Past Field Trip Details - National Limestone Quarry


Official Field Trip Notice of the Shenandoah Valley Gem and Mineral Society


National Limestone Quarry / June 1st, 2013

This is unique collecting opportunity. This is the best wavellite collection site on the East Coast and the future for collecting is uncertain; the quarry has changed ownership or may in the near future. It will be a long drive but worth it. I will personally lead our group. Sign up by replying to the email you received announcing the trip.

Where:
National Limestone Quarry, Middleburg, PA

When: June 1st, 2013

Time: 9:00 am to One-ish or perhaps Two-ish

Directions: See below

Notes/comments: Reply to Field Trip Coordinator’s email (sent previously) e-mail.
This is unique collecting opportunity. Best wavellite on east coast and uncertain future for collecting since quarry has changed ownership or is about to.Will be a long drive but worth it. I will personally lead our group.

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Northern Virginia Mineral Club (Norvir Minclu)
Dandy Official Collecting Trip Announcement
National Limestone Quarry, Middleburg, PA
Maybe Both Mines – (Yes, there are 2)
And maybe some fossils too, also, as well

WHEN: OK, fine. Eric Stahl (Owner, purveyor and resident cleric) only had June 1st open. It was that or wait until July. So, at 9:00 am on June 1st, 2013 (meeting at the Mine Office of the Mt. Pleasant Mills mine. That's the better of the two for our porposes.)

A great massive and monstrous gaggle of us rocky houndy sorts will coalesce into a throng of size! to attend to the obligatory safety briefing and sermon, yes, sermon, preparatory to leaping unsuspected upon the mineral populace indigenous to those environs.

Afterwards we may visit a fossil site in the vicinity, using that word somewhat loosely.

WHY: Cacoxenite, Calcite, Celestine, Gesundheit, Fluorite, Strontianite, Wavellite, Saygoodnight
The quarry is perhaps best known for its Strontianite, Wavellite and underwater dancing. Very nice when found. There are also fossils and bits of caves in the limesone rubble and usually great quantities of Calcite. And the restrooms are 1st rate with FUR LINED SINKS!

Fossil Possibilities:
At Suedburg there is a "Middle Devonian (375 mya) exposure of olive-gray siltstones and claystones of the Mahantango Formation. The fossils here comprise mostly of brachiopods and bryozoans, and a few trilobites and crinoids...the minerals from this area have fossilized these ancient creatures painting them red, orange, yellow, blue, and purple." Fur real.

Or, we could go to the St. Clair fern fossil coal site of song and story. Fields of long dead ferns and stuff in a broad swath of exposed anthracite. You will go ga-ga. Or not. But, if you do, we will film it and put it on Youtube for the world to admire your ga-ga-iness. There, the basis of your 15 minutes.

Or, something else. We must remain open to the possibilities.

WHO: Any and all members in good standing of any eastern federation affiliated club. Roanoke Club members also welcome (Special Dispensation). All homo sapiens under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Non-humans must be leashed. This includes you outer-space people.

If you, dear reader, are not a member you may go to our website, www.novamineralclub.org, print off the membership form, fill it out and show up at the trip meeting with that and the appropriate of membership dues. So, pony up!

Be reminded that the trip coordinator is always to be lauded and celebrated as though he were were an arctic explorer. Which he is, sort of. Mukluks optional.

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Directions: From US 15 south of Harrisburg, PA at the Pennsylvania Turnpike to National Limestone (you can figure out how to get to Harrisburg, stinkface):

Quarry Road, Middleburg, PA 17842 - Follow the
link--> http://www.mindat.org/loc-145516.htmlhttp://www.mindat.org/loc-145516.html
1. Head northeast on US-15 N 5.3 mi
2. Continue onto Camp Hill Bypass (signs for US-11 N/US-15 N/I-81/Marysville) 0.6 mi
3. Continue onto Walnut St 0.7 mi
4. Turn left at N Front St 1.3 mi
5. Continue onto US-11 N/US-15 N/S Enola Rd
Continue to follow US-11 N/US-15 N 32.9 mi
6. Turn left at PA-104 N 8.5 mi
7. Turn left at PA-35 S 0.4 mi
8. Turn right at Flint Valley Rd 0.2 mi
9. Slight left at Sr2 3005 131 ft
10. Continue onto Flint Valley 0.1 mi
11. Continue onto Freemont Rd 0.3 mi
12. Slight left at Quarry Rd 328 ft
13. Continue on until you see other people who look lost like yourself.

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What stuff to bring:
Steel-toed Boots - a requirement. In a quarry, everyone can hear you scream.
Safety Helmet - also a requirement. A skull sometimes needs to be fashionably armor clad.
Safety Goggles - also a requirement, too. See: screaming, above.
Heavy Work Gloves - also a requirement, too, as well. Protect all your dainty appendages.
Other Handy Objects - non-must-ish, but a good idea. Rock Chisels, Small Sledge Hammers, Large Sledge Hammers, Huge Unwieldy Sledge Monsters, Geologists Picks, Gongs, Thongs, but no bongs, Heavy Plastic Containers (for large specimens), Egg Cartons (for small specimens), First Aid Kits, Snacks, Water, Plastic Sheeting (to protect the interior of your car) and for a bit of nonsequitor fun, lets all wear brown shirts and black caps, just to mess with people.

SPECIAL NOTE: Our host, Eric Stahl, would enjoy it very much if you could bring along samples of stone as gifts for his grandchildren. He is particularly interested in tumbled or otherwise polished stone.

LASTLY: Due to the vagaries of weather, Malayan pagentry and my own dramatically bizarre behavior, the event may be canceled on the cusp of a conciet. If there is any question as to whether the trip will come off or if you simply want to go on the trip contact me at jtcarve@msn.com, 571.344.4958 (c) or 703.754.2050 (h) and enjoy my jocular/strangely unsettling answering machine message.
Even Lastlier: We gots to sign a waiver. The law heads have spoken.

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Thanks,
Dean Hostetter
Field Trip Coordinator