University News

Annual Rock, Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show March 12-13 at Western

March 3, 2016

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MACOMB, IL – The 36th annual Geodeland Earth Science Club Inc.'s (GESCI) Rock, Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show will be held Saturday-Sunday, March 12-13 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 event, themed "Calcite, Mineral of Many Faces," will highlight programs by WIU Geology Assistant Professor Thomas Hegna and will include nine dealers of minerals, fossils, jewelry and equipment. There will be displays of calcite and related minerals, as well as geodes, fossils, minerals, artifacts and many other earth science objects.

Demonstrators at the show will exhibit wire-wrapping, geode cracking, flint knapping, glass bead making and lampwork, cabochon finishing, glass fusing, pen barrels turned on a lathe and faceting of gemstones. A special exhibit will include specimens of calcite from various areas of the United States.

Events Saturday will include tours of the WIU Geology Museum in Tillman Hall. The museum features a T-Rex skull, a life-size Opthalmosaurus and a life-size reconstruction of a Tully Monster.

This year's schedule includes:

Saturday
• 11 a.m. - "Valley of the T-Rex," a DVD from the Discovery Channel exploring the discovery and removal of T-Rex skeletons from Montana's Hell Creek Formation
• 1 p.m. - "Where is the Evil in Evolution," by Hegna
• 3 p.m. - "The Stewart Tourmaline Story," DVD about the secrets of a world renown gem mine, the Stewart Mine, located near the village of Pala in California.
• 4:30 p.m. - "T-Rex, New Science, New Beast," DVD from the Discovery Channel looking at the recent discoveries that have been uncovered throughout the world that have led to the rethinking of just what the T-Rex was and how they lived.

Sunday
• 11 a.m. - "T-Rex, New Science, New Beast," DVD
• 1 p.m. - "How did Trilobites Have Sex," by Hegna
• 2:30 p.m. - "Valley of the T-Rex," DVD

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, visit geodeland.com.




Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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