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Show Rockhowids Outline Basics of Program "Knowing, finding, Identifying, camping, walking and being with friends" are some of the best parts of being a rockhound said Fran Young, Bulletin and Exchange editor and member of the board of directors of the local Color Country Gem and Mineral Society. "A lot of people think that rockhouitding is a dusty, tiring and insect-bitten way to pass a quiet afternoon", said Young "but in reality, it's camping, hiking, fellowshipping with friends, a time of discovery of flora and fauna and best of all, beautiful stones." The stones aren't necessarily beautiful when you find them, she said, and that is part of the joy of discovery, because the next step is to bring out their hidden natural beauty with lapidary skills. Young and her husband, Clay, were slicing a large 12-inch diameter rock that exposed an inner . portion which was slightly opaque, but held curtains of water. "The trick" said Clay Young, "is to find a part where, after the sawing is done, a. slice of rock remains where the water can be seen suspended in the slice as the light comes through." Dugway, Utah is the site of another geological wonder, the Dugway Geode. This interesting rock is roughly the shape and color of a round potato with irregular ridges crisscrossing it. The geodes are believed to have been formed during volcanic eruption. During a long geologic process water entered the fine cracks and by a leeching process, left the geode hollow, with beautiful hexagonal crystals in the interior. Another favorite find of rockhounds that is interesting, beautiful and valuable is an opal. They can be located in nearby Idaho and Nevada as well as in other parts of the world. Opals are legendary in their popularity. Mark Anthony used an opal to woo Cleopatra and the Roman senator Nonius chose to go into exile rather than part with a hazel-nut sized opal. Kockhounders have been called many things, laughed at many times, but who can deny their good health, happy ways and the sheer beauty of their finished finds. Members of the Color Country Gem and Mineral Society held their October meeting on Tuesday evening Oct. 9 at the Panguitch City Room where they viewed a special slide program "Meteorites," prepared by club vice-president George Proctor. Members of the local color country group are seeking new members to share in their fun. interested in-terested people shpuld contact club president Henry Bolton at 826-4346 in Escalante or Fran Young at 676-2436 in Panguitch. |