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Conifer (Araucaria mirabilis), limb section with seed cone - Jurassic Period, approx. 210 mya - Argentina
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Cedar, polished end section - Miocene Epoch, approx. 15 mya - Tonopah District, Nye County, Nevada, USA
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Annual Rock and Gem Show Set for March 14-15 at WIU

February 19, 2015

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MACOMB, IL – The 35th annual Geodeland Earth Science Club Inc.'s (GESCI) Rock, Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show will be held Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 in the University Union Grand Ballroom at Western Illinois University.

The show runs from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday. The event is open free to the public, and parking is free.

This year's show will include a special exhibit of petrified wood.

Also included this year will be dealers in minerals, fossils, jewelry and equipment, rock, mineral, fossil and artifact identification, lapidary demonstrations, geode cracking, earth science displays, a fluorescent display, children's activities and games, door prizes, a silent auction and live and recorded programs.

A variety of speakers and other programming are also planned in the University Union's Capitol Room. The schedule includes:

Saturday
• 11 a.m. - "T-Rex, The Real World," a video by The Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research about the five T-Rex skeletons excavated since 1990
• 1 p.m. - "The Wonders of Fluorescent Minerals," by Sandy Fuller, co-owner of Rock Biz
• 3 p.m. - "Fossilization," by WIU Assistant Professor Thomas Hegna
• 4:30 p.m. - "Great Lakes," a DVD

Sunday
• 11 a.m. - "America's Gold," a DVD
• 1 p.m. - "Plate Tectonics," by WIU Assistant Professor Thomas Hegna
• 2:30 p.m. - "T-Rex, The Real World," a video by The Black Hills Institute of Geologic Research about the five T-Rex skeletons excavated since 1990

The GESCI was created in 1980 to organize and promote a gem and mineral show each year. The first show was held in 1981 at Western. GESCI was organized with seven western Illinois and eastern Iowa clubs.

For more information on the show, contact event chair J.C. Moore at jcmoore3rd@gmail.com.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing