Related Organizations:
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, http://www.amfed.org
Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies, http://www.amfed.org/efmls/
Interesting Links:
NOTE: The links listed here are ones we have found to contain interesting information.
Their inclusion is not intended as an endorsement of any related business.
FMF Minerals Forum,
http://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?t=2100
is by Jordi Fabre, and moderated by John S. White and Peter Megaw. You will
find a section on the collection of Matteo Chinellato. Showing mostly
European specimens, he lists the locality, minerals and specimen size.
Superb quality, this one will knock your eyes out! You may want to peek at
the entire web site at http://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/
for the far-reaching forum.
Museum Tours & Places of Interest,
http://www.the-vug.com/vug/vugmuseums.html
is an informative site of interest to cutters. As is our custom any commercial aspect
is not advocated here but you should enjoy a lot of things of interest. For example go to Recent
Keynotes “Buying Rough, by Lisa Elder.” Click “Sometimes Archives” for newsletters back to 1981,
when they were done in typewriter copy! Go to “The Library” for even more.
Sometimes Newsletter,
http://www.ultratec-facet.com/Sometimes/somenew.htm
Including not only U.S. but also worldwide locations, are listed here.
Now is a great time to plan your vacation(s) for the year and this is a helpful
way to include places of interest wherever you might be travelling. Most have
links to the location for ease of getting lots more details.
Gems and Minerals: Earth Treasures from the Royal Ontario Museum,
http://geology.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/Royal-Ontario-Gems.htm?nl=1
is about a book from the Royal Ontario Museum, published October 20, 2011. As is customary this is not an
endorsement. The book features 260 of the ROM’s best minerals pictures, expertly photographed.
The book lists at $40, but as is frequently the case, it can be purchased for around $30 from on-line
U.S. book sellers. A few of the illustrations appear on the Amazon.com website. Andrew Alden,
the reviewer heaps praise but cautions that it is not a reference book. The Field Museum, the Smithsonian,
the Carnegie Museum and the Natural History Museum of London, among others, publish similar books about
their gem and mineral collections. Perhaps you would enjoy this new book.
About Isotopic Dating: Yardsticks for Geologic Time,
http://geology.about.com/od/geotime_dating/a/timeyardstick.htm
is another article by Andrew Alden. Describing the need for a geologic clock and moving into the continuing
progress on accuracy, he tells about more and more precise dating using isotopes. Be sure to click on the links
within the article for more information.
Geology of the USA,
http://geology.about.com/od/regional_geology/Regional_Geology.htm
is yet another dissertation by Andrew Alden. It is a compendium for all states and way too extensive to describe in detail
here. This site will be good for a cold winter evening by the computerside. Start with Maryland and expand from there.
If you will be vacationing elsewhere when warmer weather prevails, this might be a good source of information for
before you travel. If not, just visit vicariously.
Herkimer Diamonds,
http://www.geology.com/articles/herkimer-diamonds.shtml
is a fun web site covering Herkimer diamond (Quartz) mines and mining at the world renown area. We think you will enjoy this nicely illustrated treatise
at Geology.com. It covers a location not far from Syracuse NY where the AFMS/EFMLS conventions were held this summer.
Pleistocene Treasures at Breakneck Speed,
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/science/05dig.html?pagewanted=all
is a NY Times article about an excavation in Colorado. The ice age site was being developed as a reservoir dam
and there was a limited amount of time for the excavation at Snowmass Village near Aspen. Kirk R. Johnson,
the chief curator of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science oversaw the project that yielded mammoth,
mastodon, ground sloth, bison, camel and horse fossils.
Tafoni,
http://www.tafoni.com/
Learn about fantastic rock weathering patterns at this web site. Tafoni are ellipsoidal, pan-to bowl-shaped
natural rock cavities, a term I had never encountered. See “Definitions”, which describes types, rock types,
and formation. “Locations” tells where they are found. “Weathering” covers biological, chemical, and physical
decay. Some of the links are broken. The gallery features 110 pictures of Tafoni in Northern CA and 71 at
other world-wide locations.
The Explorer's Guide to Impact Craters,
http://www.psi.edu/explorecraters/
is by the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson AZ. If your time is limited explore Barringer Crater.
Otherwise you can peruse the Introduction, two other terrestrial Virtual Tours and one on Mars, Simulations,
and Impact Rocks. Links are found at Resources. The Barringer (the premiere US crater, in AZ) tour is intriguing.
An estimated 40 meter wide nickel iron meteorite struck with a purported velocity of 14-20 km/sec. This web site is very educational.
Historic Topographic Maps - Preserving History,
http://nationalmap.gov/historical/
the site may be difficult to navigate, but once learned, a useful reference. Currently there are 90,000 of the holdings of
200,000 maps available as pdf documents. Begin by going to “Map Locator and Downloader.”
In Search box, enter town & state you want then click “Go.” There will be a map appear
with a marked location logo. Click on it to get list of maps available.
You select the map you want, the date published, and the scale i.e. 7.5 minutes.
Select “Download” and you will get the pdf Zipped file. The files are ZIP condensed
so you need to have a program such as WinZIP. I had downloaded the free jZIP program, which
you may do by a Google search of jZIP. Be prepared for long downloads of very large files.
Open the file with Adobe Reader. Of course you may also purchase hard copies if you wish.
Concave Faceting Synopsis,
http://www.ultratec-facet.com/PDFs/Hargrave-ConcaveFacetPolishing.pdf
by Dalan Hargrave presents a three page condensation from his book, Concave Facet, Published in 2010. A brief history and technical
tips are posted. Cutting specifications are given for both a standard and concave round brilliant 12 mm
stone accompanied with comparative pictures of the results. As usual, no endorsement is give for
either the equipment used or the book.
Art Jewelry Magazine,
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/Videos.aspx
offers 48 videos on wide ranging jewelry topics. Here’s a good read. How about making wire spirals,
jump rings, S hook clasps, fusing metal, threading a saw blade into a saw frame, polymer clay,
metal clay, chain maille, enamel sgraffito, making a cabochon, tools and more! You must register
(Free account). You likely will want to go to the main page for more about the magazine. (No endorsements here, as usual.)
Twenty Things You Didn’t Know About Crystals,
http://discovermagazine.com/2011/may/05-things-you-didnt-know-about-crystals
May 2011 issue Discover Magazine article is a far ranging potpourri about many crystal topics. Crystals inside comets forged by the Sun,
the ones buried under Manhattan, and the "crystal" ones that aren't crystal at all. Explore the links for added interest.
Unearthing Wyoming’s Dinosaurs-A Walk Through Wyoming’s Paleontological History,
http://trib.com/app/flash/dino/dino.php
is an article from the Casper Star Tribune by Kristy Gray and illustrated by Wes Watson. Although Kids probably
know more about dinos than adults, this site is for all. For reasons unknown, the only way for me to proceed
was to click on Triceratops (Wyoming State Dinosaur). Then text information providing age, size, collection date
and other facts on eleven species can be visualized. Bone Wars gives biographical information and a short
history of four paleontologists who were in the forefront of discoverers. Dirt to Display details
dinosaur death, discovery, digging, lab work, and reassembling bones.
Uses of Lead,
http://geology.com/usgs/lead/
From Geology.com comes this useful brief summary of the uses of lead. The article describes what lead is,
ancient and modern uses, lead in the environment, types of lead deposits, worldwide supply and demand,
a note on recycling, and links to other sites.
Scientist’s Search for Ice Age Fossils in Los Angeles,
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Scientists-Search-Trove-of-Ice-Age-Fossils-in-Los-Angeles-118599054.html
is a Voice of America account of ongoing work at the LaBrea Tar Pits. Discovered during the excavation
for an underground parking garage for the adjacent LA County Art Museum, these finds are documented
in a short movie clip and in text. The remains dated 11,000 to 40,000 years old are remarkably preserved.
Jaspers,
http://www.worldofjaspers.com/
by Hans Gamma, originally from Switzerland, but now retired to AZ. Search for pictures by geographic
locations in the Western US, and Mexico, Australia, Africa, and Madagascar. Let your imagination
take over and visualize picture scenes akin to modern art. There is a 9 minute video.
Luminous Minerals, Superfluorescence, and Franklin and Sterling Hill Minerals,
are a triple set of non-commercial web sites all by Herb Yeates featuring fluorescent minerals.
http://luminousminerals.com/
includes Franklin at night from the Trotter dig, Greenland minerals, and trips.
An excellent photo gallery allows vicarious exposure to the beautiful specimens.
Other subjects include Karpatite, Benitoite and Scheelite.
http://superfluorescence.com/
concerns itself with fluorescent mineral photography. An outstandingly well done set of pictures
which alternate from white light to Fluorescent exposure constitutes the home page.
Click the images for a gallery of fluorescent mineral photos where you may select short, medium,
or long wave exposure. Minerals from Franklin, Greenland, and other localities are shown.
Links to both the Franklin and Sterling Hill Mining Museums are given. The site also has a bit
about photochromic or tenebrescent.
http://franklin-sterlinghill.com/
limits itself to Franklin and Sterling hill and offers access to Franklin minerals, selected chapters
from Franklin and Sterling Hill, New Jersey: the world's most magnificent mineral deposits, published in
1995 by Pete J. Dunn of the Smithsonian Institution and Palache on-line, a classic older study Published
by the USGS in 1935 of the area's minerals.
NM Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, (A Division of NM Tech.), Spring issue of Lite Geology at
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/periodicals/litegeology/29/lite_geo_29spring11.pdf
has some intriguing articles and features. Evolution of Magnification and Role of Solving a Geological Problem
is accompanied by a photo gallery and is of interest to all, but micromineralogists in particular. There is a
crossword puzzle. NM’s most wanted mineral concerns Galena, other items will catch your attention.
Zinc, the Key to Preventing Corrosion,
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2011/3016/
is a USGS educational site to learn about Zinc. Click on the link “pdf report 5.2 MB” and, as the newspapers say,
read all about it. It’s easier reading if you zoom in. Several links for further interest are included at the bottom of the report.
The International Meteorite Collectors Association,
http://www.imca.cc/
is valuable to meteorite fans. Clicking on “met info” gives information about collecting, finding, classifying,
Martian meteorites, field reports, and meteorite scams. Hammer information documents
hits on humans, animals, and man-made objects. Be sure to visit the encyclopedia of meteorites showing thousands of specimens!
Care and Feeding of Radioactive Mineral Species,
http://www.nexus08.clara.co.uk/article.RadioactiveMineralSpecimens.A4.pdf
is a comprehensive article by Alysson Rowan. 75 pages long, it covers many aspects of the subject, effect of radiation, managing exposure, instrumentation, storing specimens, risks, as well as information
on specific minerals.
Gemstones,
http://geology.com/gemstones
is worth seeing the variety of gemstone topics, not only primary links on the left on the main page, but also, other
interesting places to visit on the right. This is an interesting site.
Nyirango Crater: Journey to the Center of the World,
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/02/nyiragongo_crater_journey_to_t.html
is from the Boston Globe. 28 wonderful photographs and commentary with each. This is a HOT ONE, literally. The risks some geologists take to get to the
shore of the world’s largest lava lake! Kudos to photographer Olivier Grunewald.
Limestone,
http://www.peaktopeak.com/
is mainly dedicated to minerals and crystals of Colorado. Click on “Colorado Rockhounding”
and noodle around locations, minerals, county for sites he visited. Click
on “Fluorite Gallery” for pictures of that mineral from world wide locations. Click on
“Comets” for information on meteorites in Colorado.
Colorado Rockhounding,
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3089/fs2008-3089.pdf
by Bob Loeffler is an informational four page fact sheet from the USGS about one of our nation’s most essential
resources. Read what it is, uses, Portland cement shortage, Issues, US Consumption
and a bit about caves and sinkholes.
Stoneman’s Store and Museum Gallery,
http://stonemans-rock-mineral-fossil-heap.com/
by Kerry Matt, the “The Stone Man.” Step through a number of galleries on minerals, microminerals, and fossils,
worth the price of admission. With attractive pictures of some very nice specimens.
Perhaps you will be incited to take a trip to PA as the weather gets better. As is our custom,
we do not endorse commercial ventures, but fossils and publications are for sale at this site.
Gold Rush Alaska,
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/gold-rush-alaska/
The Discovery Channel presentation follows six men who risk everything to strike it rich.
The 7 programs, 60 minutes each, which began Friday evenings in January
will probably repeat at a later date. Watch for the schedule. The web site presents
16 video clips, 5 episodes, totaling nearly an hour from the series.
Check out “Photos” to see historic Klondike gold rush pictures, mining camp
album, 10 surprising facts about gold, and Discovery news.
Kawak Ijen Volcano,
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/12/kawah_ijen_by_night.html
From the Boston Globe presents 30 pictures by photographer Olivier Grunewald of the volcano outside Banyuwangi, East Java, Indonesia.
Most interestingly, photos include those of the primitive sulfur mining there. Narrative
exists in the picture titles. Don’t miss the link to “last year” for 22 more pictures from
June 2009 that are in daylight by Ulet Ifansasti.
Mineral Fake Detected,
http://www.mindat.org/article.php/977/Exploration+of+the+Hollowed+Galenas
Our member Jessica Simonoff and her father Robert Simonoff have an article published by Mindat and titled “Exploration of the Hollowed Galenas.”
Junior member, Jessica, researched Bulgarian galena sold by a dealer at the Springfield MA show in 2009 purportedly as “reverse skeletal” and other
specimens Using many sophisticated techniques she, assisted by her father, was able to declare it a fake. Nice job!
Hang Son Doong, World’s Largest Cave,
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/largest-cave/jenkins-text
The National Geographic Magazine tells of this stupendous find in Viet Nam.
There are seven pages of text about the cave and if you click on “Photo Gallery” at the upper left you will find about 20 photographs.
Mining the Seafloor for Rare-Earth Minerals,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/science/09seafloor.html?_r=2
is a New York Times Science article of timely interest because of the current Chinese control
of the bulk of production of these vital elements. Molycorp is reopening
the Mountain Pass CA mine to provide domestic production
which is lacking. With a video to see, this article provides an interesting read and explains the rare earths in manganese nodules.
Geologic Overview of the Trenton Group at West Canada Creek, NY,
http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Departments/InvertPaleo/Trenton/Intro/trentonintro.htm
If you are planning to attend the AFMS/EFMLS Convention and Show at Syracuse, July 7-10, this
might be of interest to you fossil collectors. Divided into three main areas, “Social History of the
Trenton Falls Area”, “Paleontology of the Trenton Group”, and “Geology of the Area”, you may explore
detail in each. Going to the Page index and stepping through it is quite useful to appreciate
the depth of this work by the Department of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University and funded by
the National Science Foundation. The world famous Herkimer Diamond locations are nearby.
Fossils of New York is an adjunct power point presentation on the Fossils of NY, by Lee Kowalsky at:
http://www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/.../NEW_FOSSILS_OF_THE_DEVONIAN_PERIOD.pptx
The author is from the T.R. Proctor Senior High School in Utica and has a done a creditable job with text and slides.
Gemology on Line,
http://gemologyonline.com/
is a forum with lots of content. Serving as a gemological resource with some 20 topics listed at the left of the home page. After entering, you see
announcements, schools, labs, research and appraisal facilities, general gemology, classified ads and other miscellaneous things.
There is a bookshop and a feature “Ask a gemologist.”
The Promise and Perils of Seafloor Mining,
http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/viewArticle.do?id=62986
Here you will find an extensive treatise on seafloor mining, chimneys, sea life, and mining locations. Don’t miss the interactives on
“How Seafloor Mining Deposits are Found” and “Seafloor Mining System.”
The pros and cons about the subject and who regulates seafloor mining are also discussed.
The Chazy Fossil Reef,
http://www.ilmpt.org/ilmpt/The_Chazy_Reef_on_Isle_La_Motte.html
is presented by The Isle La Motte Preservation Trust with information on the world’s oldest reefs in which corals first appeared.
Step through the pages and read about the tropical reef of Ordovician age, which is about 480 million years old.
The reef extends from Quebec to Tennessee, and is here designated a National Natural Landmark, the location about 44 miles from Burlington VT.
Quarries revealed the fossils in the limestone used for many buildings including the National Gallery of Art. Though ancient corals
were found, coral was not one of the predominant constructors of the reef. Instead, the reef builders were animals called bryozoans,
stromatolites, strostromatoporoids, sponges, and algae.
Trinity Site,
http://www.amwest-travel.com/awt_trinity.html
allows you to vicariously visit the Trinity Site, place of the first atomic bomb explosion on July 16, 1945.
Read about the tests that changed the world performed there and see historic pictures associated with the site.
Dinosaur Park,
http://www.pgparks.com/Things_To_Do/Nature/Dinosaur_Park.htm
gives information about the park about which Dr. Peter Kranz recently gave us a lecture. Directions, contact information, and vital facts are here. Included is a
news clip with Dr. Kranz.
Don’t overlook clicking on the items in the left column: “History of Dinosaur Park” and “Programs and Events.”
Herkimer Diamonds,
http://herkimerdiamonds.ca/
is a site by Bill and Anne McIlquham. See this site for this Canadian based couple’s fine account of the world-famous locality.
You need to click on the underlined “article” to see the body of the work on the Geology.com web site. As is customary no endorsement is made
for purchases from this or any commercial web site.
The Diamond Invention,
http://www.edwardjayepstein.com/diamond/prologue.htm
by Edward Jay Epstein. This site is a cyber book originally put out in 1982. Including 22 chapters
plus end notes, this will keep you reading into the winter. It is an investigative exploration of the industry.
The Expanding Earth Animation,
http://geology.about.com/od/platetectonics/a/Expanding-Earth-Animation.htm?nl=1
an exploration of a theory put forth in the 1930’s by Warren Clay.
Read the text and be sure to click on “watch this animation.” The Australian geologist
posited that the earth’s expansion explains the current geography exactly. Read about it and view the modeling and make up your own mind
about its validity.
Colbaugh Processing,
http://www.colbaugh.net/
a commercial site, as usual, not endorsed here, as the source for Kingman (AZ) turquoise.
Here you may investigate facts, history, and general information about turquoise. The operation mines and produces
gem grade material from a site about 7 miles N. of Kingman. “Our Products”
gives you an idea of the material they produce including per pound prices.
There are pictures that may be enlarged by clicking on them. You can make a
virtual tour of their mine which ends with close ups of the vein deposits.
Strange Natural Landscapes,
http://www.all-creatures.org/stories/ppp-strangenaturallandscapes.pps
opens in PowerPoint viewer. It is a short but spectacular show of
worldwide geological formations. Accompanied by music it consists of 19
slides, including the opening and ending slides.
The Minnesota Museum of the Mississippi,
http://www.wurlington-bros.com/Museum/exhibit.html
is a sort of funky virtual museum. Click on The Stone Face:
Fragments of an Earlier World. You need a vivid imagination for
many while others are obvious. Click on through the many likenesses
and say “WOW!” to the uncannily accurate ones.
The Virtual Museum of the History of Mineralogy,
http://www.mineralogy.be/
is by two Belgian gentlemen, Paul Tambuysen and Claude Hootelé.
Their purpose is to bring together photographs
and descriptions of representative historical objects and information related to the
early mineralogical and crystallographic sciences. Historic mineral and crystal
books, goniometers, optical and non-optical instruments, and crystal models are shown. You may
subscribe to their 3X/year newsletter. Antiquarian books are for sale but without endorsement by this
writer. You may find this that this niche interest appeals to you too.
Fossils in the Architecture of Washington DC: A Guide to Washington’s Accidental Museum of Paleontology,
http://www.dcfossils.org/
is an interesting site by our own Society member, Christopher Barr. He, assisted by
his wife Pat Jayne, daughter Judith Barr, and son Philip Barr, has obviously spent
an enormous amount of time on this effort. With 15 galleries, paleontology,
not of deposits in situ in DC, but rather in building stones makes a compelling read.
There is a geological time scale, glossary, and an abundance of references and links.
Maryland Minerals,
http://www.marylandminerals.com/
is maintained by Jake Slagle and is a good source for information about minerals from our “Free State.”
See a slide show of over 100 specimens. Check out the many articles at the links given.
Note the inclusion of references to Jonathan Ertman, Patrick Haynes, Jeff Nagy, and Fred Parker, all fellow Society members.
A link leads to Slagle’s blog at http://www.mineralbliss.blogspot.com/.
Some articles and tidbits, overlap the main site. The accomplishments of member Patrick Haynes
in species discovery and collecting including Haynesite are documented here. Also here as well
is a piece on Jessica Simonoff, the winner of the best junior exhibit at our March show.
Pennsylvania Educational Publications,
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/educational/educational_online.aspx
From the PA Geological Survey's Educational Series, ES-1: Rocks and minerals of Pennsylvania,
ES-2: Common fossils of Pennsylvania, ES-4: The Geological Story of Pennsylvania,
ES-5: Geology and the Gettysburg Campaign, and ES-6: Pennsylvania and the Ice Age are particularly recommended.
Paleocurrents, http://www.paleocurrents.com/
by Steve Wagner, paleontological volunteer at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
It is not a DMNS project, but a fun site to explore. Here you find categories about efforts of the
DMNS, Other topics in paleontology including fossil preparation, tools and techniques and a tour of
past fossil shows, museum virtual tours, and miscellaneous other items.
Glendale Community College Earth Science Image Archive, http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/earthsci/imagearchive/minerals.htm
From the main page explore the alphabetized mineral of your choice to see pictures and physical properties
along with their crystal systems, forms and habit. Much better, click on “The Physical Properties of Minerals Tutorial”
to open a PowerPoint presentation, 17MB so it will take several minutes. Well worth the wait - see for yourself.
You might even want to download the presentation for future reference. Great learning tool.
Crystal Models, http://www.utdallas.edu/~rnix/MAT-SE_Units/Crystal-Systems.ppt
is also a PowerPoint presentation with models for younger members to construct.
It serves as sort of a companion to the above site. Have fun kids.
The Eruption of the Volcano beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull, http://www.flickr.com/photos/yahooeditorspicks/galleries/72157623855495574#photo_4476862865
from the Flikr site, with at least one movie clip. Excellent pictures for your viewing!
Creative Wedding Favors, http://www.creativeweddingfavors.com/guide-to-gemstones.html
seems unlikely to be a good source of information about all phases concerning gemstones. However you will find a plethora of information. Billing themselves as
“The Ultimate Guide to Gemstones” they may not be far from it. Topics such as characteristics,
classification, gemstone properties, valuation, cutting and polishing, and many others are covered. Useful links and illustrations abound.
The University of California Museum of Paleontology, http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/
This site affords a broad ranging look at many aspects of fossils. There is more than can possibly be covered in a few sentences.
Noodle around to explore the breadth covered here. Highlights include the field notes and blog of current explorations.
The San Andreas Fault, http://www.sanandreasfault.org/
This is a site by David K. Lynch of Topanga CA. All you ever wanted to know
about the fault, and probably more is here. An attractive interface with each of the nearly 20 topics is good for lots of reading.
Here be found maps, pictures, and information about plate tectonics,volcanoes, tsunamis, geology, history, and much more.
Earth Magazine, http://www.earthmagazine.org
A product of The American Geological Institute. Included are magazines from September 2008 to present. You will find a wealth of information
here. Check out Videocasts, Travel, Geomedia, Science and Society, Geology, Energy, and Environment.
Formerly called Geo Times, click on “Archive” to reach magazines from 1996 to 2008.
Bench Tips, http://www.revereacademy.com/about/bench-tips
By Alan Revere, Director of the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in
San Francisco CA. See excerpts 101, 102+, and Old Bench Tips from his book, and also Green Jewelry
Tips. As is our custom, we do not endorse commercial enterprises. See his video
tour and explore other nooks and crannies. The site is well illustrated. Thanks to
Lap Talk News, March 2010 for the lead on this one.
Argyle Diamond Mine in Australia, http://www.argylediamonds.com.au
This is the web site of their mining operation. Exploration began in 1972, with mining commencing in 1983. They are famous for the Argyle pink
stones. See geology, history, open pit mining, underground mine, processing, rough diamonds, and selecting a diamond.
Volcano Photography, http://www.photovolcanica.com
By Dr. Richard Roscoe of Munich, Germany. A wonderful site, not only with photographs,
but also with meaningful explanatory text. Check out the day time and night time pictures,
lava, hot springs, fumaroles, volcanic destruction, and volcanic landscapes.
Earth Science Picture of the Day, http://epod.usra.edu/blog/
A service of NASA’s Earth Science Division, the EOS Project Science Office at Goddard, and the
Universities Space Research Association. To appreciate the diversity of the site, visit the
archives going back to 2000. Check out: Categories, About EPOD, Frequently Asked Questions,
and Links. You may subscribe to receive the picture of the day on your computer. As a footnote,
you may vie to have one of your own pictures published.
Alan Guisewhite's Minerals Collection Images, http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~adg/adg-piimages.html
This site is the work of a man who is a senior research technician at Carnegie
Mellon University in Pittsburgh. PA. See his collection pages and select what you
would like to view. Clicking on the specimen shown will give you an enlarged view
and, sometimes, multiple pictures.
Deepest Under Sea Erupting Volcanoes, http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116098
This National Science Foundation site reveals the very newest geology. View a couple of intriguing videos of live
action 4000 feet below the surface of the sea plus some still photos. Scientists found a type of lava never before seen erupting from an active volcano,
and for the first time observed molten lava flowing across the deep ocean seafloor.
Micromount Section of the Georgia Mineral Society, http://www.gamineral.org/Micromount_Section.htm
Dr. Dave Babulski who is the Section Chair maintains this web site. Scroll down for articles by members which cover nearly all aspects of micromounting.
You may even be prompted to pursue this phase of mineral collecting. There are a few pictures and a link to a separate web site on mineral art by the
Section Chair.
Maryland Mining, http://wamu.org/programs/mc/09/12/11.php#30831
This is an audio program of Andrew Hiller who conducts the Metro Connection series on WAMU, 88.5 FM. This is a 6 1/2 minute program featuring our members
Jeff Nagy and Fred Parker (and Al DeMilo of the GLMSDC as well.) Give it a listen. You will need Real Player or Windows Media Player or equivalent to hear this one.
US Topographic Maps, http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo
This site has USGS Topo maps available free for download. File size for each digital 7.5-minute quadrangle is about
15-20 megabytes. You can view maps or print them out. Zoom in and click on the “My Topo” button. This is a work in progress with but 17 states listed but will be a
good one to bookmark for future reference.
Pennsylvania Geology Online, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/pageolmag/pageolonline.aspx
This site is a handy way to get what was formerly a hardcopy publication. Find an archive dating from Spring/Summer 1997 to present. You may wish to subscribe to receive it regularly by email.
Meteorites and Their Properties, http://meteorites.lpl.arizona.edu/
This website is an online version of a book by David Kring of the University of Arizona. Go to the Table of Contents and step through the Introduction,
and about meteorites' Origins, Structure and Composition, Impacting and Craters, Frequency of Falls, Appearance when Freshly-Fallen, Hunting, Tests, Articles
and Books, and a Glossary.
Eye on Tiger Eye, http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/feature/jul00str.cfm
This website is a feature story from the July 2000 Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist magazine. Play 20 questions with authors
Si and Ann Frazier to learn a multitude of things about the stone.
FREE BOOK (FROM “DIAMOND DAN”): Treasured Minerals, http://www.russbehnke.com/book.html
Mr. Russ Behnke is a mineral dealer and collector from Meriden,
CT. He has field collected minerals since his childhood when he would go out collecting
with his father. He has put together a beautiful book of his life in mineral collecting
called Treasured Minerals. This one is outstanding. Download a free copy as a PDF
document from his website.
Fluorescent Minerals,
http://users.telenet.be/axel.emmerman/FiatLux/About_me.html
A web site about Fluorescent minerals is maintain by
Axel Emmermann. Read his bio on this page. A member of Mineralogische
Kring Antwerpen (MKA) from Belgium, he has dealer links where you may
see a few Fluorescent mineral dealer’s sites. Better yet, click on Minerals and
select English. There is a data base of a few minerals. Select a URL and get
all the minerals in that class. On some pictures moving the cursor on and off
the picture will give a white light or UV effect. An interesting side light is his
reporting to authorities lunar samples for sale illegally.
Dinosaur State Park, http://www.dinosaurstatepark.org/index.html
Dinosaur State Park is in Connecticut not far from Bristol and Hartford. 200 million year old Jurassic fossil tracks are preserved
by a dome structure in Rocky Hill CT. A nice museum circles around the perimeter under
cover. Click “What’s at the Park” to see dino footprints. They have a feature outdoors where you may make plaster casts if you have half an hour (and it is not raining.)
Mineralogy of Wisconsin, http://www.uwex.edu/wgnhs/MinIndexIntro.htm
WI Geological and Natural History web site that lists 300 or so minerals of Wisconsin. It is by Dr William S. Cordua, Professor of Geology/Mineralogy at the
University of Wisconsin, River Falls WI. The database is cross-referenced by
county and mineral. There are links to fluorescent minerals, meteorite ID, uses of
minerals, properties, Wisconsin Geology Related Attractions and others.
Rock Tumbling Hobby, http://www.rocktumblinghobby.com
A useful start for beginners going into the hobby or the more advanced telling what it’s all about, equipment used, stones, pitfalls,
and tips.
3D-Museum, http://test.3dmuseum.org
A new test site maintained by the Vertebrate Paleobiology Lab of the University of California, Davis.
The current gallery index is on the main page on the right. Currently about 50 living and fossil specimens can
be viewed and rotated at any angle you wish.
The Corunduminium, http://www.corunduminium.com
by William Heirerman, a Math teacher at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton TX.
American Mineralogist, http://www.minsocam.org/msa/ammin/toc/
has their articles from 1916 to 1999
available for free on this site. (Full text articles published in 2000-2008 are restricted to
Subscribers and Members but you can view the abstracts.)
Weird Geology Room, http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/weridgeo.htm
by Lee Krystek explores
some geological features. Quicksand, Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, Tsunamis,
Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone Super Volcano, Ringing Rocks (listen to the sounds), Geysers
(watch the movies), and Crystals are revealed.
Napoleon Diamond Necklace, http://mineralsciences.si.edu/collections/napoleonnecklace.htm
Research on the necklace by E. Gaillou & Jeffrey E. Post as described in
"Gems and Gemology" can be viewed at this site. The Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History site tells the history of the piece,
details about the necklace, and describes the intriguing infrared spectrometry and
fluorescence studies performed along with fine accompanying photographs.
Mimetoliths, http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/dietr1rv/mimetoliths/
A real site for sore eyes. Put together by Dr. R. V. Dietrich, Professor Emeritus at Central Michigan University,
it is up to you to have a vivid imagination. After you figure out what a mimetolith is,
explore all the venues of this one.
Great Basin Minerals, http://www.greatbasinminerals.com/
A commercial posting by Scott Kleine who concentrates on mineral specimens from
Nevada, there are minerals for sale (this is not an endorsement.) The enjoyable part is the
excitement of seeing collecting at various places for quartz, benitoite, gold, amazonite,
smoky quartz, heulandite and others. The archive page has pictures from his
many show visits.
Geology of National Parks by the USGS, http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/
Here you will find photographic tours of over 60 National Parks and Monuments
and other park related resources. You will need to obtain red and cyan 3-D viewing
glasses to get the stereo effect. Featured are both standard and 3D photographs along
with written information describing what you are visualizing. Perhaps you have some
cardboard glasses left over from a 3D movie you have seen. Plastic framed glasses may be
purchased but are not any better for viewing. There are instructions for making your own.
Making and viewing Anaglyphic (3D) photographs is explained. The tours describe park
geology and natural history.
Free Gemology Course, http://www.bwsmigel.info/
This site is by Barbara Smigel, PhD, GG, who is a professor emeritus at the
College of Southern Nevada. There are 10 lessons, 10 essays, audio pronunciation guide,
and a 5.66 MB pdf pictorial survey, among other attributes.
Mammoth Site of Hot Springs SD, http://www.mammothsite.org/
This is the world’s largest mammoth research facility south of the Black Hills where you can tour an
active paleontological dig site and view Ice Age fossils exhibited as they are found. There is a 60 ft.
deep Karst sinkhole where they invite you to drop in sometime! The operation is run by a nonprofit
group. Discovered in 1974, you may pay an actual visit there (download a brochure) or take a virtual
tour, learning about the paleontology and geology.
Geology.com, http://geology.com/
This website by Hobart King is a compendium of earth science news, maps,
dictionary, articles and jobs. You can even sign up for daily email messages
about earth science news. The section on meteorites (http://geology.com/meteorites/) is particularly timely,
with the recent meteorite fall near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in Canada
on Nov. 20 and a fall in Colorado on December 5th.
Benitoite, http://www.benitoite.com/benitoite/index.shtml, by John Veevaert, is
This is actually a subset of the Trinity Mineral Company, Weaverville CA. In the site
he shows his personal collection, which is not for sale. Additionally there are
excellent articles about benitoite and neptunite from the world wide famous San
Benito Co., CA locality, how to clean the specimens, and past mining news. The
mine is being operated commercially for specimens. Sale specimens are also shown.
The Quartz Page, http://www.quartzpage.de/index.html
is by Amir Akhavan in Germany. This site is a compendium of information about all
varieties of quartz. Learn about the mineralogy of Quartz, its properties, crystals,
and varieties. The section on growth forms is fascinating. Learn something about faden
and gwindel quartz, for example. Nicely illustrated, you will note the European
viewpoint. Do not overlook the enlargements which are activated by clicking the
pixel sizes under the photographs. References include not only a bibliography but
also useful links. An index offers quick shortcuts to site content.
Utah Geological Survey, http://geology.utah.gov/
offers lots of learning possibilities. On the main page, work through the
subheadings at the left. Clicking "open all" reveals a multitude of topics, among
which are Geology, Dinosaurs and Fossils, Rocks & Minerals, and Great Salt Lake.
Geosights allows you to vicariously visit some outstanding spots.
How Volcanoes Work, http://science.howstuffworks.com/volcano.htm
Magma and Plate Tectonics, Forming of Volcanoes, Types of Eruptions, Shapes and Sizes,
and Eruption Frequency are covered in an educational, non-technical way.
Links lead to lots more information. Do not miss the videos and motion clips.
Black River Fossils, http://www.blackriverfossils.org/
was begun by a guy going by the name of "diTchweEzil." It originally covered only the
(lonely?) low country of SC but has expanded now, due to contributors, to far reaching
places like CA, HI, SD, TX, and even Belgium., France, and Germany. There are a number
of subjects including fossil hunting, forum, articles, cartoons, excursions, and image
gallery.
Fossil Fishes of Bear Gulch, http://www.sju.edu/research/bear_gulch/
gives a peek at an assortment of 130 fishes and other species being collected from a
lagerstätte there. Find out what that term means. Bear Gulch is a Mississippian
formation in central Montana, about 14 km by 9 km wide, and up to 30 meters deep.
See the results of nearly four decades of study by the authors, Lund, Richard, and
Grogan, E.D., 2005.
Herkimer Diamonds, http://geology.com/articles/herkimer-diamonds.shtml
Those NON-diamonds (quartz) found in central NY are featured here. Read about
collecting techniques, location and geology, and the collect-for-a-fee commercial
mines.
Totems to Turquoise, http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/totems/?src=e_f
from an American Museum of Natural History (NY) exhibit in 2004-5 is still
an attraction to people who find Jewelry Arts and especially Native American
craftsmanship of interest. There are sections about cosmology, society, artists,
history, and a gallery.
All About Gemstones, http://www.allaboutgemstones.com/
By parent company KHI, Inc., this is an intriguing site with over
700 images and 2500 photos, diagrams, and illustrations. A virtual
encyclopedia, it covers a lot of ground and touches on gemstones,
gemology, grading, cleaning, mining, history, cutting, equipment,
precious metals, reference books, and several aspects about jewelry.
Aurora Fossil Museum, http://www.aurorafossilmuseum.com/
Gives an overview of fossils of the PCS Phosphate mine and other
sources. There is information about their location, hours of
operation, cost (free!), collections, and gift shop. "Shark tooth mound"
is a dig site open to all ages, and events like the upcoming Aurora
Fossil Festival on May 22-23 are featured. Very useful fossil identification
photographs and an article about the geology of Aurora help to educate.
A Guide to Common Mineral Fakes, http://www.the-vug.com/TheVugQuarterly/Munich2008web.pdf
This is an issue of the "The-Vug Quarterly Magazine" interspersed
with many commercial ads. The editor is Justin Zzyzx of Los Angeles CA
who brings you tales of seemingly unending "Caveat Emptor." Count the
ways I love thee: Minerals heated, irradiated, dyed, bleached, painted,
chemically treated. Glued, repaired, substituted, matrix added! Wrongly
identified species or locality. Manufactured, cast crystals, and more!
Similar fakes of fossils are described. Be aware.
Zeolites of the World, http://www.mindat.org/article.php/507/Mindat's+15th+Birthday+and+a+present+for+everyone
This book, by Rudy W. Tschernich is available free for the 15th
anniversary of Mindat’s website: Click to download the book, a very
thorough treatise. Warning! It is 237 Mb, so it will take some time to
download the 565 page book. How zeolites are formed, cleaning specimens,
industrial uses, and details of the approximately 41 species are covered
in this technical work.
Glossary of Glacier Terminology, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1216/index2.html
This is by Bruce Molnia of the USGS. "Types of Glaciers", well illustrated,
shows Alaskan glaciers and land forms. The Glossary, though somewhat obtuse
because you have to work your way through the alphabet, gives you very
informative content.
Fossils of Nova Scotia, http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/
Read about geologic history, amazing discoveries, 8 important sites,
early and contemporary collectors, and the N.S. rules about protecting
the past.
World’s Largest Cave, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090724-biggest-cave-vietnam.html
Son Doong, in the Vietnamese jungle, concerns the discovery of what is purported to be
the world’s largest cave. It is no less than 262 X 262 feet and is at least 2.8 miles
long. The cave was known to locals but was thoroughly explored by scientists
from Britain and Viet Nam in April 2009. View the images shown on this National
Geographic web site.
A Geologist's Lifetime Field List, http://www.uc.edu/geology/geologylist/
A modification of an original work by Lisa A. Rossbacher in the April, 1990
issue of Geotimes. The University of Cincinnati in Ohio modified and extended
it and it offers a fun site showing places for geologists or travelers to
visit or experience. Unfortunately, many of the links are broken but you
could "Google" the topics. It covers far-ranging localities listed under
general geology topics as well as specific places to visit worldwide.
Ginko Petrifed Forest State Park, http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7396
An overview of the Park, its geology, and other things of interest. Find nice
YouTube videos by the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each nearly 8 minutes
in length, with in-depth information:
Ice Age Floods in Washington, http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8449
A comprehensive cyber tour. Start with "Click here to start the tour." At
http://www.nps.gov/iceagefloods/d.htm is part of a conservation study,
with another overview on the floods and biography of two of the key people
involved with discovering the Floods.
Stonerose Interpretive Center and Eocene Fossil Site, http://www.stonerosefossil.org/
Presents information about the Center, far from any major metropolitan
cities, which has a small but nice museum, a study center, and oversees
a fee-for-dig collecting site at Republic WA. They reserve the right to
retain anything of high scientific importance and you may only keep three
fossils per day. The quality of fossils is outstanding and the site is well
known. The stone rose isn’t a rose at all! Read about it.
