THE BACKBENDER’S GAZETTE
Volume LIIII ----- Houston Gem & Mineral Society ----- March 2024
The Heart in the Stone
Table of Contents
Click a Table of Contents Entry to jump to that article.
Club Information
Permission to use material originating in this newsletter is given freely providing that credit is given to the author and the source. Every article published in the BBG is edited for grammar and content. No flaming is allowed.
BACKBENDER’S GAZETTE SUBMISSION DEADLINES
Articles are due on the 15th day of the month before the date on the BBG issue.
Copy is due for the next issue by the 15th of this month. Email content to editor@hgms.org
President's Message
by LT Wilcox
I would like to start by thanking everyone who’s been working hard to make our club possible! There are so many things that go on behind the scenes, that it’s difficult to keep up with everything that goes on at times. We are thankfully in the final stages of getting a budget together for 2024. As I write this our booth at the Clearlake show is hopefully going amazing and the volunteers are having a great time! I look forward to hearing how it goes in the coming days.
Ray Kizer (Donations Chairman) has officially announced our first Auction of the year! The auction will start at 2:00 pm Saturday MARCH 2nd in the clubhouse meeting room. There is some very good stuff in this sale and there are a few more already in the works. Keep your eyes on our news sections for more information, I’ve seen a few of the pieces that have come in and can say I’m extremely appreciative of the families who’ve donated to our cause.
I’ve begun with new updates to our website, starting with the Gemstones & Faceting Sections page. I hope everyone will take a glance, as more updates/changes will take place over the year. The Mineral, Lapidary and Silversmithing sections are next on the list to get a facelift. Your opinions and feedback are greatly appreciated on these changes, don’t hesitate to let the Web Committee know.
Vice-President's Message
Section News
Beading – Second Saturday, 12:00 PM
Always bring beading mat, scissors, wire, wire cutter, round nose and needle nose pliers, thread, and beading needles if you have them.
We will meet Saturday, March 9th from Noon to 3 PM and learn to wirewrap seashells..
NOTICE: Do you have a bracelet or necklace that needs restringing? The Beading Section will carefully restring your piece at an hourly rate of $15.00 + materials. Contact Beading @HGMS.org to make arrangements. All funds will go to the Beading Section.
Gemstones and Faceting – Second Thursday, 6:30 PM
Our next meeting will be March 14th, at 6:30 pm.
Topics:
Show & Tell
Section Rough Inventory (for sale)
Polariscope use
Specific Gravity
Leveling out the stone for crown cuts
Procedures to check out machines
Lapidary and Silversmithing – Third Monday, 7:00 PM
The next meeting will be on Monday, March 18 starting at 7:00 pm. Announcement soon!
At our last meeting we used a geode cracker to crack two kinds of geodes. You missed a lot of fun! Maybe we’ll do it again.
Email Lapidary@hgms.org if you have questions.
Day Light – First Wednesday, 1:00 PM
The next Daylight Section meeting will be Wednesday, March 6th at 1:00. We will be quilling. Each participant will be given a quilling tool that they can keep. We will make earrings with a matching pendant necklace.The quilling tool will be used with strips of quilling paper to make the jewelry which would make great Mother’s Day gifts. The cost for this session is $5.00. I will be buying materials for a maximum of 10 people. So please register to attend at daylight@hgms.org.
For more information on quilling see the project we will be doing at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Mineral – Third Wednesday, 7:30 PM
March 20th at 7:30pm will be our next hybrid meeting. The Mineral Section is back in the clubhouse! Steve Blyskal will present a program on Gypsum, its formation and location. Come see Minerals! Bring yours to show. Refreshments will be served.
The link for the Zoom meeting is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4517997588?pwd=SnZjckZBTnRMbHRxZitScE9WU3RWUT09
Paleontology – Third Tuesday, 7:30 PM
The next meeting is Tuesday, March 19th at 7:30 pm.
The subject is Ammonites and how to identify what you have found. I will supply the Emerson’s ID book and some ammonites.
Bring what you are working on and lets ID it.
Zoom link for the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86053771923?pwd=ek5lNlk5SGFYNjN6U29ONU4xVElyQT09
or
Meeting ID: 860 5377 1923
Passcode: 826994
If you’d like to join the Paleo Section email list, send an email to hgmspaleosection@gmail.com and ask to be added.
Youth, First and Third Saturdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Mostly we will be working on cabochons.
Shop and Building News
Air Abrasive Shop: We used to have a blue nozzle to blow powdered dolomite. It was most aggressive. This is a finer tip. Let me know if it is better. The blue tip is in the plastic case by the crock pot if you want to use that one.
NOTE – put the O ring back in place. Someone lost the O-ring for the blue tip and the leaking abrasive ate the black retaining cap. I have more o-rings in the plastic box. Do NOT use the nozzle without one.
Welding Silver: The TIG welder handles Argentium silver just fine. A number of people want to work only in silver. Well, we have it. Argentium silver is sterling with a bit of germanium. There is no fire scale when you work it with a torch. It apparently has enough resistance for the TIG welder to melt it. I tried different fusings but I couldn’t get standard sterling to fuse. Argentium is EASY. See me if you want to use this tool.
Possibly Broken Saw: There was an out of order sign on the Highland Park saw. I tested it but could not find anything wrong. PLEASE fill out the OUT OF ORDER notebook on the sign-in table so these things can be fixed. Include DETAILS of what you think is wrong.
Mist Filter: I have attached a big aluminum mist filter to a box fan and left it between the two big saws. Will someone with a sensitive note tell me if the shop smells better? I also found an electrostatic filterin my junk box and wondered if it would help pull oil mist out of the air. Please do a nose test.
Revenge of the Dinos
This picture of an Allosaurus digging up Neal Immega’s skeleton was created by Jim Paras using Microsoft’s AI program. Jim did his EVIL laugh when he gave me a copy; he is getting entirely too good at this.
Note the Allosaurus has evolved 5 fingers but has a good foot. I will not critique that the brow ridge is too big or anything else for fear that Jim will have the last compute. Don’t ask to see the T. Rex birthday party picture. I asked for it and Jim certainly delivered.
Clear Lake Show
The Clear Lake Gem and Mineral Society Show was held February 24-25 at the Pasadena Convention Center, and this show has really been getting it together. We had several volunteers in the HGMS booth to promote our 71st HGMS Gem and Mineral Show in November. Clyde McMeans got everything down to Pasadena and Daniel Rodriguez organized the booth. Clyde also passed out HGMS show flyers to 27 out of the 40 or so dealers at the show. Thanks to all the volunteers!
Daniel met a enthusiastic man and his family who has connections to rockhounding locations in Mexico, including agate and fossil-heavy areas in the North. His grandfather worked for PEMEX and they’vemaintained the same connections his grandfather had with the ranchers. He and his father are in construction, with his father designing outdoor spaces, he even showed me a table his father did as a personal project, made of petrified wood they’ve self-collected
We had some very interested homeschooling families, happy to know we do something for Friday, it’s interesting to see a rise of homeschooling overall. I wouldn’t be surprised if we have to expand our homeschooling efforts overall in the future, considering the upward trend.
Saturday volunteers included Theresa Goodwin. Theodore Glanton, Clyde McMeans, Fred Breuckner, Daniel Rodriguez, Richard Vaile and Jo Ann Knight
Sunday volunteers included Nancy Fisher, Clyde McMeans, Mattew Sklar, Allison Sklar, Jo Ann Knight
Field Trip News
Save the Date: Fossil collecting field trip to Brownwood, Texas, the weekend of March 16-17. The main event, with multiple locations, will be on Saturday with some possible collecting on Sunday morning. This is a great area for well preserved Pennsylvanian age fossils.You will be responsible for your own food and lodging.
Please email Mike Dawkins at field_trips@hgms.org if you are interested in going. This trip is open to all members of HGMS. More details will be sent out later to those that respond.
Education
Class: CABS 101 Center Classroom/Lapidary Shop
Instructor: Sharon Halton
Date/Time: Monday, March 11th, 11 AM to 3 PM
Class: Wire Wrapping-Tree of Life Pendant, Center Classroom
Instructor: Maggie Manley
Date: Monday, March 18 from 3 PM to 7PM
Class: Pearl Knotting, Center Classroom
Instructor: Maggie Manley
Date: Thursday, March 21 from Noon to 2 PM
Class: Twisted Hoop Earrings, Metalsmithing/Jewelry Shop
Instructor: Carmen Fraticelli
Date: Sunday, March 23 from Noon to 4 PM
To see details of the classes or to register for classes, visit https://hgms.org/education/hgms-classes/
E-mail: Classes@HGMS.org to request classes, different days and times for future classes or with class preferences, or if you wish to teach a class.
The Heart in the Stone
photographs by Ed Clay
I am a cutter and I call myself a Lapidary Artisan.
I will in this article speak of how to gain experience and what others will call being good at this craft.
Let’s start with learning how. You could do so alone but it will be difficult and slow; it is easier if you find others who can teach you the basics. I learned long ago in the Marine Corps Base hobby shop, but for those not in the military, a local Gem & Mineral club or lapidary group will likely have members that can help you get started.
Likely you will be guided by such an individual to look at some cut slabs of rock material. Usually someone who is teaching a first timer will have them select from either Agate or Jasper slabs cut from larger rocks and guide the new lapidary to learn to judge whether the pieces they examine have flaws (cracks or vugs) or are dull in color or lack decorative pattern.
The next step would be for the new student to learn what a cutting template is: a metal or plastic sheet with sized holes usually measured in millimeters. Students are usually guided to cut first an oval shape, using a pointed brass or aluminum stylus to mark the shape.
Once the slab is marked, the student will be shown how to use a trim saw and instructed to cut slightly outside the marked line. Remember, once ground or cut away, you cannot put stone back on. Often, the stone is then attached to a short length of wooden dowel called a dop stick, with heated dop wax. This allows for better control of the grinding and polishing activity.
Next the student is shown how to use a grinding stone or wheel, and sanding wheels. The normal process is to shape the stone with the most aggressive wheel a little outside the mark, then sand it closer and closer and begin to make the dome of the stone smoothly curved.
Such a flat-bottomed domed-top stone is called a Cabochon, no matter the outline shape (oval, round, square, rectangle, heart, cross, and many others).
To shape rock into something that others might call beautiful is to see the beauty the creator placed into the stone. Using the gift given to us to see this is the art and gift of lapidary.
When learning the basics, the next step is to (breathe deeply) cut, cut, cut cut, cut and did I say cut? Practice is the honest and true answer.
Each time you pick up a piece of stone, mark it to choose a pattern, then shape, grind, and finally polish, you will, if your eyes, mind, and inner self are awake, learn better to efficiently shape and sand. You will begin to recognize the heart of each stone placed in it by the Creator and how to find that beauty and bring it out.
Many local societies have competitions which can aid learning. By allowing your efforts to be judged, you allow others to help you improve your skills. Beautiful stones may become jewelry or parts for decorative handmade objects, or simply be displayed to show your growing skills.
Finally, as my years gather and my time becomes shorter, I hope these words might permit others new to the hobby to see better what might be found in the Creators Gift.
Morrisonite
From Facebook; Used with permission
Reprinted from Pick & Shovel, Volume 65, Issue6: February 2023
Darrell Jacobitz, commonly known as “Jake”, and I mined Morrisonite for 11 years from 1986 through 1996. Jake worked mostly on the Jake’s Place claim, and I worked mostly on the Christine Marie claim. We worked together for several years on both claims. Of the five original claims in the area, the Christine Marie claim is the furthest down into the canyon from the canyon rim and is difficult to get to. It is about 600 feet below the canyon rim in elevation and it took me two years of work to establish four-wheel drive access to the area. Both digging areas are on the east side of the Owyhee River canyon [in eastern Oregon] and are about a quarter mile apart. Sixty years ago, collectors would camp at the canyon rim and hike down and back to the collecting areas. It was at least one hour down and two hours back.
The Jasper found on the Christine Marie claim is generally smaller and less patterned than the Jasper found on the Jake’s place claim. About 30% of the jasper mined from the Jake’s place claim has the “egg pattern” but virtually all of the jasper from the Christine Marie claim has the “egg pattern”, a bit like Bruneau Jasper from Idaho. This is because the “egg pattern” is the only patterning that exists in most of the jasper from the area. The jasper from the Jake’s Place claim is full of streamers and other variations that make the jasper desirable. The Christine Marie jasper has the “egg pattern” or it is just a plain color. This actually made it a little easier to mine in terms of what to keep and what to throw away.
From the Editor: Eugene Mueller is working with the web folks for the Gem Shop to bring a lot of new information to their site. Here is the link for mining locations: https://thegemshop.com/pages/mining-locations
Check back for more stories about jasper and great photos! They also have location information and lapidary tips.
The Gem Shop is the largest rock shop in the Mid-West and a great place to visit if you are in the neighborhood of Cedarburg, Wisconsin. And you should be! Cedarburg is a charming town. I visited Cedarburg for the 2016 Agate Expo.
The Egg Pattern in Jasper
Some beautiful jaspers are famous for the “egg pattern” or orb shapes they exhibit. The best known of these types of Jasper are Bruneau from Bruneau Canyon in Idaho, Blue Mountain from McDermitt, Oregon, Morrisonite from Morrison Ranch in Oregon, and Royal Imperial from Zacatecas, Mexico. The round to oval patterns seem to repeat and sometimes to change color in fascinating ways. But how do they form?
There is a great book by Marco Campos-Venuti called Genesis and Classification of Agates and Jaspers: a New Theory , (Tipografia Lucianai, Rome 2012) that advances a system of classification and theory of formation for such jaspers.
Campos-Venuti classifies jaspers into the following groups: Oceanic Jaspers, Volcanic Jaspers, Jasper pseudomorphic on Fossils, and Chemical Jaspers. The only one we will cover at this time are the Chemical Jaspers, which include the orb jaspers, brecciated jaspers and jasp-agates. All of these form in cavities in a preexisting formation, forming a nodule or vein deposit filled with colloidal silica solution. The solution loses water and becomes first a sol, then a gel, condensing into a microcrystalline jasper. Successive waves of silica solution deposition enables the jasper to differentiate and produce horizontal lines.
In the next stage, these different solutions being deposited may have different properties and be separated by surface tension. This tension favors a spherical shape. Campos-Venuti proposes that injection of solutions create inlet tubes that penetrate pre-existing layers and form new orbs. Internal stress due to dehydration of the sol and gel deposits can produce fractures, cracks and gaps that may be healed by new injections of silica, and also create other visible features in the jasper. Finally, debris may fall from an upper cavity and accumulate at the bottom of a nodule to contribute to the final appearance.
References:
Marco Campos-Venuti, Genesis and Classification of Agates and Jaspers: a New Theory , (Tipografia Lucianai, Rome 2012)
Rock & Gem Magazine 28 May 2019, Understanding ORB Structures in Jaspers
Black Tourmaline Flower
“Flower” is not a recognized term for describing crystal structure, but I saw this fabulous photograph in the Facebook Group SEA Minerals and thought it was too interesting to pass up!
A man named Petr Gadas visited Minas Gerais, Brazil, during a Pegmatite conference a few years ago, and went to the Aqua Santa pegmatite mine. He posted this picture under the topic “Mineral Flowers” and has graciously allowed me to share it. Now I must go back and look at other Mineral “flowers”.
What is a Recreational Rockhound?
from American Lands Access Association, Inc.
www.amlands.org alaa@amlands.org Volume 15 Issue 2
“Recreational Rockhounding is the collecting of reasonable amounts of non- renewable resources such as rock and mineral specimens and materials, common invertebrate and common plant fossils, semiprecious gemstones and Petrified wood for noncommercial (Personal and Educational) purposes where permitted by law. Recreational Rockhounding is accomplished in a manner that prevents hazards to public health and safety, and minimizes and mitigates environmental damage.”
This definition has been in the works for several years, and ALAA in conjunction with AFMS and other groups will continue to refine it to encompass all aspects so a full legal description can be established and additions can be added to CFR Title 43 so all aspects are covered and understandable for the continuation of Recreational Rockhounding by the Recreational Rockhound.
HGMS Board of Directors Meeting
Meeting Minutes for February 6, 2024
| Board Member | Section Board Member | ||
| X | President – LT [Logan] Wilcox | X | Beading – Maggie Manley |
| X | 1st Vice President – Jeanean Slamen | X | Day Light – Fred Brueckner |
| X | 2nd Vice President – Sarah Metsa | X | Gemstones & Faceting – Turner Whitham |
| X | Treasurer – Sharon Halton |
X | Lapidary & Silversmithing – Richard Good |
| X | Secretary – Jeanean Slamen, temp. Secretary |
X | Mineral – Ray Kizer |
| X | Past President – Nancy English | X | Paleontology – Mike Dawkins |
President LT Wilcox called the Zoom meeting to order at 7:44 pm. A quorum was present. Non-voting members in attendance: Nancy English.
President Wilcox requested that regular order be suspended after a brief discussion of old and new business so the balance of the meeting could be devoted to a discussion of the final financial results for 2023 and the latest budget draft for 2024. Final reports of 2023 financials and budget requests by budget owners were only received in the week preceding the Board meeting.
Motion: Jeanean Slamen made a motion to suspend regular order for the balance of the meeting after a brief discussion of old and new business and begin discussion of the 2024 budget. Sharon Halton seconded the motion; the motion passed with 8 ayes and 0 nays.
The minutes of the January 2nd board meeting were approved by email prior to the current meeting.
No Treasurer’s Report was announced.
Membership: Sarah Metsa reported that 2023 end-of-year membership totaled (by person) 240 individuals, 122 couples and 78 youth, including three singles and two couples signed in December. A new membership form will be posted on the website and printed for the clubhouse. A welcome email for new members will be instituted soon.
Old Business:
Microsoft 365 licenses: President LT Wilcox and Treasurer Sharon Halton will consult and distribute licenses once a debit card is on file for verification. (update)
Website problems with accepting membership payment: Sarah Metsa reported the issue has been corrected. (closed)
Equipment list for scheduling with property insurance: The list of shop equipment, including unique identifying numbers, has been compiled. President Wilcox will determine the financial impact of including the equipment schedule and recommend to the Board whether to proceed. (update)
Attic floor loads: A rating of 10+ lbs./sq. ft. dead load and 35+ lbs./sq. ft. live load over the lapidary shop has been determined using current codes. (closed)
HGMS table at the Annual Clear Lake Mineral Show: Trifold brochures are available; show flyers will be available reflecting 2024 admission prices. (closed)
New Business:
Turner Whitham, the new Section Board Member for Gemstones & Faceting, was introduced and welcomed by Board members.
Jeanean Slamen provided a summary of recent clarifications regarding the SCFMS insurance we carry for offsite activities at venues (i.e. the annual show at Humble Civic Center) and field trips. The insurance covers damage to the property of venues or property owners who allow access to their property for HGMS field trips.
Ray Kizer requested that an additional iPad and Zettle card reader be budgeted for the Donation Committee’s use in upcoming auctions and sales. Discussion revealed that the existing iPads and Zettle card readers owned by the club are for the use of all HGMS entities who need to process credit cards. The existing tablets and readers are supposed to be kept in a locker at the clubhouse and retrieved as needed. It is possible the Show Committee has not returned them to the locker after the November show and will be asked to return them as necessary.
Sharon Halton noted that IOUs left in the Shop Fee Can frequently build up and require reminders to the IOU owners. She suggested access to an iPad and card reader would allow shop supervisors to collect shop fees when users do not have cash. Ray Kizer suggested that the shop policy could be simplified by disallowing any form of payment other than cash or check. No conclusion or motion resulted from the discussion.
Motion: Sharon Halton made a motion to close the Prosperity (Capital Repairs/Improvements) savings account with a balance of approximately $24,690 and deposit the balance in a new, separate account with Live Oak Bank to capture the higher 4% interest rate for the Capital Repairs/Improvements purpose. Jeanean Slamen seconded the motion; the motion passed with 8 ayes and 0 nays.
Motion: Sharon Halton made a motion to charge teachers an additional $5.00 for each future student registration to recoup additional facility usage costs; the new fee will be in addition to the $15 class facility fee now charged to teachers. The additional fee will be implemented for all classes not listed as of Feb. 7, 2023 on the HGMS website. Maggie Manley seconded the motion; the motion passed with 10 ayes and 0 nays.
Ray Kizer announced the Donation Committee will hold an auction on Saturday, March 2nd , at the clubhouse.
With no other business from the floor, regular order was suspended in accordance with the earlier motion.
The balance of the meeting was devoted to discussion of the 2024 draft budget.
President Wilcox adjourned the meeting at 10:06 pm.
The hybrid General Meeting will be held at the clubhouse on Tuesday, February 27th, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm.
The next Board of Directors Meeting will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, March 5th at 7:30 pm.
HGMS General Meeting Minutes
by Secretary Michelle Wilcox
President LT Wilcox called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm. There were Nineteen attendees present and four attendees online. Special guest: Susan Burch
President Comments
None
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
- Steve Blyskal announced that the 2024 Show flyers were printed and Clyde McMeans distributed copies to all 27 dealers at the Clear Lake show (who will also attend our November show).
- Sigrid Stewart donated a mudlogger’s UV box to the club. Members can use it to view fluorescent mineral specimens. Details will be made available regarding how to access and operate the box.
- Ray Kizer reminded attendees of the auction on Saturday, March 2nd, at 2 pm in the clubhouse. Additionally, Ray said there will be silent auctions at General Meetings going forward.
- Mike Sommers, Scholarship Chair, asked whether the 2024 budget had been finalized yet. President Wilcox replied that a draft budget would be presented for Board approval at the March 5th board meeting.
- Susan Burch, editor of the SCFMS newsletter, presented awards in a variety of categories to HGMS members. Results of the 2023 SCFMS Editors and Authors Contest were based on newsletters and articles published in 2022.
HGMS winners were:
| Place | Category: | Name | Recipient | Year or Month |
| 3rd | Large Bulletins | Backbender’s Gazette | Editor Sigrid Stewart | 2022 |
| 1st | Adult Poetry | “Seeking” | Author Edward Clay | Feb 2022 |
| 6th | Written Features | “Becoming a Rockhound” | Author Sigrid Stewart | Feb 2022 |
| 5th | Original Adult Article | “Deming, New Mexico
Rockhound Roundup” |
Author Burton Dworsky | Apr 2022 |
| 1st | Original Adult Article-Advanced | “Minecraft Teaches Children
About Minerals and Rocks” |
Author Sigrid Stewart | Dec 2022 |
| Additional awards from the parent organization, AFMS, were also presented: | ||||
| Honorable Mention | Large Bulletins | Backbender’s Gazette | Editor Sigrid Stewart | 2022 |
| Honorable Mention | Adult Article-Advanced | Author Sigrid Stewart | 2022 | |
| 3rd Place | Poetry | Author Edward Clay | ||
SECTION NEWS
None
COMMITTEE NEWS
None
- Everyone in attendance warmly wished Neal Immega “Happy Birthday” and many more to come.
- Allison Sklar won the drawing for the door prize, a wire-wrapped Tree of Life with gemstones that were graciously donated by Debbie (last name not given) from the Clear Lake show.
- Sharon Halton gave updated information about the South Texas rockhounding opportunities that Matt Dillon is offering. The first is to attend a PowerPoint presentation at Matt’s home in Beeville on “How to Identify Rocks on Caliche Roads” and then fill a five-gallon bucket from Matt’s rejects (that are likely better than anything you’ll collect on your own). The cost is $40.
- The second opportunity is a half-day hunt to collect agates north of Laredo with Matt as your guide. The cost is $50 if you drive or $100 if Matt drives. Available dates and other details are available from Matt Dillion, Sigrid Stewart, and Steve Blyskel.
SHOW AND TELL
- Steve Blyskal brought a beautiful collection of Kokernot o6 Ranch agates polished by Aaron Thomas who guided many trips there. Steve recommended that those interested in the 2024 availability of field trips to Kokernot o6, South Larremore Ranch, Boxcar, and Needle Peak visit/join the Facebook page for Texas Rockhounds and search for posts by Aaron Thomas. The usual dates are weekends in March, April, May, and the fall months.
- The business meeting adjourned at 8:22 pm, and everyone enjoyed make-it-yourself ice cream sundaes provided by Debbie Seid, our Social Chair.
- After refreshments, Dr. Neal Immega presented “Age is Just a Number” (coinciding neatly with his birthday), a look at the methods physicists use to answer the question “How old is this?” Among many other techniques, Neal highlighted a current example of multiple methods to confirm the surprising age of human footprints preserved at the government missile range in White Sands, New Mexico.
Upcoming Shows
Gulf Coast Gem and Mineral Society Show
03/02/2024 – 03/03/2024
Sat. 10:00 – 6:00pm – Sun. 10:00 – 4:00pm
Richard M Borchard Fairgrounds
1213 Terry Shamsie Blvd, Robstown, TX 78380
Central Texas Gem & Mineral Society Show
03/16/2024 – 03/17/2024
Sat. 10:00 – 6:00pm. Sun. 10:00 – 4:00pm
Taylor County Expo Center
1700 HWY 36, Abilene, TX 79602
Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Central-Texas-Gem-and-Mineral-Society/100082479451581/
Texas Mineral and Fossil Show
04/26/2024 – 04/28/2024
Lone Star Convention Center & Expo,
9055 Airport Rd, Conroe, TX
https://www.rmgmpromotions.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RMGMmineralandfossilshows
Fiesta of Gems
04/06/2024 – 04/07/2024
Morris Center, Joe Freeman Coliseum
475 Frost Center Dr Gate E, San Antonio, TX
Alpine Gem & Mineral Show
04/19/2024 – 04/21/2024
Fri./Sat. 9:00 -6:00pm – Sun. 10:00 – 4:00pm
Alpine Civic Center
801 W Holland Ave, Alpine, TX
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Chihuahuan-Desert-Gem-Mineral-Club-300125913343720/