ÿþ<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 97"> <meta name="GENERATOR" content="Mozilla/4.7 [en] (Win98; I) [Netscape]"> <title>THE SPHERICAL WORLD</title> </head> <body text="#FFFF00" link="#000FFF" vlink="#FF0000" background="blckmrbl.jpg" <B> <center><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+4>THE SPHERICAL WORLD</font></font> <br><font color="#FFFF00">A Publication of ATMOSPHERE</font> <br><font color="#FFFF00">THE SOCIETY FOR THE APPRECIATION OF MINERAL SPHERES</font></center> <br>&nbsp; <dir><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+3><u>COLLECTORS FIND NICHES A GREAT WAY TO BUILD A WORLD CLASS SPHERE COLLECTIO</u>N</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>One collects only 3/4-inch marbles. Another has collected one sphere from virtually every state in the union. A third selects only 22- millimeter spheres.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>What do they have in common?</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>They are niche sphere collectors, individuals who have built unique collections around a single theme.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Fred Berger of Great Bend KS, has just completed his collection. His last additions&nbsp; have been from Connect-icut (blue beryl), Delaware (blue granite) and West Virginia (red hematite and a red coral known as lith-ostrotienella). Says Fred, "The hardest to find have been the Northeast, Florida and Hawaii. His collection includes Bowenite (Rhode Island), Wallsonite, as well as Quartz/Epidote (New York) and Swanee River Agate (Florida).</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Richard Gaines of Earlysville VA began his collection when he purchased a Madagascan Solitare game, and then slowly began replacing the pieces with rarer 22-millimeter spheres. "I only want semi-precious spheres with a hardness over 6 on the Mohs scale," says Gaines. Among his 40 spheres are almandine, heliodor, iolite, liddicoatite, uvite, morganite, indicolite, goshenite, schorl, peridot, peristerite and fire opal.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>David Tucker of Bowling Green KY even prefers smaller spheres--marbles to be exact! "As a youngster I played&nbsp; marbles, Aggrevation and Chinese checkers with marbles. Then some people in the region started making flint shooters for marble games. The shooter is always 3/4-inch. I got one and that started my collection. I prefer gemstone over glass marbles." Tuckers' collection includes star ruby, star sapphire, emerald, white and black opal and the pumice marbles that he hand carves and trades to others.</font></font></b> <p><b><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>SPHERE S TO YOU EXPANDS WEBSITE,</font></font></font></b> <br><b><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>PARTICIPATES IN COSTA MESA SHOW</font></font></font></b> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>More than 1,000 spheres are now available from Sphere s To You and at least half are featured with full color photos on our World Wide Website. You can see our merchandise in living color at www. spherestoyou.com. We now offer new pages devoted to fluorescents, jaspers, agates, petrified woods, opals, meteorites and many others. We've also reduced prices on septarians, lapis, and labradorite!</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Come see us in Costa Mesa on May 15-17 at the Holiday Inn, 3131 Bristol St. for the West Coast Gem &amp; Mineral Show.</font></font></b> <p><b><u><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+2>GUEST COLUMNIST:</font></font></u></b> <br><b><u><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+2>WOLFGANG MUELLER</font></font></u></b> <center><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+3>What's In A Name?</font></font></b></center> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>As you wander the highways, byways, and hallways of Tucson in early February, one is fascinated and dazzled by a myriad of different materials.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>One can easily find things that are vegetable, animal or mineral. The majority of the material is, of course, mineral, but there are a few things which cross-over or are used in association with the "mineral stuff." Where do you classify red or black coral, abalone/Paua shell, or such things as petrified wood or dinosaur bone?</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Ah, but we're starting to digress already. All of these marvelous things found in Tucson have a name. Whenever the question "What is it?" is asked, there is an answer. Be it smoothite, leaverite, or quartz, it always has some form of name. Occasionally you'll get an "I don't know what it is,"</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>or "I've forgotten.", or pro-bably more often, "Oh yeah, that's sweetgeorgite."</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>So where do all these names come from?</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Most of the names are derived from the scientific community- the geologists and mineral-ogists of the world. But many names' germinate from the jewelry and gem stone trade, from rockhounds and amateur collectors, as well as from the metaphysical world.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>One of the first conclusions that most people reach is that all these names--or certainly most--are mineral names. Guess what- that's not so! In reading this newsletter you will see the names such as apatite. angelite, chalcedony, jasper, carnelian, aventurine, lapis, tourmaline, sapphire, ruby, pumice, opal, flint, marble and probably many others that I've missed. None of these are mineral names.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Apatite and tourmaline are names for groups of minerals; chalcedony, jasper, carnelian, opal and flint are variety names of quartz; pumice, marble and lapis are rock names and angelite is a name given to a blue anhydrite from Peru, by someone who felt anhydrite didn't do justice to the material. Would you rather buy angelite or anhydrite? Do we detect a hint of Madison Avenue here? That's probably the bottom line to much of this- What name will best market a material?</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>So what is a mineral? It is an inorganic, naturally occurring material having a specific crystalline structure and specific chemical composition, with, of course, a few exceptions. Nothing more or less than that. To prove that you have a new mineral, you merely need to convince the International Mineralogical Association (IMA) that you have found a mineral that you believe has never been described.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>OK. That's what a mineral is. Now what is a rock? A rock is a structural unit of the earth composed of one or more minerals in varying proportions.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>All right, so we now know what rocks and minerals are, but where do the names come from? Many of the names are historical and have been around for hundreds to thousands of years.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>On a purely chronological basis, most minerals have been described within the last hundred years and were given a name by the person or persons providing the descriptions. All mineral names must be approved by the IMA to be scientifically acceptable. These names have been based on location , physical properties or chemical compositions. Some&nbsp; have been selected to honor&nbsp; persons dead or alive and others are plainly the whim of the discoverer.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>So ask me where rock names come from and I'll tell you: I don't know. Some names are certainly self-explanatory, such as sandstone, made up of sand. Some are surely historical, but the rest of the answers we'll leave to someone else.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Basically all of the remaining&nbsp; names were created by someone to better brag, sell, or otherwise deal with the stuff on their display shelf, in the dealer's showcase or the pile of rocks in their backyard.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Regardless of the name used, all these "things" are rocks or minerals and all contain one or more specific minerals by the IMA definition.</font></font></b> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Actually I lied a bit at the beginning. There are still new minerals being found which don't yet have a name but they'll get one before long.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Most of us in the mineral field use rock talk shorthand because we assume everyone knows what we mean. It's much easier to say "jasper," than "microcrystaline quartz without definite banding, lack of translucency and probably containing impurities." So until you get the hang of all this name business, it's easy to get confused. Just remember it's OK to ask what is leaverite (leave it right there) and have someone snicker at you than think it's some significant mineral you're missing out on.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>I know I've left out lots of things, so if you have some questions, corner me sometime and we'll do some name dropping.</font></font></b> <p><b><i><u><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Wolfgang Mueller is a specialist in custom cutting and polishing unusual and rare spheres. He is a geologist who lives in Arizona.</font></font></u></i></b> <center> <p><b><i><u><font face="Arial,Helvetica"><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+3>THANKS!!!</font></font></font></u></i></b></center> <b><font color="#FFFF00">Some of our readers have sent donations of $5 or more in appreciation of receiving The Spherical World. This helps to offset the cost of production and mailing. Thanks ever so much!</font></b> <br>&nbsp; <br>&nbsp; <p><b><u><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+2>MINERAL MATCHES</font></font></u></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Pick the spheres which can be fluorescent.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>1 Agrellite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>2 Lazurite/Lapis</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>3 Apatite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>4 Sugilite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>5 Sodalite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>6 Howlite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>7 Jadeite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>8 Eucryptite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>9 Wernerite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>10 Talc</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>11 Willemite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>12 Lepidolite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>&nbsp;13. Chrysocolla</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>&nbsp;14. Charoite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>&nbsp;15. Anthophyllite</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>&nbsp;16. Zoisite</font></font></b> <br><b><i><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>&nbsp;Answer: According to The Henkle Glossory of Fluorescent Minerals published by the Fluorescent Mineral Society, all but sugilite and charoite fluoresce to some degree. But the most vivid under UV light in this list are 1, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 15.</font></font></i></b> <br>&nbsp; <center> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+3>TUCSON REPORT</font></font></b></center> <b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Atmosphere, The Society for the Appreciation of Spheres had its first annual cocktail reception, bringing together collectors from around the country. A good time was had by all!</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>The Tucson show was bigger than ever. However, new material is more scarce&nbsp; and some of the old standards are performing disappearing acts.</font></font></b><font size=+1></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Here's a look at the new:</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Apatite in yellow japser matrix (Brazil) a comb-ination of gemmy blue &amp; pale yellow jasper.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Spinel--small round red crystals of spinel in a black and white spotted matrix.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Angelite--Striking French blue and white (Peru).</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Blue Chalcedony(South Africa)--Both pale and rich deep blue spheres.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Pietersite--A symphony of golden earth colors.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Malachite/Chrysocolla--New blend of luscious ocean blue and green.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Green Jasper(Brazil)--A hunter green and white mix of alternating swirls.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Large carnelian, some with druzy cavities&nbsp; (Madagascar).</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Cloudy, but heavenly, rutilated quartz with gorgeous golden needles (Brazil).</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Aventurine-Kelly green&nbsp; with mica flecks.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Astrofillite--A metallic rust colored needle in a black and white background (Russia.)</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Pyrite/Chalcopyrite--A few really nice specimens.</font></font></b><font size=+2></font> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+2>What's difficult to find:</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Good clear rutilated or tourmalinated quartz& it appears that the Brazilian mines have been cleaned out for now.</font></font></b> <br><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>* Sugilite& South African deposits are starting to wane.What good rough remains is being cut into cabs, not spheres.</font></font></b> <center> <p><b><font color="#FFFF00"><font face="Arial Black">SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME!</font> Letters, columns, instructional stories, information on new and unique spheres, etc. The editor reserves the right to edit any material for publication.</font></b></center> </dir> <b><font color="#FFFF00">&nbsp;<font face="Arial Black"><font size=-1>WANT TO ADVERTISE?</font></font></font></b> <p><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>Sphere s To You will accept advertisements in the next issue at a rate of $35/ column inch. Please send camera ready art or copy and check.</font></font> <p><b><font face="CoronationScript"><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+2>Spheres To You s Price List</font></font></font></b> <p><font color="#FFFF00"><font size=+1>If you d like to receive our merchandise list, which includes spheres, marbles and stands, please call, fax, email or mail your request.</font></font> <center><img SRC="vol3ad.gif" height=120 width=230></center> <p><br> </body> </html>