Desert Messenger

12 www.DesertMessenger.com January 18, 2017 SEE ROCKS PAGE 13 Tourmaline, the Drama Queen ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS ™ www.RocksInMyHead.com I like simplicity. That's why I like nature, the outdoors, and, of course, rocks. Rocks are simple. No Drama, no complex issues that drag on and on. They are just simple compounds or combinations of minerals - copper oxide, iron sulfate, silicon dioxide - most of the time, anyway. Their colors are simple- malachite is green, azurite is blue, amethyst is purple. Even their issues are simple. An extra molecule of carbon makes quartz into a her- kimer diamond. One extra molecule of water is an issue, albeit a simple one, between azurite and malachite. Aluminum showing up in a copper oxide environment creates turquoise. There isn't any drama- just a simple and straightforward response to a situation, the way life should be. But then there is tourmaline. Tourma- line is not simple. In fact tourmaline is one of the most complex gemstones that exists. Tourmaline is a crystal- line boron silicate compounded with minerals such as aluminum, iron, magnesium, sodium, lithium, potas- sium, nickel, copper, chrome, vana- dium, and manganese. In addition to several minor and rare members, there are six major groups of miner- als that are considered tourmalines: Elbaite, Schorl, Dravite, Uvite, Lid- dicoatite, and Buergerite. Of the two chemical formulas for Tourmaline, the "simpler" of the two is (Na,Ca)(Mg ,Li,Al,Fe2+)3Al6(BO3)3Si6O18(OH). Yes, there is actually a more complex one. Tourmaline can be found in many geo- logic environments, from granite to pegmatite, to schist and marble, and even sandstone and conglomerates. The crystal structure of tourmaline is slender to thick, prismatic and co- lumnar, with triangular cross sections and curved striated faces. The color of tourmaline is black, brown, green, teal, red, pink, salmon, blue, gray, white, colorless, yellow, orange, and purple. And if that is not confusing enough, crystals are frequently multicolored. To make matters worse, some speci- mens are pleochroic- which means the crystal absorbs wavelengths of light differently depending on which direc- tion it is viewed from. In other words, even the same crystal can be colored differently depending on which way you look at it. And some, but not all, are fl uorescent. Got all that? Whew... I'm tired just from writing it. I want a property in Quartzsite! I would like to buy at least .5 acre in town for a fair price. I prefer owner carry with a strong cash down payment or a cash-out for the right deal. Please contact me with your best proposal. -Dr. Michael Cole 602-791-0584 • Old Costume Jewelry • Old Fountain Pens • Silver & Gold Coins • Sterling Silverware • Gold Filled Jewelry • Old Watches • Gold & Silver Jewelry Any Condition • Gold Nuggets • Dental Gold BUYING Hi Ally Swap Meet ~ Front Row Main St., Quartzsite Red Cross meeting The American Red Cross responded to 2 fi res in Quartzsite in the last few weeks and the most recent was Sunday morning we were contacted by the Quartzsite Fire Department. The American Red Cross Disaster Cycle Services Team provides as- sistance during times of disaster 24 hours a day. We are looking for New Volunteers in La Paz County. We will be having a meeting with current and interest pro- spective Disaster Action Team mem- bers on Tuesday, January 17th at 6pm, at the Quartzsite Fire Station. During the Winter Months we are Greatly supported by our Winter Visitor Disaster Operations Vol- unteer Escapee's. (DOVE's). The DOVE's supported the 2 most re- cent house fi res. Museum must see! The Quartzsite Museum is now on their winter schedule. Now open Wed thru Sun 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Free admission! They offer membership for $10.00 per person for the year. All are welcome to join. Check out their new website at www.QuartzsiteMuseum.org. Or call 928-927-5229 for more information. Wednesday, Jan. 25, 6-9 p.m., at the Quartzsite Community Center at 295 Chandler St. in Quartzsite The Arizona Game and Fish De- partment encourages off-highway vehicle enthusiasts who utilize Bu- reau of Land Management lands to participate in a series of workshops organized by the National Off-High- way Vehicle Conservation Council. "Whether you ride to see the coun- tryside, to view wildlife, or while hunting or fi shing, OHVs are key for thousands of Arizonans and visitors to access the outdoors," said Josh Hurst, AZGFD off-highway vehicle program coordinator. "To enhance OHV opportunities and plan for the future, the public is being given the opportunity to work with NOHVCC to help inform the BLM's Travel Management and Recreation Man- agement plans." To gather feedback, National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council will hold a series of meet- ings around the state, where people will learn about current BLM activi- ties and can offer their experiences on BLM-managed land. The public can also provide input on what ex- periences can't currently be found on BLM-managed lands in Arizona and what could be done to better enhance OHV recreation. OHV meeting with Game & Fish Read Desert MESSENGER ONLINE @ www.MyQuartzsite.com

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