Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club

Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club
Affiliated to the Federation of Southern African Gem and
Mineralogical Societies
March 2005
PRETORIA ROCKHOUND DIGEST
The Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club
Clubhouse: 29, 26 th Street
PO Box 36888, Menlo Park, 0102 Menlo Park, Pretoria. Tel (012) 460 1494
Pretoria EVERY SATURDAY: 10:00 – 17:00
South Africa
e-mail: pgmc@fosagams.co.za
Chairman: Douw Steyn 083 260 7416 Vice-Chairman Dieter Heinichen (012) 991 5839
douw@flintsteyns.co.za Secretary: Di de Villiers 082 562 8983
dide@inmins.co.za
Treasurer: Cor Hutten 072 206 4242 Editor: Esté Steyn 082 821 2018
___________________________________________________________________________
HEADLINES: Rob Smith’s OPEN DAY! Be there!!
GEMBOREE 2005 Port Shepstone!
*** Monthly SWOP, SELL & SOCIAL 5 March
*** Outing to Rob Smith 6 March
*** MONTHLY MEETING: NOTE: Moved to 2 APRIL!!
REGULAR MEETINGS:
Swop, Sell and Social at the Clubhouse - every first Saturday of the month
Workshop Maintenance Night
- every 2nd Wednesday of the month
Monthly Mineral meeting
- every third Tuesday of the month
Silversmithing meeting - every Thursday from 19:00 – 21:00
Cabochon class
- every second Saturday of the month
Monthly meeting
- every last Monday of the month
The Workshop at the Clubhouse is open every Saturday of the month from 10am – 5pm.
Please NO SMOKING in the Clubhouse!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
We wish to welcome the following new members who joined in the last months: Bernice Michalec, Paul Michalec,
Ben Kruger, Samantha Serfontein, Karin Serfontein and Laura Fotheringham.
Also, the following new members were welcomed in the email Newsletter last month, but accidently dropped off the
first page of the snailmail print, so we say again to Sian Eliot, Trudi De Beer, Stephan De Beer, Theo Peters, David
Cowin & Lynette Cowin …
May your association with the Club be enjoyable, long and productive.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
March 2005:
Date Event Time Contact detail
5 SWOP, SELL & SOCIAL at the Clubhouse
14:00 – LATE!
Douw Steyn 0832607416
6 Outing to Rob Smith 10:00 Horst Windisch 012 4607562
8 Social / Educational OUTING - Visit to Diamond Cutting works Horst Windisch 012 4607562
9 Workshop Maintenance Evening
19:00 Clubhouse: Lex 0834496812
12 Cabochon class – contact Rex Alp to book your class
11:00 – 14:00
Rex Alp (012) 545 9010
15 Monthly Mineral Meeting at Clubhouse 19:00 Horst Windisch 012 4607562
19 Silversmithing class - contact Lex Krabbendam to book your class
10:00 – 17:00
Lex 0834496812
20 Geologogical OUTING – Overview of PRETORIA – Part 1 Markus van der Neut
012 - 998 8090 after hours
22 Committee meeting at Clubhouse 18:30 Clubhouse
25-28 GEMBOREE – PORT SHEPSTONE
28 Monthly meeting at Clubhouse MOVED TO Saturday, 2 April, 13:30 MOVED!!! Clubhouse
* Silversmithing: every Thursday from 19:00 – 21:00 19:00 – 21:00 Clubhouse: Lex 0834496812
*
Faceting classes by appointment only – contact Phillip Alp to book
your class
Any Saturday
Phillip Alp (h) 014 574 3488 or
(w) 014 571 2159
April 2005:
Date Event Time Contact detail
2 Monthly MEETING (for March) and
12:30
Douw Steyn 0832607416
SWOP, SELL & SOCIAL at the Clubhouse
14:00 – LATE!
9 Silversmithing class – contact Lex Krabbendam to book your class
10:00 – 17:00
Lex 0834496812
9 Cabochon class – contact Rex Alp to book your class
11:00 – 14:00 Rex Alp (012) 545 9010
13 Workshop Maintenance Evening
19:00 Clubhouse: Lex 0834496812
16 - 17 OUTING to Bloemhof Douw Steyn 0832607416
19 Committee meeting at Clubhouse 18:30 Clubhouse
20 Monthly Mineral Meeting at Clubhouse MOVED TO Wednesday, not Tue 19:00 Horst Windisch 012 4607562
25 Monthly meeting at Clubhouse 19:30 Clubhouse
* Silversmithing: every Thursday from 19:00 – 21:00 19:00 – 21:00 Clubhouse: Lex 0834496812
*
Faceting classes by appointment only – contact Phillip Alp to book
your class
Any Saturday
Phillip Alp (h) 014 574 3488 or
(w) 014 571 2159
INFO FROM THE COMMITTEE:
1. Membership Fees 2005
Membership fees for 2005 are now due:
Membership Type: 2005
Town member
Principle member
Additional member
Joining fees
Country member, pensioner, student
Principle member
Additional member
Joining fees
2. Membership Database Update
200
30
20
180
30
20
We want to thank each and every person who
responded to the update form sent with the January
Newsletter – we sincerely appreciate the positive
response. We trust that our database is now updated
again with everybody’s latest information.
2.1 Emails
We also want to thank al those who positively responded
to our plea to receive your newsletter, The Rockhound
Digest, via email. This entails a saving of close to
R1500 per annum and in a non-profit organisation such
as our Club, it’s a lot of money and can be put to good
use elsewhere.
2.2 Membership Cards
We are very glad to announce that we’re in position now
to issue Membership Cards again and every person that
has paid their membership fees for 2005, should receive
theirs with this Newsletter.
ewsletter.
Membership: 2005
2.3 Membership Kits
Pretoria Gem & Mineral Club
(Established : 1957)
Affiliated to F.O.S.A.G.A.M.S.
NAME
Member since: 1905 Member Number: 777
We are also up to date with Membership kits again and
all members who’ve joined lately should’ve either
received their kit when they joined or with this
Newsletter.
.

2.4 Clubhouse / Workshop ID Cards
Membership Identification at the Clubhouse, via
Membership cards / -numbers in future, was discussed
at length at our AGM and a suggestion came from the
floor that it should become standard practice to use your
membership number for ID.
Pretoria Gem & Mineral Club
CLUB MEMBERSHIP CARD
Member Number: 007
«Name» «Surname»
This card is the property of the Pretoria Gem and Mineral Club and may not be removed from the
Clubhouse. If found please return to PGMC, PO Box 36888, Menlo Park, 0102
With our growing Club membership it has become
impossible for everybody to know everybody and
especially newer members will appreciate that we have
some form of identification (a nametag) that we can wear
when visiting the Clubhouse – this will help with
financials at Duty Desk as well. We are going to give
this a good try in the next few months and we ask for
everybody’s cooperation.
We plan to implement this in the next few weeks in the
following manner:
• A nametag / card (similar to your Membership
Card) will be printed for each member that has
paid for 2005 and will be kept at the Clubhouse.
• The member on duty will use your (cleary
visible) membership number when you register
for workshop or take out books from the library,
etc.
• PLEASE don’t take this card home with you –
an area will be provided at the duty desk for
these ID cards to be kept and you can pick
yours up when you come in in the morning and
leave it again at the duty desk when you leave.
Don’t fear, you will not be turned away if you have not
paid for 2005 and there is no card for you at the Duty
Desk yet … this is a project in it’s infant shoes and we’ll
handle it accordingly.
3. Duty Desk – Dieter Heinichen
The new duty roster has been compiled and distributed
by e-mail to those having an electronic address and
others that happened to be present at the Club last
Saturday. The remainder of helpers will get their rosters
with this mailing of the Rockhound Digest.
We still have a fair number of vacancies on the
administrative side of the helpers and once again plead
that willing helpers come forward. With the new printed
guidelines for the tasks to be attended to it really is not a
difficult job. So, please give Linda or Dieter a call.
4. Personals
We are sad to announce that another rockhound and
friend, Arrie Breur, passed away in November. Our
deepest sympathy also goes to his wife Henna and
family.
We also want to let Neville Farren, who’s undergone a
back operation recently, know that he’s in our thoughts
and we hope to see him up and about at the Club soon.
CLUB ACTIVITIES & Other:
1. SWOP, SELL & SOCIAL, March 5
After a very successful kick off in February, we hope to go from
strength to strength with these events in 2005. We’ve received
another donation towards the building fund – thank you to Rey
van Staden – which will be on sale next Saturday. We know
you’re saving your money for Rob Smiths OPEN DAY on Sunday,
but come and enjoy the afternoon with us nevertheless.
Spread the news – our dealers are going through a lot of effort
to be there every month and we want to support them as best
we can – tell your friends. There will be the usual opportunity to
buy/swop some specimens to enhance your collections or just
come and have a social with us – bring your meat and drinks and
join the guys around the braai fires.
SEE YOU!!
2. Monthly Outing to ROB SMITH’s – March 6
Come and join us at this annual event at Rob Smith’s home
(African Gems and Minerals) at 14 Ostend Street, Klippoortjie,
Germiston. (A convoy, for those who do not know the way, will
be leaving the Clubhouse at 08:45 on that morning.) NO
SELLING/SWAPPING to take place before 10:00. A live auction
(in aid of funds for the “South African Lapidary Magazine” will be
held at 11:30, so please bring along your donations for
this event.
Rob and his staff normally supply boerewors rolls and cold
drinks at lunchtime. Come and meet your fellow
rockhound members from both our and the Wits Club.
Don’t forget to bring along cash or your cheque book your
obtain some REAL BARGAINS. Organisers: Rob Smith and
Horst Windisch (012) 460 7562.
3. Social / Educational OUTING - Visit to
Diamond Cutting works – March 8
This will be the first outing of this sub-section. A diamond
cutting works in the center of Johannesburg will be
visited, where the visit starts at 10:00. This visit has been
made possible through Basil Watermeyer (the inventor of
the Barion Cut). Please contact Horst Windisch on 012-
4607562 to obtain instructions of how to get to the
diamond cutting works.
4. Workshop & Machinery, March 9
Please remember our Workshop maintenance evening on
the 2 nd Wednesday of the month. All the “handy men”
please come and pool your expertise & resources and
“fix” and “build” that which needs attention in the
Clubhouse & Workshop.

We start at 19:00 and anyone interested must please contact
John Bruigom on 083 675 3605 or Lex Krabbendam on 083 449
6812.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! This is an urgent appeal for
cleaning rags to be used in the Workshop. Anything you
have lying around the house that can suck up oil – please
make a donation to the Club.
5. Mineral Section news – Horst Windisch
Most of you would’ve noticed the beautiful Mineral Showcase in
the Clubhouse – our thanks go to Wolf Windisch for the
manufacture and installation of this showcase. This has now
filled a gap in the Clubhouse scenario. There are already a few
donated specimens in the showcase. Labels will soon be printed,
also indicating the name of the donor. We are also in the
process of obtaining some more donations
A Reminder again: It was decided to hold the mineral meetings
on the THIRD TUESDAY of the month (NOT the 3rd
Wednesday as was reported earlier), EXCEPT for those four
months where this would clash with the Main Committee meeting
of the Club. These months are APRIL, June, July, September and
October. Members will in any case be notified per Newsletter
every month on which dates these meetings will be held.
This month’s topic (March 15) will be a slide presentation on
volcanoes by Graham Reeks
6. Silversmithing Project – Beginners’ & Advanced
Course – March 19, 10am – 5pm
Instructor:
Who:
Project:
Tobias Beyers
Beginners or Advanced participants
welcome.
We’ll make a pendant where we will
first pierce (saw out) a pattern, and
then dome the whole piece, to create
a threedimensional effect (See
sketches in Clubhouse)
Cost: R25 pp. This fee includes workshop fees,
tea/coffee, instruction and a saw blade. Does not
include materials, which will be on sale at the
Clubhouse.
Notes: The project can be done in the following
materials: sterling-silver, copper, brass or nickel (old
cans). (Nickel is very tough material to work with)
Silver will be on sale at the Clubhouse during the
course. You will need a piece of plate-silver of
thickness ±1mm, round in shape (Ø 20-30mm). You
will need a piercing-saw (jewellers saw) and some
fine saw-blades (3/0). If you have a small drill-bit
and hand drill, bring it along.
Registration: Book with Lex Krabbendam
on 083 449 6812.
7. Geologogical OUTING March 20 – Overview
of PRETORIA – Part 1, - by Markus van der
Neut
The idea of this outing would be to give the participants
an overview of the geology of Pretoria and surroundings.
As far as possible representative sites of the different
formations will be visited as well as stops providing a
geographical overview. This will mean a lot of driving and
stopping at different sites, with little walking. Sites to be
visited will depend on what exposures are still available
(development of houses etc) as well as the location, ie if
the site is safe from a traffic point of view.
Overview of Pretoria – part 1
It will be good to start at the base of the succession and
then move up. I will try and have bulleted notes available
for each participant to act as guide. Depending on the
development, the area near “Die Munt”, just outside of
Centurion, would be a good start to show the Black Reef
Formation. From there I would like to show a few of the
dolomite formations in and around Centurion (availability
of sites yet to be finalised). I would like to end the
morning at Johan Rissik Drive (just below Fort
Klapperkop). The viewpoints along this drive provide a
good overview of the formations to be visited during the
second part.
The meeting time wil be 09:30 at the turnoff to Botha Ave
on the N1, coming from the Clubhouse (north).
If you are interested in going along, please phone Markus
van der Neut 012 - 998 8090 after hours
8. March Monthly meeting, MOVE to April 2
PLEASE NOTE: A decision was taken by the members
present at the February meeting, that, due to most of
them going to Gemboree 2005 in Port Shepstone, the
MARCH meeting (March 28) will move to the following
Saturday (April 2) just before the Swop & Sell.
There will be no normal “Main Programme”, but instead
the “News and Actuality” of the Club will be discussed
after the normal reading of the minutes and discussion of
matters arising from the minutes.
Here’s a chance for all those who never come to Monday
evening meetings because of late night driving .. no
excuse this time … it’s midday and just before our
monthly FUN event!
9. Silversmithing Project – Beginners’ /
Advanced Course – April 9, 10am – 5pm
Instructor:
Who:
Bernard Strydom
Beginners as well as advanced
members who are interested in
this particular course.
Continue …
Page 4 of 8

Project:
Set a cabochon-stone in a simple
setting; make a pendant with a clip-on
loop. See drawings in the Clubhouse
on the Silversmithing pin-board.
Cost: R25 pp. This fee includes workshop fees,
tea/coffee, instruction. Does not include materials
(silver / stones) for the course.
Notes: Plan well ahead and cut your own stone
before this course! You can also buy one, but the
idea of being a PGMC member is to make full use of
the opportunities and the whole workshop. Wouldn’t
it be nice to have a pendant, made by yourselves,
with a stone which you set yourselves and even
better if you picked it up yourselves on a PGMC
outing!!
Registration: Book with Lex Krabbendam
on 083 449 6812.
10. Cabochon news – Linda Stone
The competition dates and requirements for the next
twelve months are as follows:-
June 18th 2005 - sodalite, three standard form cabochons
October 15th 2005 - any green stone, three free form
cabochons, e.g. malachite, buddstone, jade, green moss
agate, verdite, graphic granite, ocean jasper.
March 18th 2006 - jasper , three standard form
cabochons
The standard form will be judged as prescribed by the
FOSAGAMS National rules (see January Newsletter).
11. More Lapidary News - Geelong 2005!!
(Repeat) To all of you who entered and made us proud
in 2004, here’s a message from Fay Pierides: Start
preparing for Geelong 2005 (August 2005). Let’s start
now already to prepare cabochons for this competition
and make our Clubs’ entries in 2005 THE BEST EVER!!!
CLUB REPORTS:
1. Helper’s Function
On a balmy Friday evening, early in February, about 30
helpers and partners enjoyed this year's helper's function in
the Club's garden. This time we had a finger supper with a
varity of liquid refreshments; the Club's THANK YOU to all
our helpers. Unfortunately quite a number of helpers could
not make it that evening.
2. SWOP, SELL & SOCIAL, February 5
We want to thank everybody who attended our first Swop,
Sell and Social for 2005 – it was a great success and we
made R1600 towards our Building Fund.
We had a wonderful Silent Auction and with so much fun,
we will surely do it again at one of the S,S&S sessions this
year.
We want to thank the dealers present for the donations
they gave towards our Auction in aid of the Building fund:
Rom Koppert, Henk Viljoen, Dave Finch & Isabel Nirina and
Roarke Lessing. We appreciate you being at our S,S & S’s
and we thank you for your donations.
More donations received will be up for sale at the next S&S
… see Club Events on page 3.
3. Workshop & Machinery, February 9
Thank you to Lex Krabbendam, Erich Mayerl and Don
Souter and his son for being at the first Maintenance
evening for 2005.
4. Silversmithing Project – Beginners’ Course –
12 February – feedback Esté Steyn
9 People attended this course. Tobias shared his expertise
with us and teached us how to make a ring with a
cabochon-stone in a simple seting. It is SUCH a wonderful
feeling to make something like this yourselves and the
whole silversmithing section was a buzz of excitement
as all the beginners worked and learned.
Thank you very much, Tobias and Lex, for organizing
the courses for us and for taking the time to help us
learn the skill. You definitely enrich our lives.
5. FEBRUARY MINERAL MEETING - Horst
Windisch
Thirteen members attended this meeting where the
subject under discussion was “blue minerals”. Wiebke
gave an introduction of what causes the “blue” in blue
minerals, after which quite a number of interesting
minerals were put on display. Aquamarine, azurite,
blue lace agate, blue chalcedony, brucite, celestite,
dumortierite and sapphire were some of the specimens
brought along.
At the end of this session, Rey van Staden gave us a
short report on his recent visit to the Tucson Show,
which he attended.
6. LAPIDARY NEWS (by Linda Stone)
Cabochon Competition, February 19
Natalie Calaghan is thanked for her entry. She entered
two rose quartz cabochons.
It was decided by the committee that in future judging
will not take place in February but in March. The
reason for this step being that February is too early in
the year and therefore longer preparation time is being
allowed.
Hannie Kohlmeyer, Helmut Schoenberger and Horst
Windisch are thanked for assisting with the judging.
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7. Outing to WITFONTEIN, February 20
Despite the inclement rainy weather on 21st February, all
members who had intimated that they would be coming
(plus some others) attended this outing to collect some
“dolomitised serpentine” at Witfontein. 13 cars (19 adults
and five children) took part. Through the sterling efforts of
Dave, Keith, Klaus, Martin and Theo, “”mincemeat” was
made of the large boulders in no time, by them lustily
swinging the 14 lb hammers; “smaller” rocks were made
from “bigger” rocks and after an hour, most members
departed, satisfied with what they had managed to collect.
(The majority of the members attending were from our
Club).
8. Silversmithing Project – Beginners’ Course – 26
February – feedback by Tish Pettit and Rienie
Venter.
9 People attended this course. Bernard was super as
always – his students can’t stop mentioning his patients,
helpfulness and maticulous way of teaching. His
perfectionism also definitely rubs off on his students …
just when we think our projects is “good enough” he
encourages us to do better. We made two beautiful
domed rings. It was like Christmas afterwards …
everybody was SO excited about the rings in the end.
All and all it was a very enjoyable day. Lex also
assisted us in the afternoon. Thank you to Bernard
and Lex for investing their time in us.
9. Monthly meeting held on February 28 –
PEARLS
The main programme for the evening was a talk on
PEARLS (natural, artifical, cultured, etc), by an expert
who wrote a book on this subject - Marge Dawson. –
the difference between artificial and genuine pearls.
We want to thank Fay Pierides who arranged this very
interesting talk for us.
FOSAGAMS NEWS:
1. Gemboree 2005, Port Shepstone
If you have not yet registered for the Gemboree, time is
running out! The cut-off date for Registration was 31
January, but late registrations will be accepted
The forms can be obtained from Douw or Esté Steyn (012)
345 3939 or email pgmc@fosagams.co.za.
There are still some caravan- /campsites available, but huts
and parkhome-accommodation is getting scarce. A list of
B&B’s and Guest Lodges in the area, is also available.
A very full programme for the weekend shows that this is
going to be a very interesting Gemboree and we urge you to
make an all-out effort to be there.
2. Lapidary Magazine, Vol Vol. 37 No. 1
This issue has just come off the press and contains a few
articles which should be a “must-read” for every member.
There are two articles on the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve
(with some excellent photos) where there is an annual outing
to collect the “herring-bone” fluorite. In view of the fact that
this outing is always limited to 15 persons (because it is a
game reserve which boasts a few of the “Big Five”), it is
suggested that for this year’s outing (scheduled for
August 21) a chance should be given to those members who
have not been there before.
Another article entitled “F.O.S.A.G.A.M.S.” gives an insight
into the objectives and achievements of our Federation.
(A few members will be receiving their copy late, as we have
run out of copies at the moment, but the problem is in the
process of being resolved)
3. WITS Gem and Mineral Club - Change of
Chairmanship
Allan Fraser, after four years at the helm of the Wits
Club, had decided to step down from the position of
Chairman at the Wits AGM, which was held in February.
We wish to congratulate Linda Ristow, who volunteered
to take on this post, after a long discussion took place in
order to find a member willing to take on this onerous
task. We wish Linda everything of the best in her term of
office and assure her of our help and support as far as
possible.
From the press – Dieter Heinichen
The heading “Nujoma (75) set to rock the campus as
a geology student” (Pretoria News, 17 Feb. 2005)
caught the attention of many a rockhound, including
me. Sourced by the Independent Foreign service, the
news is that the Namibian President, after retiring next
month, “has enrolled with the faculty of science at the
University of Namibia (Unam) where he intends to
study geology.” He believes “that the mountains of his
vast and arid country were laden with mineral wealth
which had yet to be tapped.” The paper further notes
that: “by studying geology at the age of 75, it might be
a little too late for Nujoma to assist the country’s
mineral exploration efforts – by the time he eventually
graduates he will be 80.” Who knows, if he remains fit
and healthy he may succeed and even join a club and
turn into a rockhound to get that hands-on experience.
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Page 7 of 8

A new book by Prof. Bruce Cairncross …
The latest publication by Bruce Cairncross is a book entitled "Field Guide to ROCKS & MINERALS of Southern
Africa." This is the first definitive field guide to document the common, rare and unusual rocks and minerals of
South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and southern Mozambique. The format will be
210 x 148 mm, 288 pages with more than 500 colour photographs. Publication date will be November 2004 for
the Standard edition (R179,95). A special edition (with the recipient's name hand-lettered on a special page, cost
R495,00) and a Collector's edtion (limited to 26 copies, fully bound in the finest goatskin, cost R1 750,00) should
be ready in January 2005.
Orders can be placed with Lucille Bester, Struik Publishing, P.O. Box 1144, Cape Town, 8000.(Tel 021-462 4360,
fax 021 462 4379 or e-mail lucilleb@struik.co.za
Should you wish to contribute, contact: The Editor:
Rockhound Digest, PO Box 36888, Menlo Park, 0102 or
e-mail: pgmc@fosagams.co.za
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