May 29, 2007
The Mineral Museum, located on the Montana Tech Campus, is hosting the following lectures and workshops which will be held in the Museum. Lectures are open to the public and are free. Call 496-4414 for more information and to register for workshops.
Montana Hot Springs in History
Montana’s hot springs bubble with fascinating stories and historical legends. Jeff Birkby will lecture on the history of Montana’s hot springs, including the rustic early resorts in Montana’s high mountain valleys and the isolated hot water wells on the prairies of northeastern Montana. Birkby’s presentation weaves together archive photos of Montana’s elegant hot springs resorts of the early 1900s with stories of pioneer miracle cures. Birkby is the author of two hot springs guides for Falcon Press: Touring Montana and Wyoming Hot Springs, and Touring Washington and Oregon Hot Springs.
Monday, June 11, 7:00 pm
Japan Law Quartz Twins and other minerals of the PC Mine, Basin Montana
The PC Mine in Basin, Montana, produced world class Japan Law Quartz twins until its depletion in 2005. Pete Knudsen, avid mineral collector and Dean of the School of Mining and Engineering at Montana Tech will discuss the geology and mineralogy of this fascinating deposit as well as the history of mining the deposit.
Thursday, June 21, 7:00 pm
Glacial Lake Missoula: The Montana sedimentary record of multiple drainings
Glacial Lake Missoula formed multiple times behind glaciers that dammed the Clark Fork River near Lake Pend Oreille at the Montana/Idaho state border. Whenever the dams broke, huge floods formed the channeled scablands of Washington and Oregon. Larry Smith, from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, discusses recent work on lake sediments which documents two or more lake drainings, and that some of the scabland floods may have not come from the glacial lake.
Wednesday, July 11, 7:00 pm
Workshops
”Garden Mosaics” Add a touch of whimsy and brighten your garden by creating colorful and interesting mosaic forms. Learn how to mosaic steeping stones, flower pots and figurines using rocks, broken china, glass beads and tile pieces. This class is lots of fun and requires absolutely no previous experience! Taught be experienced mosaicist Leslie Doyle. Saturday, June 16, 2007, 9:00 – 12:00, $28
“Dinosaurs under the Big Sky” Molly Ward from the Museum of the Rockies will take you into the world of colossal creatures that roamed Montana millions of years before you! Create your own Jurassic dinosaur to take home and try your hand at excavation. Please wear clothes that can get dirty—excavating is a dusty job! Thursday, June 21, 1:00 – 3:00, ages 7 to 10, $10:00
“Be a Rock Detective!” Uncover the mysteries of rocks and minerals with the Mineral Museum staff! Where do rocks and minerals come from? How do they form? Play fun games and participate in activities that allow you to explore the rock world right in your own backyard! Thursday, July 19, 1:00 – 3:00, ages 7 to 10, $8.00