Christmas Party
This year The Toenjes have graciously offered their home for the Christmas party. The club will furnish the meat while members will sign up to bring either a salad, vegetable or dessert. If you aren't already signed up, please call Claudia at 314-434-4831 to let us know what you are bringing.
For the gift exchange, we thought it might be fun if each of us wrapped a rock to trade.
The Toenjes home is quite easy to get to as it is near the Daniel Boone Library.
Once on Clarkson, turn east on Marsh. Go. 12 miles to Hill Top and turn left. Take Hill Top for .16mi.
Then turn right onto Fairview Drive.


COMMENTS, ETC
We have had some difficulty getting together a nominating committee, therefore, we do not have a new slate of officers for our next calendar year. It was decided at the November meeting to keep the officers we have until 2001. We really need to show our appreciation for the willingness of these people to continue serving year after year. So next time we see Bob Morse, Peggy Nuske, Helen Heitland and Andy Larson, Give them a pat on the back and a big thank you!

Dues are due again. They are $15 for singles and $20 for a family.


Happiness Is---
Licking a dirty rock and finding bands - 
Finding a gavel road paved with geodes - 
A husband and wife both "Rockhounds" -
Having the rain stop when you get to tile mine -
Meeting someone who is also interested in rocks - 
Your first field trip after a long winter!
via: GEM CITY ROCK NEWS. 7/70

I've looked into Pough's and memorized Moh's
And even paid Dana a visit;
But when it's all said, I still scratch my head
And sit there and wonder - - What is it?
via: ESCONI. et al,
via: GEM CITY ROCK NEWS. 11/70

HINTS & TIPS...
To use your silver or gold scrap, take an old straw broom, wet it thoroughly, and pour your melted scrap down among the straws. The result will be a beautiful broom-straw pendant.
If you like nuggets of silver or gold, take some more scrap and a small pan. Place some rock salt in the bottom, pour your melted scrap over the salt, and as the salt melts, there will be indentations similar to natural nuggets.
via: Cabber Gabber, 1/89 Breccia, 11/99
Gem City Rock News

The color of money.
A .90ct green diamond sold at auction last fall to a private collector for a whopping $600,000, making it a record $670,000/carat -- the highest per-carat price ever paid for a natural green diamond.
Clarkson Jewelers

HOW SILICON CHIPS ARE MADE -- How does silicon dioxide [beach sand] become an integrated circuit, one of man's most intricate and finely crafted devices?
Growing silicon crystals from a single seed crystal is the most important part of the process. This takes place in a furnace which is heated to about 1,5000 degrees Celsius. In the furnace is a container filled with molten silicon and a secondary element such as phosphorus or boron. The seed crystal is dipped into the molten material; it is then withdrawn with a rotating motion, similar to making candles by dipping them in hot wax.
Solidifying on the seed, the molten material takes on the same atomic structure as the seed. This molecular symmetry distinguishes a single crystal from unstructured or non-symmetrical material. Each finished crystal cylinder is approximately six inches in diameter and about four feet long. Using a high speed diamond edged saw, the cooled glass-like cylinder is the sliced into wafers. All silicon wafers are not the same, each manufacturer's wafer varies in thickness and surface finish due to their unique specifications.
It takes about 50 complex steps to convert wafers into integrated circuits. The final step is cutting the wafer into hundreds of tiny circuit chips.
[Courtesy of Gems Galore Mountain View, Ca. [Silicon Valley] Via Mineral Mite 11/95 as seen in Rock Rollers Oct.2000}
Gem Rock

ROCKWOOD GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY MINUTES OF NOV.. 17,2000

PRES. Bob Morse called the meeting to order at 7:09 P.M. 
There 9 members and 3 guests present.
The Secretary's report was reed and accepted.
The Treasurer's report was read and accepted. 
Andrew Larson said he thought about $3,000.00 was made at the Association show It is so important for our members to help out in the show because the more people we have participating the more money we get. That is our main source of income.
The Science Center show is sponsored by the Association. We have10 displays there.
The auction at Rolla School of Mines is November 18.
We could not get a nominating committee, so it was decided to keep the old officers in t heir present positions until 2001. NEW BUSINESS; Larry and Marianne Toenjes will have the Christmas party at their house at 1174 Fairview Dr. Ellisville, Mo. December 15 at 6;30 P.M. The club will furnish the meat and drinks. Please let Marianne know what you plan to bring to eat, also wrap up a rock to exchange
The meeting adjourned at 7;40 P.M.
Helen Heitland won a door prize and Eleanor Stuut won the other one.
We had an interesting show and tell and a slide show followed.

Respectfully submitted 
Helen Heitland, Sec