Part 1 of 4: Many of you reading this are new members and new to collecting on club field trips. As you go collecting how do you know who to ask for advice?Here is a field guide to mineral collectors and how to spot the people that know what they are doing and those that do not. I apologize in advance that, for the purposes of this guide, all gender references will be male. Perhaps in the future we will have a female equivalent. All characters are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons is coincidental.Mr. “What did you get?”This collector goes around all day asking “what did you get” in the hopes that you will ask him the same question. This gives him the opportunity to pull out either a piece that he discovered with beginners luck, or a piece you threw away two hours ago or a piece that he picked up at the mineral store down the road and now he claims to have found it. This collector is often new to field collecting and has not been humbled by collecting next to real collectors.Indiana JonesThis is a real collector. Did you ever wonder how these locations we visit were discovered? It is this guy. He searches out old locations or breaks ground at a new location, a true prospector. They can be spotted because they have the right tools for the job and know what they are looking for in advance. We do not have many of this type in the NY club anymore. You can spot them on a dig because they are not talking, and have their head in a hole. They have been in pockets that they could stand in and know what pocket mud is (and pocket mud can found under their finger nails). You never know until the end of the day what they have found because they don’t advertise their finds out of fear that a claim jumper (see Leech) will try to move in.

VOLUME 52, ISSUE 3 MARCH, 2014 © 2014 RIMH

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A Field Guide To Mineral Collectorsby John Betts. All Rights Reserved.

Reprinted with permission of the author.Please visit John’s website for more great information and to see many great minerals, crystals and fluorescents for sale:

www.johnbetts-fineminerals.comDo you or somebody you know love beautiful clusters of crystals, colorful minerals, unusual fossils, and gorgeous jewelry. If you answered yes even once then you need to attend our April mineral auction. The RIMH will be auctioning off over 100 lots of minerals and related items. Visit: www.RIMH.us to download a flyer.

Items being auctioned will make great home and office decorations. Don’t forget Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are coming. Here’s your chance to get unique and beautiful gifts. There’s also birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, graduations, promotions, and of course Christmas . . . all are great to use for those special gifts!

This year we have a wide selection of specimens from all over the world. Crystals include quartz, vanadinite, amethyst, aquamarine, and more. We’ll have cut and polished pieces: gemstones, malachite, ammonites and of course jewelry. Want local crystals and fossils? We have lots of them too. There’s also fluorescents, books, tools, supplies, and much more.

Throughout this newsletter and the April one we’ll feature more photographs of some great items being auctioned off this year. The auction is cash (or check with ID’s) only. Sorry no credit or debit cards.

Minerals, Crystals & FossilsRIMH Auction ~ April 12thplus gems, jewelry, books, tools and lots more.

We’ll have a special “Kids Only” Section in the auction where only kids 14 and under can bid on specific lots. These lots are great quality and any kid would be proud to own them or give as a gift.

VOLUME 51, ISSUE 1 JANUARY, 2013 © 2013 RIMHRhode Island Mineral Hunters, Inc.

Bowen-Litewww.RIMH.us

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CUMBERLANDITE ~ OFFICIAL STATE ROCK ♦ BOWENITE ~ OFFICIAL STATE MINERAL

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Saturday, March 29thQuabbin Shaft #10, Hardwick, MA

afterwards: optional side trip to the Mineral Show

Executive Board meets at 7 PMon the 1st Tuesday of the month.

March 4th, 7 PMMeeting will be at: Steve Emma’s house

April 1st, 7 PMMeeting will be at: location TBA

Unless otherwise noted general club meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of the month at CCRI, Warwick, room 1130 at 7 PM. General club meetings are open to the public. There are NO general club meetings in January or February.

Please check the RIMH website regularly as times and locations are subject to change.

Volume 52, Issue 3 Bowen-Lite March, 2014

RHODE ISLAND MINERAL HUNTERS ~ 2014OFFICERSPresident: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Steve EmmaVice-President: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buck LeachSecretary: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer DavisTreasurer: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *Dante Caprara

EXECUTIVE BOARDLouise Barbish, Tom Barbish, *James Brenek, Anthony Cesana, Rachel Cesana, Don Fail, Joel Russo, *Chris Tremblay, Bill Wilson

DEPARTMENTS / COMMITTEESHistorian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bill WilsonMembership:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony CesanaField Trip Coordinator:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joel RussoShow Chairman: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don FailEditor: . . . Bruce Luscombe, bdluscombe@msn.comWebmaster: . . . . . .Bruce Hecker, bbhecker@cox.net

VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.RIMH.us* indicates a new officer / board member for 2014

Date: Tuesday, March 11th at 7:00 PMPlace: CCRI (Community College of RI) 400 East St., Rt. 113, Warwick, RIRoom: 1130Speaker: Tony Cesana will speak on “Safety”

OUR NEXT MEETING RIMH FIELD TRIPS

RIMH MINERAL AUCTIONAPRIL 12th (see article - page 1)

Field Trip Coordinator: Joel Russo 401-942-3394, 401-263-1076 (cell), russojoel@gmail.com.

OUR NEXT FIELD TRIP

Where: GPS +43.377188 N -72.162173 W Meet at Phillips Plaza at 9:30 am (see below)Trip Leader: Rachel Cesana, call or e-mail if going a_cesana@verizon.net 401-766-9076When: Saturday, March 29, 2014Tools needed: Small garden tools, rock hammer, loop, material to rap finds inDress: Dress for Late March weather conditionsMinerals to be found: Babingtonite, epidote, fluorite and many others – mostly micros, but very nice! See MinDat.org for full list of minerals. Also, the scenery here is stunning, even at this time of the year!

Directions: From RT 146 north or RT 395 north (which ever is easier from your locality) take RT I 90 west in MA. From RT I 90 take the exit for RT 32 north (Palmer MA). Follow RT 32 north to Ware MA. Look for Phillips Plaza on your right. It takes about 2 hrs to get there from Providence so give yourself extra time in case of traffic delays. We will park here and car pool the rest of the way as there is room for only about 4 vehicles. Please be at the Phillips Plaza by 9:30 am.From Phillip’s Plaza take right onto Rt. 32 and follow thru Hardwick . Here it splits into 32 and 32a. Make sure to follow Rt. 32. Watch for Shunpike Rd (it has a sign for a kiln and railroad tracks crossing Shunpike) Take left onto Shunpike and follow to end then take right onto Prouty Rd. Follow past small farms til you get to Taylor Hill Rd (there is a larger farm here with a large sign) take left onto Taylor and follow til you go over small bridge, gate will be on the right. Do Not Block Gate. Walk straight in at the gate about half a mile. You will see what looks like a large cement sewer cover. Take right through woods here to tailing piles. There is a path.After digging and returning to our cars, some of us will be going to the Western MA Mineral, Jewelry, and Fossil Show. This is a very nice show sponsored by the Connecticut Valley Mineral Club. Admission to show is $5. We will caravan from the dig site.

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UPCOMING AREA MINERAL SHOWSThe Lapidary & Mineral Society of Central CT show March 8th & 9th, 2014 at Maloney High school, Gravel Street, Meriden, CT. For more info visit: www.LMSCC.org

The Western Mass. Mineral, Jewelry & Fossil Show is March 29th & 30th, 2014. Sponsored by the Connecticut Valley Mineral Club at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, 1 Atwood Drive, Northamton, MA, exit 18-off Rt 91. For more info visit: www.WesternMAssMineralShow.com

I’ve been fascinated by geology since childhood. I loved learning how rocks, fossils, and minerals were formed. Back then I had a small specimen collection and I would spend hours looking in fascination at the different formations and numerous color combinations. Today, I’m still mystified at the process by which one finds specimens in the field. After a little research on-line I found that the RIMH not only has an annual mineral show, it also provides education about geology at their monthly meetings. They also provide members with the opportunity to attend group fieldtrips!

I resolved to take my three and a half year old son, Max, to the show in the hope that he would fall in love with rocks and minerals, just as I had as a child. I was a bit apprehensive about how he’d react to the lights, open space, and crowds, as Max has Sensory Integration Disorder and Autism. Apparently I had no reason to be apprehensive . . . Maxie loved it!

We literally spent hours exploring the myriad of displays, exhibits, and vendor tables. I “kneel-walked” next to Max as we perused everything. We used the “one finger technique” where he is allowed to discover the different textures. He was smiling the whole time!

My favorite part of the show was the Radioactive display. Having been Chief Radiologic technologist at the VA in Providence, I could appreciate the display from a radiologic perspective. Max, on the other hand, loved the vibrant colors of the “glowing rocks” in the fluorescent display tent. We decided to sign up for a family membership at the show.

Since the show, Max has started a small collection with specimens he won by taking turns on the Kid’s Prize Wheel. I am looking forward to attending some of the fieldtrips with Max this year. We’d love to add to his collection.

Thank you RIMH for providing Max with a fun learning experience that hopefully has ignited a lifelong passion for collecting!

Tenessa K. (and Max)

Editor’s Note: If you didn’t get a chance to meet and speak to Tenessa and Max when they were at the show, then you missed out. I did meet them and spent quite a while talking “rocks” with them. It reminded me of the love for rocks that got me started 50 years ago.

Here are some photos of Max at the RIMH show and with his collection. You will have an opportunity to meet them soon as Tenessa says they will be coming to the April RIMH Mineral Auction.

Max Discovers His Love for Rocks!A true story that began at the RIMH Mineral Show.

Photos and Letter by Tenessa K.

Here are more photos ofcrystals and fossils from the

April 12th, 2014 RIMH Mineral Auction

Specimens not show actual size. Some are only examples of the specific

specimens to be auctioned off.

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Volume 52, Issue 3 Bowen-Lite March, 2014

Photos by: Jen Davis, RIMHSteve Emma, RIMH

After a much deflating delay of two weeks (due to snow and bad weather) the club got to go to the Harvard Museum and get a behind the scenes look at the mineral department and its “hidden” collection.It was a crisp clear day and taking the subway all the way from Quincy-Adams station worked our perfectly. We got there with plenty of time to spare, spent a few minutes in the great mineral room and then met with Kevin Czaja assistant curator.We were escorted to the bowels of the building and found ourselves in the middle of stacks and drawers of minerals, hundreds maybe even thousands of specimens. We were given the opportunity to pull out any draw and ask any questions we wanted.I was like a little kid in a candy shop. Pulling this drawer out picking up one specimen after another, hundreds of them, all kinds of minerals, crystals, metals, it was overwhelming. Some very impressive specimens had been put on tables for us prior to or arrival and these were quite spectacular.Kevin was a terrific guide and answered questions, gave us a bit of the history of the collections, mentioned other rooms and buildings were more specimens were stored, even a bank vault were the really precious and valuable specimens were stored (we didn’t get to that, shucks!!). We must have spend a few hours there and then we went back upstairs and spent another hour or two perusing the newly updated collection in the mineral room, the glass flower exhibit (my favorite), and the rest of the museum (some fossils too).We ended the day at Pizzeria Uno and all ate hardily. I am sure that all of us were quite impressed and for myself wishing I could find just one of those types of specimens found even in the hidden collections. And I am looking forward to digging this spring and thinking that down below me there has got to be one of those types of minerals just waiting, just waiting for me! Steve Emma, RIMH

RIMHGOES TO HARVARD

RIMH Field Trip ~ February, 2014

Bruce LuscomBe

390 Bridgetown rd.saunderstown, ri 02874

© Rhode Island Mineral Hunters ● “Bowen-Lite” newsletter ● March, 2014

The “Bowen-Lite” newsletter is produced by and for the members of the Rhode Island Mineral Hunters, Inc. (RIMH).All portions are copyright © 2014 - RIMH and/or the original author / photographer. www.RIMH.us

Here’s More:THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ROCKS!“The Greatest Show on Earth!” Really, the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the greatest show ON Earth. If you want to buy or just see amazing minerals, crystals, and fossils just go to Tucson, AZ the first two weeks of February. Hotels, motels, lodges, conventions centers, warehouse, even empty lots . . . they fill up with mineral

dealers from all over the world.Dealers display a bountiful buffet of crystals and fossils. It doesn’t matter if you want material from the US, Russia, Australia, or Etheopia, there’s a dealer there with tables full of it. There’s things you’ve never seen or heard of. Every year miners around the world discover new, exciting material.

It’s amazing! You walk past tables FULL of ruby crystals, fossil shark teeth, zeolites, blue beryl, fossil fish, and even dinosaur poop . . that’s just one hotel. You walk 250’ to the next hotel and do it all again. Maybe it’s all polished stones and jewelry related items. Again table after table full of cabs, faceted amethyst, gemstone bead strands, sterling beads, and some real funky stuff too. Repeat - next hotel. Repeat.Want to get the real feeling for being in Tucson during the “Greatest Show on Earth”? I’ll be presenting a talk and digital show on my trip to Tucson this year. You won’t believe how huge, diverse and fun it is. See you then.

Bruce Luscombe, RIMHAll newsletter photographs © Bruce Luscombe unless otherwise noted.

Guide to Mineral Collectors . . . continued from page 1The SeerThis person is using the trip to get out of the city and doesn’t really care about collecting minerals. He thinks the NYMC is a travel agency to arrange his vacation. Often the loudest complainer, the first to suggest quitting for the day, and most likely to get lost because he was wandering away from the collecting location.

Paul BunyanThis is the biggest and baddest (in the good sense) of all collectors. He swings the biggest hammer you ever saw. You are not worthy of carrying his tools. He cannot walk by a construction sight without dreaming of pneumatic jack hammer, back-hoes and 100 ton hydraulic jacks. No rock is too large to tackle, even if it is barren. This collector play the odds, knowing that one trip in ten he will break into a good pocket and the pocket will have twenty times the quantity and quality of the junk the rest of us are picking up off the ground. At night this collector can be found at the nearest pizza parlor with a large supreme pizza and a six-pack of beer planning out the next days work.

BorrowerThis collector thinks that the list of tools prepared for each trip is a multiple choice. He brings only half of them. Can usually be spotted adjacent the field trip director so that he can borrow his tools. Has a habit of quickly disappearing after breaking a sledge hammer handle or bending a crow bar. Chronic amnesia causes this collector to never offer to pay for damages, never remembers what tools he needs to get for the future, and always forgets to say thank you.

This article and others can be found at Mr. Betts website: http://www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com

. . . to be continued

3” Selenite sphereshowing “cat’s eye”

For sale at our auction!

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