RocknGem Magazine News
Munich Show 2020 - Cancelled
Sadley Europes' well known Crystal, Mineral, Gem & Fossil show has been cancelled this year die to the Covid-19 situation, for more information, exhibitors offered a discount to roll over bookings to 2021
metaphysical news - issue 67
Natural citrine points and formations from the Congo (Africa) often referred to as cathedral citrine due to the clustering of points are now being sold under the name of ‘kundalini citrine’ other quartzes from the Congo have also been prefixd with kundalini.
Rock Gem n Bead in Manchester
New venue for the Rock Gem n Bead shows in May - Event City Manchester formerly Museum of Museums.
general news issue 60
general news from issue 60
how clever
Dr Ellery Frahm from the University of Sheffield has continued with research from the mid sixties of chemically matching obsidian from early tools to specific volcanoes. Later work now developed using magnetic analysis is able to pin point the source of obsidian to within metres of it's origin. This development enables researchers to understand early human movement and exact quarry locations.
Gems TV on ITV
On 2/9/14 you could see a documentary (or possibly an advertorial) giving a brief insight into the daily operation of Gems TV if you missed out you can watch it on catchup.
Highlights were the creation of a new name for spessartite garnet to make it more customer friendly and the admonishment of a potential sales presenter for sounding like a salesmen.
Royal Mint Collectable
March 2011 -The Royal Mint also produces commemorative and collectable coins and this years favourites we presume will be The Royal Wedding and 2012 Olympics. Last years rise in sales was due in part to a new Olympic 50 pence piece and a Royal Engagement coin...
general news issue 61
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general crystal, mineral news from issue 61
same time next year!
If you missed the Perseid meteor shower in August, not to worry just keep an eye out next year!
should we be concerned?
NASA has brought a Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope out of storage to join the hunt for asteroids that maybe heading our way…
I'm sure we all remember the Russian meteorite in February, but did you know that the energy released as it hit the atmosphere was equivalent to 30 x the Hiroshima atom bomb and that hundreds of tons of dust still remain in the atmosphere.
Researchers discovered that they could track the dust plume by satellite. On average 30 tonnes of space dust lands each day!
more from orkney
Another inscribed stone has been discovered at the Ness of Brodgar, Orkney Isles Scotland, apparently this one has finer detail and has been described as 'a complex piece of art'.
floating diamonds?
Well, University of Rochester researchers have managed to levitate a diamond with a laser, only a small one but they did it which shows how light exerts force on objects.
Dominating the diamond supply market are countries such as South Africa, Canada and Russia however geologists are certain that parts of Southeast India have the correct properties to yield large quantities of diamonds as well. Interestingly the geologists stumbled upon this conclusion whilst exploring for other minerals.
on the market
Haven't yet heard how they stand up to serious guitar use but we've seen a few lapidarists tackle carving stone guitar picks available, approximately 1.5-2mm thick.
day trip diamond find
12 year old finds diamond 'haul' whilst on holiday, Michael Dettlaff visited the Crater of Diamonds park and after 10 minutes found a 5.16 ct rough diamond, it wasn't till later in the day that they showed it to Park staff and they told him it was a diamond. The stone potentially if good enough to cut could realise a few thousand pounds.
Have you come across
the term laser ablation?
Well in the search for ever expensive rare earth elements, scientists are now re-examining old mine tailings which were previously overlooked whilst extracting other minerals.
By firing a laser at samples they're able to test the rock with a mass spectrometer and determine quickly and easily what it's composition is.
The full name of the technique is Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
mining asteroids
We've mentioned the plans for mining asteroids before, a step on and researchers at The University of Strathclyde have now chosen 12 possible candidates that can be mined by todays existing technology. The 12 were selected from a list of a possible 9,000 near earth objects.
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The New Doctor Who is a Fan of Amber?
Jewellery Designer Kate Dumbleton creates ring for Doctor Who at the request of the BBC, you can see Doctors Whos' green amber ring here.
We buy Gold and Silver
Tempted by all the adverts for selling your 'old gold', well you may have noticed a little drop in price (at the time of print), however the overall trend seems skyward, don't overlook the value of silver as well...this February saw the highest price since 1980.
The Munich Mineral Show 2013
The Munich Mineral Show 2013.
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After show snippets: Over 1,250 exhibitors
from 63 nations presented and sold a top-class diversified range of goods in four halls of the Munich International Trade Fair Centre with approximately 4,2000 registered visitors. At Mineralworld, the special exhibition GOLD fascinated visitors and professionals alike.
Here, crystalline gold was on display from renown museums and private collectors, treasures of incomparable value. Probably the most valuable gold specimen, the Dragon, which is property of the Houston Museum of Natural Science attracted big attention and also the Corsage which is owned by Dona and Wayne Leicht was a true crowd puller.
The Gomphotherium of Gweng displayed at Fossilworld. It was voted ‘Fossil of the Year 2013’ and it is usually archived at the Paleontologisches Museum Munchen and inaccessible to the public. But the most spectacular object of this year’s show was the dinosaur that was first described as Megalosaurus Bucklandii. The first bones of this raptor were found in a chalk-pit in Oxfordshire, England, in 1676.The scientific first description was made by William Buckland in 1824. He based his description of this huge lizard on the fragments of a lower jaw with many big bent teeth. Three years later, in 1827, Gideon Mantell mentioned Megalosaurus in his geological analysis of southeast England and gave the species its current name: Megalosaurus bucklandii, 18 years after the finding of Megalosaurus. Despite many finds from England, France and Portugal there has not been found a complete skeleton until today. For science, this fossil has an incomparable worth.
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Katy Perry tries Crystal Healing
Kay Perry has been been using crystal healing for her well-being as recommended by buddy Madonna.
Rough Diamond Prices
January 2011 - With the economic concerns over the last couple of years mining of rough diamonds was scaled back, however sales picked up last year, as retailers stocks were low this surge in demand has now pushed up prices by over a third!
crystal mineral news issue 62
UNESCO recognition
Its official the Sesia-Val Grande Geopark is now recognised by UNESCO, at its centre one of the largest fossils you'll find, a super volcano fossil no less from 282 million years ago, luckily for researchers the innards of the volcano was pushed up during the collision of Europe with Africa enabling a more scientific examination of the normally hidden plumbing of a super volcano.
National Museum of Wales geologists have been studying the bluestones at Stonehenge to determine their origin. Analysis has suggested that the bluestones are from Carn Goedog a mile away in the Preseli hills from what has originally be thought to be the source in Carn Meini. Perhaps archaeological researchers will now be able to find evidence of the Stonehenge quarry they've been searching for the last few years...
Flawless 'The Blue' Diamond Sale at Christies
The largest flawless natural blue diamond (13.22ct) was recently sold at Christies for in excess of $24.2 million(and change)
Old Meteorite Diamonds
February 2010 An 'old' meteorite that fell to earth in 1971 was taken for cutting and polishing and it was found to contain a 'harder' type of diamonds created during it's impact from graphite already present, similar to how diamonds are synthesised today.
crystals forcast erruptions!
Volcanologists are convinced that indicators are present in mineral growth which could predict a possible eruption, studying a crystals tiny growth layers can show pressure and temperature changes during formation when compared to previous known crystals of the area.
The Treasure Hunters
More TV this time BBC the treasure hunters
last week included diamonds, pearls, fossils & opals, with some non minerals treasures thrown in, next time amber is featured.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b040v3sw
8k Gem of Tanzania
According to the FT the 'Gem of Tanzania' it's just been sold for £8,010 allegedly the optimistic purchaser believes that it could realise anyway between £200 000 and £2m when 'broken up'
pure talc
French researchers have managed to use hydrothermal synthesis to create synthetic talc, with consistent purity and size with an added
Hydrophilic quality new uses for humble talc could be available, along with less reliance on natural resources.
Game of Stones
Yet another 'drama documentary' with rocks this time hunting for gemstone rough on the Discovery Channel Thursday 22:00
Gem of Tanzania
The 'Gem of Tazania' has hit the headlines again, an advertisement for it's sale will be in the Winter Issue, purchase here
REE’s
REE’s or rare earth elements are critical for technology but they may not be particularly rare but are difficult to find in quantities viable to mine, researchers are compiling REE spectral database so they will be able to recognise these elements from aircraft and satellite data, in particular the planned German EnMAP mapping satellite project.
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Show in York Cancelled
Rock n Gem Ltd have announced that the the October 2014 York Racecourse show has been cancelled.
Founder of the Green garnet
Founder of the Green garnet - Tsavorite was killed by a mob in Kenya last month(August 09), Campbell Bridges was also involved in the discovery of the much publicsed blue variation of zoisite named Tanzanite.
opal meteorite
Recently the 2nd example of opal found in a meteorite was discovered, the evidence bearing meterorite was found in the Antarctic, the opal may have formed after its asteroid was probably bombarded by other ice bearing space traffic!
Fossils On TV
On BBC4 Tuesday 11/3/14 Professor Richard Fortey presents the Fossil Wonderland series, the first episode is entitles 'Weird Wonders'
New Look
August 09 - The new look of the RocknGem Magazine is released, not only a cleaner appearance but also a wider range of content, including minerals, fossils, gemstones, crystals, uses in modern and ancient times, gemstone and bead jewellery making. A resource for everything Rock n Gem.
solar power
US researchers have developed a technique with perovskite crystals which has increased solar cell conversion efficiency by 300%, the key was to allow a clear path for the electrons to flow down the layer unobstructed. This creates huge potential for future solar cells and opto electronic devices.
Perovskite was first discovered in 1839 in Russia and was named after Lev Perovski
Meteorite Frenzy in South Korea
Allegedly the last found meteorite in South Korea was in 1943, since a recent shower on the 9th March a frenzy of meteorite hunter has entailed, the largest so far weighing it at 9kg. Already USA hunters are handing out business cards in an attempt to acquire some of the samples. However there's no provision in Korea law(currently) stating ownership rights.
large impact on moon
On the moon this time and March the 17th saw the largest impact on the moon's surface since 2005 when recording began, out of the 300 impacts this meteorite thought to be under half a meter weighed approximately 40kg. It was visible with the naked eye!
70 issues of the printed rockngem magazine 1997-2016
from rock n gem magazine issue 70
At a glance you can see how the rockngem magazine has evolved from, switching focus to the online edition is another step & challenge but will enable instant access to the latest news & articles.
Interestingly our all time bestseller was issue 51 from 2011 possibly due to the amazing multi million dollar rhodocrosite specimen on the cover pictured during a trip to the Tucson mineral shows.
Read more: 70 issues of the printed rockngem magazine 1997-2016
Asteroids on TV
Did you catch the Horizon episode this week, The good the bad and the ugly "asteroids are the fossils of space", might be a rerun but worth a viewing.
Remnants that didn't quite make a planet? New resources for man to plunder? A piece of remarkable history?
early beading
You may have thought that beading was a relatively new pastime however after being discovered in 1911 iron beads from an excavation south of Cairo dating to 33503600BC thought to have been the result of an early iron smeltering attempt have recently be re-examined, in combination the Open Universities’ electron microscope and Manchester Universities X-Ray CT scanner have provided evidence that the beads are of meteorite origin.
Massive Bosnian Stone Sphere
An Archaeologist who's been studying stone spheres for 15yrs suggests that this latest example could be the work of ancient civilisations whilst other experts say it's probable a huge natural concretion. for pic and further info
amber exhibition
Always worthy of a visit but especially this year to see a wasp suspended in Mexican amber as part of the Amazing Amber exhibition is the National Museum of Scotland located in Edinburgh.
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Shows
2000 was the first Rock n Gem show I ever exhibited at, naive with a few boxes of freshly imported stock and a small cash tin empty albeit with a woefully small amount of change but keen to learn & sell. I was positioned near another relative newbie who was selling natural stone drilled beads. I could see a queue forming at the entrance and once the clock struck 10am to my amazement a wave of visitors surged through the building, they seemed to be striving towards their favoured exhibitors eye’s rapidly surveying all before them in case a purchase had to be made.
Gem n Bead Shows
After 2013 the Gem n Bead shows will be combined with the Rock n Gem shows under the banner of Rock Gem n Bead for details visit the companies website.
harry legacy
Not quite meeting Christies expectations but £15.8 million isn't an amount to disappoint, that was the figure not including tax & fees for a 101.73 ct flawless colourless diamond originally from a 236ct rough nugget from the Jwaneng mine in Botswana. Harry Winston made the purchase and the stone has now been named "Harry Legacy". Although a record for an auction house sale The largest colourless flawless diamond known is the Cullinan Diamond, a gem weighing 530.2 carats.
metaphysical news - issue 69
Having a bit of a revival recently is that often overlooked combination of amethyst with citrine - ametrine, for clearing negativity and connecting to our more spiritual being. Also on the buyers list is a particular favourite possibly reminiscent of a childhood sweet - mangano calcite, the beautiful powder pink stone from Peru often referred to as a higher heart centre stone, one for forgiveness and helping with valuing ourselves.
1st Rock Gem n Bead Show 2014 Venue Flooded
The Hop Farm has hosted the Rock Gem n Bead show for a number of years however heavy rains at the beginning of the year have caused considerable damage to the venue forcing a last minute change to the nearby Mascalls School.
chile fines mining company
the worlds largest gold mining company has been fined by the Chilean government $16 million, however environmental organisations suggest Barrack Gold got off lightly. Although their share price has dropped considerably. The fines related to several incidents including a discharge into a river from an acid treatment plant.
news - issue 69
meteorite watching
Utilising the FSU National High Magnetic Field Laboratory to study the Gujba meteorite, researchers are convinced that it was formed as a
result of a collision between a large metallic body and planet. The planet though to be larger than the asteroid 4 Vesta (a large dweller within the asteroid belt) reinforcing the meteorites are ‘construction debris of the planets’ statement.
Saving for a fossil
Been saving up for a fossil, perhaps a dinosaur fossil, well here's your chance a near complete diplodiocos is up for auction at Summer Place Auctions just remember it's about 17m long!
oldest water to date
Have your enhydro crystals dropped in value? The Timmins mine in Canada has yielded some ancient water purported to be between 1.5 2.6 billion years old at a depth of 2.4 km. Tested by using Xenon gas isotopes the date can't be too specific but is certainly the oldest water known to date. Further tests are being made for evidence of microbes that would have adapted to live in the fluid.
Meteorite Lights Up Sky over Scotland
March started with a rumble and double flash of light in the evening sky around teatime for many people living in Scotland, the BBC has clips and more info regarding the potential 10cm space rock.
closer shave
I'm sure 'Space Rock' fans are always keeping visuals skyward, but did the rest of us know that the 2.8km diameter asteroid 1998 QE2 discovered by MIT’s Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) program passed by at a relatively close 5.8 Million km from earth, less than half the size of the alleged 'dinosaur extinction' asteroid but sufficient to cause a similar result. Recent close passes have been made by only 50-100m size asteroids.
Sam Smith 1st Crystal Collection
"Either way thou, they are beautiful xx" Sam Smith announced on Instagram the purchase of his first crystals, including a quartz crystal ball..
Dinosaur TV
Are you following the dinosaur season on BBC1
September 14th 2011 Fossil hunting on ITV Calendar
matching obsidian to specific volcanoes - how clever
Dr Ellery Frahm from the University of Sheffield has continued with research from the mid sixties of chemically matching obsidian from early tools to specific volcanoes. Later work now developed using magnetic analysis is able to pin point the source of obsidian to within metres of it's origin. This development enables researchers to understand early human movement and exact quarry locations.
Rock Gem 'n' Bead Shows Sold
19/9/15 Keith & Carole owners of the Rock Gem 'n' Bead shows announce retirement and sale of the company(Rock and Gem Limited)
Retirement & Sale of the Company “Rock and Gem Limited”
"2015 will be the 8th year that we have been running the Rock and Gem shows and we have loved every minute of it – it is hard work but very satisfying. We like to think that we are a large travelling family and we have made a lot of friends.
general news issue 64
general news issue 64
Remember the Popigai crater from 35 million years ago, or after a recent study now thought to be 33.7 million years ago which being one of the 10 largest impact sites known also suggests it could be linked to the Eocene extinction.
Apparently it was also a potential major diamond source, however due to it’s remoteness and synthesised industrial diamonds it may never be ‘exploited’ fully.
news - issue 68
Asteroid watching
Asteroid watching may have been given a boost as astronomers are testing a ‘digital shifting’ techniques on short snapshot exposures of the sky, the outcome could provide images of asteroids 10x fainter than current techniques.
Enough Tazanite for 100 years
Tanzanite in the news again, as with many minerals, stories spread regarding the lack of supply and availability often in order to sustain pricing, however the current news is that Tanzanite will be around for another 100 years.
Shows & Events
A list of shows supplied by organisers, contact us to add your event, even better advertise in the magazine to reach your target audience.
Rock Gem n Bead Shows & Gem n Bead shows (formerly Rock n Gem) everything natural crystal, mineral, fossil, gemstone, and mineral beads numerous events throughout the year. Combined with Gem 'n' Bead shows - crystal, mineral, fossil, gemstone, and mineral beads and every type of material bead including organic, synthetic, glass etc numerous events throughout the year often combined with the Rock Gem n Bead Shows
Munich Mineral Show One of the largest mainland Europe Events held at the end of October
Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society Show Annual November event
Euro Mineral Euro Gem Annual June event held in France
Tucson Gem & Mineral Society Show Held Annually at the end of the Tucson show month in February
metaphysical news - issue 68
Using crystals in the home for Feng Shui and grids seems to have resurged along with crystal elixirs(care should be taken with preparation).
Shopping: Popular crystals at the moment are selenite, chlorite quartz, amethyst and clear quartz. Also beauty and home care products infused with crystals.
If you’re looking for natural stones avoid ‘glow in the dark quartz’ asian (cats eye)quartz & resin amethyst geodes!
Tanzanite Production
TazaniteOne declared production for Q1 2011 at 609 737 cts up 46745ct on the previous year. No doubt boosted by the 12100ct(2.42kg) massive single rough crystal piece, currently the 3rd largest found. The company is also actively setting up a Tsavorite operation.
dinosaur eggshells
In June 1997 it was announced that the first dinosaur eggshells ever to be found in the British Isles had been unearthed in Dorset. Excavations also revealed a tiny limb bone, possible from a dinosaur embryo or hatchling.
· · · · · · ·
The eggshell and bone dated from the Cretaceous period, around 140 million years ago.
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From issue 2, purchase print copy below:
news - issue 67
how close will it be?
Worth noting in your diary that on Oct 12 2017 asteroid 2012 TC4 is thought to be pass by the earth extremely close...
Subcategories
To see a list of mineral, crystal, gemstone, fossil shows/events both UK and worldwide visit our show page, if you organise or know of a show please get in touch to list it here.
