SENHMC

I went down to the Sanford pit Saturday to see if the snow was gone and noticed it has been posted. I have talked with the owners for some years now so I called him to see what was up. The last big storm we had knocked some tree down and are hung up in tree next to them. He asked to keep people out till he can have them cut and cleaned up to make it safe again. So until further notice Sanford pit is closed until further notice.

rocks0102

Rare Wintertime rock collecting treat! It was almost 50 degrees today in Maine. A nice day to do a little mineral prospecting over at Mt. Apatite in Auburn, ME. Patrick and one of our latest members, Chad got some good practice perforating the frost about a foot down on the dump piles.

ICE

H20 – Usually seasonal – virtually no Maine town without it; Greenwood – ice caves; Kennebec River – Gardiner; Penobscot River; Monhegan – Ice Pond; Riley – Mahoosuc Notch ice caves

Ice crystals are usually dendritic and a series of drawings will serve to show the variety of habits, though it has been rumored that some identical snowflakes have been found in Maine. (Note: Water is not a mineral as it is a liquid and would be better thought of as molten ice.) One of the earliest reports of Maine ice (variety snow) was Levett (1628): “Another evil or inconvenience I see there [Maine], the snow in winter did lie very long upon the ground.”

Reference: Mineralogy of Maine – Volume 1: Descriptive Mineralogy, Vandall T. King and Eugene E. Foord (Maine Geological Survey, Department of Conservation, 1994)

It is Membership Renewal time at the Southeastern New Hampshire Mineral Club. If you are a club member wishing to renew or if you want to become a brand new SENHMC member, now is a fantastic time to join the club.

To renew or join our club, please download, print and fill out our Membership Form and follow the instructions on the form stating where to mail your payment. Alternatively, save a stamp and bring it to our next meeting.