons. (Note: The term "barrel" is a standard unit of measure whereas the term "drum" (as in an oil drum) is a steel container with a common capacity of 55 gallons.)
Source of Data: Wells, Kris, The Petroleum Age, Vol. 3, No. 4, a quarterly newsletter published by American Oil & Gas Historical Society, Washington, D. C., December, 2006, reprinted in Exploration & Production Magazine, March, 2007.
Written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, June 2007. The "Definition of the Month" features words related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history.
Illustration of the Month.
Colonel" Edwin Drake and the First Oil Well, Titusville, Pennsylvania, 1859 - Colonel Drake on the left with workers loading full oil barrels onto a wagon for shipment. The oil drilling rig is in the background. Drake made his famous oil discovery on August 27, 1859, after drilling to a depth of about 70 feet below the surface.
The oil drilling technology used by Drake was adapted from the existing salt well drilling industry. In the early years of salt production, some of the salt (other than sea salt) was produced by drilling into sedimentary rock formations that contained the mineral halite or that held natural salt brines. Brine was pumped or bailed directly from wells that penetrated saltwater aquifers. When a dry salt layer or salt dome was encountered during drilling operations, water was poured down the well. As the water dissolved a portion of the salt, brine was produced from the well to the surface. In order to crystallize the salt, brines were transferred to shallow basins and allowed to evaporate. This method of producing salt by dissolving halite from rock layers represented the earliest solution-mining technique within the United States. Much of the early drilling technologies for developing salt wells were applied directly to the evolving petroleum industry of the 1860s.
Source: A pen & ink illustration by J. W. McDermott, from the book Speak to the Earth, written by Max Miller, published by Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1955, page 77. (This book traces the geological and industrial history of petroleum.)
Text written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, June 2007. The "Illustration of the Month" features a drawing, sketch, pen & ink rendering, engraving print or any form of art rediscovered in books, maps, manuscripts and many other sources related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. This illustration was chosen for its educational content by Steve Mulqueen.
Table of Contents.
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP XII.
By Lowell Foster.
Memorial Day is not just a day of remembrance but also reflection. It is a day for honoring those who have fallen and contemplating their sacrifices. With this holiday still fresh in our minds, I wanted to find a site on the web that focused on a location where we currently deploy troops. My goal was not to deal with the political issues or controversies. I wanted to find images of how everyday life in these regions appeared. Too often our beliefs about how foreign cultures behave is based on sensational reporting and not first hand, long term experience. A secondary agenda, minor in comparison, was to keep this field trip associated with the gem and mineral hobby. The time searching produced a very interesting result: GeoVision.
GeoVision is a company that deals in gemstones from around the world but specializes in acquiring material from Afghanistan. They advertise their wares on the web site http://www.gems-afghan.com/. At first I was put off by the idea that this was essentially a commercial website hawking materials from this region, but upon digging deeper, the website revealed content much more relevant to my quest. The website displays the subtitle "Home of the American Gem Hunter and the Afghan Connection" and is followed by an introduction by the President and Chairman of GeoVision, Gary Bowersox. In this brief piece, Gary tells the viewer that there is much to be found on this website, from political commentary to chat rooms to slide shows of Afghanistan. Wanting to know more about Gary's credentials, I clicked on his biography link near the bottom of the home page. Apparently his involvement in the volatile region of Afghanistan dates back to 1974 and includes both consultant services for the United States (unpaid) and Afghanistan itself (paid). Knowing more about his experience, I took a second look at the site.
When you arrive at the website, you are greeted with a nicely balanced page set on a blue background. There are links at the top to Events/Lectures, Slide Shows, On-Line Store, Order Your Copy of The Gem Hunter, and Expeditions: Present, Future & Past. Below this section is a series of five photos showing materials that may be purchased from the website (some of which is very nice and VERY expensive indeed), next comes Gary's introduction, then finally the links. These are divided into separate sections labeled "Symposiums", "News", "Web Store", etc. I don't have time to provide much information regarding these areas except to say that the news portion is outdated and the store is stocked with some pricey though glittery gems. The section that interested me was under the "Just for Fun" category and led to the slide shows.
Gary's slide shows depict Afghanistan from the perspective of a trader and traveler. With his contacts and letters of travel (often pictured), he has been able to travel through checkpoints and enter regions that would otherwise be closed to outsiders. Though most of the shows focus on the mining of gemstones (ruby, lapis, emerald) and the products purchased from the miners, there are more than a few images of mundane subjects, such as rugged cities, nasty fly bites, poppy harvests, bazaars, massive stone fortresses, and normal people to provide a rough sampling of the life in this ancient land.
There are twelve slide shows which vary in length from 22 images to 150. The first dates to 1998 and the last is from 2005. Some photos have sound files attached to provide additional atmosphere. What is nice about this page is that you have two options of viewing these shows. You can either click on the slide show itself which paces itself at a relatively slow rate, or you can scroll down to a large listing of every photo, each given a direct link to that image. With this set up, you can view small portions of different shows and focus on a specific topic such as ruby mines or lapis mines.
Browsing these slide shows is highly recommended for anyone interested in the mining of gemstones or who is curious about how certain aspects of Afghanistan appear today. The mines and living conditions of their workers are fascinating enough, but Gary's captions often provide information that adds another dimension to the viewing experience.
Seeing rough handwritten passes and the poppy harvests from dirty vehicle windows provides us just the briefest glimpse into Afghan society, but it's one rarely provided to us by our own media. I must remember that our troops are there now, even though they don't appear in the shows. They are fighting and sacrificing themselves for these people and for our country. Please take the time to peek at these limited snapshots of a country which has undergone tremendous political changes that last ten years.
Table of Contents.
LET'S GO TO A SHOW - 2007.
CFMS SHOWS 2007.
AUGUST 3-5; NIPOMO, CA - Orcutt Mineral Society, St. Joseph Church, 298 S. Thompson Ave. Wes Lingerfelt (805) 929-3788.
AUGUST 4-5; SAN FRANCISCO, CA - San Francisco Gem & Mineral Society, San Francisco County Fair Building, Ninth Avenue & Lincoln Way. Hours: Sat 10-5; Sun 10-5. Ellen Nott (415) 564-4230.
AUGUST 31-SEPT. 3; FORT BRAGG, CA - Mendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Town Hall, Main & Laural. Hours: Fri.-Sat.-Sun. 10-6; Mon. 10-4. Don McDonell (707) 964-3116, 643 N. McPherson, Fort Bragg, 95437.
SEPTEMBER 15-16; REDWOOD CITY - Sequoia Gem & Mineral Society, Community Activities Building, 1400 Rosewood Avenue. Hours: 10-5 daily. Carol Corden (650) 248-7155, ccorden@earthlink.net.
SEPTEMBER 22; LOS ALTOS, CA - Peninsula Gem & Mineral Society, Rancho Shopping Center, Springer & Magdalena Roads. Hours: Sat 9-4:30. David Muster (408) 245-2180, colleen.mcgann@hds.com.
OCTOBER 7; FALLBROOK, CA - Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society, Fall Festival of Gems, FGMS Museum, 123 W. Alvarado. Hours: 10-4. Mary Fong-Walker (760) 723-3484, Email: mrwizard@tfb.com, FGMS.ORG/organization/orglocations/html.
OCTOBER 13-14; GRASS VALLEY - Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society, Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road. Hours: 10-5 both days. Cliff Swenson (530) 272-3752.
OCTOBER 13-14; LAKESIDE, CA - Cajon Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, 12584 Mapleview. Hours: 10-5 daily. David Newton (619) 390-5054, jontom@nethere.com.
OCTOBER 13-14; TRONA, CA - Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society, 13337 Main Street. Hours: Sat 7:30-5; Sun 7:30-4. Jim & Bonnie Fairchild (760)372-5356, Sigms@iwvisp.com, www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub/FLYER.htm.
OCTOBER 20-21; ANDERSON, CA - Shasta Gem & Mineral Society, Shasta District Fairgrounds. Hours: Sat . 9-5; Sun. 10-4. Bill Seward (530) 365-8641.
OCTOBER 20-21; PLACERVILLE - El Dorado County Mineral & Gem Society, El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive. Hours: 10-5 both days. Jackie Cerrato (530) 677-2975, Email: jacbobcer@directcon.net, eldoradomineralandgem.org.
NOVEMBER 3-4; CONCORD, CA - Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd. Hours: 10-5 both days. Sam Woolsey (925) 837-3287.
NOVEMBER 3-4; LANCASTER, CA - Palmdale Gem & Mineral Society, 2551 W. Ave H & Hwy 14. Hours: 9-5 daily. Susan Chaisson-Walblom (661) 943-1861, SLChaissonA@yahoo.com, pgmc@anteleom.net, www.palmdalegems.org.
NOVEMBER 10-11; YUBA CITY, CA - Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral Society, Festival of Gems, Grace Franklin Hall, 442 Franklin Avenue. Hours: Sat. 9-5; Sun. 9-4. Cliff Swenson (530) 272-3752.
NOVEMBER 17-18; OXNARD, CA - Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way. Hours: Sat 9-6; Sun 10-4. MiriamTetrault (805) 642-5779, www.OGMS.net.
AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2007.
Northwest Federation (NFMS),
August 3-5,
Butte, MT,
www.amfed.org/nfms/nfmsshow.htm.
Midwest Federation (MWF),
August 11-12,
Houghton, MI.
South Central Federation (SCMS),
September 1-2,
Arlington, TX.
Eastern Federation (EFMS),
October 6-7,
Newark, NY.
Southeast Federation (SFMS),
November 9-11,
Gulf Coast of MS.
Table of Contents.
Seven Wonders Vote.
Have you cast your vote for the New Seven Wonders of the World?
A global poll is underway and will end on July 6. Twenty-one architectural wonders were culled from a review of over 200 site recommendations. The Pyramids of Giza are the only entity included from the original ancient list of Seven Wonders (this due to an indignant protest by Egyptian officials).
According to an Associated Press article dated June 17, Americans and Europeans have been lacking in participation. The organizers (New 7 Wonders of the World campaign) have received over 50 million votes from every country in the world. Be sure to cast your vote before online voting closes on July 6.
When the poll ends, EIGHT WORLD WONDERS will be announced. The top seven as voted on by global citizens, plus the Pyramids of Giza.
Following is the list of the 20 candidate sites. Pick your favorites and vote!
Acropolis, Greece;
Alhambra, Spain;
Angkor, Cambodia;
Chichen Itza Pyramid, Mexico;
Colosseum, Rome;
Easter Island;
Eiffel Tower, France;
Great Wall of China;
Hagia Sophia, Turkey;
Kiyomizu Temple, Japan;
Kremlin/St. Basil's Cathedral, Russia;
Macchu Picchu, Peru;
Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany;
Petra, Jordan;
Statue of Christ Redeemer, Brazil;
Statue of Liberty, U.S.;
Stonehedge, Great Britain;
Sydney Opera House, Australia;
Taj Mahal, India;
Timbuktu, Mali.
To Vote: http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php.
To view the winners, to be announced July 7 in Lisbon, Portugal: http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=476&L=0.
Table of Contents.
FEDERATION NEWS.
From Earth Science Studies.
I have what sounds like good news from Camp Paradise. There is a new director for the camp and I had a 20 minute conversation with him that was very productive sounding. With this information we may be able to look forward to a nicer situation than we had anticipated last month. I am encouraged and hope for a good turn out for both weeks, so get signed up now!
Moving on to Zzyzx; I have the confirmed dates of March 23 to March 30, 2008, for our spring program, but don't try to register now as no applications will be accepted until after Camp Paradise is over. You can at least make arrangements for your vacation.
I also want to thank all of the 2007 Zzyzx participants, who I hope had a good and productive time. Also, our kitchen crew who fed us well and friendly.
A special thanks to the really wonderful instructors who do a great job of passing on their skills and to our field trip leader and helper who seems to send everyone home with a beautiful piece of the desert. All of these things produce a very successful session.
Again, my heartfelt thanks.
Marion Roberts, E.S.S. Chair via CFMS Newsletter May 2007.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
Chuckles.
What you ask is "Butt Dust?" Read on and you'll discover the joy in it! These have to be original and genuine. No adult is this creative!!
MELANIE (age 5) asked her Granny how old she was. Granny replied she was so old she didn't remember any more. Melanie said, "If you don't remember you must look in the back of your panties. Mine say five to six."
STEVEN (age 3) hugged and kissed his Mom good night. "I love you so much that when you die I'm going to bury you outside my bedroom window."
BRITTANY (age 4) had an earache and wanted a pain killer. She tried in vain to take the lid off the bottle. Seeing her frustration, her Mom explained it was a child-proof cap and she'd have to open it for her. Eyes wide with wonder, the little girl asked: "How does it know it's me?"
SUSAN (age 4) was drinking juice when she got the hiccups. "Please don't give me this juice again," she said, "It makes my teeth cough."
DJ (age 4) stepped onto the bathroom scale and asked: "How much do I cost?"
MARC (age 4) was engrossed in a young couple that were hugging and kissing in a restaurant. Without taking his eyes off them, he asked his dad: "Why is he whispering in her mouth?"
CLINTON (age 5) was in his bedroom looking worried. When his Mom asked what was troubling him, he replied, "I don't know what'll happen with this bed when I get married. How will my wife fit in?"
JAMES (age 4) was listening to a Bible story. His dad read: "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." Concerned, James asked: "What happened to the flea?"
TAMMY (age 4) was with her mother when they met an elderly, rather wrinkled woman her Mom knew. Tammy looked at her for a while and then asked, "Why doesn't your skin fit your face?"
JACK (age 3) was watching his Mom breast-feeding his new baby sister. After a while he asked: "Mom, why have you got two? Is one for hot and one for cold milk?"
The Sermon I think this Mom will never forget.... this particular Sunday sermon..."Dear Lord," the minister began, with arms extended toward heaven and a rapturous look on his upturned face. "Without you, we are but Dust..." He would have continued but at that moment my very obedient daughter who was listening leaned over to me and asked quite audibly in her shrill little four year old girl voice, "Mom, what is butt dust?"
Table of Contents.
Surprising Truth Behind Contruction of the Great Pyramids.
Professor Barsoum stands before one of the Egyptian Pyramids for which he has found evidence suggesting some of the stone blocks were cast, not quarried. Credit Michael Baroum, Drexel University.
By Sheila Berninger and Dorilona Rose, 18 May 2007, LiveScience post.
http://www.livescience.com/history/070518_bts_barsoum_pyramids.html.
"This is not my day job." So begins Michel Barsoum as he recounts his foray into the mysteries of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. As a well respected researcher in the field of ceramics, Barsoum never expected his career to take him down a path of history, archaeology, and "political" science, with materials research mixed in.
As a distinguished professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Drexel University, his daily routine consists mainly of teaching students about ceramics, or performing research on a new class of materials, the so-called MAX Phases, that he and his colleagues discovered in the 1990s. These modern ceramics are machinable, thermal-shock resistant, and are better conductors of heat and electricity than many metals-making them potential candidates for use in nuclear power plants, the automotive industry, jet engines, and a range of other high-demand systems.
Then Barsoum received an unexpected phone call from Michael Carrell, a friend of a retired colleague of Barsoum, who called to chat with the Egyptian-born Barsoum about how much he knew of the mysteries surrounding the building of the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only remaining of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
The widely accepted theory - that the pyramids were crafted of carved-out giant limestone blocks that workers carried up ramps - had not only not been embraced by everyone, but as important had quite a number of holes.
Burst out laughing - According to the caller, the mysteries had actually been solved by Joseph Davidovits, Director of the Geopolymer Institute in St. Quentin, France, more than two decades ago. Davidovits claimed that the stones of the pyramids were actually made of a very early form of concrete created using a mixture of limestone, clay, lime, and water.
"It was at this point in the conversation that I burst out laughing," says Barsoum. If the pyramids were indeed cast, he says, someone should have proven it beyond a doubt by now, in this day and age, with just a few hours of electron microscopy.
It turned out that nobody had completely proven the theory...yet.
"What started as a two-hour project turned into a five-year odyssey that I undertook with one of my graduate students, Adrish Ganguly, and a colleague in France, Gilles Hug," Barsoum says.
A year and a half later, after extensive scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations and other testing, Barsoum and his research group finally began to draw some conclusions about the pyramids. They found that the tiniest structures within the inner and outer casing stones were indeed consistent with a reconstituted limestone. The cement binding the limestone aggregate was either silicon dioxide (the building block of quartz) or a calcium and magnesium-rich silicate mineral.
The stones also had a high water content - unusual for the normally dry, natural limestone found on the Giza plateau - and the cementing phases, in both the inner and outer casing stones, were amorphous, in other words, their atoms were not arranged in a regular and periodic array. Sedimentary rocks such as limestone are seldom, if ever, amorphous.
The sample chemistries the researchers found do not exist anywhere in nature. "Therefore," says Barsoum, "it's very improbable that the outer and inner casing stones that we examined were chiseled from a natural limestone block."
More startlingly, Barsoum and another of his graduate students, Aaron Sakulich, recently discovered the presence of silicon dioxide nanoscale spheres (with diameters only billionths of a meter across) in one of the samples. This discovery further confirms that these blocks are not natural limestone.
Generations misled - At the end of their most recent paper reporting these findings, the researchers reflect that it is "ironic, sublime and truly humbling" that this 4,500-year-old limestone is so true to the original that it has misled generations of Egyptologists and geologists and, "because the ancient Egyptians were the original-albeit unknowing-nanotechnologists."
As if the scientific evidence isn't enough, Barsoum has pointed out a number of common sense reasons why the pyramids were not likely constructed entirely of chiseled limestone blocks.
Egyptologists are consistently confronted by unanswered questions: How is it possible that some of the blocks are so perfectly matched that not even a human hair can be inserted between them? Why, despite the existence of millions of tons of stone, carved presumably with copper chisels, has not one copper chisel ever been found on the Giza Plateau?
Although Barsoum's research has not answered all of these questions, his work provides insight into some of the key questions. For example, it is now more likely than not that the tops of the pyramids are cast, as it would have been increasingly difficult to drag the stones to the summit.
Also, casting would explain why some of the stones fit so closely together. Still, as with all great mysteries, not every aspect of the pyramids can be explained. How the Egyptians hoisted 70-ton granite slabs halfway up the great pyramid remains as mysterious as ever.
Why do the results of Barsoum's research matter most today? Two words: earth cements.
"How energy intensive and/or complicated can a 4,500 year old technology really be? The answer to both questions is not very," Barsoum explains. "The basic raw materials used for this early form of concrete - limestone, lime, and diatomaceous earth - can be found virtually anywhere in the world," he adds. "Replicating this method of construction would be cost effective, long lasting, and much more environmentally friendly than the current building material of choice: Portland cement that alone pumps roughly 6 billion tons of CO2 annually into the atmosphere when it's manufactured."
"Ironically," says Barsoum, "this study of 4,500 year old rocks is not about the past, but about the future."
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
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