DMC field trip for July 2007

WHERE: The Columbia Mines of Marion, Kentucky but meet at the Clement Mineral Museum
WHEN: Saturday, July 14, 2007
TIME: Day dig 9:00 A.M. CDT and night digs 8:15 P.M. CDT

COLLECTING: Fluorite, smithsonite, sphalerite, cerussite, galena, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, quartz, & pyromorphite. Calcite is by far the most common mineral found, and all other minerals require some digging in the dump to locate.

FEE: The day time digs will cost $20 and is limited to 30 persons. The night time digs will be $30 and is limited to 20 persons. The fee entitles you to one five gallon bucket of specimens additional buckets may be purchased. Admission to the Ben Clement Fluorite Museum is $5. You will be required to sign a waiver for this hunt. You may download the reservation, waiver and information at the following link. http://www.marionkentucky.us/clementmineralmuseum/index.htm

All reservations for the digs will be handled though the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum at www.MarionKentucky.us. Or call 270-965-9257, or write Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum, 205 North Walker Street, Marion, Kentucky 42064. Information on campgrounds, lodging, and bed and breakfasts can also be obtained from Clement Mineral Museum.

While the primary purpose of this trip is to accommodate SFMS members, the secondary purpose is to help the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum fund its efforts in maintaining a world class fluorite collection and making it available to the public.

WHAT TO BRING: Other than standard collecting equipment, bring plenty of water, snacks, camera, and you will need a portable ultraviolet light. Daytime collectors will need a way to check fluorescence too! Black light boxes or whatever suits you. Night time collectors will need a standard flashlight to travel to and from their cars. The time of the month was chosen because it is the dark of the moon! Short wave and broad spectrum ultraviolet lights are best. Most collectors will share their lights, but do not count on it, after all someone will need to bring a light.

MINE HISTORY: The mines where the dig is to be conducted are located on the Commodore fault system and date back to 1901. Mine shafts on the property have produced fluorite, smithsonite and sphalerite. Other minerals that have been found in the mine dumps include; cerussite, galena, hemimorphite, hydrozincite, quartz, & pyromorphite. Calcite is by far the most common mineral found, and all other minerals require some digging in the dump to locate.

The most common fluorescent mineral is calcite which glows a soft to bright pearly white. There are other colors other than white, but they are fewer in number. Of particular note are specimens of sandstone which glow a coral pink to a bright red in either short wave or broad spectrum ultraviolet light. There are also specimens which glow various shades of pale yellow and bright blue. Please note: that included in the spoil are fragments of mortar and concrete which will also fluoresce. The concrete and mortar was made from rock from the mine.

"Field trips are open to all members of associated clubs of the DMC program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee and to all members of SFMS member clubs who have provided their membership with SFMS liability insurance. Because of insurance requirements, members of the GENERAL PUBLIC are NOT invited on this or any DMC program field trips!"

DMC Program / SFMS Field Trip committee's purpose:
To collect field trip information from it's member societies; schedule and coordinate field trip dates; disseminate field trip information to all member clubs so that each member society may publish this information as one of their "official" scheduled field trips.