General Meeting – Thursday, March 9th (Click Here For More Info)

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General Meeting – Thursday, March 9th

Topic: Rock & Mineral Identification with Roger Danneman, our club Field Trip Guide 

Identifying rocks and minerals found in Washington. This will also be a good opportunity to get your questions answered on identifying rocks and minerals in general.

Mineral identification is the first step in understanding the formation of a rock and its history. You learn to “read the rock” to understand Earth’s history at any given location where the rock is found in an outcrop. This allows geologists and us to understand what the environment was like at the moment the rock formed. Was there a volcano erupting or does the rock tell us that it formed deep inside a magma chamber? Was the rock formed by the burial of an ancient beach? Was the rock formed by compressive forces deep within the crust as continents collided and new mountains were forming? The clues to these widely different environments of formation are “written in the rock.” The first step in understanding the rock’s history is being able to identify, characterize and quantify the minerals that compose the rock. Rocks are fascinating to a geologist because every rock has a story to tell. As we read the rock from one location to the next, it helps us piece together the fascinating story of the Earth. 

Show ‘n Tell: Bring something you want to be identified. 

Updated: March 20, 2023 — 5:43 am

Presidents Message

  • From the Top of the Rock Pile …. by Kat Koch Table Lamps – Remember we are looking for new table lamps for our show ‘n tell tables. If you go to Goodwill, a similar store, or would like to donate, the lights must fold up easily for storage. Save the receipt and the club will reimburse you. Our June meeting is Rock Bingo! Rock Bingo is always a fun night for all members, young and old. The Kent kids are out of school, so they don’t have to worry about school the next day.  The club is looking for …

Meeting Announcements

  • Topic: Mount St. Helens, Paul Ahnberg will be giving the presentation. Paul has been taking a months-long class on Mount St. Helens. It has included not only in-class studies but also a few trips to see Mount St. Helens. Paul says, “One thing I quickly recognized is that there is a lot more to the Mount St Helens story beyond the geology and eruption aspects.” So mark your calendar now, as this should be a fascinating lecture. Show ‘n Tell: Bring a sample of volcanic rock from your collection. A few samples of volcanic rock are Obsidian, Rhyolite, Pumice, Basalt, and Andesite.

  • Topic: Our annual club picnic at Lake Wilderness. Our picnic is always a friendly event on the lawn among the trees. For lunch, it is a potluck picnic. So bring a dish to share. If you don’t cook, pick up something from the market. If you are unable to bring anything, that’s okay too. We would rather have you join us for lunch than not. We generally have around 25 to 35 members attend. Bring your plate and silverware. Setup is 11:30 am, and lunch is at noon. We usually wrap things up by 3 pm. The Arboretum has plenty of free parking. Following, we have a club auction. The auction is a great chance to pick up items at a fraction of their retail cost. You are welcome to donate items to the auction. All proceeds go to the club treasury to cover expenses. Our Young Tumblers can also spend their saved “Rock Bucks” at the auction just like cash for items they want. Afterward, Lake Wilderness is nearby for swimming, plus various play areas for the younger kids. Our annual picnics are always a great family event!

  • Topic: Pre-Gem Show Rally and then “I Made It,” “I Found It,” and “I Bought It.” This meeting is a fun new activity on our calendar. “I Made It,” “I Found It,” and “I Bought It.” You may bring up to 3 items for each category. Items must have been made, found, or bought within the last year. Winners of each category receive a prize. Members will vote for their favorites in each category, and then only 1 prize per adult and 1 prize per Young Tumbler for each category will be awarded. Plan on bringing items, as this should be a fun evening as we get to mingle with each other and talk rocks! Show ‘n Tell: They are your above entries.

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