Gem & Lapidary Council of New South Wales Inc

Tuesday is learning day! B is for beautiful BERYL 💎

Beryl (/ˈbɛrəl/ BERR-əl) is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2Si6O18.[6] Well-known varieties of beryl include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals of beryl can be up to several meters in size, but terminated crystals are relatively rare. Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, pink, and red (the rarest). It is an ore source of beryllium.[7]

Your local lapidary club has fantastic volunteers to teach you all the lapidary skills needs to become an expert! Thank you to all our teachers and volunteers. Without you our clubs would not exist ❤️

Beautiful ❤️

Not many articles finished this Wednesday but Ramesh had this gorgeous rhodonite pendant ready for the camera and the colour is perfect!

Just finished tumbling some potch from Lightning Ridge. I might do a skin polish 🤔 thoughts or suggestions? Also, this was leftovers being thrown out!!!

Beautiful ❤️👍🏼

Tuesday is learning day. We will go through the alphabet over and over !! Today is A!

The Gemstone Alexandrite

Alexandrite is the highly regarded color changing variety of Chrysoberyl. The color of Alexandrite changes under different lighting conditions. If viewed in daylight, its color is greenish blue to dark yellow-green. If viewed in incandescent or candle light, its color is pink to red. Alexandrite is a very rare and highly valuable gemstone, and until recently was extremely difficult to obtain due to its rarity. However, new sources in Brazil and Tanzania have made this gemstone available and more mainstream on the gemstone market.

Join the GSA NSW family in-person or via Zoom for our AGM this Thurs (8 Aug), and to hear from the amazing Dr Matt McCurry and the Australian Museum paleontology team.

McGraths Flat: A window into the Miocene of Australia
Dr Matthew McCurry (Australian Museum)

Time and Location
AGM from 6 pm, and talk from 6:20 pm (Sydney time)
Thursday 8 August (join us for dinner after the talk!)
Level 2, Club York, 99 York Street, Sydney (and via Zoom)
In-person registration: Not Required
Zoom registration: https://uni-sydney.zoom.us/j/81368902640

Abstract
The recent discovery of McGraths Flat, an exceptionally well-preserved fossil deposit from New South Wales, has provided new insight into the palaeoecology of Miocene mesic ecosystems and the taphonomy of iron-rich fossil deposits. This talk will provide an overview and update of the discoveries being made at McGraths Flat. This Konservat-Lagerstätte hosts a rich diversity of microfossils, plants, fungi, insects, spiders, and vertebrate remains. The age of the deposit (16–11 Ma) has been determined using SEM imaging of microfossils on the surface of the goethite-rich sediments. We also used a combination of automated electron microscopy imaging and citizen science for the analysis of microfossils. The replacement with goethite has resulted in exceptional preservation of internal soft tissues and structures. Representative examples of fossils from the deposit (including a mygalomorph spider, a retropinnid fish and a bee) will be used to showcase the value of exceptionally preserved fossils for our understanding of the recent past.

Bio
Dr Matthew McCurry is a palaeontologist and functional morphologist. His work focuses on understanding the behaviour, ecology and evolution of extinct species using the fossil record.

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It’s Monday meme time !! Have a great week - rock on !

If you are travelling in the Western Downs of Queensland, you must take a look at the amazing display of lapidary at the Miles Historical Village Museum
Awesome displays of petrified wood (no liquid glass here) geodes, thunder eggs and many other minerals and tools. Truly inspiring ❤️

Good morning! It’s Monday meme time. But seriously, we are still at Lightning Ridge and it’s given me some time to think about my dream home. Here it is , what do you think?

Great to see club members following their passions with skills learnt at a club 👍🏼

New hat goals !! Lightning Ridge Opal Festival

It’s Monday Meme time !! Who can relate 😂🤣

Good opportunity to get out of the wind ! and spend LOTS of money 🤣

Who are you calling an old fossil???? Me I hope! 2024 State Gem and Mineral show trader update....... 🦖🦕🐚

We are very fortunate to have Chris Ah Yee and Janice Krause attending.
Many of you know Chris and Janice, but if you don’t please don’t miss the opportunity to talk to them. Their knowledge of fossils is unsurpassed in gem show circles and speaking with Chris and Janice is a real treat. And, of course they will have a stunning range of fossils for sale with that all important provenance.
Their range is supported by a large quantity of Australian fossils, overseas fossils and occasionally some mining related relics.
💎 Free level parking
💎 ATM on site
💎 pram and wheelchair friendly venue
💎 Address- Hawkesbury Showgrounds, 40 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon (halfway between Richmond and Windsor)
💎 Adults $10, children under 16 FREE
✨ Crystals
✨ Gems
✨ Specimens
✨ Fossils
✨ Tools
✨ Jewellery
✨ Rough
✨ Findings
✨ Clubs
✨ Dealers
✨ Tailgaters
✨ Food and drinks available
And much, much more!

Yoo Yoo Yooperlites!! Lots of fun discovering some of my specimens look awesome under a UV light! I was getting my gear ready for our Club Lightning Ridge trip and discovered these by accident!! Club members, give us a shout out if you are going to the Festival!