• Ametrine: Bi-Colored Quartz Brilliance. By Bob Jones

• Linville’s Rockhounding Appeal: Caverns, Falls, and a Gem Shop Awaits. By Helen Serras-Herman

• The Modern World of Beads (Part II): Bright, Beautiful and Culturally and Economically Transformative. By Steve Voynick

• Spodumene: A Colorful Lithium Mineral. By Bob Jones

• Faceting Focus: Cutting a Brilliant Oval. By Jim Perkins

• Hunting For Ammonites (Part I): By Cliff or Riverway — Discovery is An Adventure. By Jim Landon

• Getting Into the Business: Simple Strategies for Becoming a Rock Show Vendor. By Donna Albrecht

• The Road Report: Carved Gems Inspired by Ancient Greek Love Story. By Helen Serras- Herman

In addition, you’ll find the following regular R&G columns: Bench Tips with Bob Rush, Rock Science with Steve Voynick, What to Cut with Russ Kaniuth, On the Rocks with Bob Jones, Rock & Gem Kids with Jim Brace-Thompson, Community Outlook-Just Off the Wheels with Erin Dana Balzrette, Picks & Pans, Club Corner, as well as an extensive Show Dates section, and the always popular Parting Shot.

The post Issue Highlights: December 2019 first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

• Covellite: A Rare and Mysterious Contributor to Advancement. By Mark Leatherman

• The Ancient World of Beads (Part I): From Marine Shells to Millefori. By Steve Voynick

• Club Corner: Inspiring Vistas and Adventures. By Antoinette Rahn

• Special Section: Tools of the Trade

• Early Mining in England’s Cornwall: A History of Hard Work and Innovation. By Bob Jones

• Arizona’s Kartchner Caverns: Delights Found Deep Underground. By Bob Jones

• Dinosaur Bone Agate: Uncommon Display of Agate Phenomenon in Miniature. By Joseph Dehmer

In addition, you’ll find the following regular R&G columns: Bench Tips with Bob Rush, Rock Science with Steve Voynick, What to Cut with Russ Kaniuth, On the Rocks with Bob Jones, Rock & Gem Kids with Jim Brace-Thompson, Community Outlook-Question of the Week, Picks & Pans, as well as an extensive Show Dates section, and the always popular Parting Shot.

We invite you to consider subscribing to Rock & Gem magazine, to enjoy columns by noted experts in the field and exclusive features about rockhounding adventures, lapidary work, geological phenomenons, and a wide variety of inspiring and informative reports.

The cost for a one-year U.S. subscription (12 issues) is just $29.95. Learn more >>>

The post Issue Highlights: November 2019 Issue first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

• North Star Turquoise: New, Natural and Native American. By Steve Voynick

• Black Smoker Geysers: Loaded with Sulfide Minerals, They’re A Miner’s Best Friend. By Bob Jones

• In Memoriam: Carolyn Weinberger. By Bob Jones and Jim Brace-Thompson

• Special Section: Tools of the Trade

• Carrying On Cutting Traditions: Roth Family Favors Cameo Carving. By Bruce McKay

• Tucson 2019 Recap: An Experience of Change and Growth. By Bob Jones

• Emerald Village: Mines and Museum in Little Switzerland. By Helen Serras-Herman

• Understanding Orb Structure in Jaspers: Manifestations of Enigmatic Phenomenon (Part I). By Joe Dehmer

• Enchanted By Selenite: Unexpected Discovery Makes Dreams Possible. By Antoinette Rahn

• The Artistry of Nature: Pursuit of Passions Results in Giologica. By Antoinette Rahn

In addition, you’ll find the following regular R&G columns: Bench Tips with Bob Rush, Rock Science with Steve Voynick, What to Cut with Russ Kaniuth, On the Rocks with Bob Jones, Artisan Alley with Erin Dana Balzrette, Picks & Pans, as well as an extensive Show Dates section, and the always popular Parting Shot.

The post Issue Highlights: June 2019 first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The organized mineral collecting hobby lost a stalwart and major contributor with the passing of Carolyn Weinberger on March 25, 2019, after a long and difficult battle with leukemia.

Remembering An Icon

In the words of Carl Miller, past president of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies describing Carolyn, “We have witnessed the passing of a giant.” Bob Livingston, another past president of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies, described Carolyn as “The greatest ‘go-to’ person in our times.”

A member of the Gem Cutter’s Guild said, “She was the glue of the club for many years.” And Jim Brace-Thompson, creator and continuing supervisor of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies Future Rockhounds of America, credits Carolyn’s help in getting the AFMS/FRA Badge Program going by publishing monthly articles throughout 2003 that led to the first edition of the AFMS/FRA Badge Manual in 2004—an effort that both Carolyn and her husband Steve have supported and championed through four editions of that manual to date. Said Jim, “I—and at least 4,518 kids—owe a huge debt of thanks to both Carolyn and Steve!”

These comments give you important insight into Carolyn, whose entire mineral-collecting life, which began in the 1960s, was devoted to all aspects of the mineral hobby. As one friend said, “She had her hand in everything.” Yet another club member compared her to the Energizer Bunny: “She keeps going and going and going.” As both of these writers have seen, Carolyn’s “hand” was always one of guidance, information and education to help support and mentor the people in our hobby and our organizations.

An integral and intricate part of Carolyn’s success in helping and promoting our hobby and its organizations is her partner-for-life, Steve. We know of no other couple as closely knit and supportive of each other who worked as a team to enjoy their mineral interests and devote their collecting careers to the betterment of their chosen hobby. Mike Seeds said it best, “Steve and Carolyn Weinberger, although involved in slightly different aspects of the mineral and micro-mount hobby, formed together an inseparable unit whose influence has been felt from coast-to-coast”.

Elevated Ambassadorship

Their accomplishments are legion. Steve is past president of the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Carolyn served AFMS Vice President and was editor of both the AFMS and EFMS newsletters for years. This brought her recognition and awards. She was given the coveted Citation Award in 1984, the Wildacres Appreciation award in 2004. In 2012, Steve and Carolyn received the AFMS Honorary Scholarship Award. Honorees also have the responsibility of granting scholarships to worthy college students.

Carolyn also applied her skills to edit the newsletters of her local clubs, the Chesapeake Gem & Mineral Society and serve as former director of the Baltimore Mineral Society as she operated websites for both clubs. She also served as a judge of bulletins submitted to the several regional Federations and the American Federation, which gave her ample opportunity to encourage and mentor new club bulletin editors to improve their work.

In 2008, Steve and Carolyn were both presented with the American Federation of Mineralogical Society award for “Outstanding Service to the AFMS and the Hobby.”

Carolyn also served as 5th vice president in 2017 and 4th vice president in 2018 and was elected to the Bulletin Editor’s Hall of Fame and helped produce the Federation’s 50th and 70th Anniversary Celebration booklets. Carolyn edited the award-winning newsletter of the Baltimore Mineral Society Further recognition of Carolyn’s contributions included induction into the Micromounter’s Hall of Fame.

Producing Inspiring News

My favorite newsletter courtesy of Carolyn was “The Prospector,” a news sheet she produced each day during each one-week educational retreat held twice a year at Wildacres near Little Switzerland, North Carolina. I served as resident lecturer every third year for about thirty years and so had ample exposure to Carolyn and Steve’s efforts to make this wonderful retreat a success.

Carolyn and Steve first attended Wildacres in 1976 where she took a class in

faceting, a hobby in which Steve was already involved. They had developed an interest in minerals when they visited a local club show put in by the Gem Cutter’s Guild in the 1960s. They joined the club and their interests grew from there.

Their 1976 visit to Wildacres started a long tradition that resulted in the couple emerging as leaders at Wildacres, organizing the retreat, selecting teachers, managing the housing, and doing all the important details that make the retreat a success.

As time went on, their interest in minerals grew. They joined other clubs and expanded their collecting interests to include thumbnail and micromount minerals so their collection now contains about 10,000 mounted and catalogued specimens. Steve also developed a skill in microphotography which, in his words, was ‘to capture the essence of many of these micros.”

Steve and Carolyn’s involvement in the noted Rochester Mineral Symposium each year has been important. Since micro mount minerals are among their interests, they would bring microscopes to the symposium so that people could enjoy minerals during free time. To tell you how dedicated she was to the symposium, when Carolyn was really ill in her fight, she browbeat her doctor (that sounds like the school principal she was) to allow her to make the long five-day effort to Rochester with Steve.

Contributions Of Perpetual Influence

Carolyn’s efforts locally would overwhelm many of us. As a member of local mineral clubs including the Baltimore Mineral Society and Micro-Mineralogists of the Capitol area, she held board positions taking notes and minutes, maintained mailing lists, did club flyers, ran a booth at club shows, and even devised a rock hound quiz all while holding offices and committee assignments for her clubs. In all her activities and associations with clubs and collectors she was always mentoring and offering guidance. To quote Steve, “Her long history was the reason she was called on frequently to help solve problems and give advice.”

It was important to Carolyn and is important to Steve to carry on the work they did as a “unit.” What they have accomplished is beyond significant.

To all who are in our hobby, Steve offers this observation: “Like so many endeavors, the world continues and other people have to pick up the duties that Carolyn performed. She did them without complaint and with a spirit of advancing our hobby, not with any need for recognition or glory.”

Thanks to Robert Livingston, Carl Miller, Michael Seeds, David Nock, Bernie and Lynne Emery, and most especially Steve Weinberger for their much appreciated help in honoring this great person.

Editor’s Note: At the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies Show in Monroe, New York, May 31-June 3, a proposal to create a scholarship in Carolyn’s name will be made

The post In Memoriam: Carolyn Weinberger (1943-2019) first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The 75 million-year-old dinosaur specimen, which is one of the most complete ankylosaurs ever discovered, will take center stage in the ROM-original exhibition “ZUUL: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur.” The exhibition opens December 15 and is sponsored by Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Zuul Crurivastator Ankylosaur Specimen

“We are thrilled to be introducing Toronto and the world to an extraordinary new dinosaur. The acquisition of Zuul not only enhances the ROM’s reputation as a leading scientific institution but represents a significant new addition to our globally renowned collection of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs and fauna,” says Josh Basseches, ROM Director and CEO. “With the generous support of presenting sponsor Sinking Ship Entertainment and our team of renowned invertebrate paleontologists and exhibition developers, we look forward to presenting a truly unique exhibition that will inspire and delight visitors of all ages.”

Named by ROM scientists in 2017, this new species of ankylosaur displays a short snout, long horns behind the eyes and on the cheeks, and gnarly face. If the name Zuul is familiar, you may recall its origins, as the fictional monster in the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” which is indeed the inspiration behind its name. Its species name, crurivastator, means ‘destroyer of shins’ for its menacing, weapon-like tail club.

Among the Most Complete Skull

Discovered in Montana little more than 31 miles south of Alberta along Canada ’s border, in the rocks of the Judith River Formation, the ankylosaur fossil is reportedly one of the most complete and well-preserved specimens of its kind ever found anywhere in the world.  It has a complete skull and tail club as well as preserved soft tissues that will provide an uncommon opportunity for new, cutting-edge scientific research. The ROM with the support of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust acquired Zuul.

Dr. David Evans, the exhibition’s curator and the ROM’s James and Louise Temerty Endowed Chair of Vertebrate Palaeontology, says: “Zuul not only enables us to unlock clues about armoured dinosaur evolution and how they lived, but also the rich fossil fauna found with Zuul lets us paint a vivid picture of its lush ancient world and reflect on climate change and extinction.” The exhibition is co-curated by armoured dinosaur expert Dr. Victoria Arbour. Together, the curators named and described Zuul as a new species of dinosaur in 2017.

“Zuul: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur” will take visitors beyond museum walls to the badlands of Montana, in an immersive experience that recreates the Cretaceous world Zuul inhabited. Through cutting-edge technology and interactive storytelling, the exhibition explores how this mighty dinosaur lived. Working closely with ROM’s exhibition development team, sponsor Sinking Ship Entertainment will help bring the experience to life for ROM visitors.

Additional Animation and Interactive Display

“We are thrilled to be working alongside Canada’s leading Museum to present this never-before-seen exhibition,” says J.J. Johnson, a partner at Sinking Ship Entertainment. “At Sinking Ship we pride ourselves on the work we do to entertain, educate and inspire young audiences. This partnership has been an incredible one – allowing us to expand on our groundbreaking interactive experiences to engage visitors of all ages.”

Sinking Ship Entertainment will be providing CGI animation for “Zuul: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur,” as well as creating an interactive game for visitors. In early 2020 the Emmy-winning media company will be releasing the feature film “DINO DANA: THE MOVIE,” which was both filmed at the ROM and includes Zuul as part of the film’s epic dinosaur adventure storyline. The film will see a museum theatre release launch in mid-2020 after its initial theatrical window.

For more information about this upcoming exhibition and related events, visit https://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/zuul.

The post Zuul Crurivastator Calls Ontario Home first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.