Calgary Lapidary Journal - November 2014

THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 2014
Calgary Lapidary Journal
Member of:
Alberta Federation of Rock Clubs (AFRC)
Gem & Mineral Federation of Canada (GMFC)
NOTICE: November’s
Auction Meeting has
been changed to
November 7 — the first
Friday of the month!
Club Meetings:
7 pm every second Friday of the month
(except July/August)
Bow Cliff Seniors Spruce Cliff Community Centre
608 Poplar Road SW
Calgary AB T3C 2Z7
Prospective New Members Welcome!
Journal Editor -- Shelley Gibbins
2406 26A ST SW
Calgary, AB T3E2C5
The Club’s 2014-2015 pamphlet
has been printed and shows all of
the current contact information for
the club. Be sure to pick one up
the next time you are at a general
meeting!
www.crlc.ca
CalgaryRockandLapidaryClub
@CRLCrockhounds
Inside This Issue
Page 1 — Change of November Meeting
Pages 3-4 — Club Reports
Pages 4-9 — Articles
PAGE 1
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 2014
2014 - 2015 Executive
President: Mike O’Toole 945-1874
Vice President: Cal Luchuck 289-7574
Secretary: Gillian Macartney 403-547-2825
Treasurer: Lorne Alcock 239-4981
Directors & Committee Members
Membership: Valerie Harty 403-850-7528
Phoners: Pearl Broad, Trudy Martin
PR: Stefan Gibbins 228-1165
Journal/Field Trips: Shelley Gibbins 228-1165
All articles should be submitted to The Editor not later
than the 15th of the month. Items from this Journal may
be reprinted, unless otherwise stated, providing proper
credit is given to both the original author and this
publication.
The Journal, published 8 times per year, is part of the
yearly membership dues.
Non members may receive the Journal on
subscription at $10.00 per year. Nominal charge for
Shop & Swap or Sale Advertisements. Subscription
requests and renewals as well as advertising
submissions should be directed to the editor:
Shelley Gibbins 403-228-1165
2 4 0 6 2 6 A S T S W C a l g a r y, A B T 3 E 2 C 5
[email protected]
Programs: Nancy Niles 403-483-1311
Pebble Pups: Linda Kormos 403-282-2331
Librarian/Fundraising: Lori Wichink 828-3479
Social: Pam Moon 403-284-5513
Study Groups: Eva St Amand 293-7689
Custodian: John Smith-Jones 259-2044
Parliamentarian: Debbie Curle 698-6507
AFRC Directors: Mike O’Toole 945-1874 Lavern Novlan 281-1260 Irene Novlan 281-1260 John Smith-Jones 259-2044
The Calgary Lapidary Journal is the “official” publication
of, and is published by The Calgary Rock and Lapidary
Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to the sphere
of the Earth Sciences pertinent to the lapidary hobby in
Canada.
Club Membership
Membership is open to all interested persons. Dues are
for the CALENDAR YEAR, payable annually, prior to
December 31st each year. Adult $25.00/Adult Couple $30.00
Senior Citizen $23.00/Senior Couple $26.00 Family Membership (includes - Parent(s), Pebble Pups,
Juniors, Full-Time Students) $35.00 Individual Student / Junior - $10.00 Sponsored Pebble Pup / Junior $5.00
(with Journal $10.00)
DUES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Name tags can be ordered — $ 3.00
Chairman: Valerie Harty 403-850-7528
139 Covehaven Terrace NE
Calgary, AB T3K 0B2
[email protected]
PAGE 2
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
WORKSHOPS
Location: Spruce Cliff Community Center
608 Poplar Road SW, Calgary AB
(unless otherwise noted)
November 1
Opal & Ammonite Laminating - $20.00 Peter M
Wire Wrapping - $20.00 Ehren R
Phone Eva (Study Group’s Coordinator or sign up
at the general meetings
November 22
Lapidary - $20.00 Peter M
Christmas Ball Cover - $15.00 Gillian M
Chain Maille Cabochon Wrap - $ TBA – Judy B
Introduction to Faceting - $ TBA – Dave B
December 6
Opal & Ammonite Laminating - $20.00 Peter M
Beadwork – Crystal Lattice Bracelet - $20.00 – Eva
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
The club will need at least two AFRC
representatives for the 2015 year. Thanks to
Lavern and Irene N who have filled these
positions previously.
Gillian M has graciously offered to deliver
Campbell Soup Labels to the Elementary schools
she visits. If you have any labels, please bring
them to the general meetings. Thanks!
FUNDRAISING
Thanks to Dave B for donating a nice sample of
pyrite and also a beautiful pink cabochon on a
silver pendant necklace. Thanks to Karen N for
donating several fossils that have some
provenance. Look for these items at upcoming
meetings.
OCTOBER 2014
PROGRAM
Thanks go out to Shell Canada geologist, Doug
Donnelly, for presenting a talk & slideshow on
Alberta's paleo seas and how they affect Alberta's
fossil fuels resources today.
November 7, 2014 – This night is reserved for the
CRLC annual membership “Rough 'n' Ready”
treasures Auction. Bring items to auction off to
the membership and bring cash! Those looking
to volunteer and/or donate for the event, please
contact Lori Wichink ([email protected]).
December 12, 2014 – We'll warm the dark winter
Solstice with a membership treats table (contact
social lead, Pamela Moon, about treats
donations) and a “Bring a Present, Take a
Present, Trade a Present” table. Attendees to
bring a wrapped present each, value up to
$10CAD. There may be music and singing as
well!
January 09, 2015 – Club member, John SJ, will
discuss his Agate rockhounding trip and show his
discoveries.
February 13, 2015 – The CRLC annual birthday
bash! More information to be added.
March 13, 2015 – A presentation by the Burgess
Shale GeoScience Foundation. "Charles Walcott
and the discovery of the Burgess Shale: A case
of good fortune or a discovery by a master
detective?".
April 10, 2015 – To be decided.
May 08, 2015 – CRLC “Show and Tell”(and trade
and sell and teach)
June 12, 2015 – Annual Club BBQ (and likely,
tailgate trading)
GMFC SCHOLARSHIP
Congratulations to Quinn M!
He applied and received a cheque and certificate.
Any students who are entering an Earth Sciences
program and have relatives in a rock club can
apply for a GMFC Scholarship.
PAGE 3
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
PARLIAMENTARIAN
There are a couple of things this month:
It’s time to nominate and recommend
someone who has given “exceptional or
meritorious service to the Society” (Bylaw No.
3).
Please provide a letter of recommendation to
the Board of Directors by December 9, 2014,
and the person must be elected upon the
“unanimous decision of the Board of
Directors” (Bylaw No. 4).
2. Page 12 of the General Rules & Policy will
be amended and re-typed to show that the
club’s mailing address is now 2406 – 26A
Street S.W., Calgary, Alberta T3E 2C5, and
the official email is [email protected], and
phone number is: 403-228-1165.
An
amended page 12 will be given to all officers
and directors for their handbooks as well. AMMONITE BUSINESS for SALE
A collection of Ammonite fossils and
Ammolite Jewellery.
(Fossils and Jewellery can be sold
separately)
A complete catalogue of individual pieces
is available, showing:
Dimensions, list prices and photos
Ammonite – Raw and Rough Cut
Ammolite jewellery - Free Form/Mounted
14K Gold & .925 Silver: Pendants,
Earrings,Rings
Cabochons – ready for mounting
Display Pieces – various sizes
List Prices:
Jewellery
$77,500
Display Pieces & Rough Cut $30,000
Total List Price (CDN)
$107,500
Email: [email protected]
NOVEMBER 2014
WARNING
Shirley Leeson, ALAA President
If you or your club had thoughts of
a field trip, or if this was on your personal
‘bucket list’ here is a warning about
LOLO NATIONAL FOREST, close to Lolo
Hot Springs, on the border of western
Montana.
The collecting site is CLOSED
And will remain in effect until
rescinded.
I bring this important information to
you because the area is being patrolled
by the Forest Service Patrol Unit and the
local Sheriff’s Department. There are
penalties and fines.
This area has been a favorite
collecting site for quartz crystals going
back many years before the Forest
Service had jurisdiction. This is one of
those ‘land transfer’ deals.
Unfortunately, rockhounds have
not lived up to the AFMS Code of Ethics
and the place looks like a WWII war zone.
Let me be frank here, many of those were
commercial entrepreneurs who were ‘out
for a buck’, but we’re all painted with the
same dirty brush.
In speaking recently with the
Forest Service Office that oversees the
area we were informed that the closing
was because of concern for the public
safety, not animals, but humans. It seems
the soil is granitic in nature with only a
little topsoil, with the removal of the
overburden the topsoil is either washed
away or blown away, leaving the granitic
material. This is susceptible to cave ins
or undercutting.
We have begun preliminary work
with the Forest Service office out of
Missoula and will keep you informed as to
any progress in the re-opening of this
area. In the mean time, stay out or face
the consequences…
Cell Phone: 403 703-2180
PAGE 4
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
Rocks In Books
NOVEMBER 2014
Lori Wichink
Build a rock-solid foundation in Geology 102.
The Library’s list has been updated, please check on the club’s website for listings. Having gone
through the library and finding there were some books that had double and triple copies of the
same book, so to make room for new additions these copies will be raffled off, look for them this
coming year on the Raffle Table.
One of the purposes of the Calgary Rock & Lapidary Club, besides socializing with fellow
rockhounds and enthusiastically sharing all aspects of our fascinating hobby, is informal
education in a variety of enjoyable and entertaining ways. Among the many invaluable resources
of people, equipment, presentations and workshops in our Club, is the Library, which has lots of
interesting and useful books and DVDs on all aspects of our hobbies that members can use to
further their learning about what they love best, pretty rocks and fun things to do with them. For a
good start to learning about rocks and minerals, there are a number of textbooks available to
supplement your winter reading and give you a fundamental background in how rocks are
formed, where they are found and why, and how to find them. They all include captivating
pictures, diagrams, maps and glossaries as well as appendices containing a wide variety of
useful information to the rockhound. Enjoy!
“Interpreting The Earth,” by Robert R Compton. For people intrigued with things in their natural
settings where one can see interrelations – the wholeness of things, this book was written who cannot
take field trips or work with laboratory materials. The author travelled to the places mentioned in the
book, corresponded with original investigators and compared their papers and diagrams with what he
saw there. He started the book with things for which we all have a natural interest and feel, and the
topic of water and water-related processes starts chapter 1. It opens with some water-related
problems and then gets directly to the nature of water and how it interacts with sediment. Chapter 2
presents a view of a total river system, Chapter 3 relates how some remarkable studies of a dry-land
river, the Rio Grande, help us understand erosion as well as how all rivers work. Chapters 4, 5 and 6
carry surface water systems to their natural completion – from rivers and estuaries to the sea. The
importance of glaciers and related climatic variations become apparent through their connections with
the sea, and studies of the great ice sheets (Chapter 7) serve to return the reader to land processes.
Minerals are only mentioned in the first seven chapters, however there is a Supplementary Chapter 1
on Minerals, which should be read before reading Chapter 8 on soils. The colour plates and other
photographs in the supplementary chapters should help in visualizing minerals and rocks as real
things. Supplementary Chapter 2 on Rocks might also be read at an early stage, however rocks are
also introduced broadly in the main chapters, first as sediments (in the first nine chapters), then as
sedimentary and metamorphic rocks (Chapter 10), and finally as igneous rocks (Chapter 12).
Earthquakes (Chapter 11) are placed within this sequence because water in rocks evidently sets off
fault movements, and water-charged sediments are the chief cause of strong surface motions and
earthquake damages. The concept of geologic tie and the stratigraphic basis of geology are
presented in Chapters 13 and 14, and studies of layered rocks are then expanded to the interpretation
of folds, faults, and rock flow in Chapter 15. The earth’s main layer, their state of inner balance, their
origin, and their systematic movements (plate tectonics) are covered in Chapters 16, 17, 18 and 19
and are brought together in a review of North America’s recent geologic history in Chapter 20.
Chapter 21 closes the book with the question of how to use this knowledge in supplying ourselves
adequately but conservatively with natural resources.
PAGE 5
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
NOVEMBER 2014
“Craters, Caverns And Canyons – Delving Beneath The Earth’s Surface,” by Jon
Erickson. Among the most striking and startling features of the Earth are its immense craters
and hidden underground passageways. Created instantly by huge meteoric impacts or
gradually by the erosion of solid rock, these features reveal the varied geologic processes that
have shaped our Earth, forming its craters, caverns and canyons. Starting with the Earth’s
early history when the planet was bombarded by asteroids and comets, geologist Jon Erickson
details historic impacts and their geologic after effects, from disastrous earthquakes and
volcanoes to the possible cause of dinosaur extinction. Erickson examines the formation of
caves and caverns – including ice caves, limestone caves and natural bridges – as well as the
formation of the Earth’s major basins. He also explains erosion’s part in the creation of
canyons, both on land and under the sea. H analyzes the underground causes and effects of
explosive geologic forces such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, as well as catastrophic
ground failures and landslides, and concludes with a look at some of Earth’s more unusual
geologic depressions, among them potholes (not the paved kind), sod pits and lava lakes. The
text is illustrated throughout with more than 100 photographs, maps and line drawings, and
includes tables listing information on major meteoric impacts (and dangerous near-misses),
volcanism and mass extinction, locations of the world’s ever-growing deserts, dimensions of
deep-ocean trenches, and more.
“Practical Geophysics For The Exploration Geologist,” compiled by Richard Van
Blaricom. The search for minerals and the lure of mineral wealth have sparked the
imaginations of many. The excitement and romance of the Old West are one reason we are in
the exploration business, a business that contributes much to our nation’s economy. Through
the years, the discovery of new ore deposits supports the idea that the “easy” mines have been
found. We must, with some regret, lay aside the “burro and pick” and use IP equipment,
magnetometers, and computer models to find deeper and larger deposits. Geophysics can be
used in an exploration program in direct detection, indirect detection, and as an aid to geologic
mapping. Chapter 1 – Radiometrics. Geological applications for portable gamma ray
spectrometers. Chapter 2 – Electrical. Grounded Electrical methods in geophysical
exploration. Chapter 3 – Gravity. Gravity prospecting in mineral exploration. Chapter 4 –
Seismic. Applications for shallow exploration seismographs. Chapter 5 – Magnetics.
Applications for portable magnetometers. Chapter 6 – Electromagnetics. Electromagnetic
prospecting for minerals.
If you wish to borrow a book or audio-visual material from the library, the list is available on the
website under Library, email me, use Rock Club Books as a subject so if it goes to my
junkmail box I’ll still see it, at [email protected] or call me at 403-828-3479. I DO NOT
have text, and please call after 3:p.m. If I don’t answer leave a message (sometimes it rings
about ten times before voicemail kicks in). Let me know which book or movie you’d like to
borrow and I’ll bring it to the next meeting. If you have books you want to return, bring them to
the next meeting. You can find me at the Raffle Table.
Pebble Pups
October
Learned about modern uses of minerals, as well as some formations of crystals. Each person took home a jar of
solution to grow their own crystals.
Still looking for 5 - 10 ml squeeze bottles for the rock testing kits we made. (To put vinegar in) Also looking for
small baby food jars for more crystals.
And some 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch rocks that would be good for tumbling, no later than December meeting.
November Pebble Pups will participate in the auction with the general membership.
Several members will be receiving their rock-testing kits that were distributed in June, 2014, when they were
away.
PAGE 6
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
Mineral of the Month
Silver Minerals Part 5- Silver Selenides
By: Holger Hartmaier, CRLC
A selenide (not to be confused with
“selenite”, the crystal form of gypsum) is
a compound in which selenium (Se) is
the anion, in the same way that sulphur
(S) is in a sulphide. As discussed in Part
4 of this series (May 2014 Journal), the
general chemical formula AmXn applies to
these compounds where A is a metal or
metal alloy (in this case silver, plus
others) and X is selenium. The chemistry
of selenides and sulphides are similar
and are often grouped together (i.e.
Strunz Classification). Pure selenide
minerals are rare. Partial substitution of
selenium for sulphur is usually the case
in many sulphide minerals. Sulphide and
selenide minerals may develop as a
complete solid-solution series, such as
galena-clausthalite, PbS-PbSe. Overall,
sulphur and selenium are closely related
in their chemistry and crystal chemistry.
Therefore, small deviations in their
geochemical behavior are delicate
indicators of chemical and physical
conditions. Commercial quantities of
selenium are associated with copper
minerals, and are produced as a result of
copper refining. Selenium concentrations
in the earth’s crust varies. The average in
igneous rocks is about 0.09 parts per
million (ppm) Se. In sedimentary rocks,
the highest concentration of selenium is
found in shales at about 0.6ppm. Much
higher concentrations of selenium are
associated with igneous rocks containing
sulphur and sulphide ores. High levels of
selenium may be associated with some
volcanic rocks, leading to highly
seleniferous soils. The best known
seleniferous province in the world
stretches from the Gulf of Mexico up
NOVEMBER 2014
through the prairie regions of the United
States into Saskatchewan. The selenium
here is derived from the underlying
sedimentary rock sequences, particularly
those of Cretaceous age, also noted for
their anomalous uranium, vanadium and
copper contents. The presence of certain
volcanic tuff units within these formations
are thought to be the main contributors of
the selenium.
The silver selenide minerals are usually
found associated with other selenide
minerals in epithermal hydrothermal ore
deposits. Epithermal ore deposits are
formed near-surface by ascending
thermal waters associated with igneous
rocks. These ores are found in vein
structures that cross-cut local host rocks.
The veins are typically composed of
quartz or carbonate (calcite). The wallrock contacts of these veins are typically
altered as a result of the hydrothermal
activity associated with ore deposition.
Silver selenide minerals are exceedingly
rare, and in most occurrences are found
as microscopic to trace amounts, such as
inclusions or rims around other minerals.
As noted below, the localities for some
silver selenide minerals includes several
Canadian occurrences.
Chrisstanleyite- Ag2Pd3Se4
This silver palladium selenide,
discovered in 1996, is named after Dr.
Chris J. Stanley (1954- ) of the Natural
History Museum in London, in recognition
of his contributions to ore mineralogy.
The type locality is Hope’s Nose,
Torquay, Devon, England, where it
occurs in a selenide assemblage with
native gold, fischesserite (described
below), clausthalite and other selenides
in calcite veins cutting Middle Devonian
limestones. It crystallizes in the
monoclinic system,
PAGE 7
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
occurring as composite grains of tiny
crystals only several tenths of a millimeter
in size. Colour is light gray to buff, opaque,
metallic lustre and black streak. Hardness
is about 5. Specific gravity is 8.3.
Crookesite- Cu7(Tl, Ag)Se4
NOVEMBER 2014
with other selenides; the Atacama region,
Chile; Harz Mountains, Germany;
Bohemia, Czech Republic and at
Chaméane, France.
Fischesserite- Ag3AuSe2
This copper thallium silver selenide is
named after Sir William Crookes
(1832-1919), a chemist who discovered
thallium in 1861. Crookesite was
discovered shortly after, in 1866 at the type
locality the Skrikerum copper mine, Kalmar
Province, Sweden a copper-thallium-silver
deposit. It crystallizes in the tetragonal
system in massive aggregates. Colour is
lead gray to white, with a pinky-creamy tint
and metallic lustre. It exhibits a single good
cleavage, hardness is 2.5-3. Specific
gravity is 6.9. In addition to the type
locality, crookesite also occurs in uranium
ore veins in Moravia, Czech Republic and
in the uranium deposit of the Pinky Fault,
near Lake Athabasca in Saskatchewan.
This silver gold selenide was discovered in
1971 and is named after mineralogist and
crystallographer Raymond Fischesser
(1911-1991), Director of the National
School of Mines, Paris France. The type
locality is the Predborice uranium deposit
in Bohemia, Czech Republic where it is
found in carbonate veins with uraninite,
naumannite (see description below),
clausthalite and native gold. It crystallizes
in the cubic system, usually as micrograins to 1 mm size. Colour is gray white
with metallic lustre. Hardness is 2. Specific
gravity is 9.05. Notable worldwide localities
include the De Lamar mine, Silver City,
Owyhee Co., Idaho; at Hope’s Nose,
Devonshire, England and at the Flamenco
Mine, Atacama region, Chile.
Eucairite- CuAgSe
Naumannite- Ag2Se
This copper silver selenide was discovered
in 1818, shortly after the discovery of
selenium. Its name comes from the Greek
word for “opportunity”. The type locality is
also the Skrikerum deposit in Sweden. It
crystallizes in the orthorhombic system in
granular and massive aggregates, with
micro-crystals typically 0.1 mm in size.
Colour is silver white to lead gray,
tarnishing to yellow-bronze, opaque with
metallic lustre. It has a shining streak. It is
brittle, has no obvious cleavage, is
somewhat sectile, with hardness 2.5 and
specific gravity is 7.6 to 7.8. In addition to
the type locality, eucairite is relatively
common in the uranium ore veins of the
Martin Lake mine near Lake Athabasca in
Saskatchewan. Another Canadian locality
for this mineral is the Kidd Creek mine near
Timmins, Ontario. Significant worldwide
localities include the Sierra de Umango
and Cerro de Cacheuta districts in
Argentina, where it occurs in calcite veins
This silver selenide was discovered in
1828 and named after Karl Friedrich
Naumann (1797-1873), a German
crystallographer and geologist. The type
locality is Tilkerode, Harz, Saxony,
Germany where it is associated with other
selenides in quartz-carbonate ore veins. It
crystallizes in the orthorhombic system, as
pseudo-cubic crystals, thin plates and
massive aggregates. Colour is grayish to
iron-black, tarnishing iridescent brown,
opaque, with metallic lustre. Streak is iron
black. Hardness is 2. It has a single perfect
cleavage and is malleable and sectile.
Specific gravity is 7.7 to 7.8. The Canadian
locality is Kidd Creek mine, near Timmins,
Ontario. Worldwide localities include the
De Lamar Mine, Silver City, Owyhee Co.,
Idaho; the Pacajake mine, in Potosi Dept.,
Bolivia; and, the Cerro de Cacheuta
district, Argentina.
PAGE 8
THE CALGARY LAPIDARY JOURNAL
Penzhinite- (Ag, Cu)4Au(S,Se)4
Discovered in 1984, penzhinite is a
sulpho-selenide due to the presence of
both sulphur and selenium in the structure.
It is named after the Penzhina River, which
is close to the type locality and only known
occurrence at Sergeevskoye, Koryak
Autonomous Okrug, Russia. There, it is
found infilling interstices in chalcopyrite in
a near-surface gold-silver ore deposit. It
crystallizes in the hexagonal system,
forming microscopic intergrowths of
elongated platy particles to 0.007 mm.
Colour is gray white to steel gray, opaque
with metallic lustre. Hardness is 2. Specific
gravity is 8.35.
NOVEMBER 2014
Pough, F.H., (1976), A Field Guide to Rocks and
Minerals, 4th Edition, Houghton Mifflin Company,
Boston.
Stanton, R.L., (1972), Ore Petrology, McGraw Hill
Book Company,
Traill, R.J., (1983), Catalogue of Canadian Minerals
(Revised 1980), Geological Survey of Canada,
Paper 80-18.
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.mindat.org
http://www.webmineral.com
Petrovskaite- Au,Ag(S,Se)
This is another sulpho-selenide
discovered in 1984 and named after Nina
Petrovskaya (1910- ), a Russian
mineralogist. The type locality is at
Maykain, Pavlodar district, Kazakhstan,
where it occurs in the deeper oxidation
zone of a polymetallic deposit. It
crystallizes in the monoclinic system as
very fine microscopic grains to several
microns, as porous aggregates and as
microscopic rims on gold particles. Colour
is nearly black, opaque with metallic lustre.
It is brittle, hardness is 2-2.5 and specific
gravity is 9.4.
References:
Back, M.E. (2014), Fleischer’s Glossary of Mineral
Species 2014, Mineralogical Record Inc., Tucson,
AZ.
Bernard, J.H. and Hyrsl, J., (2004), Minerals and
their Localities, Granit Publishing, Czech Republic.
Lindgren, W., (1933), Mineral Deposits, McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
Palache, C., Berman, H., and Frondel, C., (1944),
The System of Mineralogy, 7th Edition, John Wiley
and Sons Inc.
PAGE 9

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