Gem Crafters & Explorer's Club Bulletin, Las Cruces, NM

Affiliated with the AFMS and member of the RMFMS

EL GAMBRISINO

October 2011 - Volume 53 - Issue 9

Minutes Sept. 19, 2011

President Kathy Fuller called the meeting to order th this Friday the 17 of September, 2011. Alice and Doug Hall and Pat Grace and Tony Nunez were thanked for providing the refreshments. We had two guests, Mike and Sheri Gaines who introduced themselves. They are now our newest members. Nancy Galloway brought some minerals for Show and Tell. She told us that she had started collecting in 1949. Eric and Kathy brought some pretty specimens of petrified wood they had found at the lake last weekend. It was announced that there would be no mineral meeting this month due to the close proximity of the campout. Information on the upcoming campout at Chloride has been sent out. We will leave from Ashleys on Friday the 23rd at 7:30 AM. Eric told us that there could be no campfires this trip. He asked that people let him know if they were coming so he could coordinate things with Don Edmonds at the campground. Treasurers Report: We have $1,668.50 in the bank. Kathy then introduced our speaker Dave Legare.

David Legare
The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro or Royal Road of the Interior ran from Durango, Mexico to Santa Fe. Onate did not actually blaze the trail but mostly followed a trade route made by the indigenous peoples. It was very heavily used from 1598 until the railroad came in 1881. The railroad runs alongside the Trail now. It was interesting to note that the Camino Real travelers averaged twelve miles per day. The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro was made a National Historic Trail in 2000. It is still visible and as he said, Its where the creosote isnt. There has been a problem with metal detector users digging up parts of the trail so it was decided to get going and find what they could before it was all tore up. The BLM teamed up with CARTA and started at the Yost escarpment near Aleman. There they discovered that there wasnt just one trail but several trails. Found were fire hearths, musket balls, mini balls from the civil war period, an olive jar and most important a rock structure on the edge of the escarpment used for assisting their carts up and down the steep incline. Note that all artifacts found by Dave are turned over to the Branigan Museum. He believes that they should stay local. At the parajes (campsites), such as San Diego, Yost and Aleman were found horseshoes and nails, mule shoes and nails, oxen shoes and nails and lots and lots
(Contd. on Page 2)

PROGRAM NOTES SEPT. 17, 2011

David V. Legare is one of two archaeologists with the BLM here and they split some 5.5 million acres between them. This encompasses Dona Ana, Otero, Sierra, Luna, Grant, Hidalgo and part of Catron counties. Dave manages the Camino Real Tierra Adentro from San Diego (Tuneco area) and straight north thru the Jornada. His enthusiasm, love of his work and interest in the stories of the people who lived before showed throughout his talk. These are just some of the highlights from the talk. Unfortunately I dont have the space to tell all the anecdotes and information he gave us. Dave is a good speaker and kept everyones attention throughout.

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of cobbler nails - evidence of life. Dave commented that Community is life, alone is death in such remoteness. Also found was a very small button, smaller than a dime. It was from a Spanish soldiers uniform and dated to the mid to late 1700s. This button was made in France and had French accents on it. At that time Spain and France were allies and trading with one another. When the Spanish first started up the trail the Jornada grasses were belly deep on the horses. By the late 1800s there were seventy thousand head of cattle being grazed there. They grazed it down and the creosote took over. Now with a program to kill off the creosote and the rotation of pastures the BLM is trying to return the land to pre Spanish days. The trash left along the trail helps to identify it. These are the things that help tell the stories of the people. In those days trash was just left wherever. In the late 1700s the average household produced one bushel of trash a year. In the 1870s they produced about the volume of a good sized office desk. In the 1970s a households trash would fill a kitchen and living room of an average sized house. Found were parts of telegraph poles that used to run along the railroad along with many little machined parts that he cant make any sense of. All of these found items tell a story and relate to the people. When asked why he does this he said: Its about people and the stories their artifacts tell. You touch someone elses life. It gives one a sense of how much we owe the people who came before us, a sense of what a long, strange story we have. Daves most inspiring and favorite book is In Small Things Forgotten by James Dietz. It was, all in all, a great talk that was enjoyed by all. For additional information use the following links:
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, history and visitor information: www.elcaminoreal.orgtrail El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, NPS:

Congratulations
By Kathy Fuller
This article is regarding the recent American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (A.F.M.S.) Newsletter dated September 2011. The newsletter is mostly full of reports regarding the AFMS Convention hosted by the Gem & Mineral Society of Syracuse, NY this past July. In the Newsletter are the results for the Bulletin Editors Contest. Our own, Maxine Wyman, won an honorable mention for Original Adult Articles for her piece entitled, My Tucson Odyssey which appeared in our March 2010 El Gambrisino. In the category of Small Bulletins, El Gambrisino took 4th place for the March 2010 edition. Maxine was of course listed as the Editor of El Gambrisino and the club name and location is listed. What an honor for Maxine. She does a great job on our newsletter and it is great that she received recognition for her efforts. Yeah Maxine!!!!

Reminders & Gen. Info

Our next meeting will be as usual on the third Friday of the month, Oct, 21st, Room 118, Gardiner Hall on the NMSU campus, 6:30 PM for socializing and 7 PM for the meeting. Jannette Hale and Rose Mary LaPlante have the refreshments this month. The speaker will be Dave Kirkpatrick of the HSR who will give a talk on the Prehistoric and historic Indians of the lower Rio Grande. I drove up to Silver City on Friday before Labor Day for the Rolling Stones Rock Show. Both the large parking lot and the show were packed. The vendors seemed to be quite busy, always a good sign for them. There were also quite a few Gambrisinos in attendance. It was another good show put on by the Rolling Stones of Silver City.

www.nps.gov/elca
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association:

www.caminorealcarta.org

Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?

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Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 3 -

CLOUDCROFT CAMPOUT Aug. 26, 27, 28, 2011 Report & Photos by Eric Fuller
When the weather is really hot and muggy in Las Cruces where do you go? Answer the Sacramento Ranger District around Cloudcroft; we call this campout Cloudcroft for short! There we were, one fifth wheel RV, two toy boxes, one pop top (HD), one slide in truck camper, one truck camper and two tents. For many years all of us used to camp in tents...ugh...dirt camping! The weather was nice and cool with no rain. The food, horseshoes, ATVing and Jeeping are what Cloudcroft is all about. Fossils in the limestone are the main draw for the rock collecting. History is a big part of the area, the railroad started at the beginning of the last century for the purpose of logging. The RR would grade a roadbed up a canyon, lay the track, harvest the lumber, remove the track and start all over up another canyon. This crated hundreds of miles of roads that are now dedicated trails for hiking, horseback riding, ATVing, motorcycle riding, Jeeping and just plain driving to enjoy the cool pines and great views. Dorian has a new ATV and he and Liz learned on more difficult than beginner trails. Brecken and Julie rode their motor cycles; gosh they are always faster than us ATV'ers. Doug Hall gave Al Spencer's kids rides on his quad after dinner. Mike and Sandy jeeped enough to get a flat tire. Toby suffered early defeats at horseshoes, but in the end he was grand champion. Doug did his magic and made the campfire flames turn blue-green. The food as usual was good and plentiful; no one went to bed hungry. Although I was slow with my boarding house reach and I didn't get any of Pat Grace's gluten free chili rellenos(Sp?). .Lookout Tower We were startled the first night during the happy hour preparation when a Pyrex container violently shattered while being heated. We all know that Pyrex is the glass of choice in chemistry labs world wide and it is noted for its thermal shock resistance. It was weeks later while reading an article in consumer reports that we discovered that the Pyrex cookware glass has been down graded to a less robust formula than the laboratory glass of Pyrex fame! Lesson learned! After a weekend of fun, food and shared adventures with the extended Rock Club Family it was just misery to drive down the mountain and watching the temperature gauge climb 25 degrees! Well, there is next year! Be sure to stop in at the "Lodge" for a meal and a self tour to the buildings lookout. The food is excellent ad the 110 year old building is charming . . . . . . . . . . Happy Hour

. .What a ride!

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Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 4 By the end of the week, we had made our way to Denver where the semi-annual "Gem and Mineral Show" was about to wrap up. There were bargains, such as really nice $5 to $15 fossil fish from Wyoming, pyrite cube singles and in matrix under $20. We also found some nice cavensites in matrix from $5 to $20 which I thought was a fantastic bargain. (Within the last four years, roughly 85% of the mineral prices have shot off the chart for most of the middle of the road collectors. A mineral you could purchase five years ago at the Denver Show for $50 is now priced around $250 to $450 plus.)

MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

By Brenda Gadberry Photographs by Brenda Gadberry

Alan and I went to Colorado for 10 days and we had a great time on our most "excellent adventure" with Peebs and Val. Peebs and Val left Las Cruces a few days before us with their camper in tow. We caught up with them in Silverton, CO at an elevation of over 9,800'. We ventured onto the "Sunny Side Mine" at around 12,500', so now coming home to 4,000' is easy going. While in Colorado, we collected rhodonite, pyrite flouters and pyrite in quartz around the Silverton area. We traveled on into Creed and collected cubed pyrite, chalcopyrite, with some nice galena and quartz crystals. Val found some small pieces of amethyst and "sow belly agate". At an "Alan Known" road cut, we collected some fluorescent chalcedony inside vugs. After a flat tire (two nails in the same hole) and a leaky propane line, the Peebs' had to leave Silverton and move on to Montrose without us to get the propane leak fixed. Alan and I stayed in Silverton one more night and tried to get to some more mines and collect a few more minerals. The roads to several of the mines on our list were blocked due to reclamation of the mines. So, we enjoyed the colorful scenery instead. Alan and I hiked to a beautiful waterfall and took pictures. Along our way back to the SUV, we walked through the woods and found some funky looking mushrooms. We didn't have time for a trip in our heads, so we took pictures of the mushrooms instead of trying their LSD like affects (sarcastic humor). Alan and I got up the next morning ready to move on from Silverton, through Ouray and on into Gunnison where we would meet up with the Peebs'. We walked out to the SUV and we found we had a "FLAT". Alan pumped the tire up with a hand pump and took the SUV to the only place in Silverton where you can get a tire fixed Monday thru Friday only. There were two other flats in front of us (WHAT?), so we had to wait about another two hours before leaving Silverton. With the flat fixed, we were on our way and left Silverton and traveled on the beautiful "Million Dollar Freeway" between Silverton and Ouray. We stopped in the cute town of Ouray where we enjoyed a cheeseburger and some fried pickles. We also visited the local "rock shop" in Ouray where we could not resist a huge spessartine, garnet from Tanzania. We caught up with Peebs and Val at a campsite in Gunnison. Val had cooked some chili, served with cheese, mustard, Tostitos, and chocolate wine...woo wee! The next morning, our travels took us through Salida and on into Leadville. In Leadville, there was snow on both the mountain peaks and the "Climax" mine mixed with low hanging clouds at 11,360'. The clouds made it difficult to take pictures of the mine so, instead we enjoyed reading about the history of the mine, looking at old mining pictures and playing with displayed machinery at a history exhibit opposite of the entrance to the mine. The air was fresh, the scenery was spectacular and the weather was cool (45 degrees). Before leaving Leadville, we visited the Leadville National Mining Museum, which was an extremely impressive learning experience.

Colorado Mineral Display There was a lot to see at the Denver Show and we didn't have time to cover the entire show in two days. I couldn't stand to look at the mineral show cases at the main show, because the minerals were so stunningly beautiful and unattainable. There was one collection of about 20 minerals "in a show case" I would be content to have in my home and not ever want another mineral...well, maybe.

New Mexico Mineral Display At the main Gem and Mineral Show, there was an interesting, beautiful and expensive "new find" of yellow pyromorphite crystals on malachite out of Australia, which caught my eye. I stood in front of the locked case staring at the beautiful sparkling minerals until I lost track of time. It wasn't until I heard a deep voice from over my left shoulder say "Can I help you" that I realized I needed to make a move. At that point in time, I saw my tears and fingerprints on -- Contd. On page 7 -the locked case that sheltered the beautiful new finds and I wanted one bad. With Alan no where in sight, it was time to

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Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 5 THE PRECIOUS GEMSTONE EMERALD

Used with permission of www.Minerals.net

pull out the old credit card and start resuscitation to see if there was one more charge left in the old plastic. Instead, I took a deep breath and answered the Australian miner who was a tall muscled male with a long pony tail in his late 30's or early 40's with bright green eyes and said "no thank you" and went outside to clear my head. I think I came to my senses, or not and left the beauties with their Aussie daddy. From New Mexico, we spotted Benny and Elva Finn with Finn's Minerals at their booth selling minerals from Mexico; John Scully with Scully's Minerals; and Kay Walker, and Ray DeMark who were resting in the bar/restaurant of the show hotel. Well, that's about it as for as our most excellent adventure with Val and Peebs in Colorado. Too bad everybody couldn't go on this trip, it was great fun, cool weather, green scenery and overall very beautiful. We are ready to go back!

Emerald, the green variety of Beryl, is the most famous and valuable green gemstone. Its beautiful green color, combined with durability and rarity, make it one of the most expensive gemstones. Deep green is the most desired color in Emeralds. In general the paler the color of an Emerald, the lesser its value. Very pale colored stones are not called Emeralds but rather "Green Beryl". They are sometimes heat treated, which causes their color to turn blue and transform into Aquamarine Color Hardness Refractive Index SG Double Refraction Luster Mineral Class Green 7.5-8 1.57-1.58 2.6-2.8 .006 Vitreous Beryl (Emerald)

Why cant I get a great polish?

Youve worked and worked on the buff to get the perfect polish, but the cab just does not want to cooperate. Why does one stone polish better than another? It all has to do with the crystalline structure of the stone. Jaspers, while a form of quartz, has a microcrystalline structure of grains. The size of the grains and their density play a part in the way a stone can be polished. Chalcedony, while also a form of quartz, has a fibrous structure that can be polished to a high shine. Some stones have a blend of minerals that can cause polishing problems. Landscape Tigereye is a perfect example of different hardnesss in a single stone. Some stones have pockets of hardened clay that just wont polish at all like Leopardskin Jasper. When selecting the polish powder and buff to use for the final stage, remember these few details: 1) The hardness of the cabUse a polish that is harder than the stone. 2) The buff padLeather, felt, or canvas can be used. 3) Heat generated by the buffing processIf you wax dop your cab, dont let the cab get too hot or it will go flying because of the rpms (rotations per minute) of the buff. Also, some stones are heat sensitive like opal, so dont let them get too warm. Research has shown that there is no Rosetta stone for the perfect combination of buff pad and polish powder for a cab. Experimentation and persistence will show you the way to that perfectly polished cab. via the Rock-A-Teer, 10/2005

ALL ABOUT
Besides for Emerald, the mineral Beryl also has other important gem varieties, including blue Aquamarine, pink Morganite, and yellow Heliodor/Golden Beryl Pure Beryl is white; the green color of Emerald is usually caused by chromium impurities, and occasionally by vanadium impurities. Emerald is by far the most valuable gemstone variety of Beryl, being one of the few precious gemstones. Emeralds are notorious for their flaws. Flawless stones are very uncommon, and are noted for their great value. Some actually prefer Emeralds with minute flaws over flawless Emeralds, as this proves authenticity. Flaws are often hidden by treating the Emeralds with oil or synthetic lubricants, and this is a common practice in the industry. Though Colombian Emeralds have traditionally been the highest quality Emeralds with the finest green color, a new source of Emerald from the African country of Zambia has been producing deep green Emeralds with fewer flaws. Many Emerald fakes and doublets are known. Two pale colored stones may be glued together with a deep green paste, creating a stone resembling Emerald. Faceted green glass also resembles Emerald, and it may be coated with a hard substance to mask its low hardness. Synthetic Emeralds are also sold to unwary buyers without them knowing the stone is synthetic. Experts can distinguish all these fakes, and it is especially important to only purchase Emeralds from reliable dealers. Experts can also determine if an Emerald was treated with oil or a lubricant to mask internal flaws. A rare and unusual form of Emerald, known as "Trapiche Emerald", is characterized by star-shaped rays that emanate from the center of a stone in a hexagonal pattern. These rays appear much like asterism, but, unlike asterism, are not caused by light reflection from tiny parallel inclusions, but by black carbon impurities that form in a star-shaped pattern. These Trapiche Emeralds are only found in the Boyaca

Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the other, "You stay here; I'll go on a head."

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Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 6 Spanish Emerald

Emerald mining district of Colombia, and are cut into cabochons. Though Emerald has good hardness, it is a brittle stone. It may develop internal cracks if banged hard or if subject to extreme temperature change. Emeralds that were treated to mask internal flaws should never be cleaned with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner, nor should they be washed with soap. These practices may remove the oiling treatment and expose the hidden internal flaws. USES Transparent emeralds are faceted into gem cuts for jewelry, and make one of the most popular jewelry gemstones. Emerald is very sensitive to pressure and banging, and the well-known emerald cut was developed specifically for this gem to reduce the amount of pressure during cutting. Translucent Emeralds are cut and polished into cabochons Emeralds. and beads, as are Trapiche Emerald is the birthstone of May. VARIETIES Brazilian Emerald - Emerald from Brazil. The term Brazilian Emerald may also refer to green Tourmaline from Brazil. Cat's Eye Emerald - Emerald exhibiting cat's eye effect. Cat's eye emerald is very rare, and only exists on paler Emeralds. Colombian Emerald - Emerald from Colombia. This Emerald is usually regarded as the highest quality. Star Emerald - Synonym of Trapiche Emerald. Trapiche Emerald - Emerald with black impurities in the form of a six-rayed star. Zambian Emerald - Emerald from the African country of Zambia. Zambian Emeralds can have very good color and transparency.

Other false emerald names include: African Emerald - Green Fluorite Bohemian Emerald - Green Fluorite Cape Emerald - Prehnite Congo Emerald - Dioptase Emeraldine - Chalcedony dyed green Emeraldite - Green Tourmaline Evening Emerald - Peridot Indian Emerald - Quartz or Chalcedony dyed green Lithia Emerald - Hiddenite Mascot Emerald - Emerald doublet Night Emerald - Peridot Oriental Emerald - Green Sapphire South African Emerald - Green Fluorite Tecla Emerald - Emerald doublet Traansvaal Emerald - Green Fluorite Uralian Emerald - Demantoid Garnet

EMERALD TREATMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS

The fracture-filling materials contain very similar refractive indices to the Emerald, optically hiding the underlying flaw. Oiling is preformed by heating the Emeralds in a cylinder containing the oil, which allows it to penetrate through the heat. Though the oiling procedure is most frequently performed with cedar oil, newer, more effective fracture-filling techniques are being practiced, including irradiation. One should always Emerald flaws are very often concealed by treating a stone with oil or synthetic lubricants. This is a common practice in the gemstone industry. inquire about oiling and fracture filling when purchasing an Emerald, as these techniques will affect the price of a gemstone. Generally, unless otherwise specified, it can be assumed that an Emerald has been oiled or otherwise fracture-filled. Standard oiling procedures are also not permanent, and the oiling may slowly wear off naturally, though frequent cleaning can hasten this process.

FALSE NAMES
Emeralds have been synthetically produced since 1848. Synthetic Emeralds currently produced can be very similar to true, natural Emeralds to the point that they may be virtually indistinguishable by normal means. Here are some names for synthetic emerald to watch out for: Biron Emerald Chathan Emerald Gilson Emerald Kimberly Emerald Lennix Emerald Linde Emerald Regency Emerald Zerfass Emerald Glass dyed green is also a major Emerald simulator. The color of green glass and emerald may be identical, but other physical and optical properties can easily differentiate the two. Some fraudulent names given to green glass used as jewelry: Broghton Emerald Endura Emerald Ferrer's Emerald Medina Emerald Mount St. Helen's Emerald

EMERALD SOURCES
The finest Emeralds are traditionally from Colombia, though Zambia has been a recent significant producer. Ancient Emerald sources were in Egypt and Austria. Important Emerald deposits are in Brazil, China, Afghanistan, Russia, Mozambique, South African, and the U.S. (North Carolina).

SIMILAR GEMSTONES
Green is usually darker green in color, and Chrome Diopside is much softer. Tsavorite can be confused with Emerald, but its optical properties differ.

First Aid Trip Tip

Never count on Band-Aids that get cooked in a car. I keep maybe 5-10 in a sandwich bag and Im quick to replace them, especially before going rockhounding or on a long trip. Use cloth bandages (no adhesive) and gauze. I also keep a couple rolls of adhesive tape (cloth type) in the 1st aid kit. They last much longer then band aids when cooked in a cars heat; I figure theyre good for a couple of seasons including summer. They may get sticky, but theyll still work. Oh yeah, covering your fingertips with adhesive tape can help protect them from broken rock shards like quartz flakes

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Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 7 I had my own misadventure as well. Valice Raffi and I and the Hutsons had driven up to an old abandoned cabin in the woods. After checking it out I decided instead of backing out down to the canyon road I would follow the road around back of the cabin and find someplace to turn there. Hee Haw! It climbed up and up with no place to turn around as the drivers side was straight down a looong ways and passenger side was rocky and pretty much straight up. After almost reaching the top we finally came upon a gap in the rocks where I could back in and get turned around. At this point I put the Bronco into 4 Low and crept down the mountain to the waiting Hutsons. All this time Valice had been quite as a church mouse. It turned out that she was too scared to speak. I suppose there is a lesson in this also but Ive done it before and probably will do it again. I just cant resist a new (to me) road and besides its a great way to see new territory. As you can see there were many people with varying interests and so groups formed and everyone pretty much did as they pleased. Some explored, some did the walking tour of Chloride, some attended to the mine tailings, some checked out the two cemeteries, some to the pictographs and some did it all or at least tried to. While at the cemetery we encountered a rattlesnake eating a rabbit. Unfortunately we made to much fuss and he finally spit it out and retreated a little. Hopefully he went back and finished it off after we left. There is one unhappy report. It seems that Joan Smith had been having heart pains and so early Sunday morning Dave hitched up the trailer and headed for home and the hospital. Joan suffered a mild heart attack but is home now, resting and taking her meds. She told me that she feeling good had put a couple of loads of laundry in (Wed.). You know the old saying: You cant keep a good woman down. It was a great trip, maybe an annual thing? Thanks to Eric for his help in putting this report together.

The GREAT CHLORIDE CAMPOUT Sept. 23, 24, 25, 2011

The Chloride campout was a campout of statistics, good food, good friends and adventurers. Statistics: We had 36 people and 10 dogs, which is about 50% more than we had on any other campout. It was our largest and it was also the largest hosted by Don, Dona Edmund and their daughter Linda Turner. Now as tight as we were crowded in, imagine Chloride in its heyday with 3,000 plus miners and assorted townies packed in here. We had warm to hot sunny days and cool nights. Perfect. Two large picnic tables and two four foot tables were put together and there still wasnt quite enough seating when all were there. Holy yumpin yimney!!! The food was plentiful and good as usual and if anyone went hungry they had no one to blame but themselves. Don and Dona Edmunds, campground owners and hosts, were gracious and accommodating to all. They are a treasure trove of stories about Chloride and its early people. Their museum is a treasure itself especially when they told stories of past events and peoples. Chloride is a great jumping off place for exploration of old mines, old buildings, old cemeteries and a whole lot of beautiful country to say nothing of the town itself. Chloride Creek was mostly dry this year and the road was as rocky and rough as ever. A large group drove through the canyon to the Silver Monument Mine to explore what was left of the old buildings and the mine dumps of course. Brecken Uhl came back with small pieces of silver which put him into overdrive (even more so than usual). Many samples were brought back for our resident geologist and assayer Don Saathoff to check over. Brecken also checked out the Wall Street and the Lucky Well mines along the way. I never did hear what he found there if anything. Some folks stopped off at the Pictographs to admire and photograph. These are located right off the road and are associated with two large shelter caves which are black from years of campfires. It was a great place to sit in the shade and recover from the rough rocky ride to get there. Don and Cookie Saathoff and Dave and Joan Smith headed toward the Saint Cloud Mine to check the area out and in the process came across three young hunters who were lost, didnt have any idea where they were or where their car was. They were dehydrated and in pretty bad shape. As they were close to the Saint Cloud they took them there. Don took them in and explained the situation. One of the employees, a local lady asked them several questions and she figured out where the car was. As it was near four and quitting time she volunteered to take them to it. There was a big lesson to be learned here. The three of them had taken off sans a compass or GPS unit, they didnt have hats on this hot sunny day and worst of all they had run out of water and were dehydrated. They were definitely greenhorns (lucky ones as it turned out) and we hope they learned their lesson well.

Putting up the EZ Ups

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Now What Do I Do?

By Mel Albright, AFMS Safety Chair, Via AFMS Newsletter March 2000
Meredith reached to the campfire to get the skillet and burned her hand. A snake bit Matt. Joe stepped on an old bottle and cut his foot. Mabel tripped and turned her ankle. Zach cut his hand and it's bleeding like mad. Jessica is having a seizure. Trouble, trouble, trouble. In this day and age, everyone knows how to dial 911. Most everyone has heard of what to do for a heart attack. Many know first aid for choking. But few know the first aid for other mishaps and catastrophes. Do you? Does someone in your club? Is there a trained person on every field trip? If your answer was "no", then you are typical. Years ago, first aid training was widespread and many knew at least the basics. But, in this day and age of 911 and gauze bandages, few people know first aid. We ARE engaged in a hobby that carries some risk. We work with power tools. We frequent rough territory far from help. We hammer, chisel, dig, grind, and pry. We get around snakes and spiders and scorpions. So, it would be good if YOU knew some first aid for common problems. And it would be good for your club to have a person trained in first aid, a first aid manual, and a good first aid kit. The kit is for another time. For now, just know that good ones can be bought for a reasonable price. Training in first aid may be harder. But, check with the Red Cross, the Scouts, a fireman, or your hospital to find out if classes are available in your area. When a medical problem strikes, what you do may be the difference between life and death. You can make a difference. A good first aid and emergency care handbook will give you all the information you need _ quickly, easily, and clearly. Injuries, illnesses, and medical emergencies should be included. First-aid techniques you can practice should be there so you're prepared when need comes. Life saving techniques, how to transport a victim with head or neck injuries and more should be there. There should be a comprehensive index, a complete listing by subject and symptoms for fast reference, and an alphabetical listing. Three readily available general first aid books are available from well-known national sources: The American Medical Association Handbook of First Aid & Emergency Care by Stanley M. Zydio, James A. Hill (Editor), Stanley M. Zydlo (Contributor) _ about $10. The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook by Kathleen Handal M.D., Kathleen A. Handal (Contributor), Elizabeth H. Dole _ about $20. First Aid Handbook by National Safety Council (Editor), Alton L. Thygerson _ about $10 How about your club having one on hand and available at all club activities?

36 for Chow (Eric Fuller Photo)

Shelter Cave rest stop, Jannette Hale, Ed Leake, Bob Hutson, Faith Hutson, Valice Raffi & Wilma Hutson

DONNAS LAW
by Donna Silberrad Everywhere I wander, Everywhere I roam, Each time that I bend over Another rock comes home.

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"EL Gambrisino"

Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 9 him was the local drunk whose prodigious, but finite, capacity for lager had earned him the nickname "Old (Cu Fe)12 As4 S13. I wondered if I should As for some advice but decided that nick, Cu3 (CO3)2 (OH)2 hand man, was no great shakes. Al2 O3 sighed a deep sigh and, looking across at me intently, asked can I confide in you ? of course you can Si O2.nH2O of mine I replied in what I hope was a cheerful way whats up ? Its my husband she confessed he doesnt seem to mean As2S3 to me before. I mean, you know somethings wrong when UO2 club and you start eyeing up other people. Ca2B5SiO9(OH)5 you are I responded but that way unhappiness lies, until you find yourself in a (Co Ni)As2-3 hole of depression. Youre absolutely right, she said briskly why cant we just stop all this nonsense once and for all. So I think I will Andrew Coster Norfolk Mineral & Lapidary Soc. (UK)
Because you all are my friends I will put the key on this same page. Maxine A collectors chemical conundrum key Be3 Al2 Si6 O18 - Beryl Sb - Antimony (Mg Fe)7(SiO4)3(F,OH)2 - Humite BaCO3 - witherite SiO2 - Quartz Bi2S3 - Bismuthinite Al2O3 - Ruby PbS - Galena Ca Mg (CO3)2 - Dolomite (Mn+2,Fe+2,MgCa)Si O3 - Rhodonite Ca5 (PO4)3(F,Cl,OH) - Apatite Pt - Platinum HgS - Cinnibar Mg(OH)2 - Brewsite NaCl - Halite Au - Gold Na Ca2 Al5 Si13 O36.14H2O - Stilbite Na Ca B5 O6 (OH)6 5H2O - Ulexite Ca (UO2)2 (PO4)2.10-12 H2O - Autinite (Zn Mn+2,Fe+2)(Fe+3Mn+3)2O4 - Franklinite S - Sulphur Zn2 As O4 (OH) - Adamite Be Al2 O4 - Crysoberyl Fe Cr2 O4 - Chromite Ag - Silver Zn5 (CO3)2 (OH)6 - Hydrozincite Fe S2 - Pyrite Fe CO3 - Siderite Ti O2 - Anatase Pb - Lead Cu - Copper (Cu Fe)12 As4 S13 - Tenantite Cu3 (CO3)2 (OH)2 - Azurite Si O2.nH2O - Opal As2 S3 - Orpiment UO2 - Uraninite Ca2B5SiO9(OH)5-Howlite (Co Ni) AS2-3 - Smaltite

A COLLECTORS CHEMICAL CONUNDRUM

It was whilst sitting at work the other day (staring out of the window in the vain hope that something wonderful would walk past) that I started to mull over the coincidence that allowed different mineral names to be interpreted in different ways. For example - I lead her onto the dance floor. I cogitated further and came to the conclusion that a short narrative might be written utilizing the disparate mineral names. Then I thought (at this point a burning smell was beginning to permeate the room and steam was in heavy evidence) what if the piece were written using the chemical symbols, rather than the words, in order that, not only could members test their knowledge of mineral composition, they could also prove that they dont just look at the pictures. It was a small mental hop (well it was if youve got the sort of mind I have) from conception to production and so, spurred into feverish mental activity, (see, now Im a feverish mental with a military fetish) I have produced the following. I hope that it will provide some small diversion and offer my sincerest apologies in advance. I knew it was going to be a bad day when the summons came through the door. My scheming ex wife Be3Al2Si6O18 was applying to get her Sb payments increased again. well I thought (Mg Fe)7 (SiO4)3 (F,OH)2 have a fancy lawyer, but Ba Co3 contacts I can drag this through the SiO2for months. Tossing the letter aside, I turned my thoughts to more pleasant matters. Bi2 s3 I was meeting my old girl friend Al2O. She had just given birth to her second daughter and had decided to call the PbS. She was definitely a Ca Mg (CO3)2 consider dating once more. I hastened to the bus stop where I boarded the same bus I (Mn+2, Fe+2, Mg, Ca) SiO3 after night to kill the time only, in this instance, I had a real Ca5 (PO4)3 (F,Cl,OH) for the journey. We met under the Pt coloured clock which is HgS in the west end called The Mg (OH)2. NaCl coloured hair shone Au under the bar lights and I thought why is it I Na Ca2 Al5 Si13 O36 . 14H2O my tongue yet know that Na Ca B5 O6 (OH)6 5H2O me just by your presence ? I realised I had to play it cool as I had Ca (Uo2)2 (PO4)2.10-12H2O to make my move. Hi I said casually hows it going ? well to tell you the truth she replied it was (Zn Mn+2, Fe+2) (Fe+3, Mn+3)2 O4 marish to begin with, but lately its been a case of S so good. How about you ? she asked Ive Zn2 As O4 (OH) of trouble with my ex again but, with any luck,if I can Be Al2 O4 feels guilty I can be in and out of the SiO2 faster than a Fe Cr2 O4 I replied heavily. How do you feel about this summons business she asked in Ag tones. Zn5 (CO3)2 (OH)6 feel I said its her money Fe S2 never mind she soothed Im sure that youve been to Fe CO3 people Ti O2 wont seem so heavy on your hands much longer. I Pb her to a table and we sat down and ordered drinks. Whilst we waited on their arrival, I took the opportunity to check out the bar. Down at the far end sat nick, an ex - Cu, and next to

Gemcrafters and Explorers Club

"EL Gambrisino"

Volume 52, Issue 10, November 2010

- 10 -

UP COMING SHOW Dates:

OCT. 21-23AUSTIN, TEXAS: Annual show, Gold; Austin Gem & Mineral Society; Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd.; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $5, seniors (60 and over) $4, students (13-18) $1, children (6-12) 50 cents; more than 30 dealers, jewelry, beads, gemstones, mineral specimens, crystals, fossils, spheres, lapidary equipment, exhibits, Rock Food table, touch table, fluorescent minerals, member collections, silent auction, demonstrations, faceting, cabbing, fossil cleaning, polymer clay, Youth Education Day Fri., Gem Mine, Wheel of Fortune, Jewelry Making, door prizes, grand prize; contact Susan Postlethwait, 6719 Burnet Ln., Austin, TX 78757, (512) 458-9546; e-mail: showchariman@austingemandmineral.org ; Web site: www.gemcapers.com 7-9MOAB, UTAH: Annual show; Moab Points & Pebbles Rock Club; Old Spanish Trail Arena, 3641 S. Hwy. 191; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-7, Sun. 10-4; free admission; dealers, field trips, spin wheel, door prizes, displays; contact Jerry Hansen, PO Box 186, Moab, UT 84532; e-mail: moabrockclub@live.com; Web site: www.moabrockclub.net 5-16GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO: 64th annual show; Grand Junction Gem & Mineral Club; Two Rivers Convention Center, 1st and Main; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3, children 12 and under free with parent; dealers, demonstrations, childrens corner, special attractions; contact Wayne McMackin, 191 Lumley, Grand Junction, CO 81503, (970) 640-9271; e-mail: wmcmackin@msn.com; Web site: www.grandjunctionrockclub.org 15-16 SEDONA, ARIZONA: Annual show; Sedona Gem & Mineral Club, Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; more than 40 dealers, Kids Corner, guest speakers, slide show presentations, hourly raffles, grand prize; contact: Gayle Macklin, PO Box 21222, Sedona, AZ 86341, (520) 921-0100; e-mail: gayleis@gmail.com; Web site: www.sedonagemandmineral.org NOV 5-6AMARILLO, TEXAS: Annual show; Golden Spread Gem & Mineral Society; Amarillo Civic Center-Regency Room, 401 S. Buchanan St.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3, children under 12 free; prehistoric, outer space, down under, precious, unusual, cheaps, artifacts, valuables, jewelry, Indian jewelry, beads, displays; contact Wanda Finley, 9170 FM 1151 Claude, TX 79019, (806) 944-5464; e-mail: finfran@midplains.coop DEC 2-4EL PASO, TEXAS: Annual show; El Paso Mineral & Gem Society; El Maida Auditorium, 6331 Alabama; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $3, seniors $2, students $3, children (under 12) free; gems, minerals, fossils, beads, jewelry, tools, books, equipment, geode cutting, silent auction, demonstrations; contact Jeannette Carrillo, 4100 Alameda Ave., El Paso, TX 79905, (915) 533-7153; e-mail: gemcenter@aol.com; Web site: epmgs.com

For further information or shows please check: www.rockngem.com Who knows, there just might be a good rock show in the area of your travels.

Thought for the Day: Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat. - Alex Levine

Some Interesting Web Sites for you to Check Out

think others might be interested in and I will pass them along.

Please send me any of your favorites that you

http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/clublist.shtml A list of all rock clubs in the USA www.Stoneageindustries.com/lapidary_tips.html The Stone Age Industries web site has a section with tips for just about anything you can think of relating to lapidary. Its well worth a look. www.gemsociety.org The International Gem Society has a big site with information about a wide range of lapidary subjects. www.dbrockwerks.com D and B Rockwerks is a site where you can find loads of tips on lapidary processes and links to lots of other sites.

Gemcrafters and Explorers Club

"EL Gambrisino"

Volume 53, Issue 9, October - 11 -

Gemcrafters & Explorers Club, P.O. Box 3091, Las Cruces, NM 88003
Affiliated with: Member of: Member of: American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies Blue Ribbon Coalition www.amfed.org www.rmfms.org www.sharetrails.org

2011 OFFICERS & volunteers:

President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Refreshments Historian Program Director Newsletter EditorKathy Fuller Al Spencer Pat Grace Brenda Gadberry Pat Mauer Don Saathoff Eric Fuller Maxine Wyman 649-2222 405-8864 202-2862 202-0200 526-4939 382-3464 524-0204 649-4900 truthfinderpoly@gmail.com alzpaiz@yahoo.com patricia.j.grace@us.army.mil brendagadberry@comcast.net patricia.pat.mauer8@gmail.com auagte2@comcast.net ghosthiker@gmail.com gambrisina@gmail.com

We meet on the third Friday of the month at Gardiner Hall, Room 118, NMSU campus, Las Cruces, NM at 6:30 pm for social and 7 pm for the meeting. There are no meetings in July and December. Dues are $10 per person per year and each additional family member is $2 per year. They are due Jan. 1st of each year. A membership form will be emailed or mailed to you in December to be filled out and returned with your check BY MAIL to the treasurer.

Our purpose shall be to gather knowledge and provide educational benefits to members on geological, archaeological, lapidary, and mineralogical topics of interest, to include assistance to members in all lapidary problems, the study and identification of minerals and gem stones in the rough, the field study of geological formations which produce minerals and gem stones, the collection of minerals and gemstones, and the exploration of any geological or archaeological topic or area which may be of interest to the membership.

NOTE: All articles and photographs are by the Editor Maxine Wyman unless otherwise noted. Any address or email changes must be sent to me at: gambrisina@gmail.com

Info for the Newsletter:

If you have information, articles, pictures or a website related to gem crafting, rock collecting or exploring and would like to share please give me a call at 649-4900 or email me at gambrisina@gmail.com If you have a good idea or story to tell I will be more than happy to help you write it up. Also if you have minerals, outdoor or camping equipment, etc. that you would like to sell please let me know for our FREE "Classifieds." Maxine Wyman, Editor