Wisconsin Geological Society

Red granite became the state rock in 1971. Granite is an igneous rock made up of a variety of minerals -- typically quartz, feldspar, mica, and hornblende. Granite is commonly used as a building and decorative stone.Shows

Wisconsin Geological Society
Greater Milwaukee Area 2010 Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show
The 53rd Annual Wisconsin Geological Society Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show will be held on Saturday May 15Th and Sunday May 16th 2010 from 10:00am to 5:00pm each day. The show will be held indoors at the Muellner Building at Hart Park in Wauwatosa, WI.
The Park Entrance is at 72nd and W. State St. Wauwatosa WI. (about 6 miles west of downtown Milwaukee)
Admission $3.00, 2 for $5.00, accompanied children under 16 Free.
The show features 22 dealers from all over the Midwest who sell lapidary supplies, tools, books, rough material, slabs, finished specimens, cabochons, jewelry, carvings, fossils, and more. Children’s activities, exhibits, displays, presentations, and food sales round out the show. 

Download the flyer here

March 6 through September 6: Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age at the Chicago Field Museum.
April 17-18 Chippewa Valley Gem & mineral Society Show: Eau Claire Exposition Center, Lorch Road, Eau Claire, WI.
MAY 15-16 Wisconsin Geological Society Annual Show (that's us people!): Hart Part in Wauwatosa, WI.  Call Paul Schmidt 414-771-8668 or pvs@wi.rr.com
June 18-20 AFMS/CFMS Convention: LaHabra, CA
June 26th: Wausau area field trip with Badger Lapidary for aegerine and soapstone. If interested please contact Cathy Romeis cathydid@ticon.net by June 16th.  Headcount REQUIRED for certain stops.
July 10-18 WGS Summer Fieldtrip to Minnesota and Canada: Looking for amethyst, agates, thomsonite, and more!  Contact Field Trip Leader Jody Rymaszewski.

 

Wisconsin State Mineral
Adopted: March 9, 1971 The Kenosha Gem and Mineral Society, to promote geological awareness, introduced the proposal for Wisconsin to adopt a mineral. Galena was chosen because of its immense role in Wisconsin's history and economy. After all Galena (lead) was what first attracted European settlers to Wisconsin.

Sedimentary rocks

  • Sedimentary rocks are the second great rock class. Whereas igneous rocks are born hot, sedimentary rocks are born cool at the Earth's surface, mostly under water. They usually consist of layers or strata, hence they are also called stratified rocks. Depending on what they're made of, sedimentary rocks fall into one of three types.