Saturday, March 16, 2024

CSMS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH GRANTS

After a pause in the CSMS student research awards due to "pandemic problems," the Society is pleased to announce the 2024 program is up and running. These awards are to encourage and support original research by undergraduate students. Please see the application below. Questions may be addressed to Mike Nelson at csrockguy@yahoo.com

2024 COLORADO SPRINGS MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH GRANTS

Committee Chair:  Dr. Michael Nelson

csrockguy@yahoo.com

The primary goal of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society (CSMS)) Student Research Grant Program is to promote and support original research on Colorado geology by undergraduate students. The grant program does not seek to cover all of the researcher's expenses but instead should be viewed as a professional endorsement of the research endeavor. Requests for grants are judged on how well the proposed research will advance the science of geology and its related branches within the State of Colorado. Since the grant program budget is not anticipated to be large enough to fund every research proposal, the grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. The policy for applying for and awarding grants is outlined below.

Eligibility
Undergraduate students who are undertaking original research projects on Colorado geology are eligible to apply for CSMS research grants.  CSMS research grant applicants need not be members of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society. Undergraduate students must be currently enrolled in a Colorado degree-granting institution and their research must be part of a degree program (an academic course granting credit and a grade). Institutions may not request that overhead costs be added to budgets. The Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society strongly encourages women, minorities, and people with disabilities to participate fully in this research grant program. The research proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the feasibility and scientific merit of the project, the abilities of the researcher, and the reasonableness of the budget. Students are eligible for only one CSMS Student Research Grant per degree pursued.

Research Grant Guidelines
Individual grants will not ordinarily exceed $700, although a higher sum may be awarded based on merit and number of grant applications received. One confidential letter of recommendation from the student’s research advisor is required for each grant applicant. This letter should be either sent directly to the Committee Chair via Email (csrockguy@yahoo.com) to preserve confidentiality.

Due to different schedules at different institutions, research should be scheduled to begin within 4 months of the grant award (anticipated by early May). For 2024, CSMS anticipates that research will begin during summer 2024.

Rules for the Use of CSMS Research Grant Funds
Grants are to be used for expenses directly associated with the research proposed. For example, research funds may be used for field expenses (travel, some meals, lodging), materials and supplies (sample bags, base maps, air photos, film and developing costs, etc.). Travel to professional meetings will not be funded.  CSMS will not fund research by undergraduate students that relates directly to a thesis or dissertation by a graduate student.

Funds requested for equipment, computer time and software, thin-sections, chemical and isotopic analyses, and the purchase of services must be fully justified. Research grants may not be used for salaries or tuition. Upon completion of the research, equipment and materials purchased with a CSMS research grant become the property of the department in which the student is enrolled and are expected to be available to help additional students with their research.

Responsibilities of Recipients
Grant recipients are encouraged to present their results at professional meetings as well as to publish them. In both cases, support by the CSMS should be acknowledged. Recipients who cannot undertake or complete their project must return any unused funds along with a written explanation of expenses incurred. Grants may be subject to tax by the IRS and the grant recipient and advisor are responsible for determining this point. Within 1 year of receiving their grant, all CSMS research grant recipients are expected to 1) submit a written report documenting  results of their research; the Society prefers that the grant recipient submit a short article for publication in the CSMS Pick & Pack (a newsletter; see
www.csms1936.com).

Applications
A research grant application follows. The Research Grant Committee of the CSMS will review each application. The decisions of this committee are final.

COLORADO SPRINGS MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY

Student Research Grant Program Application

Please follow the format below and submit a signed application postmarked (email attachment) by the 2024 deadline:  APRIL 28

1.    Name of Applicant: 

Temporary Address:

Permanent Address:

          E-mail: 

Telephone numbers and hours that are best to reach you: 

 

2.      College/University enrolled:

          Expected degree completion date: 

          Project supervisor and address:

                   Email:

 

3.      Project title: 

 

 

4.      Statement of problem.  Please include in your statement how this work will further our understanding of Colorado Geology. 

 

 

5.      Concisely state how you plan to accomplish your investigation. 

 

 

6.      Give a brief bibliography of the most important papers related to your proposed research (no more than five). 

 

 

7.      Duration of investigation (dates): 

 

 

8.      Budget: 

 

 

9.      Budget justification: 

 

 

10.    Other support for this project, both applied for and received.  For support applied for, include dates you expect to know outcome: 

 

 

 

 

12.    Sign (electronic signature is valid) and date the submittal:

 

                   

Signature  

Date

 

Please send completed application, via Email attachment to: csrockguy@yahoo,com

Sunday, March 10, 2024

TUCSON 24: MICROMOUNTING

 

On Friday morning, February 6, I had the opportunity to attend The Arthur Roe Memorial Micromount Symposium held in the Tucson Convention Center and part of the Main Show. Roe’s interest in micromounts was developed during his early interactions with Lazard Cahn and the Colorado Springs micromount group (precursor to CSMS). Later in life Roe was instrumental in organizing the micromount symposium at the Tucson Show and, after his death in 1993, the annual event was renamed in his honor. Roe also was an early inductee into the Micromounters Hall of Fame. Roe’s son Nick introduced the Symposium and announced that the University of Arizona Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum had received a donation of over 9,500 micromounts collected by Arthur “Art” Roe, along with a $1.6 million endowment for conservation and education, all from the family of Dr. Roe and his wife, Barbara. 

                                           Arthur Roe.


Alfredo Petrov led off the Symposium presentations with a fantastic description of collecting microminerals from the flanks and inner workings of volcanoes: Volcanic Fumarole Minerals in Japan. I mean he was stomping around in a gas mask and insulated hazmat suits to collect in the dangerous sulfur steam (and who knows what else) fuming from these vents. Personally, I prefer my volcanoes dead before hunting for minerals.

 Alfredo Petrov.

John Rakovan is one of the better-known mineralogists in the U.S. (and probably the world). After a distinguished career in “mineralogy and crystal chemistry” at Miami University (Ohio), New Mexico Tech pulled a real coup in 2022 and lured him to Socorro as State Mineralogist and Senior Mineral Museum Curator (a position formally held by Virgil Lueth). Tech is home to the well-known New Mexico Mineral Symposium held each November (Nov. 1-3, 2024). I first “knew about” Rakovan due to his regular contributions to Rocks and Minerals magazine, an international, bimonthly publication for mineral enthusiasts and professionals. For the last 23 years he has also served as the magazine’s executive editor.


 John Rakovan.

Rakovan’s presentation entitled Mosaic and Split Crystals was, to say the least, fascinating. My two thoughts about the talk: 1) I might have had a better understanding of mineral crystallography if Dr. Rakovan had been my mineralogy instructor; and 2) the presentation reminded me of why I became a soft rocker and paleontologist!

Vandall King was not physically present at the Symposium but with the wonders of technology presented on Granite Pegmatites of the Northeast USA--- complete with fantastic photos of pegmatite minerals. King has served in a variety of positions, in fact a big variety, in the mineral world but may be best known for his volumes describing minerals of Maine (among his 250 peer-revied publications. He also discovered the minerals perhamite, mccrillisite, perloffite, mangangordonite, and gainesite.

 

  • The micromounters room overlooking the Main Show ballroom.

The Tucson micromounters also have a room dedicated to their scopes and minerals. In other words, micromounters can sit and chat and look at specimens “all day long.” Micromounters also have the reputation for bringing along flats of specimens (rocks with micro minerals present) for the freebie table. I spent a few hours during two different days in the room trying to learn—everyone is super friendly. I was also able to “collect” from the overflowing flats several specimens that hopefully I can prepare and contribute information to my Blog (listed below).

Bawana Mine, Beaver County, Utah

        Type Locality Whelanite

Cu2Ca6[Si6O17(OH)](CO3)(OH)3(H2O)2


Sprays of clear and blue whelenite, Bawana Mine. Width FOV ~6mm.

Dulcinea de Liampos Mine, Copiapo Province, Chile

        Dioptase: CuSiO3 · H2O

East Grants Ridge, Cibola County,  Arizona

        Topaz: Al2(SiO4)(F,OH)2

        Spessartine: Mn2+3Al2(SiO4)3

??

        Byssolite (actinolite): Ca2(Mg4.5-2.5Fe0.5-2.5)Si8O22(OH)2

Wheal Phoenix, Cornwall, UK

        Chalcosiderite: CuFe3+6(PO4)4(OH)8 · 4H2O

Lake Pleasant, Maricopa County, Arizona

        Ferrierite-Na?: (Na,K)5(Si31Al5)O72 · 18H2O

Hummingbird Springs, Maricopa, Arizona

        Maricopaite (Type Locality): Pb7Ca2(Si,Al)48O100 · 32H2O

Cave Springs, Esmeralda County, Nevada

        Searlesite: Na(H2BSi2O7)

Gold Hill, Tooele County, Utah

        Austinite (Type Locality): CaZn(AsO4)(OH)

Austinite, Width FOV ~4 mm.
 

Potosi Mine, Mineral County, Nevada

        Scorodite: Fe3+AsO4 · 2H2O and other minerals

Dry Hill Mine, Cumbria, UK

        Campylite, var. of Mimetite: Pb5(AsO4)3Cl

Lovelock Mine, Churchill County, Nevada

        You call it

Mohawk Mine  (which one)

Thursday, February 29, 2024

TUCSON 24 MAIN SHOW

 

Pegmatites—Crystals Big and Beautiful


Well, the big day finally arrived on February 8th at the Tucson Convention Center—the largest, oldest and most prestigious gem and mineral show in the world. The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show has enjoyed international status since the 1970s and was the first gem and mineral show to bring the hobby enthusiast, the public, and the curator/professional together for discovery and discussion. Thousands of spectators ranging from local school attendees to international visitors line up each day to get their ”ticket punched” ($13) and head inside. The first day there is always a rush to get down the stairs and push into the main showroom. Perhaps they want to visit a special dealer—I don’t know; however, I try and stay out of their way! I was able to count around 200 vendors, most in the main ballroom upstairs, but a few gem merchants were in a small ballroom upstairs. food trucks were lined up outside in a private area and the nearby outside lots charged $10 to park. These nearby lots could not handle all of the visitors.

The theme for the 69th show was “Pegmatites—Crystals Big and Beautiful” and allowed a large slate of symposium speakers throughout the four days of the Show. I was able to listen, off and on, to speakers throughout the Show but was very interested in the Saturday Symposium sponsored by the organization Friends of Mineralogy (of which I am a member). I learned much! 


It is always nice to see a Joe Dorris amazonite from their Smoky Hawk Claim.

I am always amazed at the carving skills 0f a few artistic rockhounds.



In fact, I thought the 2024 symposia were more interesting than displays on the main floor (my humble opinion only). It seems that many/several dealers of high end/fine minerals have left the main show and settled in Mineral City and/or Westward Look, and/or the Tucson Fine Minerals Gallery on St. Marys Road. Their fantastic displays of past years are no longer around downtown. I suppose that the driving force is economics—Tucson Fine Minerals, with its 20 or so dealers, is open year round and offers newsletters and special shows and speakers. For example, Collectors Edge of the Denver area has pulled out of the Main Show and is now at Tucson Fine Minerals. Arkenstone has a permanent type of structure at Mineral City as well as a giant presence on the internet. And so it goes, economics drive the market.




And the show does have many, many dealers displaying mineral and jewelry.

And never forget the sunsets of Arizona.
 


Monday, February 26, 2024

TUCSON 24: MINERAL CITY, GUACAMOLE, AND SOFTBALL

 

OK, if Tucson Show attendees came down to Arizona to see minerals, all sorts of minerals, beautiful minerals from micros to cabinet, no brass bells and other do-dads, but just great minerals, then Mineral City is the place to go.  Located noth of downtown along main drag Oracle Road with an address on Lester, Mineral City was like the Phoenix rising from the ashes. The brainchild of Graham Sutton, Mineral City has expanded, in five short years, from “nothing in an empty lot, to a series of warehouse-like buildings holding, in 2024, over 120 mineral dealers. These buildings are single story and each with a central hallway supporting individual rooms on either side. Dealers may “decorate” as desired with chairs, cases of all sorts, coffee pots, a wine decanter or two, and throw in good conversations. Building D offers The Stope, a mining themed relaxation room complete with wine, coffee, beer, dispalys and conversation with Chric DeStafano holding down the home of Mineralogical Record. Hallways in Buildings C & D have display cases filled with specimens from the Young Mineral Collectors (including Austin Cockell from CSMS). Phil Persson from Denver and Leonard Himes from Monument have great specimens displayed and for sale. Want to visit about adventures while collecting in Mexico? Stop in and see Dennis Beals from Denver. 

 

Erin Deventhal from the Four Corners area has a mineral booth and was also selected as the 2323 “street artist” to paint a mural on the outside wall of Building D  (see recent issue of Rocks and Minerals, Vol. 98, issue 6, 2023).

One of my favorite show specimens: chrysocolla and malachite from the DR Congo. 

Tourmaline from the mines of Brazil.


Aquamarine from Pakistan priced at $35,000.



Above two specimens are beautiful fluorite from Illinois. One is $9,500 while the lower is $20,000. I keep dreaming about a student field trip in the 1960s where the "locals" had piles of fluorite in their yards for sale-nice specimens for fifty cents more or less. However, a half buck to a student was serious money but I did bring home a few crystals.
Dennis Beals from Denver spinning yarns about collecting in Mexico.


Arkfeld Minerals had a wide variety of reasonably priced minerals in the display case above. The bottom photo is a nice display of the fairly rare cesium mineral pezzottaite.
 

And by-the-way, California still produces gold! 
 
Adjacent to the warehouse buildings are other structures with more dealers including our friends the Pinnacle Five Minerals (Joe Dorris family) situated in Mineral Village selling prized amazonite specimens from his claims near Lake George, Colorado.  At the corner of Oracle and Lester (east end of Mineral City) is a former eating establishment (a bright pink color), La Fuente de Piedras connected to a large tent, housing a number of dealers including a large Arkenstone with displays of very fine minerals, the Rock Currier Collection, Rocks and Minerals Magazine, and a fine collection of micros and thumbnails at Petr Sztacho Minerals. At the far west end of Mineral City are a variety of stand-alone buildings housing dealers selling large specimens like The Rock Yard and Barlows.

The nearby Catalina Mountains, one of the Madrean Sky Islands with the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Area, offer fantastic views for show attendees as they are visible throughout Tucson. This particular view is from my brother's back patio at sunset.

Mineral City is an amazing place, and I spent the better part of three days ogling and conversing and even buying a few specimens (described later). I can’t begin to describe the many sights, smells, tastes and sounds (of happy rockhounds).


And food, did I mention some fantastic eating, like made at your table guacamole and a frosty IPA (photo courtesy of Baja Brewing).

And, if you are a little tired of minerals consider that the U of A women's softball team is nationally ranked and the other night it was 74 degrees at 6:00 pm. The beautiful stadium is near the center of campus.

For additional excitement the successful women's basketball team plays before a home crowd of 7000+.

 


Tucson and the mineral shows are an exciting place to visit and explore. If you plan to attend in 2024 get your motel or camping sites early. Then plan to whoop it up.