Previous Meetings

September 14, 2010
BMC Show-and-Tell Night

     Our September meeting is our club’s traditional Show-and-Tell Night. Members are invited to bring in specimens, photos, etc. from their collecting activities during the summer. Show us what you’ve found – whether collected in the field or discovered at a mineral show. Specimens will be displayed on tables for all to see, and if you’d like to speak to the club about your adventures – this is your chance. Field trip leaders will also report on summer trips and talk about the upcoming fall schedule. The Show-and-Tell meeting is always a fun one, and is a great time to catch up with old friends (and make new ones).

Specimen trading is especially encouraged at this meeting. Come to the meeting with something to show, discuss or trade! Please plan to come a little early to socialize and see the specimens.

Here are some of the summer field trips and events that we look forward to hearing about:

June 6. Green’s Farm Garnet Locality field trip, Roxbury, Connecticut
June 12. Connecticut Museum of Mining and Mineral Science swap/sale, Kent, CT
June 26-27. Gilsum Rock Swap, Gilsum, New Hampshire
June 26. Beryl Hill field trip, Royalston, Massachusetts
July 17-18. Poland Mining Camps field trip to Mt. Mica and Mt. Apatite, Maine 
July 24-25. Moat Mountain and Ossipee area field trip, New Hampshire
July 31. National Park Service “Geology Rocks” event on Spectacle Island, MA
August 7. Manhan Mine field trip, Easthampton, Massachusetts
August 13-15. East Coast Gem & Mineral Show, Springfield, Massachusetts 
August 29. Connecticut pegmatite field trip

We would also like to hear about your non-club collecting trips and summer vacations. All club members are encouraged to participate!
                                            
WELCOME ALL NEW MEMBERS!

 

 

June, 2010
Diamond Prospecting
Presented by Peter Gleba

For our June meeting, BMC member Peter Gleba will discuss perhaps the most sought after of all gem minerals: diamonds. Peter’s presentation will highlight the geology and genesis of diamonds, including both earthbound and extraterrestrial manifestations. This will be followed by a discussion of the geochemistry and petrology used to locate diamonds. Not only can geochemistry determine whether a kimberlitic pipe contains diamonds but it can be used to determine the ore grade and quality of the diamonds as well. A number of localities for diamonds will be presented, both in situ and glacial float. In particular, the diamond discoveries in Canada and a real-life “Indiana Jones” story in what was once British Guyana. And, very briefly, Peter will discuss the marketing and polishing of stones. Lest you think this presentation is too exotic, keep in mind that diamonds have been reported to have been found as close as upper New York State.

Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and informative evening.

Please bring in specimens that would complement the presentation (diamonds, kimberlite, etc.). Did you find something great on a recent BMC field trip (Littleton, Massachusetts, or South Glastonbury, Connecticut)? How about on the Maine Mineral Symposium trip to Mount Mica or at the Topsfield show or Micromounters Symposium? Bring it in to the meeting for show-and-tell.  

May 2010

Crystallographic Symmetry
Presented by Professor Bernhardt J. Wuensch
Department of Material Science and Engineering, MIT

For our May meeting, we welcome Professor Bernie Wuensch, a member of the BMC, who will speak to us about crystals and crystallography. What does triclinic mean? What about monoclinic or Miller index? Any of us who have ever opened a mineral book have seen these terms, but what do they mean? Bernie will present us with images that will help us to understand the various symmetries that crystals can display and why.

The faceted external surfaces on crystals have long attracted the interest of mineralogists and collectors. This external symmetry arises from the fact that the internal arrangement of atoms in a crystal, on an atomic scale, is also symmetric. Moreover the arrangement of atoms is periodic just like brickwork or fabric patterns (but in three dimensions, not merely two). The symmetry of physical properties of a crystal must conform to the symmetry of its atomic arrangement.

Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and informative evening.

 

April 2010
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
 Meeting: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Introduction to Faceting
By Carlos Gristani

For our April meeting, we welcome Carlos Gristani of Hollis, New Hampshire, a  member of the Capital Mineral Club, longtime mineral collector, micromounter and amateur faceter. Carlos’ presentation will cover:

- What is faceting?
- Anatomy of a gemstone
- The faceting process (selecting rough, preparing the stone, faceting the stone)
- Getting started (equipment required, suppliers and costs, learning)

As the club gears up for the new field collecting season, we’ll learn how we can turn all the gem-quality tourmaline, beryl, and amethyst we’re sure to find into fabulous faceted gemstones!

Join us for what promises to be a very interesting and informative evening.

To complement the presentation, members are encouraged to bring in gem minerals, self-collected or not, particularly any that could potentially be faceted.

The Harvard Mineralogical Museum should be open starting at 7:00 PM. We will hold a brief business meeting and then start the presentation at about 8:15 PM. As usual, there will be refreshments and a mineral raffle. Please be sure to invite a friend — guests are always welcome to attend our meetings.

 

March 2010

Welcome to the Dark Side:
The World of Fluorescent Minerals

Presented by John D. Chipman

While the majority of rock-hounds collect minerals during the light of day, glow-hounds often collect within the dead of night. In “Welcome to the Dark Side,” BMC member John D. Chipman will give us a detailed look into the world of fluorescent minerals using PowerPoint media and hands-on demonstrations. Subjects will range widely from ultraviolet (UV) terminology to the practicalities of collecting and displaying fluorescent minerals. With a varied audience in mind, this presentation will try to maintain a balance between technical detail and down-to-earth experience, hopefully offering something for everyone. A custom-made, four-wavelength, 48-watt UV display lamp will be utilized for demonstrations, including the several types of luminescence, of which fluorescence is just one. Since the key to fluorescent mineral collecting is the UV light, knowledge will be conveyed to attendees as to what works, what doesn’t, and even tips on how to make your own UV lights and workable fluorescent displays. The objective of “Welcome to the Dark Side” is to inform members of the many facets and intricacies of fluorescent mineral collecting while having some fun along the way.

Unless you’re afraid of the dark, don’t miss it!

Members are encouraged to bring in specimens to check for fluorescence under multiple UV wavelengths. For safety reasons, members should have glasses on when working close to the UV sources. Glasses can be either normal corrective eyewear or standard safety eyewear.

February 2010

Minerals of the Manhan Mine in Easthampton, Massachusetts
Long time club member Dana Krueger will present a talk on the minerals of
the Manhan River Mine in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Sometimes called the “Loudville” mine after the name of a nearby village, the locality was worked for lead and silver in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the dumps are still accessible to collectors today. Collectible minerals include wulfenite and pyromorphite in thumbnail to hand specimens, as well as numerous other secondary minerals as micros to thumbnails. Photos will be shown of most of the known minerals from the locality, taken of specimens from Dana’s own collection and that of Harvard University. Most of the specimens were collected originally by current or former BMC members in recent decades, and illustrate that this is still a lively area for field collectors.

To complement the presentation, members are encouraged to bring in specimens from the Manhan Mine, and also pyromorphite and wulfenite from worldwide locations.

Also bring in specimens you acquired from the recent BMC auction. Did you find any treasures in those silent auction flats? We’d love to see what you bought.

Also bring in specimens you acquired from the recent BMC auction. Did you find any treasures in those silent auction flats? We’d love to see what you bought.

The Harvard Mineralogical Museum should be open for us starting at 7:00 PM. As usual there will be refreshments and a mineral raffle. Also, invite a friend if you’d like — guests are always welcome to attend our meetings.

 


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