great things come is small packages · pikes peak backcountry see micromount on page 4 andy...

THE BULLETIN OF THE COLORADO SPRINGS MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY Published Since 1960

NOVEMBER 2004

Volume 44 Number 9

Bob Landgraf President

Drew Malin Vice President

Sidney Benda Secretary

James Bushnell Treasurer

Lorrie Hutchinson Membership Secretary

Ethan Bronner Managing Editor

Louis Severini Member at Large

John White Member at Large

Kay Thompson Past President

Manny Sanchez Show Chairman

Roger Pittman Field Trip Director

CSMS is an incorporatednonprofit organization withthese goals:

Colorado Springs

Mineralogical SocietyFounded in 1936

�

Lazard CahnHonorary President

COLORADO SPRINGS MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY PO BOX 2 COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80901-0002 www.csms.us

Proud Members of:

American Federation ofMineralogical Societies (AFMS)

Rocky Mt. Federation ofMineralogical Societies (RMFMS)

Colorado Federation ofMineralogical Societies (CFMS)

To promote and disseminateknowledge of the earthsciences, especially as theyrelate to mineralogy, lapidary,and fossils

To encourage study,collection and fashioning ofminerals.

To accomplish the samethrough social meetings,lectures, programs, displays,shows, and field trips.

The Pick & Pack is publishedmonthly to assist andpromote the above.

I’m fond of Neal Yedlin’s definition:

A micromount is a natural mineral speci-men, preferably in distinct crystals, mounted,properly labeled, and requiring magnificationfor meaningful observation.

Of course, a newcomer to the hobbywon’t really understand the statement, orrealize that it can be interpreted in differ-ent ways, so here’s a brief FAQ. Bear inmind that this is only a brief introduction;there are exceptions to every rule. For moredetailed information, consult the web orthe literature. Let us begin at the begin-ning.

What the hell? You collect what?

Nobody blinks an eye at a man who spendsthousands of dollars a year just to hit asmall white ball into a hole in the ground,or a grown woman who has a room linedwith ugly plastic dolls; but if you say you’rea mineral collector, it simply does not com-pute. People look at you funny and assumeyou’re touched in the head. Minerals sur-

What is a Micromount?

Great Things Come is Small Packages

Tim Jokela, Jr.

round us; we use them every day. Our cars,toothpaste, and computers are made ofthem, but most people have absolutely no

concept of what theyactually are, and noidea that lots ofpeople (not just ge-ologists) spend theirentire lives collect-ing and studyingthem.

Collecting miner-als actually makes agreat deal of sense.Mineral specimensare beautiful, im-mensely collectibleexamples of naturalartwork. The finestand rarest speci-mens can command

six or seven digit prices, though the vastmajority are well under $200. Every min-eral specimen is unique, many are bril-liantly colored and come in large, well-

Silver wire

Sarbay Mine,Kazakhstan~15mm acrossPhotograph by Arnim

Walter

Topaz is a hard precious gemstone, ahydrous aluminum fluorosilicatecrystallizing in the orthorhombic sys-

tem. Stubby, prismatic crystals often dis-play terminations with many complex, well-developed faces, as well as striations onlengthwise surfaces. Clear quartz crystalscan be mistaken for colorless topaz. How-ever, topaz has perfect basal cleavage; quartzdoes not.

Worldwide, topaz is found in a large va-riety of geologic settings. The most produc-tive deposits are in Brazil, Russia, and Sri

Topaz Occurrences of the Redskin Granite,Pikes Peak Backcountry

See Micromount on page 4

Andy Weinzapfel, geologist

Lanka. Within the Pikes Peak batholith, thebest finds have come from seven areas: Dev-ils Head, Glen Cove, Wigwam Creek, Crys-tal Park, Harris Park, Crystal Peak, and theTarryall Mountains.

The Redskin granite of the TarryallMountains is the most consistent topazproducer in Colorado, and the source ofsome of the finest topaz crystals in theUnited States. An oval shaped intrusion ofabout 19 square miles, the Redskin is afluorine/tin/beryllium/topaz-rich granite

See Micromount on page 5

PICK & PACKNOVEMBER 2004 PAGE

Our Staff...

Ethan A. Bronner Managing Editor

Cindy Bronner Assistant Editor

Robert & Naoko Murphy Mailers

We encourage everyone tosubmit articles, photos, illustra-tions or observations.

Share your experiences, trials andtribulations, your new finds, orsimply your experience at our lastfield trip.

The ability to write well is NOT arequirement. We will fix thegrammar while keeping theauthor’s voice, style and workintact.

Handwrite it, type it or E-mail it.Format does not matter. Allsubmissions are welcomed.

Unless otherwise marked, materi-als from this publication may bereprinted. Please give credit to theauthor and the PICK & PACK.


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DEADLINE for items to beincluded in the next month’sissue is the fourth Friday ofevery month. To submit anitem, please use the following:

Photos:For hardcopy photos, mail to theaddress below or bring them to theGeneral Assembly Meeting. All photosremain the property of the submitter.All photos will be returned. Electronicphotos should be submitted atresolutions above 200 dpi in TIFF orPICT format.

Articles:Mail, E-mail, or fax to the address andnumbers below. ALL FORMATS AREWELCOMED.

E-mai l :[email protected]

Address:1025 East Boulder StreetColorado Springs, CO 80903

Phone & Fax:(719) 448-9949For faxes no precalls are required.

The PICK & PACK is published ten(10) times per year. 270 issuesprinted, 200-250 mailed per month.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Robert Landgraf

November ProgramAncient Rocks and Fossils of the of the Front Range

Jerry Suchan

November 2004 General AssemblyThursday, November 18, 2004, 7:30

Colorado Springs Senior Center1514 North Hancock Blvd

October’s refreshments courtesy:

Camera Group

Show Chairman Found2005 Show Starting to Come Together

We will see a slide show describing thegeology (rocks) and paleontology(fossils) for the Colorado Springs andnearby areas along the Front Range.Pictures of locations and specimens illus-trate in practical and interestingways how the sciences of geology and pa-leontology look at rocks, crystalsand fossils. We will consider only the “an-cient” rocks (Pleozoic Era andolder) during this program.

I want to thankLorrie Hutchinsonfor volunteering tobe Show Chairmanfor the 2005 Show.I hope that you willall give her the sup-port we need tomake the 2005 Showa great success. Wehave most of the

chair positions under her filled, so we havea good start. We are still looking for theshow security position to be filled. That isan easy but important job. The last holderof that position will give you the contactinformation to arrange for guards for ourshow. Then, the main thing is to see thatthey arrive when the show opens and knowwhom to call if no one appears. Please letLorrie know if you are interested.

Smithsonian mineralogist Michael Wise

is planning to once again be able to joinus for our show. We are trying to arrangefor a special exhibit from the Smithsonianin conjunction with his visit. There is alarge yellow topaz that a group of North-west Mineral clubs contributed monies forfaceting. That gem is now available for trav-eling exhibit.

We also have invited clubs from South-ern Colorado to join us for the federationshow. So far the Lake George and Puebloclubs have responded in the affirmative.Brent Williams has volunteered to orga-nize field trips for 2005 and also the 2005Show trips. The show field trips will runfor five days following the show. We needpeople to volunteer to lead the individualshow trips and are looking for places thatwe can take people. Please get into contactwith Brent with your ideas. We would likea variety of ideas to cover crystals, micro-minerals, fossils and agate or fossil wood.

CSMS Show to Recieve NationalRecognitionThe CSMS hosted Bob and Cora Keppel asour honored guests for the 2004 Pikes PeakGem and Mineral Show.

For those of you who don’t remember, BobKeppel is a contribuitng editor to Rock andGem Magazine.

Bob Keppel was kind enough to let usknow that his article about his visit willbe appearing in the January 2005 edition.

Get your subscription now so you don’tmiss it.

PICK & PACK NOVEMBER 2004PAGE 3


October 21, 2004

Minutes...

On an annual basis, the Colo-rado Springs MineralogicalSociety (CSMS) will form acommittee that will:

Final Draft ofProposedOperatingProcedurefor Awarding theCSMS Scholarship

The above is the final draft ofthe CSMS Scholarship operatingprocedures. The membershipwill be asked to cast their votefor aproval at the NovemberGeneral Assembly.

- Distribute information/applicationsto area high schools concerning theCSMS undergraduate scholarshipprogram.

- Review scholarship applications todetermine the appropriate recipient.

- The amount of the scholarship willbe a minimum of $1000 per year. Thesource of these funds will be from theannual show profits, fundraisingactivities and club investments.

- Determine the scholarship recipientbased on academic achievement andfinancial need.

- Accept applications from anyresident of El Paso/Teller County,CSMS member’s family or any affiliateof CSMS who will be an undergradu-ate student at the Colorado School ofMines, the University of Colorado,Colorado Springs (UCCS), TheColorado College, New Mexico Tech,South Dakota School of Mines orMontana Tech. Scholarshiprecipient(s) must reapply eachacademic year as the scholarship isawarded on an annual basis and notthe duration of the student’s tenureat one of these colleges. Scholarshipapplicants must major in Mineralogy,Geology or some other field of theEarth Sciences.

- Award the scholarship to theAmerican Federation of MineralSocieties if no local student can beselected.

- Give CSMS family members fullconsideration for the scholarship inthe final review of all applications.

Bob Landgraf called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

Minutes from previous general meeting were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report: Same status as reported the last month.

Satellite Groups: Camera, crystal, faceting, fossil, lapidary, micromount and jewelrygroup leaders announced dates, meeting locations and program for next month.

Show Report:The CSMS needs to fill the show committee chairman position - Lorrie Hutchinson wasnominated.

Field Trips:Trip to the Mex-Tex, Royal Flush and Desert Rose mines in Bingham, NM is planned forNov. 12 in conjunction with New Mexico Mineral Symposium in Socorro.

Old Business:None.

New Business:- Nominations of CSMS officers for 2005 are as follows:

President ..................... Drew Malin Vice-president .............. Rick Olson Secretary ...................... Rick Copeland Treasurer ..................... James Bushnell Editor ........................... Ethan Bronner Member at large ............ John White Member at large ........... Louis Severini Field trip chairman....... Brent Williams

- Loren Lowe informed about closing the Sweet Home Mine.

The general meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

CSMS Updating Membership FilesAll Members Asked to Participate

We find another year coming to an end.With every new year comes the cry, “Duesare now due,” and this year will not be anydifferent. What is different about this yearis the CSMS board of directors has set thedirective to update and clean-up the mem-bership database.

Through the years the CSMS member-ship database has grown in size and struc-ture. For 2005 we are hoping to start witha new database and reenter all data cor-rectly. Of course, all of the existing mem-bership data will not be lost and all perti-nent information will be transfered to thenew database. This includes the year themember joined and the number of years they

have been paid members. Also, all of thehistorical data will also be transfered.

To help with this endeavor, we are ask-ing all members to completely fill out a mem-bership application when they submit their2005 dues. To help assist with this, we haveincluded a membership application in theback of this issue and will include it for thenext few issues. We will also be making itavailable for download in PDF format onthe CSMS website (www.CSMS.us).

We want to thank everyone in advancefor their cooperation in this matter andpromise you that all information is held inconfidence, accessible only by the board.



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formed transparent crystals, but they’re notjust pretty, they often have tremendous eco-nomic and scientific value.

The mineral collecting hobby is perfectfor anybody living in an area of inhospi-table winters. You can collect lots of neatstuff all summer, then sort it all out dur-ing the winter—a perfect balance of mentaland physical activity not available to col-lectors of manmade items like stamps,coins, or ornate Albanian nutcrackers. Min-eral collecting at its best is not just aboutmindless accumulation; the pleasures ofidentifying your finds, studying geology, andpursuing mineralogy to its fullest extentmake this hobby far richer and more inter-esting than most. You don’t need to be anathlete to collect minerals; you don’t needto be a science nerd, or be rich, or have aPh.D. in chemistry, and you don’t have tobuy a license to collect minerals. All youreally need is some curiosity about the natu-ral world around you.

It’s easy to get started in mineral col-lecting, as most cities will have one or moremineral clubs full of people that would beglad to show you the ropes. The hobby canbe scaled to fit any budget, and can be donein whatever spare time and space you haveavailable. You can simply collect mineralsthat you like, or you can specialize in anyof dozens of areas of the hobby. From col-lecting minerals in the field to specializ-ing in the minerals of one country, or mak-ing your own jewelry, or even collecting onlythe most perfect microscopic crystals—thepossibilities are limitless. Check out a lo-cal club, or find a mineral show in yourarea, and I guarantee that you’ll be hookedon the best hobby there is. You’ll never bebored again, and will benefit greatly fromthe fresh air, companionship, and mentaland physical exercise.

What is a mineral?

We’re talking rocks and minerals here,not vitamins and minerals. And in factwe’re not even talking rocks. Most mineralcollectors (AKA “rockhounds”) collect min-erals; only geologists collect rocks. Rocksare actually rather ugly and boring, unlessyou’re a geologist or prospector. It’s easy todifferentiate rocks and minerals: all rocksare made up of minerals. There are about4,000 different minerals now known. ErnestNickel’s definition of a mineral is probablythe best:

A mineral is an element or chemicalcompound that is normally crystalline

and that has been formed as a result ofgeological processes.

Note that “geological processes” are re-quired to form a mineral, stuff producedby crystal growing kits doesn’t count as amineral. This is a highly controversial pairof words, as some very interesting miner-als have been formed by non-geologicalprocesses, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

What is a crystal?

To paraphrase Sinkankas, a crystal is amineral with a uniformly orderly internalatomic arrangement. The lovely shiny crys-tal faces we all ooh and aah over simplyreflect the atomic structure of the min-eral. Crystals can be submicroscopic, orweigh tons. Not all minerals are found ingood crystals; in fact only a few hundredminerals are generally available in size-able, attractive crystals. Many more, how-ever, are found in lovely microscopiccrystals...enter the micromounter!

What do you mean by “mounted”?

The ideal micromount is glued to a ped-estal within a small (~20mm square) plas-tic box, oriented so that the best crystalsface upwards for easy appreciation.

How and why do you label tiny littlespecimens?

A specimen without a label is worthless—you must record the name and locality ofyour specimens. If you can’t identify themineral, but know the locality, then putthat on the label.

How much magnification do you need?

Micromounters by and large use lowpower stereo microscopes. You don’t re-ally need anything over 80x, the averagerange is 10x-40x or so. Biology scopes thatrange from 100x to 600x or more are byand large useless. Low power loupes (smallfolding magnifying glasses) are handy, but10x doesn’t really let you see much. Well-heeled micromounters have Scanning Elec-tron Microscopes, which provide excellentimages of very, very tiny crystals. For moreinformation on microscopes, see Tools of theTrade.

This article and photo was used with thewritten permission of the author. All rightsare reserved. This article can not be reprintedwithout the express written consent of theauthor. SOURCE: www.micromounts.com

continued from page 1Micromounts

The name given to a variety of porous yellowsandstone or quartzose schist, which occurs atItacolumi, in the southern portion of MinasGeraes, Brazil. This rock is of interest for tworeasons: it is believed to be the source of thediamonds which are found in great numbersin the district, and it is the best and mostwidely-known example of a flexible sand-stone. Itacolumite is yellow or pale-brown,and splits readily into thin flat slabs. It is amember of a metamorphic series, beingaccompanied by clay-slate, mica schist,hornblende schist and various types offerriferous schists. In many places itacolumiteis really a coarse grit or fine conglomerate.Other quartzites occur in the district, andthere is some doubt whether thediamantiferous sandstones are alwaysitacolumites and also as to the exact manner inwhich the presence of diamond in these rocksis to be accounted for. Some authorities holdthat the diamond has been formed in certainquartz veins which traverse the itacolumite. Itis clear, however, that the diamonds arefound only in those streams which contain thedetritus of this rock.

On the split faces of the slabs, scales ofgreenish mica are visible, but in other respectsthe rock seems to be remarkably pure. If apiece which is a foot or two long and half aninch thlck be supported at its ends it willgradually bend by its own weight. If it then beturned over it will straighten and bend in theopposite direction. Flakes a millimetre or twothick can be bent between the fingers and aresaid to give out a creaking sound. It should benoted that specimens showing this propertyform only a small part of the whole mass ofthe rock. Flexible rocks have also beenreported and described from North andSouth Carolina, Georgia, Delhi, and from thenorth of England (Durham). They are mostlysandstones or quartzites, but the Durhamrock is a variety of the magnesian limestone ofthat district.

Some discussion has taken place regardingthe cause of the flexibility. At one time it wasascribed to the presence of thin scales of micawhich were believed to permit a certainamount of motion between adjacent grains ofquartz. More probably, however, it is due tothe porous character of the rock togetherwith the interlocking junctions between thesand grains. The porosity allows interstitialmovement, while the hinge-like joints bywhich the particles are connected hold themtogether in spite of the displacement. Thesefeatures are dependent to some extent onweathering, as the rocks contain perishableconstituents which are removed and leaveopen cavities in their place, while at the sametime additional silica may have been depositedon the quartz grains fitting their irregularsurfaces more perfectly together. Most of theknown flexible rocks are also fine-grained; insome cases they are said to lose their flexibilityafter being dried for some time, probablybecause of the hardening of some interstitialsubstance, but many specimens kept in a dryatmosphere for years retain this property in ahigh degree. (J. S. F.)

Source:“ITACOLUMITE.” LoveToKnow 1911 OnlineEncyclopedia. ©2003, 2004 LoveToKnow.http://56.1911encyclopedia.org/I/IT/ITACOLUMITE.htm

ItacolumiteA Flexible Sandstone

PICK & PACK NOVEMBER 2004PAGE


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considered a “juicy” late stage potassic vari-ant of the 1.08 billion-year-old Pikes Peakgranite (PPG). The Redskin granite was likelyemplaced around the end of crystallizationof its parent PPG at shallow depths.Ludington (1981) views the Redskin as acupola, or isolated upward-projecting plu-tonic body, sitting atop the main mass ofthe much larger Pikes Peak batholith. Incontrast, Hawley uses the term “cupola” ata much smaller scale, referring to two min-eralized satellite bodies on the western edgeof the Redskin granite, locally termed theBoomer and China Wall. In contrast to thegenerally coarse-grained PPG, the Redskingranite is crudely zoned, having a fine- tomedium-grained core and a coarse-grainedouter zone. The Redskin granite weathers amore intense reddish color than the PPG.This is probably due to an excess of iron-rich biotite mica.

The best known and most heavily exploredcollecting area is east and southeast ofSpruce Grove Campground, along ParkCounty Road 77, about 13 miles north ofLake George. There, topaz crystals are foundin granite pegmatites and miarolitic cavi-ties or pockets, associated with smoky andcolorless quartz, hematite, pink microcline,phenakite, and other minerals. Aplite (fine-grained) granite dikes within the Redskinintrusion are also topaz bearing. In old dig-gings, attention should be given to red clays.

Some outstanding topaz crystals have beenoverlooked in previously prospected pock-ets, obscured by these hematitic clays. To-paz also occurs in pipe-like circular bodiesof heavily altered quartz-muscovite rockcalled greisens, associated with berylliumminerals. These are typical of the Boomerand China Wall cupolas.

About three miles southeast of theSpruce Grove, along Matucat road, topazcrystals occur in gravel placers as colluvial/alluvial deposits. A fee mining area oper-ates there. These deposits are near their peg-matite source within the Redskin granite,as crystals faces are not abraided much bytransport. Due to its high specific gravityof 3.5, topaz is selectively concentrated nearthe bedrock surface.

Tarryall topaz is colorless, white, blue,yellow, brown, or sherry. An interesting bi-color effect is present in some crystals. Asthey are rotated and viewing angle changes,distinct changes of blue and sherry colorsare noted.

The Lost Creek Wilderness covers thenorthern 40 per cent of the Redskin intru-sion. While this area has only been su-perficially mapped, the geology appearsconsistent with the known productive por-tion of the Redskin stock. Thus, it wouldbe extremely surprising if topaz depositswere NOT present in the Lost Creek Wilder-ness! While this is unfortunate for the min-eral collector, please respect federal lawsand refrain from collecting there.

Eckel, E.B., 1997. Minerals ofColorado. Friends of mineralogyand Denver museum of naturalhistory

Hawley, C.C. and Wobus, R.A.,1977 General geology and petrol-ogy of the Precambrian crystal-line rocks, Park and JeffersonCounties, Colorado. USGS PP608-B

Hawley, C.C., 1969. Geology andberyllium deposits of the LakeGeorge beryllium area, Park andJefferson Counties, Colorado.USGS PP 608-A

Hawley, C.C. et al, 1966. Geologi-cal and geochemical features ofthe Redskin granite and associ-ated rocks, Lake George beryl-lium area, Colorado. USGS PP550C p C138-147nB11, p 10423-10430

Hawley, C.C., 1963. Geology of thePikes Peak granite and associ-ated ore deposits, Lake Georgeberyllium area, Park County,Colorado. USGS open file report63-44 (692)

Ludington, S., 1981. The redskingranite: evidence forthermogravational diffusion in aPrecambrian granite batholith.Journal of geophysical researchv86

Modreski, P.J. and Michalski,T.C., 1996. Colorado topaz.Rocks and Minerals v71 n5,p306-323

Voynick, S., 2001. Topaz mountaingem mine. Rock and Gem p72-76

Voynick, S., 1998. Tarryall topaz.Rock and Gem p80-83

Voynick, S., 1996. Colorado topaz.Rock and Gem p38-43

Wobus, R.A., 1976, New data onpotassic and sodic plutons of thepikes peak batholith, centralColorado in studies in Coloradofield geology, CSM ProfessionalContributions 8, p57-67

continued from page 1Topaz

Sand Calcite CrystalsSteven W. Veatch, geologistandEd Raines, geologist

Large quantities of sand calcite crys-tals have been found at the Snake Butte locality in South Dakota.

Snake Butte is situated on the Pine RidgeIndian Reservation approximately 23 miles(35 km) south of the town of Interior, SouthDakota, about 80 miles (130 km) east ofRapid City. Generally, the collectingmethod is to simply dig the sand crystalsout of loose sand.

These interesting specimens are thoughtto have been formed by the action of groundwater or by spring deposition and are com-posed of calcite (CaCO3) and coarse wind-blown sand from an ancient dune depositfield. The absence of mud and silt and thewell-rounded sand grains, along with wind-etched surfaces, indicates dune origin. Thecrystals are composed of about 37% calcite

Sand calcite crystals from South Dakota. JoBeckwith specimen, S.W. Veatch photo.

References Cited:

Topaz Occurrences ofthe Redskin Granite,Pikes Peak Backountry



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and the rest is mainly sand inclusions. Thesand is composed of quartz, orthoclase,microcline, albite, muscovite, biotite, horn-blende, augite, tourmaline, zircon, garnet,staurolite, and magnetite (Wanless, 1922).Additionally, volcanic ash, fragments of vol-canic glass, and schist can be found found.Some of the minerals present in the sandare from Precambrianpegmatites (tourmaline) andschists (garnet, staurolite,and schist fragments) of theBlack Hills (Wanless, 1922).

The process forming thesesand calcite crystals is likelya fluctuating water sourcethat floods the unconsoli-dated sand on an annualbasis. That water comesfrom a source that providescalcium carbonate in solu-tion. This mechanism couldbe as simple as groundwa-ter, natural springs, or acombination of snowmeltand/or spring rains flowingon and through a limestonethat then flows into the un-consolidated sand exposure. This processfills the pore space within the sand com-pletely with water that is close to beingsaturated with calcium carbonate, havingdissolved it at a relatively low temperature(taking advantage of the carbonates inversesolubility with respect to heat).

Then, as summer comes, solar energyheats the pore water while also causingsome evaporation. Concentration of cal-cium carbonate follows and the pore wa-ter becomes super saturated. The surfacetension of water would hold pores full ofsolution in some areas instead of allowinga partial emptying of pores. Also, the per-meability factor is an important part of themechanism of sand calcite crystal forma-tion. High permeability would allow the porewater to easily flow through an unconsoli-dated and very loosely compacted sand.Once the well-sorted sand is saturated withwater, subsequent evaporation will—at onepoint—set off precipitation.

Since there are many nucleation sitesavailable around the sand grains, crystal-lization may proceed rapidly, and as it pro-ceeds it will do so with many growths inparallel orientations. With calcite there areseveral chances of forming orientations thatwill lead to a single crystal. When chancecreates a different orientation an

intergrowth results, and through time—asthe crystals grow outward—those orienta-tions really begin to come into play so thatintergrowths of interlocked crystals occur.The process stops for each crystal groupwhen the water pockets run out. Then theprocess can begin again next year. This islikely a rapid process—hours rather thandays, or at maximum a few days.

Today, the Snake Butte calcite sand crys-tal locality in South Dakota is a NationalNatural Landmark and is managed by theOglala Sioux Parks and Recreation Author-ity.

References cited:

Wanless, H.R., 1922. Notes On Sand CalciteFrom South Dakota, American Mineralo-gist, v. 7, p. 83-86.

View of Snake Butte, a National Natural Landmarkdesignated in 1967. National Park Service Photo.

Maybe you have wondered wheregeologists get the names of formationsand geological ages. It’s not verypuzzling at all: it was done to honorsome now-forgotten pioneers in theearly days of geology. Here is a briefrundown.

Cambrian: Comes from the name of anancient Welsh tribe and was named byAdam Sedgwick & Patrick Murchison in1835.

Silurian: Comes from another Welshtribe and was named by Sedgwick andMurchison in 1835.

Ordovician: Comes from yet anotherWelsh tribe but was named by CharlesLapworth in 1879 to cover the intervalbetween Cambrian and Silurian.

Devonian: Comes from Devonshirewhere the distinctive fauna were firststudied. This was jointly named byMurchison and Sedgwick in 1840.

Carboniferous: Means “coal-bearing”and was named for the strata in north-central England that contained coal. Thename was given in 1822 by WilliamConeybeare and William Phillips.

Mississippian and Pennsylvanian:Refer to the lower and upper Carbonifer-ous respectively. These names are notused outside America and have onlybeen recognized by the USGS since1954.

Permian: Is named after the provice ofPerm in Russia. Murchison suggested thename in 1841.

Triassic: Refers to the tree-fold divisionseen in rocks of similar age. Fredrich vonAlberti, an official in the German Saltindustry, suggested the name in 1834.

Jurassic: Was named after the Juramountains in northern Switzerland byAlexander von Humbolt in 1795. Lepoldvon Buch, in 1839, redefined the strataand kept the name.

Cretaceous: Comes from the Latin for“chalk” and refers to the strata encirclingthe Paris Basin. Not all strata of this agecontain chalk but Omalius d’Haloy didnot know this in 1822.

Tertiary: Is a bit confusing. In 1760Giovanni Arduino classified rocks intothree main categories. His Tertiarycategory included “weakly consolidatedstratified rocks usually containingnumerous shells of marine origin” andvolcanic rocks. The current constituentseries—Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene,Miocene and Pliocened—have their typesections in France, so the Italian-givenname is kept to honor Giovanni.

The Glacial Drifter: March 2000

Geologic Agesand Formations

Greg McGill

The average man is composed of enoughiron to make a mediumsize nail; enoughsugar to fill a shaker; enough lime to white-wash a chicken coop; enough phosphorusto explode a toy cannon; enough sulfur torid a dog of fleas; enough fat for seven barsof soap; and enough brass to build his

statue. Incidently, the minerals in the hu-man body used to be worth 98 cents, butnow they are worth $5.50 and escalatingall the time.

Source: Gulfport Gems June 2002

What-cha Worth?

PICK & PACK NOVEMBER 2004PAGE


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Sangre de Cristo Gallery

Steve & Peggy Willman - Minerals

114 Main Street, Westcliffe, CO 81252email: [email protected] 719-783-9459

Fall Hours: Friday & Saturday 10:00 to 5:00

Collectable minerals, fossils, crafts & local artists

Gems Minerals Jewelry

Crystal Skulls

by Appt. Only

719-531-7203Joe & Marylee Swanson Colorado Springs, CO

[email protected]

Claim Jumper’s Rock ShopBoyde Astemborski, Owner

14 ARCADE(719) 685-5136

(in the penny arcade)

Minerals Fossils Artifacts Books BeadsCustom Jewelry & Repair Rough Turquoise

GOLD RUSH DAYS!Super Saturday, November 13, 2004

Saddle up your burro and come on down to the Western Museum of Mining andIndustry! Use your imagination and venture to a time of limited technology, buttons of creativity! Learn what pioneer children did for fun through games andtoys. Create your own toy or one made by pioneer children. Play games or relearnan old favorite. Participate in an historic and ongoing activity through our cham-pionship gold panning races where you will learn the art of gold panning!

Admission: Due to generous support from our Museum Members, Super Saturdayadmissions are only $3 per person. (Museum members and CSMS card-carryingmembers are always admitted at no charge!) Reservations are requested; please call(719) 488-0880, or correspond by e-mail to [email protected].

Time: 1:00pm

Location: Western Museum of Mining and Industry (WMMI)Located just north of Colorado Springs. Take I-25 to theGleneagle Exit (156A); the Museum entrance is immediately eastof the interstate, just opposite the north entrance to the U. S.Air Force Academy. Remember to visit our web site at:www.wmmi.org.

Dear CSMS Members:

The Littleton Gem and MineralClub invites your membership toour annual Silent Auction. Theauction will be held Saturdayafternoon, November 20th at ourregular meeting location - theLittleton Community Center, 1950West Littleton Blvd. From theparking lot to the south of thebuilding, follow the signs to theauction site.

You are welcome to buy or sellminerals, gems, jewelry, fossils,books, equipment and anythingelse related to our hobby. Ifselling, please remember that 20%of the proceeds from sold items isretained by the Littleton Club tohelp with expenses. Selling questsare requested to limit their stock toabout twelve items due to spaceconsiderations. Bid slips areavailable during set-up, and onemust be filled out for every item.Set-up will begin at 1:00 PM, andthe auction will run from 1:30 PMto about 5:00 PM. We also have averbal auction featuring itemsfrom several local dealers.

As always, great food, snacks, anddrinks will be available through-out the auction. All guests arewelcome, but not obligated, tocontribute items to the food table.

On behalf of our membership, Ihope that some of your clubmembers will be able to attend.Auctions are great fun: treasurescan be found, and Christmaspresents for your hobbyist friendsmay be waiting for you.

Sincerely,

Larry HavensPresidentLittletonGem and Mineral Club

Littleton

Gem and

Mineral Club

Silent

Auction

Colorado Springs Mineralogical SocietyPost Office Box 2Colorado Springs, CO 80901

Application for Membership and Renewal

Primary or Family Last Name First Name Middle

Address City State Zip

Telephone E-Mail

Spouse Last Name Spouse First Name Spouse Middle

1. All memberships run from January 1 to December 31.

2. Any person joining after June 30th shall pay half of the yearly rate.

3. Any member joining after October 1st receives membership for November and December plus the following yearbeginning January 1. The partial year membership shall not apply towards the 25 year Lifetime Membership.

5. Yearly dues must be paid each year before March 31. Members with unpaid dues will be dropped from the roster.Members who missed this deadline must pay the full rate to renew.

6. Members who have paid their dues for 25 years will be awarded a Lifetime Membership. Lifetime Members receiveall of the CSMS benefits and no longer have to pay the annual dues.

7. Members in good standing receive the following benefits: 10 issues of the CSMS newsletter, The Pick and Pack,right to participate in all field trips (additional fees may be required on some field trips and members are responsiblefor all transportation to and from), participation in one or all Satellite Groups (some groups may request additionalfees to help cover resource costs), free admission to the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, a year oflearning and enjoyment, plus a lifetime of memories.

Junior Membership (12 to 17 years old) $2.00/year

Regular Membership (18 and Over) $15.00/year

Family Membership (Parents and dependents under 18) $25.00/year

Your dues MUST accompany this application.

I hereby agree to abide by the Constitution and By-laws of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society.

Signature of Primary Applicant Application Date

Please fill out the Applicant Information form on the back.

Have you previously been a member of the CSMS? Yes / No When?

Name and age of dependents under 18 yrs (Family Membership Applicants only)

CSMS By-laws are available at our website (www.CSMS.us)

What are yourinterests?

Each May the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society publishes a Membership Directory.The directory is distributed to members ONLY.

Check if you would NOT like your name and address included.

Crystals ................... Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Fossils ...................... Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Lapidary .................. Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Jewelry .................... Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Micromounts ........... Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Faceting ................... Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Photography ............ Yes / No ........................... Yes / No ........................ Yes / No

Other

Would you like theSatellite Group to

contact you?

Are you able andwilling to teach this

subject?

Clubs are made up of volunteers doing their share for the good of the whole group. Please indi-cate which of the following you might be willing to help with.

Artist Writing Editor

Mailing Local Shows Youth Activities

Programs Field Trips Refreshments

Others

Sometimes knowing where our members are employed or retired from helps us when we are

looking for special information or guidance in our activities. This information will not be published

or accessible except by the CSMS Board of Directors.

Do Not write below this line

Approved By:Signature of club officer Date

Entered in database

Applicant Information

Annual Banquet

Thursday, January 20, 2005Installation of Officers for 2005

Embassy Suites Hotel7290 Corporate Center DriveJust off Woodman near I-25.

This year we will start the banquet at 6:00 PM with a reception and cash bar. Dinner willfollow at 7:00. The business/presentation portion will begin at about 8:00.

Like last year, we will be served a Beef/Chicken combination plate so no dinner choice willbe neccessary. A vegetarian meal is available.

Pre-registration for the dinner portion is required. Please send your check and completedregistration form by January 4th.

The dinner portion of the meeting is strictly optional. The club invites all members toattend. We will have extra tables available for people who want to attend the program/meeting without attending the dinner. The cash bar will be open through dinner and ashort time prior to the meeting and presentation. All members are invited.

Registration form on the backside of this page

Presentation: The Map that Changed the World - By Steve Willman

In 1815 William Smith published the world’s first geological map. The map defined the undergroundstructure of all of Great Britain. Smith had worked completely alone and largely in secret on this map for 15years. He was the first to define the theory of succession of layers and the first to recognize and use indexfossils.

Smith was a canal builder working near Bath, England in the late 1700s. His work there led him touncover the precepts of modern geology. Smith’s ideas were a brave departure from the then pervasivebeliefs that the earth was only a few thousand years old and that fossils were remnants of the great flood.

Smith’s story is told in the book “The Map that Changed the World” by Simon Winchester. The bookcaptured my imagination. It led me to England to search for his canal and visit the countryside where hisideas were born. My program will follow Smith’s story and describe my own search through the Englishcountryside.

2005 Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society Banquet Registration

Name(s):

Phone Number:

Total # of Dinners

x $15.00

Total Enclosed

Number of Vegetarian Dinners

Number of Beef/Chicken Dinners

Send checks made payable to CSMS only.Tear out this page and mail it with your payment to:

Cindy Bronner1025 East Boulder Street

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

PICK & PACK


NOVEMBER 2004PAGE 13

President Robert Landgraf 687-3195 [email protected]

Vice President Drew Malin 531-7594 [email protected]

Secretary Sidney Benda 488-9751 [email protected]

Treasurer James Bushnell 598-9262 [email protected]

Membership Secretary Lorrie Hutchinson 382-3503 [email protected]

Managing Editor Ethan A. Bronner 448-9949 [email protected]

Member-at-Large Louis Severini 687-9491

Member-at-Large John White 630-0300 [email protected]

Past President Kaye Thompson 636-2978

Show Chairperson Manny Sanchez 495-7858 [email protected]

Field Trip Director Roger Pittman 683-2603 [email protected]

Librarian Mary O’Donnell 689-7209 [email protected]

Camera Club Roger Pittman 683-2603 [email protected]

Crystal Study Kerry Burroughs 634-4576 [email protected]

Faceting Group Dave Wilson 635-7891 [email protected]

Fossil Group John Harrington 599-0989 [email protected]

Lapidary Group Drew Malin 531-7594 [email protected]

Micromount Phil McCollum [email protected]

Jewelry Rick Copeland 332-7915 [email protected]

Camera Club: 4th Tuesday @ 7:151514 North Hancock, C/SRoger Pittman: 683-2603

Crystal Study Group: 2nd Friday @ 7:30

1514 North Hancock, C/SKerry Burroughs: 634-4576

Faceting Group: 4th Monday @ 7:00

Dave Wilson: 635-7891

Fossil Study Group: 4th Thursday @7:30John Harrington: 599-0989

Lapidary Group: 1st Saturday @ Noon

3085 Rhapsody Drive, C/SDrew Malin: 531-7594

Micromounts: 2nd Tuesday @ 7:00

1514 North Hancock, C/SPhil McCollum [email protected] Lyne: 442-2673

Board Meeting: 1st Wednesday @ 7:00

Bob Landgraf: 687-3195

Jewelry Group: 3rd Saturday @ Noon-4:00

6608 Gambol Quail Drive East, C/SRick Copeland: 594-6293

25thAnnual

New Mexico Mineral Symposium

November 13 & 14, 2004Macey CenterNew Mexico Institute ofMining & TechnologySocorro, New Mexico

The general registration feefor the symposium is $25.00,the fee for seniors over 55 is$20.00, and the fee for stu-dents is $10.00 (with studentID). Registration includes acopy of the abstracts, two con-tinental breakfasts, and coffeebreaks. A cocktail hour anddinner will be held on Satur-day, November 13, 2004. Anauction to benefit the sympo-sium will conclude theevening’s activities. For moreinformation, see the website:

http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/education/museum/minsymp/home.html

Events

6 Nov - Saturday, NoonLapidary Group

3 Nov - Wednesday, 7:00Board Meeting

12 Nov - Friday, 7:30Crystal Study Group

9 Nov - Tuesday, 7:30Micromounts Group

18 Nov - Thursday, 7:30General Assembly

20 Nov - Saturday, NoonJewelry Group

25 Nov - Thursday, 7:30Fossil Group

22 Nov - Monday, 7:00Faceting Group

23 Nov - Tuesday, 7:15Camera Group

4 Dec - Saturday, NoonLapidary Group

1 Dec - Wednesday, 7:00Board Meeting

10 Dec - Friday, 7:30Micromounts Group

The faceting club will meet at Paul Berry’shome Monday November 22 at 7:00. Theaddress is: 1912 North Chelton578-5466

There is no Fossil Meeting in November,the 4th Thursday is Thanksgiving Day, andin December it ’s just beforeChristmas...so I split it between the two.We will meet on the 9th ofDecember...nothing solid on where yet. Iwill let you know. - John

The venue for the November 6th LapidaryMeeting has changed. The meeting will beat John White’s house: 1127 TerraceRoad. Same Time: 12-4 PM.

I have to be out of town and John hasgraciosly offered to hold this month’smeeting. I am requesting that regular at-tendees confirm that they got this mes-sage. Please send me an Email [email protected]. - Drew.

The winner of the October camera clubcompetition was Norma Wing. November’scompetition is lightening. December therewill be a Christmas Party, tenatively atthe Flying W steak house. If you are in-terested in attending please contact ei-ther Roger Pittman or Kaye Thompson.January’s competition will be waterfalls.

The Jewelry Group will meet Saturday,November 20, from noon to 4:00, at RickCopeland’s house 6608 Gambol Quail DrE. This month’s subject is bracelet con-struction.

The crystal group meeting in November willfeature a PowerPoint presentation on thecrystal systems. The November meetingpresentation will be a precursor to theJanuary meeting presentation on crystalhabits.

The Board Meeting will be held at Drew’soffice on November 3.

Joining the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society (CSMS)

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDColo. Sprgs., COPermit No. 66

Ethan A. Bronner, Editor

P.O. Box 2Colorado Springs, CO 80901-0002

General Assembly meetings are the third (3rd) Thursday of each month, exceptAugust, 7:30 p.m. at the Colorado Springs Senior Center, 1514 North Hancock Blvd.,Colorado Springs, CO. Visitors are always welcome.

CSMS also offers Satellite Group meetings that allow more focused attention inspecific areas of our members’ interests. Our current Satellite Groups consist of thefollowing: Camera Club, Crystal Study Group, Faceting Group, Fossil Study Group,Lapidary Group, Jewelry Group. For details of Satellite Group meetings, see page 13.

Yearly Dues include the 10 issues of the PICK & PACK, all field trips (additional feesmay be required on some field trips and members are responsible for alltransportation to and from), participation in all Satellite Groups (some groups mayrequest additional fees to help cover resource costs), free admission to the WesternMuseum of Mining and Industry, a year of learning and enjoyment, plus a lifetime ofmemories.

If you are interested in joining the CSMS or would like more information, weencourage you to attend our next General Assembly meeting (see page 2 for detailsof the next meeting) or visit our website: www.csms.us

Individuals - $15.00 Family - $25.00 Juniors - $2.00

great things come is small packages · pikes peak backcountry see micromount on page 4 andy...

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