Tuesday 12th August 2003
Meeting of the Essex Rock & Mineral Society.
Members Evening.
August, being the month that clashes with the peak of the holiday season and many of us away, we take the opportunity to break from the norm of a formal lecture/talk. It is a time when members are encouraged to bring in their finds and pictures from recent field trips, and an opportunity to discuss our activities in a more relaxed way.
A sample of "dog tooth" calcite from Colemans Quarry collected by Chris Swan. The line of black mineralization (not the central voids but just above) has a metallic lustre most like sphalerite. Results of a test by Stuart Adams showed this to be correct. (See report on trip).
Another
piece of Calcite from the same quarry but this time showing the classic
cleaved skewed rhombohedron shape (almost) of this mineral. (approx. size
40mm x 20mm)
(As a general point of interest, it is easy when you pick up a typical sample, as with the dog tooth above, to think all the other white mineralization is also Calcite. As there is a long list of possible minerals from this quarry it is worth looking a little more closely into the cavities to see what else there may be?)
Fossil fish (Permian) : Palaeoniscus found by David Turner on this year's trip to Thrislington. The specimen is about 200mm from head to tail!
Another
of David's specimens, same species of fish but small. About 80 to 100mm
in length and found on the same trip.
David also brought in a number of photographs taken on this trip and a collection from the trip to Gilwern. Hopefully, if the field trip reports are submitted, a picture or two will be included in any future "website report".
A
boulder that Bob Williams brought in for us to have a play with and try
to guess it's origins.
No fooling our experts though! But quite a few blank faces and puzzled expressions noticed as people fondled this fist sized chunk!
NWA869 — Look up the details for yourself!
Jeff Saward brought in a collection of fossil finds and flint tools found along the Essex coast and every time I tried to get near to take a snap or two it seemed a shame to stop him talking to the members. So no pictures, sorry!
There were other photographs on show of the field trips this year, these included: Beltinge, Cassington and Ardley, plus the Shropshire weekend.
There were a few visitors (new faces) this month, presumably checking us out for something to do in the holiday period, hope they enjoyed the evening, I did!
Text and Photographs © Roger Coleman, September 2003