The BULLETIN

OF THE NEW YORK MINERALOGICAL CLUB, INC

America’s Oldest Gem & Mineral Club F o u n d e d 1 8 8 6 I n c o r p o r a t e d 1 9 3 7

ANN PIZZORUSSO

PLUTO GEOLOGY

TSAVORITE

DARWIN’S

MINERALS

MINERAL SHOW

DETAILS

MEMBERSHIP

RENEWAL FORM

Volume 130 No. 11

November 2016

Fall NYC Gem & Mineral ShowOccurs November 12-13, 2016

Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical ClubFounded 1886 Ë New York City, New York Ë Incorporated 1937

Volume 130, No. 11 America’s Oldest Mineral & Gem Club November 2016

November 16th Meeting:Ann C. Pizzorusso: “ParadiseBejeweled: The Gems of Dante’sDivine Comedy ”

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), theauthor of the Divine Comedy, was a man ofvast knowledge in many fields, includinggemology. From a geological point of view,the Divine Comedy is a veritable treasuretrove, containing pearls, rubies, topazes,emeralds, sapphires and diamonds, as wellas crystal, amber and glass. Most of thesegemological references can be found in theParadiso, the Canticle of Light, in whichDante makes abundant use of illuminationon objects in the form of reflection,refraction and shadow to convey a varietyof metaphors and concepts-pearls, theintellectual luster of the wise; rubies, soulsof Christian warriors; diamonds, fortitudeand steadfastness; and the sapphire,emblematic of the Virgin Mary, Queen ofHeaven.

It is evident that Dante was well awareof the intrinsic physical characteristics ofeach gemstone and its astrologicalassociation as well as the spiritual,metaphysical, and medicinal attributes eachwas purported to possess. His workingknowledge of light's reflection, refractionand dispersion on specific gems isextraordinary as he combines the thoughtprocess of a physicist with the words of abard. All of this in an era in which manyrare, faceted precious stones were enteringEurope and the principles of gemology, aswe know them, lay centuries in the future.

Using gemological passages from theDivine Comedy, the author will show howDante used the physical characteristics ofeach gem to describe the intrinsiccharacteristics of humanity, starting withman and proceeding upward toward thesouls, angels, saints and finally to the divine–as characterized by a brilliant, spotlessdiamond.

By Mitch Portnoy

The annual Fall New York City Gem& Mineral Show will take place onNovember 12-13, 2016 (Saturday &Sunday) at the Holiday Inn MidtownManhattan (57th Street between 9th and 10th

Avenues).The New York Mineralogical Club will

continue its successfulpartnership with the showsponsor, ExcaliburMineral Corporation( T o n y N i k i s c h e r ,President) and host thisevent.

A list of the diversedealers that will beselling their fine wares atthe show can be found onpage 11 – you should recognize most ofthem but we do have some new dealers aswell as some old friends returning.

Since we have no direct commercialinterest in the show, we do ask each dealerfor a donation to the Club’s June BenefitAuction as a token of thanks for all thework we do to help promote and managethe show. These items tend to be the bestlots in the whole auction so please comeand patronize these top-quality dealers.As a thanks in advance (or maybe just forsome encouragement), we will give eachdealer one of the Club’s 2017 gift calendarthat we gave out at the October galabanquet.

The Club’s booth will be in its regularlocation (to the left as you enter the show).There you can obtain a free Fall ShowSouvenir Card or show information, or justsay hi to your fellow NYMC members. Thisis also a good time to renew your NYMCmembership and pay your dues for 2017 ifyou have not already done so.

But you will also notice a fewdifferences in the booth setup from lasttime. First, Alfredo Petrov will be usingone of the tables as a dealer. He reallywanted to do this show and this seemed agood solution to the overall space crunch atthe New York City Mineral & Gem Showsince this table was little used.

Secondly, the NYMC will have ageode-cracking activity for children onSaturday. We have obtained a smallquantity and good variety of geodes frommembers Charles Snider and Joe Krabak (ofAmerican Geode).

The geodes will be sold at nominal costto children. Charles and Joe have

volunteered their timeand tools to perform theactual cracking safelywithin the booth. NaomiSarna’s grandchildren,Luca and Enzo, will“run” the event. Theactual logistics and layout of this activity will befigured out at the showsince this is our first time

doing this.Items that you and the public will be

able to purchase at the booth include thepopular floaty gemstone pens, clubpublications, club CD-ROMS, drawstringbackpacks, gem & mineral note card sets,and several recently published books,authored by friends of the NYMC.

(Continues on p. 2, President’s Message)

Issue Highlights

President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Meeting Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2World of Minerals: Pluto Geology . . 3Darwin’s Mineral Collection. . . . . . . 4Stalactites & Wildfires . . . . . . . . . . . 5Dark Matter Not Found . . . . . . . . . . . 5More on Mars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Freak Siberian Minerals . . . . . . . . . . 675-Pound Pearl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7The Anthropocene is Here! . . . . . . . . 7New Meteorite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Audacious Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Topics in Gemology: Tsavorite . . . . . 9Mineral Show Information . . . . 10-11Membership Renewal Form. . . . . 12Silent Auction Prices Realized . . . . 13NYMC Website Inquiries . . . . . . . . 14Club & Show Calendars . . . . . . . . . 15

2 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

President’s MessageBy Mitch Portnoy(Continued from page 1)

There is a lecture on each day of theshow. The specifics are provided on themini-posters on page 11.

There will be free minerals given out tochildren (donated by Tony Nikischer) aswell as attractive minerals given to all newmembers (also donated by Tony Nikischer).

Questions? Check out the detailedshow information on our website. Or emailme and ask.

See You at the Show!

Receive Your Bulletin Electronically!Advantages� Early Arrival� Pristine Condition� Full-Color Version with Hyperlinks� Electronic Storage� Club Saves Money� Receive Special Mailings� Go Green!Requires� Email Request to Mitch

(mitchpnyc@aol.com)� Adobe Reader (Free)Optional� Printer (B/W or Color)

Send in Your 2017 Club DuesIt is time to send in your 2017 club membership dues! Allmemberships run from January 1 to December 31 ofeach year (with a few exceptions).If your mailing labelsays “2016”, you owe your 2017 dues. Please takethe time now to mail in your dues in order to preventuninterrupted delivery of your bulletin. A handy formappears on page 12. Dues are $25 for individual, $35 forfamily. Mail to: Membership Coordinator, N.Y.Mineralogical Club, P.O. Box 77, Planetarium Station,NYC, NY 10024-0077.

Renew Online with PayPal!

Club Meeting Minutes (Banquet)for October 19, 2016By Vivien Gornitz, SecretaryAttendance: 90 (WOW!!)Theme: OpalPresident Mitch Portnoy presided

Announcements & Proceedings:� The evening commenced with the

silent auction (6:00), followed bydinner & dessert (7:00); a beveragecart, which included a wine selection,was available.

� The silent auction netted nearly$1,000!

� An “opalescent” dessert was servedconsisting of small, varied cakes.

� Videos about (1) caring for opals; (2)opal fossil formation; and (3) detectingfake opals were played during dinner.

� A song was played (8:00): Everyone’sWanting These Gemstones, sung to thetune of Everything’s Coming Up Roses.

� An opal locality game was played(8:15); prizes for each table’s winnerswere the disco ball centerpieces and/ora box of NYMC opal note cards.

� The meeting was called to order at 8:30and dedicated to the memory of Jerrine Anthony, Mel Belsky, andLarry Conklin.

� New members, first time and LongIsland banqueteers, and out-of-townmembers and friends were welcomed.

� The day’s and month’s “specialcelebrations” and “historic notes” weregiven.

� A website update was given with afocus on the new function where onecan join the Club online using PayPal!

� The new 2017 Membership Cards wereshown and given out to members whohad paid their Club dues for 2017.

� The Club’s annual awards werepresented including:In Appreciation:L Richard BlackmanFor Extreme Enthusiasm:L Cheryl NearyL Seymour Perlowitz

AFMS Bulletin Article Contest:L Vivien GornitzL Branko DeljaninL Mitch PortnoyMarco Polo Award:L Bill Cotrofeld & Family

� New Honorary Members were appointedfor the first time since 2011:L Irving HorowitzL Jake Kaufman

� An overview of the Club’s upcomingevents, meetings and lectures throughDecember 2017 was gone over with afocus on the Fall (November) 2017NYC Gem & Mineral Show.

� Greater details about upcoming Clubevents for the next few months can befound at all times on the Club’s website(on the Calendar Page).

(Continues on page 13)

Members in the News� Cheryl Neary will be the Region II

Vice President for the EFMLSbeginning November 2016.

� Naomi Sarna will appear on the TVshow Worldwide Business with KathyIreland.

Welcome New Members!The Durgin-Bruce Family . . Brooklyn, NY(Katherine, Evelyn, Patrick & Jasper)Steve Max Grenyo. . . . . . . . . . . NYC, NYTen Ramos & Cathryn Duffy-Ramos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunnyside, NYAnne Vickman. . . . . . . . . . . Brooklyn, NY

In December: Mohs Game

And Also in December . . .

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 3

The World of MineralsThe World of Minerals is a monthly column written by Dr. Vivien Gornitz on timely and interesting topics relatedto geology, gemology, mineralogy, mineral history, etc.

The Weird Geology of PlutoImagine a world where mountains are solid blocks of water

ice, where glaciers of nitrogen ice slowly flow from the highlandsinto a vast, smooth basin, and where it snows solid methane.Welcome to Pluto, once the ninth and outermost planet of the SolarSystem, lately demoted to the status of a dwarf planet, or moreprecisely, a plutoid 1.

Table 1. Pluto: Physical Characteristics

Mean radius 1153 km (716 mi)Mass 1.31 x 1019 metric tonsDensity 2.05 g/cm3

Rotation period -6.39 daysOrbit around Sun 247.9 yearsAverage distance from Sun 39.5 astronomic units (one astronomical unit is the average distance between Earth and Sun)

(after K. R. Lang (2011)

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto and its moonCharon on July 14, 2015, revealing in startling detail worldshitherto only dimly viewed through telescopes. The spacecraftdiscovered a strange assortment of terrains on Pluto. A vast 1,200km –wide (746 mi), low-lying oval basin named Sputnik Planum(SP), on the flyby hemisphere, is flanked on its western margin byangular, blocky, ice mountains up to 40 km (25 mi) across and 5km (3 mi) high. The eastern basin margin features a complexpatchwork of “pitted uplands” and “bladed terrain”, interspersedby smooth plains. North by northwest of SP lies a rugged“washboard terrain”, consisting of a series of parallel ridges andgrooves. Faulted scarps and troughs dissect the surface. Althoughlater geological activity has highly modified Pluto’s surface, manyregions still bear scars of a heavily cratered ancient past, over 3.8-3.9 billion years ago.

New Horizons carried a host of instruments designed to probethe composition of Pluto’s surface. Among these were aMultispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) and Linear EtalonImaging Spectral Array (LEISA)–multispectral imaging systemswhich operate in the visible, near-infrared, and short-wavelengthIR portions of the spectrum. In addition, the Long RangeReconnaissance Imager (LORRI) provides high resolution andnarrow angle panchromatic images for determining geologiccontext and surface brightness variations. The spectral data tell usthat Pluto’s surface consists of a complex mix of water (H2O),nitrogen (N2), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) ices,often localized regionally, according to latitude and/or altitude.

The 1,200 km-wide icy plains of Sputnik Planum (SP) act asa “cold trap”, collecting Pluto’s more volatile ices (N2, CO, CH4),all three of which exhibit strong spectral absorptions in this basin.Filled mainly with nitrogen ice, the basin’s surface is marked bypolygonal shapes, 10 to 40 km (6-25 mi) in diameter that at firstglance resemble the polygonal patterned ground and ice wedges ofArctic landscapes, but on a much larger scale.

Researchers now believe that these polygonal cells representthe tops of convection cells, where heated material from below

expands and rises to the surface, cools and flows downward, muchlike boiling water in a pot. Methane ice surrounds many craterrims, but not their floors. Water ice, having the consistency andstrength of solid rock at Pluto’s low temperatures, forms many ofthe mountain ranges.

Further analysis of the spectral data reveals subtle colorvariations across the dwarf planet. Nitrogen, methane, and carbonmonoxide—constituents of Pluto’s thin atmosphere—can interactwith energetic photons or charged particles from the Sun toproduce more complex, colored molecules. Redder, darkerequatorial regions appear richer in H2O ice and possibly, inhydrocarbons. Brightness also varies, from the darker equatorialregions to the highly reflective Tombaugh Regio (TR), on thesoutheastern margin of SP. Brighter areas hold more CH4 ice,which has snowed over ridges and crater rims. Northern latitudeshold more bright N2 ice.

Evaporation of the more volatile ices (N2, CO, CH4) and theirre-deposition (especially CH4) at higher elevations has slowly re-shaped the surface of Pluto long after a very early era marked byheavy impact bombardment and cratering. Glaciers of the volatileices, especially N2, flowed into and filled the huge SP basin.Elevated mountainous blocks of water ice float like icebergs on asubstrate of N2 and/or CO ices. However the base of some of thelargest mountains may be firmly grounded at depth. The“youthful” faults and fractures point to geologically recentstretching, possibly linked to the freezing of a subsurface ocean (ofN2 ice?). The recent findings on Pluto demonstrate how familiargeological processes—erosion, evaporation deposition, glaciation,faulting, and cratering—take on a whole new aspect on alienworlds where an unfamiliar mix of gases and ices substitute forterrestrial rocks and glaciers to create an unexpected landscape.

Further ReadingDumbard, A. J. and O’Hara, S., 2016. Pluto’s polygons explained.

Nature 534:40-41.Grundy, W. M., et al., 2016. Surface compositions across Pluto

and Charon. Science 351:1283.Grundy, W. M., et al., 2016. Surface compositions across Pluto

and Charon. Science 351 (6279, and 9189-1, to 9189-8).Lang, K. R., 2011. The Cambridge Guide to the Solar System, 2nd

ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Chap. 15.Beyond Neptune, 15.1 Pluto: a small, frozen world withcompanions, p. 436-439.

Moore, J. M., et al., 2016. The geology of Pluto and Charonthrough the eyes of New Horizon. Science 351, 1284-1293.

In this extended color image of Pluto taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft,

rounded and bizarrely textured mountains rise up along Pluto and showintricate but puzzling patterns of blue-gray ridges and reddish material inbetween.1

One of a group of small planetary bodies orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune.

4 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

How Charles Darwin Classified His MineralCollectionBy David Bressan

“Geology is a capital science to begin, as it requires nothing buta little reading, thinking and hammering.”

Charles R. Darwin in a letter to his cousin W.D. Fox

From an early age, Charles Darwin collected minerals even if,as he himself laments, “I continued collecting minerals with muchzeal, but quite unscientifically–all that I cared about was anew-NAMED mineral, and I hardly attempted to classify them.”

As a student of medicine at Edinburgh University in the1820s, Darwin frequented various courses on natural sciences,including lectures by mineralogist Professor Robert Jameson.(Though he later described Jameson’s lectures as “incrediblydull.”) Nevertheless Darwin seems to have used frequentlyJameson’s Manual of Mineralogy for his private studies, as it isone of the most heavily annotated books found in his library.

Jameson’s manual uses physical properties, such as color anddegree of hardness, introduced by German mineralogist CarlFriedrich Christian Mohs in 1822-1824, for mineral identification.Darwin would in his later career as geologist adopt thisclassification, as he often described rocks based on their visibleproperties. So he used terms like “porphyry” for rocks with large,well visible, crystals. Or he used names like “greystone” or“greenstone” to describe greenish-dark magmatic rocks, todayclassified as a dolerite-basalt (and to confuse modern geologists,greenstone is nowadays the name for a metamorphic rock).

During the summer of 1831, Darwin joined a field trip ofprofessor Adam Sedgwick, who was geologizing in Wales. Darwinwas interested in acquiring the basics of geological field work,structural geology and rock classification. Twenty pages of notesmade by Darwin during this tour are still preserved today and inhis autobiography he will later remember: “This tour was ofdecided use in teaching me a little how to make out the geology ofa country…”

When Darwin returned to his hometown of Shrewsbury,August 29th, a letter from Captain Robert FitzRoy was waiting forhim. It offered him a position as gentlemen companion on boardof the Beagle, ready to set sail from Plymouth in December 1831.

Darwin used the remaining time to exercise mineralidentification with the blowpipe. By heating a mineral with a flameyou can observe the chemical reactions and modifications of thespecimen to identify it or its composing elements. Darwin alsoused muriatic (hydrochloric) acid, a useful tool to distinguishbetween carbonate (showing strong reaction with the acid) andsilicate rocks (showing no reaction at all).

On board the Beagle, Darwin used a complete library formineral identification, including A selection of the GeologicalMemoirs (1824), featuring a mineral identification chart compiled

by famous French geologist Alexandre Brongniart. These manualsused, like modern books, properties like color, hardness and shapeto identify crystals and minerals and, unlike modern textbooks, itused taste and odor. Darwin got himself a goniometer to measurethe angles of crystal-faces, a tool not easy to use in the field butDarwin proudly remarks “Hornblende determined by myself withgoniometer.”

Especially interesting were classification charts based on thecolor of a specimen. Werner’s nomenclature of colors publishedin 1821 by Patrick Syme is a book displaying just a chart and thedescription of various colors to be compared with the colors ofminerals, animals and plants. Darwin himself brought this book onboard of the Beagle and used it to describe snakes, rocks and eventhe “beryl blue” glaciers spotted in South America.

Darwin, unlike other British geologists of his time, adoptedgeological terms used mostly by German geologists, such asexplorer of the Andes Alexander von Humboldt (whose books hehad read and admired as a student), to describe the rocks observedin the field. He also, like Humboldt, became especially interestedin volcanic rocks.

Darwin’s final advice for collecting rocks and minerals is stillimportant for the modern collector:

“Put a number on every specimen, and every fragment ofa specimen; and during the very same minute let it beentered in the catalogue, so that if hereafter its localitybe doubted, the collector may say in good truth, “Everyspecimen of mine was ticketed on the spot.” Any thingwhich is folded up in paper, or put into a separate box,ought to have a number on the outside (with the exceptionperhaps of geological specimens), but more especially aduplicate number on the inside attached to the specimenitself.”

Source: Forbes.com from April 20, 2016

Charles Darwin

Werner’s nomenclature of colors, image inpublic domain

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 5

Stalagmites & Stalactites Help Scientists TraceAncient WildfiresBy Stephen Luntz

Evidence of ancient wildfires can be stored in stalactites andstalagmites, investigation of a Western Australian cave hasrevealed.

The discovery creates opportunities to learn about theprehistory of fire, but also represents a wake-up call to possibleinaccuracies in previous attempts to use limestone caves tomeasure ancient climates.

Collectively known as speleothems, stalactites, stalagmites,and flowstones provide a record of the water that formed them.Like the rings of trees, a speleothem is built up with time,providing an opportunity to study the local environment when aparticular layer was laid down.

Most of the oxygen atoms in water are normal oxygen-16, buta few are heavier isotopes. “When water undergoes a phasechange, either evaporation or condensation, you get a change to theratio of isotopes in it, “ Dr Pauline Treble of the AustralianNuclear Science and Technology Organisation told IFLScience.Rain from clouds that evaporated at higher temperatures containsmore oxygen-18 than that from colder environments, and thisbecomes incorporated into limestone caves laid down at the time.

For paleoclimatologists, this has proven invaluable. The ringsof living trees or corals only go back so far. Ice cores tell us muchabout the climate at the poles, but little about the rest of the planet.Speleothem isotope rations have filled in the gaps.

However, when Treble studied the water dripping from twospots 23 meters (76 feet) apart in Yonderup Cave north of Perth,she noticed differences that could not have been related to thecircumstances in which the rainwater vaporized.

“We started to consider whether the intense wildfire that hadoccurred six months before monitoring started was responsible forthe inconsistent data,” Treble said in a statement. Treble and herstudent, Gurinder Nagra, investigated and found that a tree almostdirectly above one of the drip sites had been killed in the fire.“That changed the transpiration at that site,” Treble toldIFLScience. “It was no longer shaded so evaporation increased.”

Oxygen-18 concentrations rose by two parts in a thousand, thepair reported in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. “Thisdoesn’t sound like a lot,” Treble told IFLScience, “but it is 10times as large as the smallest difference we can measure, and asbig as what you would see going from the middle of an ice age toan interglacial.”

Although the changes to the oxygen ratios could be inducedby a tree death of any cause, the fire produced a layer of ash,which in turn altered the concentrations of solutes such as chlorine,calcium, and magnesium.

Treble told IFLScience that searching for spikes or drops inelements such as these, at the same point as the speleothermrecords a change in oxygen ratios, could allow scientists todistinguish between climate-induced variations and the effects offire. A capacity to detect fire in the limestone record could alsohelp answer long-standing questions about how common fire wasprior to human arrival in Australia.

In the meantime, however, Treble suggests past conclusionsabout climatic variation may need to be rechecked, ideally usingdata from widely separated caves.

Source: IFLScience.com on July 22, 2016

Experiment Fails to Find Dark Matter after 20Months of SearchingBy Alfredo Carpineti

Dark matter is the “Carmen Sandiego/Where’s Waldo?” of thephysics world. We know it is there but we just can’t seem to findit.

And that's the case again with this latest test. The LargeUnderground Xenon (LUX) dark matter experiment has completedits final 20-month-long search and, unfortunately, has not foundany dark matter particles.

This is a bit disappointing, but even a non-detection isimportant when it comes to physics. The detectors could only lookfor potential particles in a certain mass range. So, if dark matter isreally made of particles, they must reside beyond that range.

“The discovery of the nature of the elusive dark matter that

The stalactites and stalagmites of Yonderup Cave, north of Perth, Australia

The location of Yonderup Cave, the now treeless site above one of the drips, and amap of the cave itself. Nagra et al., Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 2016

6 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

Drill hole into the John Klein target within Sheepbed Member of Yellowknife Bay, witha light-toned sulfate veinlet visible on the back wall. The light-toned veins have beenidentified as sulfates by ChemCam (Nachon et al.; Schroeder et al.) and CheMin(Vaniman et al.). Drill hole is 1.6 cm diameter. Image is white balanced. Scale bar is 2cm. Credit: Image courtesy of University of Leicester

accounts for more than four-fifths of the mass of the universe isinternationally recognized as one of the highest priorities inscience, and the LUX experiment is the world-leading experimentin the direct search of it,” explained UCL LUX collaborationscientist Dr Cham Ghag in a statement.

“Though a positive signal would have been welcome, naturewas not so kind! Nonetheless, a null result is significant as itchanges the landscape of the field by constraining models for whatdark matter could be beyond anything that existed previously.”

The existence of dark matter can explain a lot of features ofthe universe, like how a spiral galaxy disk rotates at the samespeed at the center and at the edge. Alternative hypotheses havebeen put forward but, so far, dark matter is the most likelyexplanation.

But even within the dark matter paradigm, there are differentexplanations. Dark matter could be many different types ofparticles (or in some scenarios even black holes) so even with anon-discovery LUX has effectively removed many potentialcandidates from the playing field.

The collaboration will continue to investigate the data,providing a solid analysis of the background source that will thenbe used in the next detector LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) presently underconstruction. LZ will be at least 70 times more sensitive than LUX.

“We’re responsible for ensuring the LZ experiment isconstructed to unprecedented radio-purity requirements that limitbackground to extremely low levels in order to expose any signalfrom WIMPs hiding underneath,” said Dr Jim Dobson also fromUCL. “We must also accurately characterize the backgroundpulses that do remain because before we can say we have detectedWIMPs, we must know precisely what we expect from everythingelse. This will be crucial to ensure any future discoveries of darkmatter are valid.”Source: IFLScience.com from July 22, 2016

Mineral Veins Found on Mars's Were Formedby the Evaporation of Ancient Martian Lakes

The research, by Mars Science Laboratory ParticipatingScientists at The Open University and the University of Leicester,used the Mars Curiosity rover to explore Yellowknife Bay in GaleCrater on Mars, examining the mineralogy of veins that were pathsfor groundwater in mudstones.

The study suggests that the veins formed as the sedimentsfrom the ancient lake were buried, heated to about 50 degreesCelsius and corroded.

Professor John Bridges from the University of LeicesterDepartment of Physics and Astronomy said: “The taste of thisMartian groundwater would be rather unpleasant, with about 20times the content of sulphate and sodium than bottled mineralwater for instance!

“However as Dr Schwenzer from The Open Universityconcludes, some microbes on Earth do like sulphur and iron richfluids, because they can use those two elements to gain energy.Therefore, for the question of habitability at Gale Crater the tasteof the water is very exciting news.”

The researchers suggest that evaporation of ancient lakes inthe Yellowknife Bay would have led to the formation of silica andsulphate-rich deposits.

Subsequent dissolution by groundwater of these deposits –which the team predict are present in the Gale Crater sedimentarysuccession – led to the formation of pure sulphate veins within theYellowknife Bay mudstone.

The study predicts the original precipitate was likely gypsum,which dehydrated during the lake’s burial.

The team compared the Gale Crater waters with fluidsmodeled for Martian meteorites shergottites, nakhlites and theancient meteorite ALH 84001, as well as rocks analyzed by theMars Exploration rovers and with terrestrial ground and surfacewaters.

The aqueous solution present during sediment alterationassociated with mineral vein formation at Gale Crater was foundto be high in sodium, potassium and silicon, but had lowmagnesium, iron and aluminium concentrations and had a nearneutral to alkaline pH level.

The mudstones with sulphate veins in the Gale Crater werealso found to be close in composition to rocks in Watchet Bay inNorth Devon, highlighting a terrestrial analogue which supportsthe model of dissolution of a mixed silica and sulphate-richshallow horizon to form pure sulphate veins.

Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity Project Scientist from the NASAJet Propulsion Laboratory said: “These result provide furtherevidence for the long and varied history of water in Gale Crater.Multiple generations of fluids, each with a unique chemistry, musthave been present to account for what we find in the rock recordtoday.” Source: www.sciencedaily.com from August 5, 2016

Freak Minerals Found Buried in Siberia CouldBecome the Fuel Cells of the FutureBy Ben Taub

Two extremely rare minerals discovered deep within aSiberian mine have been found to share properties with lab-madematerials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Until now, ithad been assumed that these synthetic structures were completelyabsent from nature, so the discovery of two organic MOFs hasunderstandably left researchers somewhat stunned.

MOFs are made of polymers of hydrated metal ions, carefullydesigned in order to form voids and channels, typically only a fewnanometers wide. These hollow spaces enable the storage of gassessuch as hydrogen and carbon dioxide, making them potentiallyhighly useful for removing harmful gasses from the air or even asfuel cells.

In a new study in the journal Science Advances, researchersreveal that two minerals named stepanovite andzhemchuzhnikovite (pictured above) – both of which were foundin a mine near the Lena River in Siberia – actually mirror MOFs.Incredibly, and perhaps somewhat frustratingly, these two freaksof nature were discovered in 1942 and 1963 respectively, yet

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 7

scientists did not realize just how unique and potentially usefulthese minerals were until much more recently.

Speaking to Gizmodo, study co-author Tomislav Friščić saidthat “one conclusion I can make is, if it were possible in the ‘40sto perform structural analysis like this, then the whole area ofMOFs would have been accelerated by 50 years.”

After reading about stepanovite and zhemchuzhnikovite in amineralogy journal, the researchers decided to synthesize them inthe lab in order to investigate whether their structure matched thatof MOFs. In doing so, they discovered that both exist as “thinveinlets, which consist of green transparent grained or fibrousaggregates,” arranged in such a way as to form openings andchannels – just like those found in MOFs.

This finding was later confirmed when the study authorsmanaged to track down actual samples of naturally-occurringstepanovite and zhemchuzhnikovite, confirming that they matchedtheir lab-made copies.

Such structures had never previously been documented innon-synthetic minerals, leading the researchers to suggest thatthere may be yet more natural MOF-like minerals out there, if onlywe knew where to look.

Significantly, the authors believe that stepanovite andzhemchuzhnikovite were probably formed by the uniquegeological environment in which they were found, some 230meters (755 feet) below the surface, in the permafrost zone. If anyother natural MOFs do indeed exist, similar subterraneanenvironments might therefore be good places to start looking forthem. Source: IFLScience.com from August 8, 1016

A 75-pound Pearl Has Been Hidden Under aFisherman's Bed for 10 YearsBy Tom Hale

A Filipino fisherman has hidden a giant pearl, which ispotentially worth millions of dollars, under his bed for a decade.

Weighing a whopping 34 kilograms (75 pounds), the pearlcould be a record holder for the largest natural pearl everdiscovered, according to Filipino officers. The pearl has beenpublicly shown this week for the first time, with images spreadingacross social media. However, it still needs an official weigh-inand authentication before any record-holding claims aresubstantiated.

It’s believed the pearl was discovered around the waters ofPalawan, Philippines, inside a giant clam. This threatened speciesof mollusk is native to the warm waters of the South Pacific andIndian Oceans and can often grow to 1.2 meters (4 feet) in length.

Perhaps craziest of all, the pearl had been kept under thefisherman’s bed as a lucky charm since he found it 10 years ago.The anonymous man was reportedly not aware of its widersignificance or worth until it was passed on to a tourism officer onthe island of Palawan, Gizmodo Spain reports.

The Palawan Islands are well-known for their huge pearls. Thecurrent record holder, the Pearl of Lao Tzu, was also found inPalawan waters. This one weighs just over 6.3 kilograms (14pounds) and is estimated to cost upwards of $3.5 million. Thevalue of this new pearl is anybody’s guess, but it’s expected to beeven higher. Source: IFLScience.com from August 24, 2016

Scientists Say a New Geological Epoch Calledthe Anthropocene Is HereNuclear tests and plastic pollution define a new epoch influencedby humans, scientists sayBy Mahita Gajanan

The Earth has entered a new geological epoch defined byhuman impact, scientists say.

Humanity’s influence on the Earth is so great, an entirely newgeological epoch called the Anthropocene should be declared,according to scientists from the Working Group on theAnthropocene, who recommended the change to the InternationalGeological Congress in Cape Town on Monday, the Guardianreported.

The Anthropocene epoch should begin in about 1950, asman-made developments ended the geological time defined by thecurrent epoch, the Holocene, the scientists said. The Holoceneencompasses the 12,000 years since the last ice age.

Mid-20th century phenomena, such as carbon dioxideemissions, rising sea levels, the global mass extinction of speciesand deforestation, have ended the Holocene epoch, the scientistssaid. The Anthropocene would be defined geologically by theeffects of nuclear bomb tests, plastic pollution, concrete and more,according to scientists.

“The significance of the Anthropocene is that it sets a differenttrajectory for the Earth system, of which we of course are part,”Prof. Jan Zalasiewicz, a geologist at the University of Leicesterand chair of the Working Group on the Anthropocene told theGuardian.

The Working Group on the Anthropocene has researched theepoch since 2009.

“If our recommendation is accepted, the Anthropocene willhave started just a little before I was born,” Zalasiewicz said. “Wehave lived most of our lives in something called the Anthropoceneand are just realizing the scale and permanence of the change.”Source: time.com from Aug. 29, 2016

8 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

Unknown Alien Rock Found in Swedish QuarryBy Mariette Le Roux

Paris (AFP) June 14, 2016 – A morsel of never-before-seenalien rock has been dug up in a limestone quarry in Sweden, whereit had lain deeply buried for about 470 million years, scientists saidTuesday.

The biscuit-sized remains are unlike any other meteorite foundon Earth to date, and may shed light on the history and formationof our Solar System, they reported in the journal NatureCommunications.

Dubbed Oest 65, it is thought to be a splinter of apotato-shaped rock some 20-30 kilometres (12-19 miles) wide,which had smashed into another much larger body, sprinkling ouradolescent planet with debris.

Previously, remnants of only one of the two rocks had beenfound, in the form of meteorites called chondrites.

But now scientists believe they have unearthed a piece of thesecond space orb, boosting the theory of a major smash-upbetween two galactic travelers.

It is thought that the breakup of the bigger chondrite body,about 100-150 km across, had yielded a major cluster of rockydebris in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

The resultant flux of extraterrestrial material, some of whichrained down on Earth, coincided with a massive expansion ofinvertebrate ocean life at a time our planet’s landmass was largelyfused together into a supercontinent called Gondwana.

“The single meteorite that we now found... is of a type that wedo not know of from today’s world,” study co-author BirgerSchmitz of Lund University in Sweden told AFP.

Along with about 100 chondrite pieces discovered to date, thenew alien fragment had sunk to the floor of an ocean coveringparts of what today is a limestone quarry in southern Sweden.

“The object contains very high concentrations (compared toEarth materials), of elements such as iridium, which is very rare onEarth,” Schmitz explained by email.

“The meteorite also contains high concentrations of rareisotopes of the element Neon” -- and in different proportions thanin chondrites.

The team measured telltale signs of cosmic radiation in themeteorite to determine how long it had flown around in spacebefore crashing to Earth.

“Our meteorite fell 470 million years ago,” said Schmitz –more or less the same period as the chondrite fragments.

The mysterious morsel “may be a fragment of the impactorthat broke up the (chondrite) parent body,” concluded the study.

The extraterrestrial lander may be the first documentedexample of an “extinct meteorite” – so called because it’s parent

body had been entirely consumed by space collisions, meaning nomore fragments can fall to Earth today.

Chondrites still drop to our planet every now and then.The findings mean that today’s meteorites – on which

scientists base much of their assumptions about our Solar System’sformation – are not fully representative of what is, and once was,out there.

“Apparently, there is potential to reconstruct important aspectsof solar-system history by looking down on Earth sediments, inaddition to looking up at the skies,” wrote the study authors.Source: Spacedaily.com June 15, 2016

Audacious ColorsBy Diana Jarrett

Must you really have just one favorite color? We don’t thinkso. Nature produces such stellar hues all around us; and eachbrings unique excitement to our lives. This month, we feature foryour pleasure both a dazzling stone and the imaginative jewelryartist who loves this rare gem too.Spinning a Web of Intrigue

Spinel is a magnificent natural stone that until a century agowas often mistaken for ruby when it was found alongside thatstone in deposits. Exotic locales with evocative names are wherespinel is found; places like Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar(Burma) Tanzania, and Thailand. Besides red, it is produced in arich range of other vibrant tones. On rare occasions, spinel occursin a phenomenal color-change variety. The unusual stone makes afull switch from royal blue in daylightto purple in florescent light. It is one ofthe few colored gemstones requiring nospecial treatments to optimize itsbeauty–making it a true collector’sstone. Queen of Color

Celebrated jewelry artist PaulaCrevoshay has carefully curated anexceptional color change spinel forseveral years, and one can appreciateher watchful attitude over this treasure.This particular color change spinelweighs 6.5 carats; an uncommon sizefor the gemstone. Placed in animportant 18K yellow gold mounting,it’s a fitting frame for such a rarity. Crevoshay is lauded for herpainterly application of color on color in her original jewelrycollections. Her jewelry settings are her canvas; the colored stonesare her paint. There’s no mistaking an artful Crevoshay creation.All About the Stone

In her remarkable color change spinel ring, it’s apparent fromthe magnificent setting that this stone is an extraordinaryspecimen. There are no other stones vying for pride of place in herartful creation. The stone’s the thing here. Yet, the mounting withall its sumptuous detail tells a story that words can never convey.

Digging a bit into Crevoshay’s background, it becomes clearwhat has shaped her as a jewelry designer. In addition to Fine Art,Crevoshay studied Anthropology, especially symbolism.Expressions of modernity fuse seamlessly with iconic archetypesfrom long ago. Small wonder that her work resonates with a globalcommunity of devotees. O-o-h! Let’s Look

Aren’t we fortunate? Local cognoscenti can enjoy previewingPaula Crevoshay fine art jewels at Provident Jewelry right here inNaples.

Color change spinel ring in 18Kyellow gold; Courtesy P.Crevoshay

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 9

Topics in GemologyTopics in Gemology is a monthly column written by Diana Jarrett, GG, RMV, based on gemological questions posed toher over the years by beginners and experts alike. Contact her at diana@dianajarrett.com.

Savoring TsavoriteThere aren’t many ‘newly discovered’ gemstones. Most gemshave been known for centuries, if not thousands of years. But theearth has not given up all its treasures. Every so often, someonestumbles upon a new stone that upsets the whole idea of what areprecious stones.

Where You Least Expect ItSuch is the story of tsavorite. (Say săv-o-rite) The stone is arelative newbie in the gem world. It was discovered quite by

accident in the latter half of the 20thcentury by a British geologist kickingaround the East-African bush. Somepeculiar nodules spread over the landscapethat he stumbled upon caught his eye withtheir shiny green bits. These sparkly rocksturned out to be a rare green garnet thatwas eventually called tsavorite in a nod tothe Tsavo National Park near its place ofdiscovery.

The Designer’s EyeCouture jewelry designer Laura Jackowski-Dickson, of LJDDesigns happens to love these verdant treasures. As a graduategemologist she understands the value of these rare green jewels.According to Jackowski-Dickson, “It is difficult to acquiretop quality tsavorite.” So imagine the challenge facing her whenshe set out to create a pair of tsavorite earrings. Not only did shehave to search for equal quality stones, but the sizes had tomatch. Was it difficult to find a perfectly matched set of tsavoritefor her earrings, we wondered? “Oh yes, like finding a needle ina haystack,” she revealed. “We went through about a hundredstones to match them up; cut, carat weight and size, plus quality,and color. That’s why I chose platinum as the metal.”The Most Dazzling Green You Never Heard OfAccording to her, the general public and even jewelry collectors

are not so savvy about tsavorite. But shedoes her part to present this jewel in itsproper light. “Tsavorite garnet isdefinitely an under-appreciated and littleknown stone. I find it much moreappealing to the eye in color than anemerald.” Once people learn about thisgem and hear the remarkable back story,they can develop a real appreciation for it.Designers like Jackowski-Dickson whounderstand the value of this exceptionalstone are on the forefront of exposingcollectors to its charm. “I think when it ispresented as an exotic gem peopletake more of an interest in it. But yes, it

has a way to go before it becomes the new sought after stone.”Selling its AttributesRetailers and designers know the traits of this rare green garnet,but don’t expect consumers to be aware of it. Just pairing thewords green and garnet together in the same phrase is mystifying

to most shoppers. By explaining that yes, most garnet we knowof is indeed red, this rare green variety defies previouslyperceptions and opens the conversation for other intriguingdetails about this stone. You never want to sell one stone at theexpense of another, but you can make some emerald to tsavoritecomparisons. Many jewelry fans are mad about emerald becauseof its captivating green hue. Subliminally green represents lifeor even new life and with that hope. Since there are so manyaristocratic jewels bearing emerald, there’s an implicitassociation to royalty to boot.

Something to Talk AboutThat said, for your clientele who are drawn to emerald, you canpoint out several truly remarkable characteristics of this jewel.It’s a one source stone (until it should turn up elsewheresomeday) found in dangerously inhospitable bush lands of EastAfrica. Its recovery is no easy feat. Larger carat stones (thoseover 5cts) are almost unheard of. Tsavorite contrastsdramatically against emerald in its intense true green, ascontrasted to both emerald and green tourmaline. Emeralds bythe very nature of their recovery are usually full of concussivedriven inclusions. You don’t see these types of inclusions ontsavorite due to its density of color, and its different recoverymethods.

A substitute for emerald? We think not. Tsavorite is adynamic beauty with legs to stand on its own. Its story is thestuff that made “Out of Africa” so memorable. Your customerswant a unique choice for their personalized jewelry selections,and this does a splendid job. Now it’s your turn to talk . . . toyour customers.

Some NYC Gem & Mineral Show Ephemera!

Tsavorite, diamond andplatinum earrings;Courtesy LJD Designs

Tsavo-Ruby Tsavorite:Courtesy ConservationGemology; Photo; V.Pardieu / Guebelin Lab

Tsavo Vince: Courtesy Conservation Gemology; Photo; V. Pardieu / Guebelin Lab

10 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

New Fall Mineral Show NYMC Banner!

For Sale at the Show – $5NYMC Drawstring Backpack

They’re Back! By Popular Demand!Floaty Gemstone Pens

For Sale at the Show – $5 each

New Useful & Interesting Books For Sale

$10.00 $15.00

New Activity for Kids!

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 11

Fall 2016 Mineral Show Lecture

For Sale at the Show – Only $102017 Great Opals of the World Calendar

For Sale at the Show – CD ROM – Only $51st Place Trophy Winner AFMS Special Publications for 2016!

At the Fall 2016 Mineral ShowPick Up Your Free

2017 Club Meeting & Event Calendar

2016 Fall Gem & Mineral Show Booth Roster

1 New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. / Excalibur

2 Aurora Mineral Corp

3 Somethings / China South Seas

4 Highland Rock & Fossil

5 Amazon Imports

6 Raj Minerals

7 John Betts Fine Minerals

8 Gems Art Studio

9 Bill Gangi Unique Stones

10 Malachite & Gems of Africa

11 Alan’s Minerals ³ Returning!

12 Khyber Gemstone

14 Rocko Minerals & Jewelry

15 AYS International

16 Amber J. I. N. Corporation ³ New!

17 Mahalo Minerals

18 Crystal Circle Fine Minerals

19 Bary Gems, Inc.

21 Alfredo Petrov Rare Minerals

20Howard Schlansker Wholesale Minerals & Gifts

(For qualified buyers only with credentials!)

(Above List Subject to Change)

12 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

Name (s)

Street Address

City State Zip

Home Phone Work Phone E-mailPLEASE!G Send me my monthly Bulletin via e-mail.

G Individual Membership ($25.00) G Family Membership ($35) for:

Please send me a set of the following boxed Note Card Sets (Each set for $6.00 including envelopes):G Thin Sections G Mineral & Gem Bookplates G Jade G Native Elements G Crystallography G RubyG Famous Diamonds G Birthday Mineral Cards G Malachite G Quasicrystals G Quartz G LapisG Amethyst G Fluorite G Garnet G Amber G Sapphire G Pyrite G New York State G PseudomorphsG The NYMC G Opal G International Year of Light G Mineral & Gem Textures G Emerald G Turquoise

G I'd like to get one of garnet-red drawstring backpacks which features the Club. (Each backpack for $5.00)

Mail this form (or copy)with your check to:

Membership Coordinator, New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.PO Box 77, Planetarium Station, NYC, NY, 10024-0077

Please Send in Your2017 NYMC Membership Dues!

ForgetForget the hasty, unkind word:Forget the slander you have heard;Forget the quarrel and the cause;Forget the whole affair, because,Forgetting is the only way.Forget the storm of yesterday;Forget the knocker, and the squeak;Forget the bad day of the week.Forget you're not a millionaire;Forget the gray streaks in your hair;Forget to even get the blues -But don't forget To Pay Your Dues!

Please take the time to send in your2017 NYMC membership dues

if you have not already done so.And get yourself a set or two of note cards —

they make great gifts!

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 13

dezilaeR secirP noitcuA tneliS teuqnaB 6102

By Mitch PortnoySpecial Opal Section1. Australian Precious Opal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82. Book of Opals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43. Opal, 3.81 Carats, Half-Moon Gem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354. Opalized Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55. Boulder Opal Pendant/Necklace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206. 3-Opal Stone & Gold Necklace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Collector Minerals, Thumbnails & Crystals Section7. Actinolite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118. Natrolite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59. Malachite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 910. Yellow Mica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 711. Sulfur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512. Amethyst Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3513. Amethyst Scepter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2714. Dioptase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1015. Quartz with Inclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3516. Apatite & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417. Malachite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518. Azurite & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3019. Pink Tourmaline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 920. Barite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621. Apatite, Calcite & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1422. Pyrite & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523. Stibnite & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 724. Fluorite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2025. Sylvite (Hugh Ford Label) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1026. Sphalerite etc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2027. Chrysotile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 528. Clinoptilolite-Na . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529. Diopside in Calcite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Jewelry Section30. Tiger-Eye Bangles (2) & TE Silver Pendant . . . . . . . . . . . 831. Ring (7 ½): Green Onyx & Sterling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1232. Ring (6): Goldstone & Sterling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1133. Ring (7): Faceted Quartz & GP Sterling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1234. Ring (10): Navaho, Sterling with Yei Figure . . . . . . . . . . . 635. Pendant: Sterling & Multi-Gemstone (Marked) . . . . . . . . 2036. Pendant: Malachite Cab in Silver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1337. Pendant: Moonstone in Silver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438. Pendant: Peridot & Fossil in Silver (Marked) . . . . . . . . . . 739. Pendant: Jasper, Moonstone, Garnet in Silver (Marked) . 2840. Pendant: Citrine in Silver, Citrine Bead Strand . . . . . . . . 4541. Pendant: Freshwater Pearl & Silver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842. Amber: Pendant in Silver & Earrings in Gold . . . . . . . . . . 443. Necklace: Prehnite/Epidote & etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2344. Necklace: Colored Mother of Pearl Disks . . . . . . . . . . . . 1945. Necklace: Kyanite, Pearl, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1446. Necklace: “Modern” Metal & Ceramic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347. Necklace: Red Gemstone Quatrefoil & Silver Chain . . . . . 3Lapidary & Carvings Section48. Cobra Figurine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 349. Mouse Figurine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650. Bullfrog Figurine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551. Ram Figurine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1052. Polished Fluorite Obelisk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2653. Mounted “Painting” Stone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 854. Polished Agate Geode Slice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 655. Honed Zincite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 856. (2) Polished Pieces of Jade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Publications, Science, Rarities & Other Section57. Jade: Stone of Heaven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158. Jade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259. Volcanos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360. Agates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361. Handwrought Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 462. Gemstone Buying Guide (by R. Newman) . . . . . . . . . . . 1063. Erythrite & Carminite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164. Pyromorphite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365. USA Mineral Set & Mineral Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2166. Ore Sample. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267. Torbernite & Autunite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 568. Red Tourmaline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169. (2) Rubies & (4) Pyrite Cubes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 570. Brookite & Perovskite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371. Corundum/Staurolite/Eudyalite/Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1072. Rutile Micros (Tube!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Late Arrivals73. Stones in Silver Necklace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1274. Mesh Sphere Sterling Earrings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1175. Circle in Circle Silver Pendant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476. Emerald in Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7077. Blue Apatite Crystal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2078. Actinolite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279. Hematite & Ankerite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280. Kyanite in Matrix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1181. Margarite on Diaspore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1082. Agate Slice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Total (WOW!) $981

2016 Banquet “Sparkle of Opal” Minutes(Continued from page 2)

� The banquet’s gifts were presented to the attendees. Once again, apacket containing information and artwork about the meeting’stheme (this year: opal) was shown.

� Included in the packet was a full-color NYMC wall calendar for2017 entitled: Great Opals of the World. (Note: Extras are availablefor purchase.)

� Everyone also received a surprise gift – a specimen of Ethiopianopal in a plastic gem jar (Courtesy Crystal Circle)!

� There was a drawing for four door prizeswhich were large glass “diamonds”.

� The two new Honorary Members werepresented with gifts – an “opal” wall clock!Vivien Gornitz and Anna Schumate (thespeakers) were each presented with a scarfwith an opal pattern.

� After a few questions and testimonials fromthe group, the meeting’s special lecture began (at 8:45 pm).

� The banquet’s lecture was a 3-part talk entitled “The Sparkle ofOpal” given by Vivien Gornitz (Mineralogy/Geology), MitchPortnoy (Folklore & etc.) and Anna Schumate (Oddities).(A lecture recap, written by Vivien Gornitz, will appear in theDecember 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club.)

� After a few questions from the audience, Mitch reminded everyoneto pick up their gifts before leaving.

� Members responsible for all their volunteer work to make thebanquet happen were thanked.

� He also reminded people that special sets of opal note cards wereavailable for purchase and the decorative banquet posters were freefor the taking.

� Preview: the banquet theme in 2017 will be amethyst! (And in 2018it will likely be carnelian/Halloween!)

14 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. November 2016

NYMC Website InquiriesBy Mitchell Portnoy

One of the pages on the NYMC website (“Contact”) allowsthe public at large to easily send an email to the Club withcomments or questions. These inquiries are then automaticallyforwarded to me. I would say I am currently getting about onequestion per day from the public at large.

The most common questions I get, and certainly the easiestto answer, are about the NYMC itself. Although most of thisinformation requested is easily (and obviously?) available on thewebsite, such as when the next meeting is going to occur, peopleseem to want a “human” answer, which I am happy to provide.If the inquirer is asking for a more comprehensive overview ofthe Club, I often suggest they call me and we chat.

I also get many questions about minerals and gems.Perhaps this is no surprise. If the question is an easy, obviousone, I will answer it. (“Is pyrite the same as fool’s gold?) SinceI am not a geologist, mineralogist or lapidary, if the question ismore advanced, I will forward it to a resident Club expert, aftergetting permission from that individual. And lastly, if the email contains dozens and dozens of questions(and this DOES happen), I recommend that the person eithermake use of an online resource such as Mindat.com or to go theirlocal library or bookstore and get a good mineralogy/gemologybook and use it.

Alas, answering a mineral or gem question can also bringabout a discussion or argument. Someone, after seeing anarticle in one of our bulletins about jade, pointed out we hadforgotten to mention the “valuable jade from Ohio.” (Ohio doesnot have jade.) Another insisted that “boulder opal ONLY comesfrom Australia.” (Boulder opal, a varietal name, is found in manylocalities.) Neither inquirer was going to let the facts that Iprovided to them through several Internet links get in the way oftheir ironclad opinions.

About once a month I am asked about local educationalopportunities involving geology, mineralogy or lapidary. Thebest I can usually do here is recommend that they look at theavailable adult educational opportunities at Columbia, NYU,Fordham, the New School, etc., all of which have websites. (I doalso say that they will learn a lot by joining the Club!) Forgemology I of course relay them to the GIA; lapidary courses,however, seem to be entirely absent within NYC. (Perhaps thisis a business opportunity for someone in the Club!)

The remaining questions I get tend to be more controversial,problematic or even uncomfortable.

A lot of inquirers want to know if we would be interested inbuying their collections of minerals, gems, jewelry, books orservices. I easily dispense with the services offerings. Forexample, we do not need another webmaster to manage ourwebsite as we already have an excellent one! I try to beextremely clear that as a Club we do NOT buy minerals as we area non-profit, educational organization. Assuming they send mephotos of what they are trying to sell, and regardless of thequality shown (mostly poor), I suggest they bring the pictures orsome actual specimens to the dealers at a mineral show and get

a sense of what they have and their possible resale value. I justdon’t want the Club to be seen as the “bad guy” when it comesto minerals/gems/jewelry and their prices when reselling.

At this point I often suggest that the NYMC is happy toaccept donations in kind to support our annual operations andeducational initiatives. Also, I do inform the person that we arenot an IRS 501(c)(3) organization so the donation is not taxdeductible. The reaction to this response is mixed; you canimagine . . .

If they ask whether they could sell their items directly tous members at a meeting, I do reply that this is allowed.HOWEVER, I emphasize that our group is relativelysophisticated and knowledgeable. The items need to be highquality, unbroken, accurately labeled, properly priced andidentified. This usually scares most people off, which is what Iam trying to do as gently as possible. If this give rise to dozensof follow-up questions (like “What is a label?”), I bluntly saythey would be wasting their time at the Club meeting and theyshould start with dealers at a show.

About once a month I get asked by someone about havinga booth at the NYC Gem & Mineral Show. This getsforwarded IMMEDIATELY to Tony Nikischer, the show’sowner and promoter. We only partner with him; it is legally andfinancially his show entirely. Other show questions involveaccess to the wholesale section (Schlansker Minerals). Myresponse is they can get in with “proper credentials.” If they inturn ask what that means, I suggest that are likely notcommercially qualified to get in.

The last group of questions involves the request tovalue/appraise/identify/ or authenticate a mineral, gem orcollection. The inquiry can be solely text based or have apicture or two attached to the email. Besides the occasional easyID that I can relate to the person (“That’s a pyrite cube.”) via anemail reply, I never answer these questions and emphasize thedifficulty and, at times, the expense in getting an answer. Iemphasize that the Club does not provide these services.They are then encouraged to come to a meeting with actualobjects and maybe get some specific advice about what to do.

There are a few other types of questions I get over thecourse of a month but these are more a function of roboticGoogle searches (consider: vitamins & minerals) or languagetranslation problems rather than mineralogical inquiry.Consider: the word stone, mineral, rock, gemstone is often onlyone word in other languages. Our Club has nothing to do with“stone flooring.” I consider these questions comic relief only.

As a follow up to the above, I created a “Frequently AskedQuestions (FAQ)” page on the website. The content wasreviewed by a lawyer, accountant and marketing professional.I hope this makes the answers as clear as possible to the public.

November 2016 Bulletin of the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc. 15

2016-17 Club Calendar

Date Event Location Remarks & Information

November 16 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Ann Pizzorusso – “ParadiseBejeweled: Gems of Dante’s Divine Comedy”

December 14 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Howard Heitner –“Pseudo-What?!”

January 11, 2017 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Mitchell Portnoy – “Minerals& Gems in Popular Culture”; Chinese Auction

February 8 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan Annual Members’ Show & Tell; New songs!

March 8 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Alfredo Petrov –“Iris Quartz”; Special meeting game

April 19 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown ManhattanSpecial Lecture: Charles Snider (1st Timer!) –“The American Geode Story”

May 10 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan Special Lecture: TBD

June 14 Annual Benefit Auction Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan Details to follow; Online catalog available!

July 12 Meeting at 6:30 Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan New summer meeting addition to calendar!

2016-17 Show or Event Calendar

Date Event Location Remarks & Information

October 21-23 EFMLS Convention/Show Rochester, New York Article Contest Results; Details to Follow

November 12-13Fall NYC Gem, Mineral &Fossil Show

Grand Ballroom, Holiday InnMidtown, New York City

20+ diverse dealers; lectures; wholesalesection (with credentials); NYMC BoothNew: Geode Cracking for Kids!

November 26-27 Morristown Museum Show Morris Museum, Morristown, NJ Hours are Sat: 11-5 pm, Sun 12-5 pm

February 2017 Tucson Mineral Shows Tucson, Arizona Multi-week event, scores of locations

March 4-5Spring NYC Gem, Mineral &Fossil Show

Grand Ballroom, Holiday InnMidtown, New York City

20+ diverse dealers; lectures; wholesalesection (with credentials); NYMC Booth

June 9-11, 2017 AFMS Convention/Show Ventura, California Article Contest Results; Details to Follow

October 20-22, 2017 EFMLS Convention/Show Bristol, Connecticut Article Contest Results; Details to Follow

For more extensive national and regional show information check online:AFMS Website: http://www.amfed.org and/or the EFMLS Website: http://www.amfed.org/efmls

George F. KunzFounder

The New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.Founded in 1886 for the purpose of increasing interest in the science of mineralogy through

the collecting, describing and displaying of minerals and associated gemstones.

Website: www.newyorkmineralogicalclub.orgP.O. Box 77, Planetarium Station, New York City, New York, 10024-0077

2016 Executive Committee

President Mitchell Portnoy 46 W. 83rd Street #2E, NYC, NY, 10024-5203 email: mitchpnyc@aol.com. . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 580-1343

Vice President Anna Schumate 27 E. 13th Street, Apt. 5F, NYC, NY, 10003 email: annaschumate@mindspring.com . . (646) 737-3776

Secretary Vivien Gornitz 101 W. 81st Street #621, NYC, NY, 10024 email: vgornitz@gmail.com . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 874-0525

Treasurer Diane Beckman 265 Cabrini Blvd. #2B, NYC, NY, 10040 email: djbeckman@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 927-3355

Editor & Archivist Mitchell Portnoy 46 W. 83rd Street #2E, NYC, NY, 10024-5203 email: mitchpnyc@aol.com. . . . . . . . . . . . (212) 580-1343

Membership Mark Kucera 25 Cricklewood Road S., Yonkers, NY, 10704 email: mark_j_kucera@yahoo.com. . . . . . (914) 423-8360

Webmaster Joseph Krabak (Intentionally left blank) email: joe@americangeode.com

Director Alla Priceman 84 Lookout Circle, Larchmont, NY, 10538 email: priceman.a@gmail.com . . . . . . . . . (914) 834-6792

Director Richard Rossi 6732 Ridge Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY, 11220 email: rossirocks92@aol.com . . . . . . . . . . (718) 745-1876

Director Sam Waldman 2801 Emmons Ave, #1B, Brooklyn, NY, 11235 email: samgemw@optonline.net . . . . . . . . (718) 332-0764

Dues: $25 Individual, $35 Family per calendar year. Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of every month (except August) at the Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan, 57th Street betweenNinth and Tenth Avenues, New York City, New York. Meetings will generally be held in one of the conference rooms on the Mezzanine Level. The doors open at 5:30 P.M.and the meeting starts at 6:45 P.M. (Please watch for any announced time / date changes.) This bulletin is published monthly by the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.The submission deadline for each month’s bulletin is the 20th of the preceding month. You may reprint articles or quote from this bulletin for non-profit usage only providedcredit is given to the New York Mineralogical Club and permission is obtained from the author and/or Editor. The Editor and the New York Mineralogical Club are notresponsible for the accuracy or authenticity of information or information in articles accepted for publication, nor are the expressed opinions necessarily those of the officersof the New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.

Next Meeting: Wednesday Evening, November 16, 2016 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Mezzanine, Holiday Inn Midtown Manhattan (57th St. & Tenth Avenue), New York CitySpecial Lecture: Ann Pizzorusso – “Paradise Bejeweled: The Gems of Dante’s Divine Comedy”

New York Mineralogical Club, Inc.Mitchell Portnoy, Bulletin EditorP.O. Box 77, Planetarium StationNew York City, New York 10024-0077

FIRST CLASS