Welcome to the Minerals.net
April 2014 Newsletter!

In this edition, we bring you our comprehensive Tucson show reports from all the different shows. We are also preparing for the NY/NJ Show this coming weekend.

Tucson 2014

The Tucson shows are now just a memory of the past. They were especially memorable this year for the great variety of minerals and displays, which complemented the exceptionally good weather.

The theme of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show^TM was Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Gemstones, and this brought together some outstanding public exhibits of these precious items. This year was the 60th anniversary of the show, and this special exhibit was in honor of the anniversary.

Although many of the exhibits focused on the theme, there were quite a few additional showcases on other themes. Hershel Friedman photographed almost every single showcase, and has compiled what is likely the most comprehensive coverage of the public showcases. The only few showcases that are not included in Hershel’s show report page are those where he was unable to achieve a good photograph of the subjects.

One of the specialties of Hershel’s show reports is that all the pictures are clickable for larger, higher-resolution versions with greater detail and zoom capability. Please use the links below to view all the individual reports:

• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 1: Show Scenes
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 2: Individual Dealer Minerals
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 3: Dealer Exhibits
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 4: Public Display Exhibits #1
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 5: Public Display Exhibits #2
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 6: Public Display Exhibits #3
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 7: Public Display Exhibits #4
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 8: Individual Minerals #1
• The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show TM Part 9: Individual Minerals #2
• The Tucson Shows: Sentinel Peak View
• The University of Arizona Mineral Museum Special Exhibit

The Clifton, NJ Show

We added a short show report for the Clifton, New Jersey show, an enjoyable local show organized by the North Jersey Mineralogical Society. The show took place on March 8-9 at the Pope John Paul II Center, 775 Valley Road, in Clifton New Jersey.

• View the show report of the Clifton Show

New Diamond Pages

• Top Tips for Diamond Buying
• The 4 C's of Fancy Diamonds and Beyond

NY/NJ Show

The NY/NJ Mineral, Fossil, Gem & Jewelry Show will be this coming weekend in Edison, New Jersey. This new show is the fastest growing show in the country, and has quickly become one of the world's largest shows of its kind. This show is well worth the visit for all those within driving distance of the New York Metro area.

Just like last year, Minerals.net will have a booth at the show to promote our website. We will have a screen playing some of the videos we have produced, and will also be displaying some local NY and NJ Minerals. Please stop by and introduce yourself if you are there!

Minerals.net Booth at Last Year's Show

We have also placed a half-page ad in the official show guide, and there are several pictures and articles in the guide from Hershel Friedman, including the Radiating Pectolite from Haverstraw, New York, on the front cover.

Click here to download and preview the official show guide PDF.

Win a Free Trip to Tucson!

Our promotion to win a free trip to Tucson for the 2015 shows is going to be ending this month! If you have not yet registered, please make sure to do so today!

http://www.minerals.net/contest.aspx

Book Review: Rockhounding New York

"Rockhounding New York": A Falcon Guide By Robert Beard.

Book Review by Jeff Wilson

This book is the second in the series by the author, Robert Beard. It deals with the unique geology in New York State, and focuses on sites that are accessible to the public only. The book covers the entire state, from the Canadian border to the New York City Metro area.

I have a special liking to the book, because the author published my name in the acknowledgements, as well as information that I provided him through my mineral website and through e-mail communications. It was a nice surprise to see my name in the book, as I was not expecting it!

The book gives thorough reviews of each site, including collecting difficulty, GPS location, driving directions, land status, family-friendliness, as well as special concerns. Numerous well known sites are discussed, as well as some little known localities, where you can pick up fossils or minerals at your leisure. Being an avid New York collector, I was surprised at some of the sites that were listed, as I have driven past many of them numerous times, and never knew they were there. Discussed within the book are other topics, rockhounding basics, a discussion of state geology, and a full map of collecting localities. The author also goes into detail on the subject of the natural resources of the state that are produced commercially, which was a very interesting read.

Some surprising information in the book has already sent me on a few road trips to investigate some new sites for collecting possibilities. Some of these new ones are four sites on Staten Island, numerous sites around Bear Mountain (I am a regular collector in this area, and the book introduced me to several additional spots), several sites around Kingston, NY, and numerous fossil sites along US Highway 20 through the center of the state. The author also published several of my favorite collecting spots, including Amity, Ellenville, Wurtsboro, Highland Mills, Barton/Hooper, and a complete listing of all of the Herkimer Diamond sites.

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