The Midwest Mineralogical and Lapidary Society of Michigan (MMLS) is an educational nonprofit organization founded in 1956 by a group of 28 people meeting at a local rock shop. The Society is affiliated with the Midwest Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Significantly, MMLS has been recognized numerous times by the Midwest and American Federations with first place (gold level) awards in the annual All American Club Awards Program.
Dear MMLS member: It 's past that time again when you were asked to renew your membership for the year (2019) in the Midwest Mineralogical and Lapidary Society. (Membership runs from January through December each year.)
May we ask your cooperation by renewing now. Doing so will ease our Treasurer's job, save the cost of an extra mailing and assure your receipt of The Rockpile without interruption.
Just use the handy Membership Renewal Form in your Rockpile. Complete the form, enclose your check made payable to MMLS and mail to our treasurer: Doris Snyder.
It's that easy! If you would like your membership card mailed to you, please include a SASE.
Midwest Mineralogical and Lapidary Society Adult Dues: $15.00 Juniors (under age 18) $1.00
Dues paid after December 31st are subject to a $3.00 reinstatement fee.
DO IT TODAY BEFORE YOU FORGET!!!!!!!
May we ask your cooperation by renewing now. Doing so will ease our Treasurer's job, save the cost of an extra mailing and assure your receipt of The Rockpile without interruption.
Just use the handy Membership Renewal Form in your Rockpile. Complete the form, enclose your check made payable to MMLS and mail to our treasurer: Doris Snyder.
It's that easy! If you would like your membership card mailed to you, please include a SASE.
Midwest Mineralogical and Lapidary Society Adult Dues: $15.00 Juniors (under age 18) $1.00
Dues paid after December 31st are subject to a $3.00 reinstatement fee.
DO IT TODAY BEFORE YOU FORGET!!!!!!!
From the President's Desk:
The holidays are over and I hope everyone had the best Christmas and New Year's ever. Now it's time to get back to work. We are looking for some men and women members to step up and take over some committee's that have been held for a long time, and in some cases, multiple ones that have been held by members who took on the job to keep things going year after year after year. We all need a break from time to time. We have some easier jobs that newer members would be able to do, ( even older members ) no problem. For instance, Club Services, Door Prizes, Education, Membership and even Program coordinator are jobs that can be handled. If you feel you are able to help us out, please feel to contact me and we can talk about it. Come join in the fun you'll be glad you did. -Diane
Michigan Man Discovers Glowing, Fluorescent Rocks Called "Yooperlites" http://www.geologyin.com/2018/09/michigan-man-discovers-glowing.html#F7W qkUBXZzTCqz8r.99 Follow us: @GeologyTime on Twitter
Erik Rintamaki was searching for rocks on a Michigan beach last summer when he made what he calls a "mind blowing" discovery. Resting among the thousands of pebbles covering the Lake Superior beach, Rintamaki saw a glowing rock The gem and mineral dealer told CBS News he often goes rock hunting. But on this particular June night, he found a rock unlike any other - a florescent orb that he later named "Yooperlite."
Rintamaki knew this couldn't be the only Yooperlite out there, but he couldn't find any information about glowing rocks online. He knows many people in the gem and mineral field, but everyone he asked had no clue what these mysterious rocks were. Rinktamaki went back to the beach night after night, carrying a black light which helped illuminated the glowing rocks. "I was blown away," he said. "It's insane how many are on the beaches up here." He started collecting Yooperlites by the bagful and sold them online.
Michigan State University messaged Rinktamaki with an interest in buying some of the rocks to study. Michigan State, along with the University of Saskatewan, researched the Yooperlites for months. The universities determined that Rintamaki did, indeed, discover a new type of rock. He says other people may have spotted these gems before, but he was the first person to get Yooperlites verified - making him the self-proclaimed "Christopher Columbus of rocks." Rintamaki said Michigan State gave the rocks a scientific name: syenite clasts containing fluorescent sodalite. The name he gave them - Yooperlites comes from the nickname "Yoopers," which refers to people who live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, according to Mineral News, a newsletter for mineral collectors that reported on Rintamaki's discovery.
When his discovery was verified and made public in May 2018, Rintamaki says life as he knew it changed. "I've had thousands of messages and I can't get to them all," he told CBS News. He now gives Yooperlite tours on the beaches along Lake Superior. "I've never had anyone not find stones," Rintamaki said of his tour groups. He takes groups out near dusk and they use black lights to search for Yooperlites for about four hours, he says. He also still sells Yooperlites and bought a machine that can buff them into perfect, smooth orbs. When he's not with a tour group, he finds himself looking for Yooperlites alone all night long. "I work the night shift at a casino, so when I get out of work at 2 a.m., I get to the beach. I search until the sun comes up," he said. Rintamaki's passion has made him a local celebrity. He says his tours are booked solid through 2019 and the videos of his rock hunting have gone viral. From the internet geology-in
