Tag: Dick and Mary Pat Weber

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Amethyst Deposits of Thunder Bay, Ontario Subject of October 17th Program Meeting

The largest commercial deposits of amethyst in North America occur near the Canadian border in Southern Ontario.  Unlike the more common Brazilian amethyst, this material is unique due to inclusions of red hematite in the outermost layers of the crystals. Our guest speaker for October, Dick Weber, first visited these deposits in the 1970s while studying for his graduate degree in Geology at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. 

Geologists Dick and Mary Pat Weber have returned to these deposits several times over the years and on two recent visits were given special access to the workings of the deposit by the mine owners.  As part of this presentation they will display some of this highly prized amethyst from their personal collections. 

This program meeting takes place at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of The Santa Anita Church, 226 W. Colorado Blvd., Arcadia, CA 91007, on Tuesday, October 17, 2023.

Come join us! Doors open at 6:30, admission is free; open to the public. Enjoy refreshments while checking out the display table; bring a rock specimen you’d like identified. Buy a raffle ticket for a few bucks and try your luck at winning a cool rock specimen, slab, or otherwise. We hope to see you there!

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January 17th Program Meeting Explores Fluorite – The World’s Most Colorful Mineral

The January 17th, 2023 Pasadena Lapidary Society Program Meeting will feature Dick Weber, who will introduce us to the colorful world of Fluorite.    Due to a spectacular range of colors and well-developed crystals, this mineral is highly sought after by collectors.  Clear and colorless when pure, fluorite can exhibit every color of the spectrum from the deepest purple to bright oranges and reds.   In addition to its aesthetic and scientific value, fluorite is a critical industrial mineral used in the production of thousands of commercial products.

Dick Weber was first introduced to the fluorite deposits of the Mississippi Valley while working on his geology degree.   Actively collecting specimens for the last 15 years, he will bring a display showcasing pieces from famous locales.

PLS member Curtis Schurer will present the second part of his Rock of the Month Talk on Jasper.

This program meeting takes place at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of The Santa Anita Church, 226 W. Colorado Blvd., Arcadia, CA 91007. 

Join us for an illuminating evening as we begin our 2023 Program Meetings! Admission is free; open to the public. Enjoy refreshments while checking out the display table; bring a rock specimen you’d like identified. See you there!

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A Geologic Tour of Australia, via Zoom, is featured presentation for Tues., May 18 Program Meeting; 6:30 p.m.

Join us for our May 18 Program Meeting as we explore Australia’s most iconic natural wonders and visit several geologic sites that are unfamiliar to most people. Our guests, Dick & Mary Pat Weber, are retired exploration geologists and will take us on the armchair trip. In 2007 and 2008 they spent a year on what they refer to as their “Rocks ‘n Crocs” tour of Australia looking at and photographing the natural features and geology of the largest country in Oceania.

For our May Rock of the Month talk, Mary Pat Weber will present an introduction to a lesser known member of the garnet family, the rare and highly prized green garnet, which gives emerald a run for its money.

The Tuesday, May 18 program meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. To join us, send an email to joenmar1[at]verizon.net in advance, using ‘PROGRAM MEETING’ in subject line, and request the Zoom meeting link. We hope to “see” you there!

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Explore the Geologic Diversity of New Zealand; Virtual Program Meeting March 16, 2021, 6:30 pm

Pasadena Lapidary Society’s Tuesday, March 16 program meeting will feature geologists Dick and Mary Pat Weber, whose presentation will focus on the geological wonder of New Zealand. From volcanoes to glaciers, caves and fjords, finding so much variety of terrain in such a small geographical area would be impossible anywhere else on Earth.

The Webers are exploration geologists who spent a month in 2007 visiting every corner of this tiny island nation; they have worked and travelled extensively in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Our program meeting will also feature the Rock of the Month, by PLS member David Lacey, whose presentations are always informative.

Interested in joining us virtually for Tuesday night’s meeting? Then RSVP to joenmar1[at]verizon.net for a Zoom meeting link, using ‘PROGRAM MEETING’ in subject line.