FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[John Jaszczak]

The winner of the 2012 Charles A.Salotti Earth Science Education award is Dr. Joanne Kluessendorf, director of the Weis Earth Science Museum in Menasha, Wisconsin. Dr. Kluessondorf's involvement with the museum goes back to its very beginning, and played a major role in the musem's planning, development, exhibits, programming, and ultimately to its success and growth. Her colleagues say she is "an inspiration to all who know her." Congratulations to Dr. Kluessendorf.

[John Jaszczak]

Sorry for the long delay in posting new updates on the museum. My teaching load was keeping pretty busy for the past many months. The museum has not stopped its projects, however. Here is a lovely wurtzite the museum was able to acquire with the assistance of friends with sharp eyes who were in Tucson this year.

[John Jaszczak]

The museum has a reasonable collection of antique scientific instruments. One of my favorites is this relatively large two-circle optical goniometer.

[Roger Warin]

Excellent goniometer. It’s a Stoe, from Heidelberg. Early 20th century.
What are saying labels?
Thank you for sharing.
Roger.

[John Jaszczak]

Roger,
One label says "Two Circle Reflecting Goniometer, P. Stoe, Heidelberg, Germany"
and has a number that seems to be (D 152), I'll have to check.

The other label says "These instruments are Goniometers. They were used to measure the angle between crystal faces which were important data in mineral identification."

Back in 1983 we held a several-day workshop at the museum on Goniometry led by Pete Richards. It was great fun. No time to practice since then though.

[John Jaszczak]

This fine hand-size group of elongated copper crystals (probably twinned at the upper left) was donated by Art Moretta, and is on display in the entrance exhibits.

[John Jaszczak]

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan hosts some amazingly fine shigaite crystals. These are from the Cannon mine, Stambaugh, Michigan.

[John Jaszczak]

Here are some interesting amygdules in basalt from the Lake Superior Copper District in
the museum's collection.

[John Jaszczak]

Another very interesting amygdule-

[John Jaszczak]

I just love polymorphs. And carbon.

[John Jaszczak]

New acquisition. See the excellent article by Brad Wilson "New Sperrylites from Canada," Minerals 4 (2012) for more information on the occurrence. It is also illustrated (M. Bainbridge photo) on page 10 at the upper left.

[John Jaszczak]

Here is a whopper of a grossular, variety tsavorite, from Merelani in the museum's collection.

[John Jaszczak]

At their April 2013 meeting, the Copper Country Rock and Mineral Club presented this new custom-built exhibit case to the museum, and dedicated it to George and Susan Robinson (Curator and Honorary Curator). Congratulations to the club for their generous donation of the the exhibit case, and to George and Susan for the honor. The case is filled with wonderful minerals from the iron mines of the Lake Superior region.

[Jordi Fabre]

[John Jaszczak]

By the newly dedicated exhibit, from left to right: Susan Robinson (Honorary Curator), George Robinson (Curator and Professor), Norm Gruber (President, Copper Country Rock and Mineral Club), Ted Bornhorst (Director and Professor). Photo by John Jaszczak (Adjunct Curator and Professor)