THE TULIP CITY CONGLOMERATE

Transcription

1 THE TULIP CITY CONGLOMERATE Bulletin of the Tulip City Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 2082, Holland, MI Website: Volume 51, Edition 2 General Meeting 7 pm February 28, 2018 March 9-11, 2018 Kansas City, MO Annual Show INTERESTING FOSSIL FINDS IN WESTERN MICHIGAN March 10-11, 2018 Macomb, IL Annual Show John VanRegenmorter, Visiting Faculty Department of Geology, GVSU Professor Van Regenmorter is an alumnus of Grand Valley State University (2005) and is enjoying his homecoming as current faculty. In 2004, he was one of two GVSU students to receive a Tulip City annual Scholarship. Since graduation, he has spent student years at Western Michigan University and University of Colorado at Boulder, Mar 24, 2018 acquiring a small collection of master s degrees (Biological Basement Field Trip Anthropology, GIS and Geology). He declares that GVSU s Geology King Residence Department was the best educational environment he ever (See page four) experienced. As an enthusiast of all things fossil, especially vertebrates, he will Please note the Howard Miller Zeeland Public Library s be speaking about some interesting and unique fossil discoveries in weather closing schedule in the the West Michigan region. He ll also tell us about a recently uncovered event of inclement weather. The and historically significant collection of fossils housed at Grand Rapids Com-munity College. TCGMC will follow the library s Professor VanRegenmorter s research is focused on Early Tertiary closing policy and schedule in the event of potentially severe mammalian evolution and localities in the western United States. Mar 14, 2018 Board Meeting 7pm HMCC weather. Contact the library at This Edition Feb Program: Fossils, Meteorites. Club Calendar/Board... Arkansas FT Quick Meeting... Renewal is due... Get On My List... Filler Limerick and Haikus... Monthly Raffle... Winter Field Trip/Banquet Raffle... Board/General Minutes... Renewal Form... Lighted Display Cases... Junior Page: Phyllosilicates... About Us... Page 8 Picture: Blarney Stone p1 p3 p4 p5 p6 p6 p7 p8 Chris Cooper, our meteorite loving member, will also take a few minutes to give us some insight on the January 16 falling meteor that was observed throughout the Lower Peninsula as well we adjacent states and provinces. It landed near Detroit. Yes, he found a fragment and will let us take a peek! ROCK / MINERAL CONTEST - GYPSUM Our monthly rock color contest has changed for 2018 and will now be a Rock or Mineral Contest. This month, the several forms of Gypsum are eligible Selenite, as crystals, spar, hourglass blades; Alabaster; Pencil form that was abundant to collectors in the Grand Rapids gypsum mine; bladed gypsum rose and granular sand. The winner will receive a modest prize.

2 Page: 2 Arkansas Field Trip Club Calendar Mar 28 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC April 5-7 Indian Mounds Annual Show April 7-8 Lincoln, NE Annual Show April 7-8 Des Plaines, IL Annual Show April 7-8 Canton, OH Annual Show Apr 11 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC April Decatur, IL Annual Show April Marion, IL Annual Show April 15 Waterloo, IA Annual Show April Eau Claire, WI Annual Show April Canton, IL Annual Show Apr 25 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC April Troy, OH Annual Show May 16 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC May North Omsted, OH Annual Show May 30 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC Jun 13 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC Jun 27 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC July Board/Picnic (Sat) Date TBD Aug 15 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC Aug 25 (Sat) Tailgate, Sam's Club Aug 29 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC Sep Show Oct 10 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC Oct 24 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC Nov 14 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC Nov 28 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC Dec 5 (Wed) Board Meeting, 7p, HMCC Dec 19 (Wed) General Meeting, 7p, HMCC HMCC = Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S Church St. Zeeland, MI Bold listings are Club events. Italic listings are non-club events. Major source of material is from: Check out the Facebook Group: Officers and Board of Directors President C.H. Falstad Vice President Julia Sherwood Vice President Peter Riemersma Secretary Dan DeGroot Treasurer Patti DeGroot Fld Trip Coord. Bob Sinke Historian Betty Hoekstra Jr. Club Coord. Rick Smith Jr. Club Coord. Linda Winkelmann Liaison Deb Smith Membership Christine Silich Newsletter Ed. Rudy Silich Show Coord Sue Goedert Social Coord. Linda Plumert Dir. at Large Dan Nevins Dir. at Large Amy Dickinson Past President -Bob Sherwood cfalstad@ameritech.net bobandjulia@accn.org riemersp@gvsu.edu degrootd@sbcglobal.net degrootd@sbcglobal.net bobsinke@comcast.net kbhoek@att.net Hollandrsmith@gmail.com lindawinkelmann@att.net dbsmith.2025@gmail.com CSDS77@icloud.com tulipcitygemnews@charter.net sonbeams2000@yahoo.com rlplumert@gmail.com dmnevins@mtu.edu adickins@oaisd.org bobandjulia@accn.org For 2018, there are fifteen (15) positions, which have one vote each. There are currently (17) persons on the Board (four persons share two positions). There will be a short meeting for all participants of the Arkansas field trip directly after the February General Meeting. Renewal Time! Club Dues were due on December 31. Please use the form on Page Six. If you signed up during the Show in September, you are paid through If you want to select a change in your Newsletter delivery, please use the form. If you have questions, please speak to Christine Silich. Please Get On My List Don't forget to renew your 2018 Membership! When you renew, you will get on my 2018 newsletter distribution list. I will be using this list when I send out the NEXT edition... Be Creative. Get Published Your editor wrote some malarkey, But came off as a bit too snarky, The readers had their phyll, Then they picked up their quill, To submit some blarney more sparky Newsletter to fill Will one haiku do the job? Stony response: No. Sheets of fine mica Think of Quebec, rearranged Like chained agrellite. Reader, cringing yet? These hack haikus will still flow Like Island a'a Submissions are welcome!

3 Page:3 Monthly Raffle There will be four items offered at this month's raffle: 1) 2) 3) 4) A Mixed Metals book Nine issues of Rock and Gem magazine (2014) Two chunks of chalcedony 3.2oz tumbled copper nugget Tickets are $1 each, or 6 for $5.

4 Page:4 Winter Field Trips! One winter field trip remains. It will occur in spite of any bad weather that happens. Some of the sites have limited parking but not enough to hopefully hinder your experience. Enjoy the experience and the day. March24, Roger and Arlene King will also be opening their home collection for you viewing enjoyment. They live at 2211 N.Whistlevale Dr. SW Byron Center MI. again they will be open from1-4 Phone# April Raffle Quartz Crystal Plate If you saw the Quartz Crystal Plate at our January meeting, you know how special this is. Our raffle piece is donated by Becky Simon (Jean Prys daughter) and may best be described as WOW! The drawing will be held at our banquet meeting in April. You don t need to be present to win; if your ticket is drawn, we will find you! Tickets are available at each meeting through April (1 for $5, 5 for $20, 13 for $50). All proceeds go to the GVSU Norman and Helen Gibson Geology Field Study Scholarship. Many thanks to Betty and Ken Hoekstra for the loan of a display case to show off the specimen at our meetings. The beautiful quartz plate that you must try to win!

5 Page: 5 Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club January Board Meeting Howard Miller Community Center Zeeland January 17, :00 PM Call to Order Approval of Agenda: MOTION BY: Bob Sherwood,SECOND by Liz Hoekstra, Motion passed. Approval of Minutes of December 6 Board Meeting. Motion by Deb Smith, second by Sue Goedert. Motion passed. Approval of Minutes of the December 20, 2017 General Membership Meeting Motion by Sue Goedert, amended by Rick Smith, second by Rudy Silich. Motion Passed. December Treasurers report Patti DeGroot Tulip City Gem & Mineral Club General Meeting Minutes January 31, 2018, 7 p.m. Howard Miller Community Center Call to 7:00 PM Attendance: Adults: 52 Juniors: 11 Welcome: There were a several visitors attending. (Mike, Becky, Audrey) Tickets were drawn for Door Prizes. Reoccurring business: None President s Remarks: Our club is looking for other rock clubs to do a rock swap with our club. The Spring River Gem & Mineral Club sent us a big box of rocks in exchange for the box that we sent them last month. These rocks are on the tables for a silent auction at tonights meeting. The Rochester (New York) Mineralogical Symposium will be held on April 19th to 22nd. This year will be the last year with Steve Chamberlain heading the symposium. Handouts are available if you are interested. Vice Pres. -Julia Sherwood announced the rock contest for tonight is for Calcites. Also tonights program will be presented by Kurt Brinks, 12 Day 6 State Fossil Trip Past President Bob Sherwood announced that the Field Trip to Mt. Ida, Arkansas to collect quartz crystal is closed. There are 35 people signed up at this time. He will have a short meeting with those present after our meeting. Treasurer Patti DeGroot gave the Financial Report. Show Chair - Sue Goedert: next year s TCGMC Mineral Show, Agates are Superior will be held September 14-16th. Sue asked that we support the Jackson Michigan club Show coming up.. Field Trips Bob Sinke is on vacation. Hospitality Linda Plumert: on vacation. Liaison Deb Smith will sell tickets for the Quartz plate drawing at the table in the back of the room. This will support the Gibson Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $5 each, 5 for $20 and 13 for $50. Shari Luttikhuizen Will be selling bags of Lake Superior Agates for $5 or $10 in the back of the room. Membership Chris Silich: Nothing new. Newsletter Editor Rudy Silich asked that everyone renew their Membership by the end of February or they will not receive their newsletters. New Business: Approval of budget presented by budget committee. Motion made by Rudy Silich, Second by Julia Sherwood, Motion passed. Break for Refreshments. The Silent Auction was closed. Patti Valentine won the Calcite contest. Mike Grabner is having surgery and will not be able to make it to the general meeting. We could use temporary volunteer or skip the door prize for our January meeting. Ken Hoekstra will fill in for Mike. Tonights Program by Kurt Brinks: 12 Days 6 State Fossils Trip Kurt brought many fossils along to show us and had many pictures to go with his presentation. Board reports President C.H. Falstad: Donations from Spring River Gem and Mineral Club have been priced for silent auction. The 20 items have been marked with an opening bid price and the increase bid increments. There was some discussion to add other mineral clubs to the Box-of-Rocks swap program. Immediate Past President Bob Sherwood: Bob checked our website to find out if it has been update with newsletter information. They are up to date through last December. We need to update our Calendar of Events. Bob had several copies of Mineral News magazine from Doug Sjoquist that club members can borrow to read. Please return them at each club meeting so others may borrow them. Vice President Julia Sherwood explained the silent auction which will take place at the January meeting with Curt Brinks. Editor Rudy Silich Have your news items in by Saturday at 8 PM. Field Trip Coordinator Bob Sinke currently on assignment in warmer climates: Historian Betty Hoekstra: Nothing new. Junior Leaders Rick Smith gave a presentation to a group of 12 Cub Scouts on minerals. This was a special request by a new member, Adrian Driver. Linda Winkelmann told us that this month's Junior's Program will be on QUARTZ crystals. Liaison Deb Smith: A discussion about pricing for raffle tickets for a Large Quartz plate donated to the club. Tickets will be $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. Membership Coordinator Chris Silich: Nothing new. Show Chair Sue Goedert - Agates are SUPERIOR! Sue explained that Soccer Stop has increased this year's Show venue rental fee. This will require an increase in Vendor's table fees to offset this increase. Soccer Stop is adding some facility improvements this year. No show dates yet. Social Coordinator Linda Plumert: on vacation. Directors-at-Large Amy Dickinson: Not present. Dan Nevins: This year's Tailgate activity will be held at Sam's Club in Holland on August 25th. Correspondence: None. Items from visiting members: Nothing. Meeting adjourned. Note submitted by: Dan DeGroot, Secretary Next Board meeting: February 14, 2018 Next General meeting: January 31, 2018 Meeting Notes Submitted by: Dan DeGroot, Secretary Next Board Meeting: February 14, 2018, 7 PM, Next General Meeting: February 28, 7 PM, HMCC Basement Field Trip at Tomaszewski's: February 10

6 Page: 6 TULIP CITY GEM AND MINERAL CLUB RENEWAL FORM DUES DEADINE: - December 31, 2016 Make check payable to Check membership type: Newsletter delivery: Mail to: TCG&M Club [ ] Individual - $15 [ ] via - Free! Christine Silich 416 West Mae Rose Ave Holland, MI [ ] - Family - $20 [ ] - Postal - $5 Name Address City State Zip Phone Note: Members who signed up at the 2017 September Show are paid through Do You Have Your Phyll Yet? The prefix phyllo-, or suffix -phyll, originates from ancient Greek word φύλλον (phúllon, leaf ). Why do I mention this? Leaf through the rest of the newsletter to find out! Lighted Display Cases This announcement may not be timely, but then again it may: Hobby World, located at Clyde Park & 28th Street in Wyoming, MI is going Out of Business after 40+ years. The owner died and left instructions that the business be closed and everything be sold in a Liquidation Sale. These two lighted display cases, suitable for Rock and mineral collections are available for $ each. First come, first served.

7 Page: 7 Junior Rock Club Page Silicates, Phyllosilicates and Uncle Louie s Branch of a Family Tree The topic of the February junior program will be sheet silicates (or phyllosilicates), a branch of the silicate family tree that includes biotite, muscovite, and the other mica minerals. Families of minerals are like families of people: they have a shared chemistry and they can have many branches. Let s say your Grandma and Grandpa VanderRock had four kids (your mom, your Aunts Johanna and Isla, and your Uncles Gunther and Louie), and let s say each of those Vander Rock kids got married and had their own kids. Then the VanderRock family tree would have five big branches, one to represent your mom and four more for each of your aunts and uncles. And there d be a whole bunch of smaller branches to represent you and your brothers and sisters and all your cousins, all the kids of your aunt and uncles. Well, the silicate family of minerals is like that too. Silicon and Oxygen are the grandparents, and their Silicate Family Tree has 6 big branches (including the phyllosilicate branch) and each those six branches has a whole bunch of smaller branches forking off, with even smaller twigs branching off of them. It s a huge and interesting tree! At February s junior program we ll look briefly at the silicate family as a whole. Then we ll look closer at the phyllosilicate branch, and then we ll pay closer attention still to the mica minerals because they are such a good illustration of why these phyllosilicates are called sheet silicates. Why not join us for a nice family get-together at our Junior Meeting on Wednesday, February 28 at 7:00 at Zeeland s Howard Miller Community Center. Rick Smith & Linda Winkelmann Junior Club Leaders Biotite Muscovite Agrellite (from Alan Guisewite's mineral collection) is an inosilicate (chain silicate).

8 To become a member, complete the form at Our club is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Holland Recreation Department. it is a member of the Midwest Federation and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. The general purpose of this club is to develop interest in and increased knowledge of minerals, rocks, gems, fossils, and the lapidary arts. The objectives of this club shall be promoted whenever Possible, through family participation. The deadline for submissions is 5p the Thursday after the Board Meeting. Advertising rates for club members are: $5 for business card size, $10 for ¼ page, $15 for ½ page, $30 for full page. non-member rates are double. Make check payable To: TCG&M with ad copy to Editor. Meetings are held monthly on the last Wednesday of the month at the Howard Miller Community Center, 14 S. Church Street, Zeeland, MI at 7pm, unless announced otherwise in the TULIP CITY CONGLOMERATE. Junior Club welcomes young rockhounds and meets separately during the meeting. 416 West Mae Rose Ave Holland, MI Rudy Silich, Editor