Gem, Lapidary and Mineral Society of D.C. Inc.

There are some real mineral treasures to be found in the United States, and avid collectors and jewelry designers Michele McMurtry and Tim Morgan have spent their share of time hunting them down. Michele and Tim will be Front & Center this month with tales of their adventures at Poland Mining Camp in Poland, Maine, and the Morefield Mine in Amelia Courthouse, Virginia. They’ll also show examples of specimens collected from the sites.

Gemologist, jewelry designer, and GLMSDC member Denise Nelson regales us once again with “Cherished Treasures”, stories of unique and precious rarities found in four European museum collections. See brilliant and colorful minerals, gems, and jewels as she shares the historic background of the former owners and the events for which they were created. Denise Nelson is the owner of the jewelry enterprise Inner Circle.

Maria an avid fossil collector, who has traveled to several places collecting different fossils mostly marine Pleistocene thru cretaceous periods She is a docent at the NMNH, doing tours in the Ocean Hall, works in the fossil lab and helps with special events on occasion. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Aurora Fossil Museum in Aurora NC. Maria will be sharing photos and samples from some of the digs she has been on, especially Potash (Lee Creek Mine) and talking about her collection and will even share some calcified clams from Ruck's Pit in Florida with us, so you don't want to miss an opportunity to get a piece from Rucks Pit!

See you in September

A geologist by profession, Dr. William E. Brooks has more than 25 years of extensive mapping and field experience in the United States and abroad. After receiving his Bachelor degree in geology from Virginia State University, he then went on to earn his Master and Ph.D. degrees in geology from the University of Washington, Seattle. Dr. Brooks has authored and co"authored numerous scienti!c papers, and he has served as adjunct professor at two local colleges. He is a member of the Geological Society of America, the Geological Society of Peru, The Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (Washington, D.C. chapter), and the Pre-Columbian Society of Washington, D.C. On the personal side, Dr. Brooks enjoys horseback geology, scuba diving, and is a graduate of the Citizens Police Academy of Golden Colorado. Dr. Brooks' true love for archaeology was a significant factor for his conducting research into small" scale gold mining techniques that existed in the ancient Andes. During our July meeting, he will give us an account and a summary of those findings.

When called to duty, Steve Weinberger takes to his jobs so well that he usually climbs to the highest levels. He served as president of the Baltimore Gem Cutters Guild, president of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies, and president of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Any one of these accomplishments would be daunting for most hobbyists, but to Steve it all comes naturally and with remarkable ease. If that weren!t enough, Steve currently glides through the job of Wildacres Workshop Committee Chairman, where he represents the Eastern Federation and its members! interest in dealing with the Wildacres Foundation. On June 17 at 7 p.m., Steve will return to his primary hobby interest"faceting"when he presents an overview of the subject. He will cover what faceting is all about, why people do it, a step#by#step procedure for cutting a gemstone, the various machines available, a survey of natural versus synthetic stone, and a description of the exotic cuts used for shaping gemstones. Steve brings 35 plus years of faceting experience to his talk. Whether you plan to facet or you would just prefer to be an interested onlooker, this talk surely has something for everyone.

Once again, GLMSDC member Denise Nelson will captivate us with her perspectives and experiences from the 2011 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. From the glittery American Gem and Trade Association Show (AGTA) featuring fine gems and trends, to the traditional Tucson show exhibiting the best of California’s gems and minerals, the 25 plus shows of “Tucson 2011” were rich with exceptional specimens. Tents filled with rocks from all over the world, the biggest gold nugget ever found (under just one inch of soil) and prices beyond belief were only a small part of this whirlwind event. Denise will show us the highlights and tell us about what’s hot and what’s not, the latest news on pricing and supply, the impact of the economic recession, and the sometimes surprising facts about what’s changed and what remains the same. Denise Nelson is a graduate gemologist, Jewelry designer and owner of the jewelry Enterprise, Inner Circle.

Due to a DC holiday the Chevy Chase Community Center is closed and therefore we have to cancel the meeting. See you next month.