The Cutting Edge

Monthly Newsletter of the Ottawa Lapsmith and Mineral Club

In February, we received a very nice donation of rocks, slabs, a 10" saw, a faceting machine, a dop wax station, a lapidary grinder and a box of finished cabs from an elderly former club member by the name of Keith Peverley — Thanks!

Six of us are now in Mexico. We intend to bring back lots of Mexican Opal in mid-March.

The MIG meeting in February had a record 24 people. Congrats to John Montgomerey for bringing in the crowd!

A thank you goes out to Bob Boisvert for donating his old digital projector to the club.

If there is interest in a long fieldtrip this August please forward it to me in mid-March. Options include a second trip to the Cabonga reservoir, the Bay of Fundy (I know of a guide) and Thunder Bay (I may have a guide).

There is also talk about visiting a new mineral museum in Maine this summer.

Kerry Day

In this month’s Newsletter: President’s Message p. 1 OLMC Meeting p. 2 MiG Meeting p. 3 Diavik Diamond Mine p. 4 March Birthstones p. 6 Joggins Fossil Cliffs p. 7 OLMC Classified p. 8 Workshop calendar p. 9 Membership form p. 10

Workshop Address: 1000 Brookfield Road, Ottawa Mailing Address: Room #22, 1000 Brookfield Road Ottawa, ON K1V 6J1 Phone: 613-700-GEMS (4367) Website: http://www.olmc.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ OttawaLapsmithMineralClub

Newsletter Editor: All members are invited to submit articles, proposals, or any thoughts that could be included in the newsletters. Also, feel free to send your Classified ads by e-mail to: News@OLMC.ca

Stéphane Jetté, OLMC Newsletter Editor

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 2

Show and tell!

Come to the meeting with a few pieces and talk about them for about 5 minutes. Where did the rock come from? What technique did you use, or even what do you want to express with your piece?

Come share your views and experiences!

Show the great work that you have been doing to inspire the rest of us and get the creative juices flowing!

It would be great to get some pieces from all of the clubs interests: - Silver, copper, - Faceting, - Collecting, - MIG, - Carving, - Lapidary, - Repairing our equipment, etc.

I will see if the projector will work with one of my computers; however, don’t send me pictures at this point. If you require anything special, please contact me for details,

Russell Black, Program Chair, programchair@olmc.ca

Attention members! OLMC’s 2017 Annual General Meeting will be held on April 11th, 2017.

All executive positions are open for nomination. If you think you can help, you can nominate yourself. We need all the help we can get!

The list of current executive committee members is on page 9. Please send your nominations to pres@olmc.ca.

Copies of the 2016 Financial Statements will be available, for pick-up, at the workshop after March 15.

We welcome any suggestion from all OLMC members!

OLMC Meeting Date: Thursday, March 9th, 2017 Time: 7h30pm-9pm Location: OLMC Workshop 1000 Brookfield Road, Ottawa ON

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Monthly Meeting

Composition of ilmenite from the Catoca kimberlite Monday, March 20, 2017, 7:30pm - 9:30pm

The Catoca diamond mine is the fourth largest diamond mine in the world, and is located in Angola. Ilmenite is the titanium-iron oxide mineral with the idealized formula FeTiO3.

Our speaker will be Sandar Rubles who arrived in Canada from Columbia two years ago. She has a Ph.D. in in geology and is an experienced exploration geologist. She is a volunteer at the museum of nature as will become a member of our club. This presentation could be on the technical side; however, it will be kept an accessible level for all.

Here's the synopsis of her presentation:

The passion for geology can take us to unexpected places. In my case, my geological curiosity took me to Angola. I studied the mantle, or I might say, rocks that carry information about the mantle: kimberlites. These special rocks have a great importance, not only in scientific terms since they add valuable information about the cratonic mantle lithosphere, but also because they can contain natural diamond. [The craton is the stable part of the mantle. Chris]. Kimberlites are relatively rare rocks of great scientific and economic importance.

This study presents the composition of ilmenite, an indicator mineral in diamond exploration, from the Catoca kimberlite, Angola. This research shows if ilmenite indicates one (or alternately multiple) recrystallization events, and explores the relationship between the different types of ilmenite and presence/preservation of diamond in this area.

After the presentation, there will also be a show-and-tell with mineral identification!

Welcome to all! Christian Rochefort, chrisroche644@gmail.com

The Catoca kimberlite pipe in Lunda Sul is one of the largest diamond-rich rock formations on Earth in terms of surface area. Kimberlite pipes are vertical tubes of igneous rock which can contain diamonds.

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 4

Extracts from: Atlas Obscura http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/diavik-diamond-mine, and Rio Tinto http://www.riotinto.com/canada/diavik-2232.aspx#

Diavik summer aerial Diavik winter aerial

Just a few degrees shy of the arctic circle and more than a few degrees shy of inhabitable, the Diavik Diamond Mine is the shimmering prize of the

Northwest Territories.

Since its initial construction in 2001, the Diavik Diamond Mine has steadily churned out precious stones at an amazing rate. Diavik has an annual production of some 6-7 million carats of predominantly large, white gem-quality diamonds. Each year, 3,500 pounds of diamonds with a value of $100 million are mined from Diavik and sold to the rest of the world. Although the wealth from the mine is truly amazing, the real feat is not the mining but the transportation from the mine.

The Diavik Diamond Mine is located on a 20 square kilometre island, informally called East Island, in Lac de Gras, approximately 300 kilometres by air northeast of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories. Beside eight month of ice per year, the vegetation of the region includes dwarf birch, northern Labrador tea, blueberry, mountain cranberry, and bearberry, with willow, sphagnum moss, and sedge tussocks dominating wet lowlands. Farther north, the weather doesn’t get any better: the Arctic Circle lies 220 kilometres north of the mine.

The mining companies set on exploiting the resource knew a solution was necessary to easily move the diamonds out of the subarctic. The obvious, and extremely Canadian choice, were ice roads. In the winter, the ice roads leading to and from the mine are the only connection between the massive hole and the newly constructed Diavik Airport, and only the slightest change in weather can leave the miners and their precious cargo stranded deep in the Northwest Territories.

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Diavik's diamonds are forged by intense heat and pressure deep within the earth of the arctic north. 55 million years ago, volcanic activity injected kimberlite magma towards the surface, bringing with it diamond bearing ore and forming the kimberlite pipes which are today mined for its precious ore.

The Diavik Diamond Mine is located in Precambrian rocks of the Slave Geological Province. This ancient rock was formed about 2.7 to 2.5 billion years ago and is among the world's oldest geological structures. The Slave Geological Province is known to host deposits of gold, copper, zinc and diamonds, and has produced much of the North's mineral wealth.

Kimberlites are the roots of small and ancient volcanoes and are a common means by which diamonds are brought to the surface of the earth. The Diavik Diamond pipes range in surface area from 0.9 to 1.6 hectares and extend well below 400 meters below the surface. As an indication of the rarity of diamond-bearing kimberlite, only 23 of the 5,000 kimberlites found in the world contain enough diamonds to mine

The Diavik Foxfire, at 187.7 carats, is the largest gem quality rough diamond ever recorded in Canada. In fact, it is unlikely there will be a rough diamond of this size coming out of North America again. The Diavik Foxfire takes its reference from a term used in Canadian folklore, which describes the luminescent Northern Lights as the brush of foxtails in the sky.

The Diavik Foxfire is more than two billion years old. It was forged hundreds of kilometres below the surface of the earth from a single element – carbon, the same element that gave us life – at pressures and temperatures we can barely imagine!

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 6

Extracts from: Gem Select http://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/bloodstone/bloodstone-info.php, and American Gem Society http://www.americangemsociety.org/en/birthstones

Aquamarine is most often light in tone and ranges from greenish blue to blue-green; the color usually is more intense in larger stones, and darker blue stones are very valuable. This gemstone is mined mainly in Brazil, but also is found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique. It is actually a variety of beryl. Large stones have been found all over the world, including one stone found in Brazil that weighed over 240 pounds.

Aquamarine grows in large, six-sided crystals that can be up to a foot long, making it a great gem to be cut and polished in larger carats for statement pieces.

In Canada, Aquamarine can be mostly found in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.

The second birthstone for March is Bloodstone, a dark-green stone flecked with vivid red spots of iron oxide. Generally found embedded in rocks or in riverbeds as pebbles, primary sources for this stone are India, Brazil, and Australia.

Bloodstone is an opaque to translucent variety of chalcedony quartz. More specifically, it is classified as a variety of microcrystalline quartz. Bloodstone is characterized by its dark green color and the presence of red, blood-like inclusions, which is how it earned its descriptive gemstone name. Bloodstone is also known as 'heliotrope' and 'blood jasper'. Bloodstone was once the original birthstone for March, but it was later replaced by aquamarine. Today, bloodstone is still an alternative birthstone for March and it is the zodiacal stone for Aries.

Bloodstone's green body color is a result of dense inclusions composed of chlorite or hornblende needles. Bloodstone's color ranges from various shades of light to dark green and typically, the primary color is unevenly distributed, often exhibiting noticeable light and dark color zones. Bloodstone's blood-like inclusions are owed to the presence of iron oxide impurities. The 'blood-drops' can range from red to brownish in color. Some stones may display yellow spotting, these are known in the trade as 'plasma' and are often mistaken for a variety of jasper. Bloodstone's level of inclusions vary tremendously.

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 7

Extracts from: Atlas Obscura http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/joggins-fossil-cliffs

Famous for its record of fossils dating back more than 300 million years to the Coal Age, Joggins was once covered in lush forests!

Joggins Fossil Cliffs, the most complete fossil record of life during this period anywhere in the world, were discovered by Nova Scotian geologist Sir William Dawson. Frozen in place are trees that still stand where they grew millions of years ago, the footprints of numerous creatures and the earliest reptiles entombed in hollow logs. Dawson himself uncovered the fossil of Hylonomus lyelli, which remains the earliest known reptile in the history of life on earth. It was named the provincial fossil of Nova Scotia in 2002. The site is considered so perfect that it was mentioned in Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species.”

Geologists were first attracted to the area in the 1820s and have been visiting it ever since. The coastal exposure of the Coal Age rocks means new fossils once buried deep within the structure are constantly making their way to the surface for new scientists to find and study. While the cliffs are high at 75 feet, the area is subjected to some of the highest tides in the world, frequently measuring nearly 50 feet tall.

In 2008, a 15 kilometer length of the coast that includes Joggins Fossil Cliffs was added to the World Heritage List!

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 8

Ads need to be sent at News@OLMC.ca

Classified ads are free for a month or two; after which, the ad should be removed or adjusted before trying it again. The ads can be about aking or offering a good or services relating to the Club’s activities. In general, a few words and/or a small picture to describe or show the item, with the contact information is mandatory, while setting a price is also very helpful.

There is an annual $25 fee for permanent advertisement, as the ones below. Note that these must cover approximatively a quarter of a page. The advertisement can still be changed a few times per year to highlight special discounts, events, or important information changes.

Stéphane Jetté, OLMC Newsletter Editor

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 9

We are on Facebook, join us! https://www.facebook.com/OttawaLapsmithMineralClub

March 2017 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Lapidary 12pm - 9pm

2 3 4 Lapidary 10am - 4pm

5 6 Faceting 6:30pm - 9pm

7 Lapidary 9am - 2pm Silver Smiths 6:30pm - 9pm

8 Lapidary 12pm - 9pm

9 OLMC General Meeting 7:30pm-9pm

10 11 Lapidary 10am - 4pm

12 13 Carving 6:30pm-9pm

14 Lapidary 9am - 2pm Silver Smiths 6h30pm - 9pm

15 Lapidary 12pm - 9pm

16 Board Meeting 7pm - 9pm

17 18 Lapidary 10am - 4pm

19 20 MiG meeting 7:30pm-9pm

21 Lapidary 9am - 2pm Silver Smiths 6:30pm - 9pm

22 Lapidary 12pm - 9pm

23 24 25 Lapidary 10am - 4pm

26 27 Faceting 6:30pm - 9pm

28 Lapidary 9am - 2pm Silver Smiths 6:30pm - 9pm

29 Lapidary 12pm - 9pm

30 31

Contact: President Kerry Day pres@olmc.ca Vice-President Arnold Roos vicepres@olmc.ca Secretary John Skelton sec@olmc.ca Treasurer Rita Hudec treasurer@olmc.ca Workshop Chair Jean-Guy Bradette workshop@olmc.ca Membership Chair Nathalie Bourget memberchair@olmc.ca Program Chair Russell Black programchair@olmc.ca Newsletter Editor Stéphane Jetté news@olmc.ca

OLMC’s monthly newsletter – March 2017 Page 10

Membership Application for the Year: 2017

New Membership Membership renewal

$20 Single (one individual) $30 Family (2 or more persons under the same residence)

$60 Annual workshop access fee (optional)

Name:

Address:

City:

Province:

Postal Code:

Tel.:

Please specify how you would like to receive OLMC’s newsletter:

By e-mail:

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Do you need a receipt? Yes No

Administration use only:

Card provided: Yes No Supervisor signed: Yes No

Payments are payable to Ottawa Lapsmith and Mineral Club. Please mail your membership form and fees to: Ottawa Lapsmith and Mineral Club 1000 Brookfield Road, Room #22 Ottawa, ON, K1V 6J1 Other services: • $25 Members’ Newsletter advertisement — half to a quarter pages per calendar year;

$55 Businesses’ Newsletter advertisement (advertising fee plus a business membership). • Locker Fee: $25 per year – depends on locker availability • Mandatory Workshop Course for Making Cabochons:

$55 - required for all members who want to use the workshop machinery.

Questions? Please contact us by phone or email workshop@olmc.ca for details.