Special Online Presentation—Minerals of Georgia with Julian Gray

When: May 16, 2023, 7pm
The meeting will be broadcast on Facebook live and to AGS members via zoom.
Speaker Bio: Julian Gray is a mineralogist at Focal Point Mineralogy, LLC
(focalpointmineralogy.com). He is former curator of Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia and the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, in Hillsboro, Oregon. Julian also served as Executive director of the Rice Museum. A Georgia native, Julian studied at Georgia State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in geology. He received additional training in micro-analytical techniques from the McCrone Research Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Julian has worked with the U.S. Geological Survey and several commercial laboratories and environmental consulting firms. Julian lives in
Hillsboro, Oregon with his wife, Barb Epstien.

Abstract: For the May 16th meeting, Julian Gray, co-author of the newest edition of the Minerals of Georgia, will take us through the diverse mineral heritage of Georgia. The geology of Georgia encompasses a wide
range of rocks from Precambrian basement rocks, Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, igneous including pegmatites, metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rock, and unconsolidated sediments. Each of these environments host interesting mineral deposits of interest to mining and mineral collectors. To mineral collectors, Georgia is best known for its amethyst from Jacksons Crossroads; beryl, tourmaline, and rose quartz from the Hogg Mine; and rutile, lazulite, ad iridescent hematite from Graves Mountain. But there are many active and historic mineral collecting localities in this state. For instance, Georgia and North Carolina
witnessed America’s first gold rush in the early 1800s. Georgia’s famous marble mines have also produced spectacular, but rare calcite specimens. Early in the Twentieth Century, corundum was being actively mined
in NE Georgia. During World War II, Georgia’s pegmatites were exploited for beryllium and mica. Although many Georgia collecting sites are extinct or closed to collecting, there are still many collecting sites that
produce minerals from lapidary material to rare micro-minerals.