The DGMS’ purposes are to promote:

1. Interest, knowledge, lapidary art skills, and metal-working (embodying the use of polished gems and minerals when appropriate).

2. Interest in rock and mineral collection, and increase knowledge of geology and related earth sciences. This includes holding annual shows, sharing of common interests, and a better understanding of member activities.

ROKTOK - JANUARY 2017

2017 is full of exciting possibilities within our club and in the rock hound communities.

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President: Steven Buehler First vice president: Gerald Pennington Second vice president (shop): David Pirnie Treasurer: Jack Sorrow Secretary: Sean Neeley 6th member: Mike Russell

Appointed positions:

RokTok editors: Mike Andrews & Sean Neeley Weekly items editor: Burt Breedlove

Monthly meetings are the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7pm at The American Legion Hall, 10205 # 105 Plano Rd., Dallas 75238.

Shop address & phone number:

Dallas Gem & Mineral Society PO Box 550395 Dallas, TX 75355-0395 214-349-2022

Lapidary workshop hours are Mondays & Thursdays, 6-9pm, Saturdays, 8am-1pm.

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TableofContents

Meeting Minutes……………………………….4

Member Tribute: Frank Reyes……………....5

InterGem…………………………………………6

Noteworthy January Dates...………………...7

Amazing Minerals by Dan Costian...………..8

Rock Facts that Rock...………………………..9

A Crystal-Clear View of Crystal Systems...……………………………………….10

Classes at Our Shop...………………………..11

January Birthdays & Rain Report...………..12

January Birthstones...………………………..13

January Texas Gem & Mineral Shows...…..14

Other Local Gem & Mineral Clubs………….15

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DECEMBERMEETINGMINUTES

Dallas Gem and Mineral Society General Meeting 10205 Plano Rd. Suite 104

December 20, 2016 Call to Order: 7:17 p.m.

This meeting’s primary focus was the holiday party. Club members signed up online (courtesy of Stephanie Bair) to bring items for an extravagant potluck. The club furnished the meats, and club members brought sides, like potatoes, casseroles, fruits and vegetables, and desserts.

Prior to the meal, President Diana Case handed out tickets to everyone participating in the gift exchange. After the holiday meal, the gift exchange started at 8:02 pm. Diana called out ticket numbers, and everyone picked up his or her gift. There were rockhounding tools, raw gems and minerals, tumbled stones, cabochons, and more. The gift exchange ended at 8:30 pm.

Everyone fellowshipped until the meeting adjourned.

Adjourn: The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.

Best,

Sean Neeley, Secretary

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In December, we said goodbye to a wonderful member and an all-around terrific person, Frank Reyes. Mr. Reyes succumbed to pancreas cancer complications after a fervent battle that lasted over a year. He joined DGMS around 2011, and was a prominent presence with his chainmail classes, positive attitude, and awesome sense of humor. He and friend Gerald Pennington worked the fluorescent rock booth at our shows every year – a massive hit.

I had the pleasure of knowing Frank before he joined our group, through my mother who worked with him, and through an in-law. One of my fondest memories was when I had foot surgery, and couldn’t make our annual trip to Colorado. Frank and Gerald hauled back some rocks, and invited me over to pick out what I wanted. I got some of my best specimens from them! RIP, Frank. We know you’re making the angels laugh. You’ll be sorely missed, but not forgotten.

Frank is survived by his children, Blake and Blair.

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InterGem is at Dallas Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75207; January 13-15. The show hours are Friday, 12 pm-6 pm,�Saturday, 10 am-6 pm, and Sunday, 11 am-5 pm.

Al Brewton reminds us: “We are missing the heart of the InterGem team now that Frank (Reyes) is no longer with us. Gerald Pennington may not be available to us on the show dates, so let's all jump in and help make the show a success. THIS ONE IS FOR FRANK!!! “As always, people who work on the setup and/or demonstrate some skill or process will share the available table space to display and sell our products. Please remember: IF YOU DID NOT MAKE IT OR ASSEMBLE IT, please do not bring it. “Market Hall will be available to us starting after noon (around 1:00PM) on Wednesday, January 11th. We would then complete our setup (Genies etc.) on Thursday, January 12th, with the show starting at the times listed in the attachment to this email. Several of you told me at the Christmas party that you would be available to help in various ways. If you were not at the party, and want to help with this club project, please let me know via email: atbmcb@msn.com The sooner we get our group set the better! “Anyone who has not previously worked the show is invited to take part in this one. If interested, please contact me (Al Brewton, atbmcb@msn.com) or David Duditch (dudich_1@netzero.com) so that we can make sure that you get to be a part of this. We generally have a lot of fun with this show and get to promote the Dallas Gem and Mineral Society to a lot of people. In the past, this has resulted in our getting several new members. We will have three days of show time and a couple of days to help set up the hall. The setup is how the club earns our booth, so a good work party for this part of the show is essential.”

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NOTEWORTHY JANUARY DATES

Ø Sunday, January 1: New Year’s Day.

Ø January 13-15: InterGem Show (details on page 6)

Ø Tuesday, January 17: DGMS monthly meeting

Ø Mondays: January 9, 16, 23, 30; shop open 6-9pm.

Ø Thursdays: January 5, 12,19, 26; shop open 6-9pm.

Ø Saturdays: January 7, 14, 21, 28; shop open 8am-1pm.

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AMAZINGMINERALSBy Dan Costian

HUMBLE-CUT SILICATES (VI: tourmalines): 1 – rubellite (CA); 2 – lepidolite after rubellite (Brazil); 3 – indicolite (Brazil); 4 – cyclic-twinned elbaite (China); 5 – bicolor tourmaline (Afghanistan); 6 – zoned elbaite (Burma); 7 – green-blue elbaite (Brazil); 8 – watermelon tourmaline (Afghanistan); 9 – twinned multicolor elbaite (Burma); 10 – elbaite under natural light and long-wave UV (Brazil); 11 – elbaite (Pakistan); 12 – liddicoatite (Madagascar).

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ROCKFACTSTHATROCK

v Historically, before science could tell minerals apart, all yellow stones were called “topaz”. •

v Rubies were synthesized in the late 1800’s and actually charged more for the synthetics than the natural rubies. •

v Pearls, by law, must be called “cultured pearls” unless they are completely natural, and most pearls sold today are cultured. •

v “Herkimer Diamonds” are actually double-terminated quartz. •

v “Smokey Topaz” is not topaz – it is actually brown quartz. •

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ACRYSTAL-CLEARVIEWOFCRYSTALSYSTEMS

Every crystal class is a member of one of the six crystal systems. These systems include the isometric, hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, and triclinic crystal systems. The hexagonal crystal system is further broken down into hexagonal and rhombohedral divisions. Every crystal class, which belongs to a certain crystal system, will share a characteristic symmetry element with the other members of its system. For example, all crystals of the isometric system possess four 3-fold axes of symmetry which proceed diagonally from corner to corner through the center of the cubic unit cell. In contrast, all crystals of the hexagonal division of the hexagonal system possess a single six-fold axis of rotation. �� In addition to the characteristic symmetry element, a crystal class may possess other symmetry elements which are not necessarily present in all members of the same system. The crystal class which possesses the highest possible symmetry or the highest number of symmetry elements within each system is termed the holomorphic class of the system. For example, crystals of the holomorphic class of the isometric system possess inversion symmetry, three 4-fold axes of rotational symmetry, the characteristic set of four 3-fold axes of rotational symmetry which is indicative of the isometric crystal system, six 2-fold axes of rotational symmetry, and nine different mirror planes. In contrast, a crystal which is not a member of the holomorphic class yet still belongs to the isometric system may possess only three 2-fold axes of rotational symmetry and the characteristic four 3-fold axes of rotational symmetry. The crystal system of a mineral species may sometimes be determined in the field by visually examining a particularly well-formed crystal of the species. � Read more at http://www.geologyin.com/2014/11/crystal-structure-and-crystal-system.html - R3Jfe1OFHSWCHH78.99

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Please call to register, or put your name on the list to be called when the class is scheduled. Most classes take a minimum of 4 people to make. Feel free to call the following to register, too, or with questions. Johnnie: 972-881-0104 The shop: 214-349-2022 Wire Wrapping:

1. Basket bezel 2. Braided bezel 3. Gem tree, standing 4. Gem tree, necklace 5. With cabs 6. With prongs

Other Crafts:

1. Beading 2. Kumihimo, Japanese braiding 3. Metal-smithing 4. Metal clay 5. Molds

The shop qualifying fee is $30. It is for 4 classes, 3 hours each.

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Please wish the following Capricorns and Aquarians in our group very happy birthdays!

Carol Uberbacher – January 11 Jonnie Goodwin - January 14 Dick Langren - January 16 Komala Narra - January 20 Arnold Spencer – January 21

Continue to pray for these members and their health concerns.

Bobby and Vicki Thornton Monika Brown

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Garnet comes in a vivid array of colors, from fiery-orange (Mandarin garnet) to shamrock-green (Tsavorite garnet). The most widely recognized color of garnet is Pyrope. This lustrous, maroon stone is said to symbolize friendship and trust.

Garnet also celebrates 2nd wedding anniversaries. The name “garnet” comes from the Latin word “Garanatus,” meaning “seed-like,” in reference to pomegranate seeds, another reference to Pyrope’s intense, red cast.

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Arlington Gem & Mineral Club Facetors Swap Meet

Saturday, January 7

• AGMC building in the main meeting room • 8 am to noon, or until everyone leaves • Cost-free, and anyone is welcome; beginners or old pros at

faceting, public or cutters • ONLY RULE: Faceting-related rough materials, machines, finished

stones, displays, etc. NO CABOCHON MATERIAL If you have questions, call Jack Spinks @ 469-515-6358

Hill Country Gem & Mineral Show by Fredericksburg Rockhounds

January 21-22 • In the Pioneer Pavilion, Lady Bird Johnson Park • Saturday, 9am-6pm; Sunday, 10am-4pm • FREE parking & admission; Food service by Buzzie’s Barbeque • Minerals, fossils, meteorites, jewelry, geodes, stone carvings,

demonstrations, raffles, and door prizes

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Arlington G&M Club, 1408 Gibbons, Arlington, 1st Tuesday, at 7:30 pm�

Cowtown Gem, Mineral & Glass Club, 3300 Bryant-Irving Road, Ft Worth; 2nd Tues., at 7:00 pm�

Dallas Bead Society, address pending; 3rd Thursday at 7:30 pm�

Dallas Gem & Mineral Society, 10205 Plano Rd, Dallas; 3rd Tuesday, at 7:00 pm�

Dallas Paleo Society, EMGI (Bldg. H, Brookhaven College, 3939 Valley View Ln); 2nd Wednesday at 7:30 pm Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Club, 3545 Bryan Avenue, Fort Worth; 4th Tuesday at 7:30 pm

Lockheed-Mar ‘n Stone Steppers, 3400 Bryant-Irving Road, Fort Worth; 2nd Tuesday at 7:30 pm