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AUG. 2009
The CHATBOX is a monthly publication of the
MINERAL AREA GEM &
MINERAL SOCIETY (MAGMS)
The purpose of our club is to develop interest in
and increase knowledge of the earth sciences, minerals, rocks, fossils, and the
lapidary arts, and to bring about a closer association of persons sharing these
interests.
We shall achieve our purpose through regular planned open meetings, programs, publications, committees, monthly field trips, and special projects of assistance to the community.
We meet the second THURSDAY of each month at 7:00 PM at the Park Hills Senior Center, 224 W. Main St., Park Hills, Missouri. Visitors are always welcome
Annual dues are $18.00 per family or $12.00 per individual.
***** 2009 Elected Officers*****
PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT SECRETARY: TREASURER:
Betty Marler Allys Bell, (Acting) Jack Sale
5084 Flat River Rd no.10 Club Street 1148 Rue Angeline
Farmington,MO63640 Park Hills,MO.63601 Bonne Terre,MO 63628
(573)431-2951 (573)518-1306 (573)562-7004
***2009
Committee Chairpersons***
BOARD MEMBERS: Field Trip Coordinator: Mark & Boneta Hensley
Jack Sale Hospitality: Betty Marler
Mark Hensley Refreshments: Allys
Bell & as shown in CHATBOX each month
Allys Bell Annual Rock Swap: Lloyd Marler (chair) & Mark and Boneta Hensley
Club Display Case:
Publicity: Joey Henry
Representative: Allys Bell, Art Hebrank
Annual Picnic: Ruth Mosier
CHATBOX
Editor: Robert W. Carroll
Midwest
Federation Representative:
St.
Louis Federation Representative: Ruth Mosier
Christmas
Party: Betty White
Science Committee: Art Hebrank
Submit articles for publication to the Editor, Robert W. Carroll 573-431-2148 E-Mail = bcarroll@charter.net, by the 20th of the month. Material may be reprinted provided credit is given to the CHATBOX. Publication of articles in the CHATBOX does not constitute endorsement by MAGMS or certify the accuracy of the material. Opinions expressed in articles and editorials are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the membership or the MAGMS.
Next meeting will be
at Park Hills Senior Center,
224 W. Main St., Park Hills, Missouri
Thursday August 13 7:00 PM
REFRESHMENTS: Bring your favorite Ice Cream and Cake
PROGRAM: Enjoy fellowship, cake and
ice cream
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Presidents Message:
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Not very much going on, things are pretty quiet This meeting is our ice cream social. Hope everyone shows up. The most important thing coming up is earth science kits . They must be in schools by Sept. 1. Picnic is Sept 13 at Hawn State Park. |
Your president Betty Marler
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Minutes of MAGMS Meeting of July 09, 2009
The monthly meeting was called to order on July 09, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. by President Betty Marler. There were 13 members present and no visitors. The door prize was won by Carnelia Lueddecke.
The minutes and treasures report were approved as printed in the CHATBOX.
Betty reported that several of our members are on the sick list and we wish everyone a speedy recovery.
Art reported the swap this year was the VERY BEST EVER!!!
Art reported on his progress on the Earth Science Kits. He now has 23 of the 36 specimens needed. We will donate 5 kits to schools the 1st of September 2009. Discussion was made about what, if anything will be added to the kits that Art is getting ready. More discussion is needed on this matter.
Ruthie reported the MAGMS Annual Picnic will be September 13, 2009 at Hawn State Park. Come as early as you wish. There will be tailgating for those who wish to bring their rocks, etc. Ruthie would like suggestions on some games to play. We may play bingo and if so, we will need to bring our white elephants along. We will eat at 1:00 P.M. The club will furnish the meat, bread and drinks. Please bring a covered dish and your eating utensils.
Betty reported that the donation in memory of Barb Adams will go toward Dylan’s expenses for college. This was requested by Barb Adams brother. Discussion was made about helping Dylan out with his college expenses. This IS NOT a CLUB PROJECT! A collection will be taken up at the next meeting from individuals who wish to help him.
Lloyd reported on the swap. He and Betty will chair the swap for another year and Lloyd suggested making Mike Marler co-chair.
Seva brought before the membership that the treasurer, Jack Sale, needs to make an itemized list for expenditures each month, according to the bylaws. This was voted on and approved. Jack did not know he was supposed to do this and said he would take care of it.
D. Jennings did the program this month. He told about different jobs that he had done in his lifetime and told us about the farm on the St Francis River and the house in Farmington that he had restored. He also brought his collections of coins, post cards and mills (tokens). He had a very interesting program. Good job!!!
The next MAGMS Meeting will be on August 13, 2009 at 7:00 P.M. at the Senior Center in Park Hills, Missouri. We will be having our annual ICE CREAM SOCIAL. Bring your favorite ice cream and fixings and plan to enjoy the evening.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:17 P.M. by President Betty Marler and everyone enjoyed refreshments and visiting each other.
Carnelia Lueddecke, Acting Secretary
Treasurer’s report
As of 7/1/09 we had available $5,546.03.
Jack Sale Treasurer
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*First
you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull up your
zipper. It's worse when you forget to pull it down.
*Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called
witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.
*Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth . . .. . .
. . . . AMEN!
Thoughts-Prayers
Helen Warren
Mabel Reed
Carnelia
Lueddecke
Marvin Lueddecke
Jean Carroll
Marvin Twiner
Helen Warren
Bill & Glenda Crites
Jerry Henry
If
you would like to send a card or letter to any
of these, you may get the address from Betty Marler at 573-431-2951 or Robert
Carroll at 573-431-2148.
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Abigail
Simpson 08-03 
Ann
Hampton 08-07
Lairen King 08-11
Wade Likes 08-12
Faye Sitzes 08-20
Mary Grace McGill 08-22
Jerry Henry 08-23
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Birth Month
August
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Modern
Birthstones Peridot |
Traditional
Birthstones Sardonyx |
Mystical
Birthstones Diamond |
Ayurvedic
Birthstones Sapphire |
Other Birthstones Jade |
Sardonyx
This month’s gemstone is Sardonyx,
the alternative birthstone for August (photograph at left from
Thaigem). The modern birthstone is peridot but sardonyx has an ancient
history and is a fascinating stone.
Gemmology
Matters:
Sardonyx is a variety of onyx which is a form of banded chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz or SiO2) or agate. The
name sardonyx derives from the word “sard” and “onyx” relating to the
striped or banded appearance of layers of white, grey or black interspersed
with reddish brown. As a variety of quartz, sardonyx has a hardness of 7
and is reasonably strong although prone to chips and scratches. The
durability of sardonyx, combined with its attractive coloured pattern means
that it is frequently used for beads and brooches.
Sardonyx has been
mined in India for thousands of years and it remains a major source of this
ancient gemstone. Other locations include Russia, Pakistan, USA, Germany,
Brazil, Mexico, Czechoslovakia and Africa. Sardonyx is a relatively
inexpensive stone and may be found in large sizes. Stones with bright
orange-red, reddish brown and white bands are popular. Natural
sardonyx is rarely found commercially with enhancement treatments common
- usually dying or staining to intensify or alter colour.
Mythology and
Lore:
According to Pliny, sard is named after Sardis where that mineral is found.
Onyx is named after the Greek word for “nail” because its veined appearance
resembles a fingernail. Sardonyx was highly valued in Rome, especially
for seals, because it was said to never stick to the wax.
The ancient
Greeks and Romans were very fond of sardonyx and believed it could bring
courage and victory. Sardonyx was often engraved with images of relevant
gods (such as Ares, Hercules or Mars) and carried into battle by soldiers
who believed they would become as brave as the figures carved on these
talismans. Away from the battlefield it was believed to lend the gift of
persuasiveness to orators and leaders.
Sardonyx cameos
were very popular in Roman times. The example at left depicting the
coronation of Constantin the Great is from the “Road to Byzantium exhibition”
by the Hermitage Rooms. See the Vroma website for more images of these
ancient pieces in cameo work. Sardonyx has been used for this type of jewellery
for centuries where the different bands of colour carved in relief highlight
the image against the background.
The popularity
of sardonyx for cameo jewellery lasted well into modern times although the
designs still tend to draw from ancient themes. The piece on the
right has a more contemporary “feel” about it although the carved design
is still quite traditional in style.
Sardonyx is said
to calm the mind, aid communication and promote happiness in marriage
and relationships. An old rhyme listing birthstones and their associated
traits claims that:
The August maiden, with sweet simplicity
wears Sardonyx, gem of felicity.
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MAGMS Field Trips….
To
hot!!!! There will be no field trips
scheduled for July or August. We will try to plan field trips this Fall. More
information later.
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12th ANNUAL
MISSOURI MINES ROCK SWAP
June 12th, 13th,
and 14th, 2009
Missouri Mines State Historic
Site
Park Hills, MO 63601
Our biggest public event of the year took place on the 12th, 13th, and 14th of June - - - the 12th Annual Missouri Mines Rock Swap. This event is cosponsored by the Mineral Area Gem & Mineral Society (MAGMS) – a local rock-hobby club, and by the Greater St. Louis Association of Earth Science Clubs (GSLAESC) – an association of most of the rock-hobby clubs in Eastern Missouri. Rock swap chairman Lloyd Marler developed plans and arranged for assistance while Linda Burr and Betty Marler scheduled swapper participation (accepted space reservations) for several months prior to the event. On the evening of May 18th, GSLAESC held a regular meeting at Missouri Mines – in conjunction with MAGMS and Art Hebrank – where we further discussed final plans for the swap.
The DNR/DSP news release announcing the event (Vol. 37, 152) was sent out on June 2nd. Art did an interview on the 4th on radio stations KREI (800 AM) and KTJJ (98.5 FM) in Farmington and another on the 10th on KFMO (1240 AM) and KDBB (104.3 FM) in Park Hills. Out-takes from these interviews were aired regularly until the end of the event. The Daily Journal: St. Francois County (Park Hills) carried feature articles on the swap on the 8th, 11th and 15th; all were illustrated front-page stories. Announcement of the swap was also carried in the Community Events sections of several other area newspapers.
Serious set up efforts commenced on the 8th when MAGMS erected their small canopy tent and laid out swapper spaces. The reserved DSP tents were delivered by Central Warehouse staff late on the 8th, and St. Joe SP maintenance workers and inmate crew erected the 40x60 canopy tent on the 9th. They also delivered 20 loaner picnic tables and trashcans, as well as their trash compactor and a PA system. As always, our sincere thanks to Bill/Sandy and the St. Joe SP Maintenance crew - - - without their help, this event would be impossible. Portable toilets were delivered and set up on the 10th by Fresh and Clean (Park Hills). On the 11th, we picked up rental tables from Grand Rental Station (Farmington), and Park Hills Parks and Recreation employees chalked in the swapper spaces. The parking lot was transformed into a swap area, and all was in readiness.
Really bad rainstorms had been predicted all week, but while it was somewhat hot and humid, we amazingly ducked the precipitation completely. Saturday skies were mostly clear and beautiful - - more overcast on Sunday. It was almost shocking: I honestly can’t remember another Missouri Mines Rock Swap with NO rain! Serious swappers and the general public turned out in record numbers. Daily tabulations follow.
Spaces/Swappers Workers General Public Total Site Visitors Museum Visitors
FRIDAY 98 / 141 8 829 978 218
SATURDAY 102 / 148 6 1,482 1,636 588
SUNDAY 92 / 128 5 750 883 412
TOTALS 292 / 417 19 3,061 3,497 1,218
As would be expected, the greatest number of registered swappers were from Missouri, with Illinois ranking second. Others came from Arkansas, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, and Arizona. Site visitors totaled 3,497 for the three-day event, our largest attendance in the 12-year history of the swap (874 more than last year’s previous record!). Of these, 1,218 visited the museum (28 less than last year).
All full-time and most part-time Mo Mines staff worked all three days. Kevin and Joe (Fort Davidson SHS) assisted with parking and maintenance responsibilities; Cindy (Hawn SP), Marilyn (Festus District Office) and Donna (Bollinger Mill SHS, retired) assisted with visitor service activities in the museum. My sincere thanks again for their quality assistance, and thanks also to Walt Busch, Ed Schott, and Delecia Huitt for making their services available. In addition, several museum society members volunteered throughout the event. We don’t offer formal museum tours during the swap, but showed the historic video regularly and were available to answer questions. The normal museum admission was waived for the special event.
A meeting of the Friends of Mineralogy: Mississippi Valley Chapter convened on Saturday morning in conjunction with the swap: about 11 members participated. A covered-dish supper was held Saturday evening for about 100 swappers, site staff, and local rock club members. Several silent auctions each day and a Saturday evening live auction – of swapper-donated specimens – netted a total of $1,200. This full amount was donated to the Missouri Mines Museum Society, designated specifically for use to improve the mineral exhibits at Missouri Mines State Historic Site.
The swap formally ended at 4:00 PM on the 14th. It rained at 5:00 PM! The portable toilets were removed from the site on the 15th. St. Joe inmates took the big tent down on the 17th, and it was picked up by Warehouse staff the following day. After several long clean up days, the site was more-or-less back to normal.
The 2009 Missouri Mines Rock Swap was definitely a great success. Swapper and public comments were all favorable. I consider this event to be a fine public service to the state’s rock hobbyists – an important visitor constituency at Missouri Mines SHS. Additionally, it is a great opportunity to expand awareness of the site throughout the Midwest and beyond, and hopefully boost our attendance. It is certainly our intention to co-host the rock swap again next year.
Art Hebrank, Site Administrator
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God Bless America
