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ROCKWOOD ROCKHOUND NEWS for JANUARY 1999 SPREADING THE WORD Januarys Meeting Dr. Michael Fuller's Web Page 'Excavations at Tuneinir, Syria'. Anyone wishing to help may send their contribution to S.L.C.C. dig in care of Dr. M. Fuller at Florissant Valley Community College News From other Clubs HALITE - a.k.a. SALT ESCOMO · Salt sprinkled on the fingers when cleaning fish
or fowl prevents slipping. ----Drywashers Gazette 3/95, via Napa Gems, 11/96
Geologists can be sedimental about their work
TEST FOR TOPAZTEST FOR TOPAZ Topaz is quite a different mineral, which is harder than quartz. Because of this, a drop of water will not spread on topaz, but will spread on quartz. Clean the stone as effectively as possible with a cloth or handkerchief to remove all trace of grease. It must be dry before the test. Then place a spot of clean water on it with a thin glass or metal rod. On stones with a hardness of less than 7 on the Mohs scale, the water is dispersed. On harder stones it will remain as a globule. The harder the stone, the more rounded will be the globule of water. from GEM CUTTERS NEWS, 2/96 via: CRACK N
CAB, 8/98
NEW ARGENTINA DESERTS A HEALTHY APATITE LIBRARY NOTES BOOK: MINERAL NAMES. WHAT DO THEY MEAN? A visitor to the Museum asked me why the majority of mineral names ended in the suffix -ite. I found the answer in the book listed above. This reference work lists the origins of over 2000 mineral names in alphabetical order. The suffix -ite is derived from the Greek and denotes "of the nature of, or similar to." The Greeks and Romans used it in mineral and rock terms signifying a quality, constituent, or locality of the stone. Over 1100 mineral species' names were derived from the names of people. Example; Millerite, from Wiluan Miller, British Meteorologist. Over 500 rise from the localities in which they were discovered, or whence large quantities come. Example; Elbaite, for the Island of Elba, near Italy, whose only other claim to fame was as the island of Napoleon's exile. Other names are derived from Impersonal names, Chemical composition, a Physical property, Greek terms, Latin terms, Other languages PUZZLER: There are at least 38 mineral names listed under Z. Can you name six? Cel Fox, Librarian
November, 1998 THE
MOUNTAIN GEM page 10 Does this headline get your attention? (This is an excerpt from some information received from Jon Spunaugle at the Portland Regional Show last week. All fossil and petrified wood collectors should contact their ALAA or PLAC person to get all the details Editor.) Summary: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to consolidate its regulations and provide the public with a single reference to BLM's policies an regulations for collecting fossils on the public lands. The new part would be written in "Plain Language." BLM is issuing this proposed rule as a follow-up to the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the June 5, 1996, FEDERAL REGISTER. The intent of the proposed rule is to make fossil regulations easier for the public to locate, understand and use by consolidating the regulations in one place and by writing them in "Plain Language" See the rule HERE! In the existing regulations, BLM allows individuals to collect "reasonable amounts" of common in-vertebrate fossils without a permit. Because the term "reasonable amounts" is vague, BLM proposes to define a limitation on collecting invertebrate fossils without a permit. This proposed rule would allow individuals to remove a daily maximum of 25 pounds of material, including invertebrate and/or plant fossils, other than petrified wood, and the surrounding matrix in which the fossil is embedded. This proposed rule would require you to get a permit from BLM in order to collect more than this amount. In addition, this proposed rule would require you to get a permit to collect invertebrates and plant fossils found on lands where BLM has posted or published a restriction on fossil collection. BLM may, designate areas on the public, lands where you are prohibited from collecting vertebrate, invertebrate, or plant fossils, or petrified wood. BLM also may designate areas where collection is restricted but not prohibited. BLM specifically solicits public comments on whether BLM's pro-posed limitation on collecting invertebrate and plant fossils without a permit is reasonable If you disagree with the proposed limitation, please submit comments and suggestions regarding how BLM may reasonably limit this type of fossil collection. You may mail comments to the Bureau of Land Management Administrative Record, Room 401, LS, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20240. E-Mail comments to WOComment@wo.blm.gov. With the following as a subject line: attn: 3100 From AFMS NEWSLETTER
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