July 2021 Outcrop

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Volume 70 • No. 7 • July 2021

The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

Summit Sponsors PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

OUTCROP | July 2021

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Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

OUTCROP The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

1999 Broadway • Suite 730 • Denver, CO 80202 • 720-672-9898 The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) is a nonprofit organization whose purposes are to promote interest in geology and allied sciences and their practical application, to foster scientific research and to encourage fellowship and cooperation among its members. The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the RMAG.

2021 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

2nd VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT

Cat Campbell ccampbell@caminoresources.com

Mark Millard millardm@gmail.com

PRESIDENT-ELECT

SECRETARY

Rob Diedrich rdiedrich75@gmail.com

Jessica Davey jessica.davey@sproule.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT

TREASURER

Nathan Rogers nathantrogers@gmail.com

Rebecca Johnson Scrable rebecca.johnson@bpx.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT

TREASURER ELECT

Courtney Beck Antolik courtneyantolik14@gmail.com

Mike Tischer mtischer@gmail.com

2nd VICE PRESIDENT

COUNSELOR

Peter Kubik pkubik@mallardexploration.com

Jeff May jmay.kcrossen@gmail.com

RMAG STAFF DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Kathy Mitchell-Garton kmitchellgarton@rmag.org DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES

Debby Watkins dwatkins@rmag.org CO-EDITORS

Courtney Beck Antolik courtneyantolik14@gmail.com Nate LaFontaine nlafontaine@sm-energy.com Wylie Walker wylie.walker@gmail.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Rates and sizes can be found on page 34. Advertising rates apply to either black and white or color ads. Submit color ads in RGB color to be compatible with web format. Borders are recommended for advertisements that comprise less than one half page. Digital files must be PC compatible submitted in png, jpg, tif, pdf or eps formats at a minimum of 300 dpi. If you have any questions, please call the RMAG office at 720-672-9898.

Ad copy, signed contract and payment must be received before advertising insertion. Contact the RMAG office for details.

DEADLINES: Ad submissions are the 1st of every month for the following month’s publication.

The Outcrop is a monthly publication of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists DESIGN/LAYOUT: Nate Silva | nate@nate-silva.com

Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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Elijah Adeniyi elijahadeniyi@montana.edu Danielle Robinson danielle.robinson@dvn.com Rex Stout rex.stout@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY NOON LUNCHEON RESERVATIONS

RMAG Office: 720-672-9898 Fax: 323-352-0046 staff@rmag.org or www.rmag.org

Outcrop | July 2021 OUTCROP

LET’S GET OUTSIDE!

RMAG On the ROcks Field tRips 2021 Registration is open!

Visit www.rmag.org for details and to register.

Downtown Denver Building Stones Virtual Trip Virtual happy hour led by Rob Diedrich & David Schoderbek

¿ August 7 Cripple Creek/Victor Mine Tour Led by Gary Curtiss

¿ July 10 Sweetwater Valley/Eagle Basin Fossil Collecting Trip Led by John McLeod & Dennis Gertenbach

¿ August 20 (Friday) Detroit City Portal Rhodochrosite Mine Tour* Led by mine geologist Dean Misantoni

¿ July 16 (Friday) Paint Mines Interpretive Park Family trip led by Bob Raynolds

¿ September/October, date TBD Corral Bluffs Fossils: Rise of the Mammals* Led by Tyler Lyson & others, DMNS

¿ July 24 Dinosaur Ridge & Morrison Natural History Museum Family trip led by Kermit Shields

¿ October, dates TBD Picketwire Dinosaur Trackways* Overnight trip led by Martin Lockley

¿ June 9 @4pm

*Registration not yet open for these trips, as dates and/or details are yet to be finalized. email: staff@rmag.org | phone: 720.672.9898 OUTCROP | July 2021 1999 Broadway, Suite 730, Denver CO 80202

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fax: 323.352.0046 web: Vol. 70, | No. 7 |www.rmag.org www.rmag.org follow: @rmagdenver

OUTCROP Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists

CONTENTS FEATURES

ASSOCIATION NEWS

12 Lead Story: Freeware For Freelancers

2 RMAG Summit Sponsors

36 Mineral Of The Quarter: Dioptase

DEPARTMENTS 6 RMAG June 2021 Board Of Directors Meeting 8 President’s Letter 26 Online Lunch Talk: Katherine French 28 Online Lunch Talk: Molly Turko, Ph.D 34 In The Pipeline 34 Outcrop Advertising Rates 43 Welcome New RMAG Members!

44 Advertiser Index 44 Calendar

4 RMAG On-The-Rocks Field Trips 6 Publish with The Mountain Geologist 7 MiT Webinar Series: CO2 For Enhanced Oil Recovery—A Panel Discussion 9 MiT Networking Event: Let’s Get Together—Berkeley Lake Park 11 MiT Webinar Series: Geothermal Energy Networks Will Eliminate High First Cost And Optimize The Electric Grid

COVER PHOTO Eolian foresets of the Navajo Sandstone in the Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon, San Rafael Swell, Emery County, Utah.

Photo by Stephen Sturm

19 RMAG Sporting Clay Tounament 21 2021 RMAG Golf Tournament 25 RMAG Geohike Challenge 27 RMAG Geohike/Outcrop Photo Contest 30 2021 Earth Science Teacher of the Year Award 32 2021 Neal J. Harr Awards

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RMAG JUNE 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

By Jessica Davey, Secretary jessica.davey@sproule.com

September, so keep an eye out for those notices!

The Membership Committee is awaiting your entries to the Geohike Challenge, so if you haven’t signed up yet, do it soon! The Publications Committee has the ongoing task of finding articles for the Outcrop and Mountain Geologist.

Keep the good reading material coming! The On the Rocks Committee has a host of in-person field trips on the schedule for the summer, check out the RMAG website to register. The Educational Outreach Committee awarded the Teacher of the Year Award, stay tuned for details on the recipient.

The 2021 Geohike Challenge Kickoff event took place on June 13. We had such a great turn out, and my daughter and I had a blast looking at all the swag for sale and getting out for our first few photos at Dinosaur Ridge. I hope to see you out on the trails this summer taking awesome Geohike photos!

Happy summer fellow RMAGers!

The 2021 RMAG Board of Directors met virtually at 4 pm on Wednesday, June 16. Everyone was present for the meeting. Treasurer Rebecca Johnson Scrable reported that the RMAG financials are still looking good for 2021; the investment account has been performing well over the past few months. Debby and Kathy continue to manage the RMAG operations remotely from their homes.

The Continuing Education reported there were approximately 130 attendees for the online June lunch talk! The talk given by Randy Blood of Applied Stratigraphix was: Creating Giants: Insights Into The Depositional And Diagenetic Pathways That Created Two Of The Most Prolific Unconventional Reservoirs In The U.s., The Ordovician Utica Shale/Point Pleasant Limestone And The Devonian Marcellus Shale.

In-person luncheon talks are set to begin in

Publish with…

Why contribute?

• Reach a broad industry and academic audience • Quarterly peer-reviewed journal • Permanent archiving includes AAPG Datapages • Quick turn-around time • Every subdiscipline in the geosciences Expanded geologic focus: • Entire greater Rocky Mountain area of North America • West Texas and New Mexico to northern British Columbia • Great Plains and Mid-Continent region

Email: mgeditor@rmag.org https://www.rmag.org/publications/the-mountain-geologist/

Webinar Series Members in Transition

2021

Visit Petroleum Pivoters for more resources!

Rockies Members in Transition (MiT) is a joint effort of members of AAPG, COGA, CU Global Energy Manament, DERL, DIPS, DWLS, RMAG, SPE, WENCO, WGA, and WOGA in the Rocky Mountain region to help association members in the midst of a career transition.

July 8 12pm-1pm

Webinars are free and open to all

“CO2 for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR): A Panel Discussion” Stan Kleinsteiber John Scherlin Register at www.rmag.org

Mark Milliken

Rockies MiT Members in Transition

Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

By Cat Campbell

“A big crew change is underway in the oil and gas industry.”

– NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCILEMERGING TRENDS IN THE US ENERGY AND MINING INDUSTRIES

The big crew change. That seemed to be the slogan for those of us entering the industry over the past decade and a half. We were told that the boomers are retiring faster than roles can be filled and the bimodal distribution of ages (Figure 1) in the workforce, with FIGURE 1: Bimodal age distribution of an oil and gas company staff. boomers at one end and the XenniSource: https://www.americangeosciences.org/geoscience-currents/ als at the other, challenges will apgeoscience-workforce-age-distribution pear from issues with experience to conflict among the generations. communicating through social media outlets, which I The last challenge, the potential conflict between am sure many of you have noticed (sorry about that). the generations really sparked a curiosity for me. I Technological availability is a major factor in the exknow that I see things differently than my parents, periences of different generations, but it is so much which seems to be inherent in that type of relationmore complex than that. Having a cell phone in colship (love you Mom and Dad Campbell!), but why do lege rather than middle school doesn’t make me valI look at the world through a different lens than my ue freedom and flexibility, just as my parents being boss whose kiddos are my age? committed to an employer isn’t because they experienced huge leaps in television and early computer “Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but technology. So why are we so different?

follows religiously the new.”

—HENRY DAVID THOREAU

For starters, what are the generations? Talk about opening a can of worms with a question. For the purposes of this column, I am using Figure 2 to define the generations. The reason I’m opting for this diagram is because it captures the essence of the generations; the defining moments, personal drivers, and some key aspects of workplace life. I consider myself a cusp generationalist, bordering between X and Y, where cell phones came into popular use later, specifically in college, but I am still driven by freedom and flexibility, yet I really don’t like OUTCROP | July 2021

“Focus on why generations see things differently, not what those differences are.”

—HADYN SHAW

I love this quote. It redirects the focus from Matt Silverman (a Boomer, my former boss during my years at Bayless and now my mentor and friend) berating me to pick up the phone and call someone rather than email (just kidding, but really, he did ask me to use the phone more), to considering how Matt grew up versus how I grew up and why he prefers

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Networking Event Members in Transition

2021

Rockies Members in Transition (MiT) is a joint effort of members of AAPG, COGA, CU Global Energy Manament, DERL, DIPS, DWLS, RMAG, SPE, WENCO, WGA, and WOGA in the Rocky Mountain region to help association members in the midst of a career transition.

In person!

July 14

Free and open to all

4pm-7pm Let’s get together!

Berkeley Lake Park Picnic Shelter 1

Details & RSVP at rmag.org

46th Ave. & Tennyson St. Enjoy soft drinks & craft beer on us (while supplies last).

Drop by any time between 4 & 7.

Rockies MiT Members in Transition

Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

FIGURE 2:

The working generations and key attributes.

From: https:// kpcompanies. com/how-tomanage-a-multigenerationalworkforce/

the phone and I prefer email. Examining the core values of his generation and the cultural shifts that he and everyone else born during that time experienced versus what I saw as a child of the 1980s can bridge that communication gap. We found a balance in communication styles with honoring the personal interaction of phone calls when necessary, but also using email or text when communicating quickly and effectively was the priority.

Another example that is frequently brought to light in the multi-generational workplace is adapting to changes in technology, not just from rotary phone to cell phone, but advances in software and computing options. I think of my kids using their iPads and coding their robots to follow a path and pretend to be a dinosaur, things that I wouldn’t have fathomed in my youth. They will grow up with a level of comfort around technology from its availability, but also its integration into every aspect of their lives. Using Matt as an example again, we found a great balance as a team with technology. I found Petra, although frustrating, to be somewhat malleable to make it do what I wanted, and if not, I had Canvas

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and PowerPoint to make more stunning visual displays. That was my job, while Matt took on the role of project management rather than spending months fighting with software he actually didn’t need to be successful in his job.

COVID is something we all experienced together, a year-and-a-half that united the generations. As we return to real life, I hope we will respect what that means for each generation. While some may be ready to jump back in with both feet, others are dealing with the anxiety of transmitting the virus from a workplace exposure to their unvaccinated kids.

Can we maintain the treasured sense of trust placed in us by our employers as well as our productivity?

Can we design the new normal to offer the optimization of scheduling that working from home provided? These are challenges across the generations on our path to the future. Let’s take it easy on each other and communicate openly, however we choose to do so.

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“We need to remember across generations that there is as much to learn as there is to teach.”

—GLORIA STEINEM

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Webinar Series Members in Transition

2021

Visit Petroleum Pivoters for more resources!

Rockies Members in Transition (MiT) is a joint effort of members of AAPG, COGA, CU Global Energy Manament, DERL, DIPS, DWLS, RMAG, SPE, WENCO, WGA, and WOGA in the Rocky Mountain region to help association members in the midst of a career transition.

July 15 12pm-1pm

Webinars are free and open to all

“Geothermal Energy Networks Will Eliminate High First Cost and Optimize the Electric Grid” Jay Egg Register at www.rmag.org

President, Egg Geo LLC

Rockies MiT Members in Transition

Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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LEAD STORY

FREEWARE FOR FREELANCERS Finding Your Place In The New World

BY MATTHEW BAUER, MARRON BINGLE-DAVIS, MIKE BINGLE-DAVIS, ASHLEY DOUDS, JOHN MCLEOD AND KRISTOFFER RIMAILA

These buzzwords are inevitably brought up in every conversation about the current state of employment for geoscientists. Social media platforms and the internet are rife with groups, webinars, and workshops all indicating that they might provide for a smooth transition for geoscientists into a more valuable and desired career. The unfortunate truth is that a new career cannot be found in a multi-day online conference any more than a two-hour leadership seminar can turn someone into a Fortune 500 member.

Geoscientists have a skillset that is specifically designed to address the issues of mineral extraction, oil and gas production, maintaining a high degree of environmental standards, and unique perspectives on the cycles and timing of earth processes. Know your worth and establish the foundation that will allow you to continue to apply your valuable skills. Whether you’ve found yourself unemployed or are among the fortunate that currently have jobs, it’s critical to think about the steps you can take to prepare for the future.

Geoscientists affected by the downturn and pandemic lost access to the high-dollar platforms and packages that came with corporate employment–advanced programs designed to provide sedimentologic and stratigraphic analysis, geophysics, facies modelling, and even basic mapping. Some software companies offer reduced rates for the unemployed, but many times it’s still too expensive.

Fortunately, a multitude of geoscience software, from GIS to seismic, is available online for free. This article summarizes the resources presented in the Freeware for Freelancers. The two-part webinar series provided introductions and in-depth summaries of several free software for geoscientists. Recordings of the original presentations are available on YouTube.

This article provides an overview of the following freeware: • Office suite: Google • Image editing: GIMP • Data analysis: Power BI • Mapping: QGIS • Seismic interpretation: OpendTect • Programming: Python Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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IVOTING. TRANSITION.

GOOGLE PLATFORM Mike Bingle-Davis – Kirkwood Oil & Gas mikeb@kirkwoodcompanies.com

The most important underlying element to any functional office is a platform that provides spreadsheets, word processors, and presentation abilities. A Google account provides all of this and more.

These include, but are not limited to, a personal YouTube channel, business website, online data drive, financial insights, and should you be interested in the next step – Colab, a cloud-based Python platform. With a Google account, you have a platform that provides an online presence, websites, video content, and shared drive space.

An estimated 100 million global students and educators use Google and 30 million of these are on Chromebooks. This creates an environment where a majority of the incoming workforce will be fluent with this platform, so it is beneficial to learn it. With a Google account, you now have a relatively robust office program platform to work with.

GIMP (GNU IMAGE MANIPULATION PROGRAM)

Marron Bingle-Davis – Sunshine Valley Petroleum Corp marron@sunshinevalleypetroleum.com GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free, open-source cross-platform image editor available for GNU/Linux, OS X, Windows, and other operating systems. GIMP provides multiple advanced graphic editing tools for any user interested in image manipulation from graphic designers to professional photographers to scientists. GIMP is available for download through their website at https://www. gimp.org/. Some of the most commonly used features are painting, photo retouching, batch processing, image rendering, and image format converting; however, the options offered by GIMP are extensive (Figure 1).

In geology, GIMP can be utilized for map editing, creation and editing of cross-sections, creation

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LEAD STORY

FIGURE 1: Above, GIMP home screen with highlighted areas of

functionality. Below, GIMP home screen with image for editing.

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window keeps track of all steps applied so they can be undone easily.

When it comes to flexibility, Power BI allows users to create Groups in order to combine data that normally would not plot on the same graph. For example, if a database included a Formation column and various entries including “Green River Formation”, “Green River Fm”, and “Green River Fm.”, you can combine those data in a Group called “Green River Formation” so those data plot as the same Formation on all visualizations. In this case, the only difference is the way the Formation name was entered into the database. The data should plot together, and the Groups function can assist with that.

Once visualizations have been created, filters and slicers can be applied depending on the ultimate format of the workspace. If the intent of the dashboard is for interactive filtering by the data analyst, filters are the best option and can be quickly applied and removed for just a single graph or all pages in the workbook. In the case of an end-user interacting with the visualizations, a permanent slicer with commonly applied filters can be added to the dashboard to create a better end-user experience.

Interactive data selection is also a key feature of Power BI. When datapoints are identified on a single graph, the other graphs on the page will update to reflect the range associated with that datapoint.

For example, when the datapoints from Alaska are selected on the scatterplot (Figures 2 and 3), the map zooms into those datapoints, and the treemap and pie chart highlight where those data fall on each graph by adjusting the shading.

Power BI’s strength as a data evaluation and interpretation tool comes from its ability to intelligently import data, allow users to create data groups, create linked graphics, and filter data for individual graphs or the entire workbook, and numerous other functions. The software can also generate dashboards for end-users to interact with the data without having to know all the buttons to be pushed for analysis and interpretation. These end-user dashboards can be generated in desktop or mobile format.

To quickly learn the ins and outs of Power BI, consider taking one of the free online courses, such

of expert diagrams or exhibits, annotations, deleting backgrounds, merging images, and much more.

Examples include cropping and resizing of images through the “crop” and “unified transform” tools and cleaning images through “clone,” “color picker,” “bucket fill,” and “eraser” tools. If a computer generated map has extraneous elements as relics from the mapping algorithm, one can easily use GIMP to erase or modify these elements to create a more professional looking result. Likewise, if one wanted to add text or other annotation elements after the map is generated, GIMP’s “text” tool is there for easy annotations. Background deletion can dispense of unwanted image elements through GIMP’s “foreground select” tool. This tool is great for removing any background elements that distract from the clarity of your images. GIMP also has several paint features that allow you to highlight and illustrate images for creation of diagrams or exhibits for inclusion in presentations, papers, or official documents.

GIMP is highly useful in multiple aspects of geology including sedimentology/stratigraphy, petroleum, paleontology, mining, or any situation where you need to easily modify images without spending a fortune on image software.

POWER BI

Ashley S.B. Douds – Core2Core Geologic Asbdouds@gmail.com Microsoft’s Power BI Desktop is the software company’s business intelligence platform. Like Spotfire or Tableau, Power BI allows users to visualize data in numerous formats and interrogate large, relational databases. The desktop version of Power BI can be downloaded and installed if a license of Microsoft Office is either purchased or rented by the user.

Power BI contains numerous visualization options including basic maps, ArcGIS plug-ins, scatterplot, treemaps, waterfalls, pie charts and more. It can also intelligently import data. The import process allows you to evaluate the graphical distribution of data before import to make sure any database errors are cleaned up. Furthermore, the Power Query

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FIGURE 2: (above) Example of a dashboard including multiple different visualization formats.

FIGURE 3: (below) When samples from Alaska are selected on the scatterplot, each visualization

on the dashboard is updated to show the distribution of data through highlighting.

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FIGURE 4: QGIS platform showing example map.

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geoscience mapping programs (Figure 4). For newly independent geoscientists who might chafe at the cost of software to perform basic mapping functions, QGIS offers users a good alternative to perform the key geoscience and mapping functions of commercial programs at no cost for the software.

Some of the more important functions include: • Interpolate, grid, and contour point data • Georeference raster images • Query and filter • Link map features to external data, websites, or handler applications • Perform complex analysis and editing of geospatial files • Import and export many raster, vector, and data table formats • Convert geographic datums and projections • Symbolize, label, and design high-quality maps • Display and analyze many external sources of free served GIS data • Uses 2D, perspective 2D, and triangulation 3D visualization modes

as those available from edX. There are also several resources available to the Power BI community including a blog, forums, and tutorials. All of these features make Power BI a great addition to a freelancer’s software toolbox.

QGIS

John McLeod – Source Rocks International mcleod1999@gmail.com QGIS is the leading open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) that stores and analyzes geographically referenced data in a relational database and displays it as a stack of viewable map layers.

The core program is written largely in the Python language, and its basic utility is greatly expanded by plugins developed by a global user community.

It also incorporates the functionality of other opensource GIS programs such as GRASS and SAGA. It is most similar to the commercial ESRI ArcGIS platform and overlaps in function with many specialized

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PYTHON

OPENDTECT

Matthew Bauer – Sabata Energy Consultants and Affiliate Faculty at Colorado School of Mines matthew.w.bauer.pg@gmail.com

Kristoffer Rimaila – dGB Earth Sciences kristoffer.rimaila@dgbes.com OpendTect is a free, open-source seismic interpretation platform designed to cover everyday seismic interpretation tasks for generalists as well as more research-oriented scientists. OpendTect has been around since 2003 and is now available under the GNU GPL licensing policy. This guarantees that end users are free to use, run, study, modify or share the code. Although this platform can be expanded with third party plugins for more advanced workflows, such as machine learning, seismic sequence stratigraphy, and inversion methods, many tools are available for the freelancers in our industry at no cost. Starting from data loading, viewing SEGY files and even manipulation of corrupt or otherwise bad SEGY files are all available in the free, open-source version of OpendTect. The daily bread and butter interpretation tasks such as well-ties and synthetics, horizon and fault interpretation and attribute analysis are also available (Figure 5). The attribute list features numerous unique attributes, including five modes of spectral decomposition!

For the code-savvy freelancers, C++, MATLAB, and Python code can be integrated via the attribute engine. This way, your own code can be utilized with OpendTect as the visualization platform. Plugin development is also available either via Python libraries or through CMake. Recently, a Github repository was made available with examples of machine learning tools that can be utilized as such, or modified to your liking.

Scientists keen on trying out advanced features in OpendTect can do so by using either the F3 Demo or Penobscot datasets, both available on the dGB Earth Sciences seismic marketplace called TerraNubis. At the time of writing, all dGB plugins are available and free to use and demo in these two surveys.

Helpful resources such as self-study or instructor-led courses such as those hosted by dGB Earth Sciences and other venues are available. For more information, reach out to us at info@dgbes.com or visit dgbes.com.

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WHAT IS PYTHON? Python is an open-source, object-oriented, and general-purpose programming language that has found wide use in scientific circles. This is largely because the code is clear, logical, and tolerant of whitespace making it easy for humans to read.

So why would you want to learn to program in Python as a geologist? With a wide variety of opensource packages, or software shared by others, Python allows you to expand your toolbelt rapidly without additional cost. For geologists, these packages allow us to utilize file types otherwise only fully functional with expensive commercial software including well logs, seismic, and shapefiles. Python also allows you to collect data via APIs and web scraping, improving our understanding of natural systems through superior data coverage. Once you have your data, the package pandas eases the opening, cleaning, filtering, and merging of data in preparation for interpretation. For larger datasets, the use of pandas is an order of magnitude less effort compared to MS Excel.

Tired of cleaning up 99 different spellings of the same word in a dataset? Check out fuzzywuzzy which uses Levenshtein Distance to match strings with slight variations. Do you need to store and access large amounts of data in relational databases like SQL? Python allows you to integrate multiple flavors of SQL databases into your projects. Tired of time-consuming repetitive workflows that don’t require abstract thought? Automate them with Python to free up time to work on other projects. Have too many variables, a huge dataset, or too fast of a data stream to wrap your mind around in order to make it usable? Packages such as Scikit-Learn, PyTorch, Keras, or TensorFlow allow you to train and deploy multiple types of machine learning models to help make value with an otherwise overwhelming dataset. Have projects without absolute inputs that you

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Kiowa Creek Sporting Club | August 5, 2021 • Prizes for individual high score and team 1st, 2nd, & 3rd flights • Includes 1 round of 100 sporting clays, lunch, and door prizes • Does not include ammunition (please bring enough ammo for 100 clays, or you may purchase ammo at Kiowa Creek) • You may rent a gun for $20 onsite (limited quantities)

5 person team (member): $425 5 person team (non-member): $500 Individual (member): $85 Individual (non-member): $100

Registration and sponsorships available at www.rmag.org!

Thanks to our Premier Event Sponsor, Confluence Resources! email: staff@rmag.org | phone: 800.970.7624 Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

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LEAD STORY

FIGURE 5: Supported functionalities in the open-source, free module of OpendTect.

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All of this so far is available for free but if you need more hands-on help I’d recommend an in-person short course. Dr. Zane Jobe and I offer Practical Python for Geoscientists through RMAG and if you’re in the Houston area be sure to check out Daytum. io. If you’d like a more in-depth education Colorado School of Mines offers a Graduate Certificate: Data Science - Earth Resources.

Once you get started with Python, I highly encourage you to get involved in the community through the Software Underground (SWUNG) and come to social programming events. If you’re in the Denver area also be sure to check out the Denver Data Drivers lecture series. For folks in the Midland area be sure to put the SPE Permian Basin -- Data Analytics Study Group on your calendar.

need to evaluate risk on? Building Monte Carlo models with Python allows you to quantify the distributions of possible outcomes. Need to analyze and predict values over spatial systems? The package geostatspy brings the GSLIB: Geostatistical Library to Python.

Whatever your task, Python enables you to be creative with finding solutions rather than being restricted to the software tools you have.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Don’t be intimidated by a supposed “10,000hour” barrier to entry of being able to use Python.

You’ll start to see usable skills with an investment of about 20 hours. To accelerate the learning process I’d recommend a general course such as Dr. Chuck’s Python 4 Everybody or MIT Open Courseware’s introduction to Python. After you have a grasp on basic syntax, find some good examples of applied workflows to help you get started using it on your own projects. The Colab notebooks for my Practical Python for Geoscientists are available on GitHub; many of which have recorded lectures available. Additional resources include Dr. Michael Pyrzc’s geostatistics lectures, knowledge and training resources on YouTube, and the December 2020 Outcrop article “Using Python to improve your geologic interpretations: bottom hole temperature workflow.”

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CAN I SEE SOME EXAMPLES?

When learning to utilize Python in your own workflows, seeing how others have applied Python and where it excels helps you visualize its potential. Python easily handles the gathering, cleaning and merging of related data while allowing the result to be saved in multiple file formats for further interpretation. With MS Excel’s limit of 1,048,576 rows, large datasets require some creative filtering before merging with a sometimes painful VLOOKUP. With pandas, merging three million rows of analysis to

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LEAD STORY

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sample locations is a breeze. The example in Figure 6 selects the pyrolysis data then plots maturity from TMAX in North Dakota.

Interested in clay typing but don’t have petrophysical software? The example in Figure 7 uses the lasio, pandas, and matplotlib packages to open LAS logs, calculate vshale, and plot points based on their potassium - thorium ratio over a reference image.

Python really shines in automating repetitive tasks, allowing geologists to spend more time interpreting geology. The example in Figure 8 parses LAS well log headers for bottom-hole temperatures. The 64,000 LAS logs were parsed overnight then merged to location data. With suspect values removed, the data is saved to several formats including a shapefile for use in QGIS. Looking for formation tops or production data in Colorado but don’t have the budget for a data service or the time to pull them manually? COGCCpy reduces that process to a single line of code. COGCCpy is used by proFIGURE 6: Maturity from TMAX in the Williston Basin from the USGS viding a list of API numbers which it then itNational Energy Geochemical Survey database. Example source code. erates through pulling data from the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission. This spatial area. This example also adds a Euclidian disdata is then made available as a pandas dataframe tance curve which allows the identification of beds (Figure 9). with outlying properties (Figure 10).

Finally, working on your own or in a smaller As a geologist, learning Python will not only proshop may limit peer feedback when defining facies. vide you with a variety of new tools but it can also Defining log facies with unsupervised machine learning can provide an unbiased tool to aid in picking change the way you think. Python improves your tops or mapping facies distribution changes over a CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

»

Well Log Digitizing • Petrophysics Petra® Projects • Mud Log Evaluation Bill Donovan

Geologist • Petroleum Engineer • PE

(720) 351-7470 donovan@petroleum-eng.com OUTCROP | July 2021

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LEAD STORY

FIGURE 7:

(left) Clay typing from a spectral gamma log.

Example source code.

FIGURE 8:

(below) Bottom hole temperatures parsed from LAS well logs in Colorado. Example source code.

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LEAD STORY

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some time and lend a hand to those who are not. If you are unemployed, don’t lose hope. Get up, engage with your peers, build your workstation, and write, research and contribute.

We plan on continuing the work we started with the Freeware for Freelancers series, bridging the gaps between the programmers and the users. We all have different perspectives, ideas, and any one of you could hold the key to making real-world differences.

We encourage you to contact the contributors to this article: they can lead you to others who are in the same position and are here to help.

understanding of scientific concepts by requiring that you break complex concepts into small steps in order to write them into code. While there is a learning curve for using Python, the process will increase your creativity and persistence as you build your programming skills.

CONCLUSION

As we geoscientists know, there remains a lot of work to be done and nowhere near enough time. If you are reading this and are employed, please take FIGURE 9: (below) Example of

pulling tops and production data with COGCCpy. FIGURE 10: (right) Well log curves,

euclidian distance curve, & well log facies from a random forest model.

Example source code.

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RMAG GEOHIKE CHALLENGE The 2021 RMAG Geohike Challenge is bigger and better than ever!

New scavenger hunt items, new hats & t-shirts, new contests (a photo contest and a kids’ contest), and monthly prizes. Prizes awarded to the winners (gift card to REI, anyone?) and announced at AAPG/SEG in September!

REGISTRATION IS OPEN See www.rmag.org for details and to register.

Check out the RMAG LinkedIn Group to see pictures!

#rmaggeohikechallenge2021

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ONLINE LUNCH TALK

FREE!

Speaker: Katherine French July 7, 2021 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

BERS MEM Y ONL

Geochemistry of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

By Katherine French distal depositional environment. These samples were analyzed for bulk organic geochemistry, major and trace element geochemistry, and mineralogy. Samples from one of the drill cores were further analyzed for extractable organic matter composition, biomarkers, and stable organic carbon isotopic signatures. The results from these analyses were integrated to evaluate the stratigraphic variation in organic matter source and composition and depositional redox chemistry to determine drivers of organic- and hydrogen-richness in the Mowry Shale. Finally, the organic stable carbon isotopes were further evaluated to determine whether the oceanic anoxic event 1d (OAE 1d) influenced the deposition of the Mowry Shale.

The Cretaceous Mowry Shale, which is notable for its siliceous composition, is one of the major source rocks for petroleum in the central Rocky Mountain region. The hydrocarbon potential of the Mowry Shale has been recognized for years, but the Mowry Shale has generated renewed interest as a potential unconventional oil reservoir. The goal of the study presented in this talk is to refine our understanding of the conditions and processes in the Mowry Sea during the late Albian–Cenomanian that led to the deposition and organic enrichment of the Mowry Shale.

Accordingly, samples were collected from three thermally immature cores drilled west of the Casper arch in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming, which represents an intermediate to

KATHERINE (KATE) FRENCH is a research geochemist in the Central Energy Resources Science Center at the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver, Colorado. She received a B.S. in chemistry from Yale University in 2009, completed a Ph.D. in geochemistry from the MIT/WHOI joint program in chemical oceanography in 2014, and joined the USGS in 2017. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Germany from 2009 to 2010 and an Agouron postdoctoral fellow at WHOI from 2015 to 2016. Her research expertise is in organic geochemistry, specifically molecular characterization of organic matter preserved in sediments. She has applied her research across multiple fields, including petroleum system studies and resource assessments, geobiology of early earth, paleoenvironmental characterization of mass extinctions and oceanic anoxic events, and carbon cycle modeling of organic matter transported from land to sea. Her research emphasizes improved analytical methods and better understanding of how to interpret biomarkers in the sedimentary record. She has been consulted as an expert on organic biosignatures on Earth and other planets and advised on contamination requirements for the Mars Sample Return program. She is an associate editor for the journal Deep-Sea Research Part I.

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RMAG Geohike Challenge/Outcrop Magazine

Ansel Adams Photo Contest

We want your best photos!

It might not be Yosemite (though it could be) and it doesn’t have to be black & white, but we want your best photos from your Geohike Challenge adventures!

The Outcrop editorial team is planning a special “Geohike Photography” edition of The Outcrop for October 2021, which will include the best submitted images, with the winning photograph featured on the front cover. We want to showcase the talent of our community, as well as the amazing geology you are surrounded with, wherever you live. So register for Geohike and get your camera (or phone) ready!

See the RMAG website for details. Participants must be registered for the 2021 Geohike Challenge to win.

Register for the Geohike Challenge today!

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ONLINE LUNCH TALK

FREE!

Speaker: Molly Turko, Ph.D August 4 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

BERS MEM Y ONL

Structural Origin of the Anadarko Basin

By Molly Turko, Ph.D. developed in the basin and on the Anadarko Shelf with implications to timing of trap and hydrocarbon migration. Southern Oklahoma consists of large macroscopic structures related to the orogeny, while the Anadarko Shelf contains smaller scale structures, including significant sub-seismic structures. Many of these structures impact operations and production by acting as fluid conduits (leaky faults and fractures resulting in mud loss and well connectivity), or by acting as barriers (fault seals and reservoir compartmentalization).

By understanding these structures, we can do a better job at predicting the impact on a play, such as identifying sweet spots or preparing for operational risks, but it all starts by looking at the system from the basement up and by knowing the structural origin of the basin.

The tectonic evolution of the Anadarko Basin began in the Precambrian during the breakup of Gondwana when one arm of a failed rift tore through southern Oklahoma as a large igneous province was emplaced. This event was followed by thermal post-rift subsidence as the Great American Carbonate Bank covered North America, resulting in thick carbonate deposition into the failed rift. During the Pennsylvanian Orogeny, intra-plate tectonics inverted the failed rift creating the Wichita Uplift and associated Anadarko foreland basin. A detailed study on structures in the Anadarko Basin and Wichita Uplift records the tectonic evolution of southern Oklahoma which included a rotation in regional stresses during the Late Pennsylvanian. This insight helps to understand the structural styles that

DR. MOLLY TURKO has over 10 years of experience in the oil and gas industry and is a subject matter expert in structural geology. She has had the opportunity to work in multiple basins in the U.S including the Anadarko, Ardmore, Powder River, Appalachian, Onshore Gulf Coast, and Rocky Mountain Basins. She received both a B.Sc. (2009) and a M.Sc. (2011) in geology from the University of Tulsa followed by a Ph.D. (2019) from the University of Oklahoma where she studied under Dr. Shankar Mitra. Molly’s passion is mentoring and teaching, but her favorite role is leading structural geology field courses in Nevada and Southern Oklahoma. Molly is currently a team member of Applied Stratigraphix as their Structural Geology Expert along with consulting for Turko Tectonics and Structural Geology.

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2021 Earth Science Teacher Of The Year Award

BY DONNA ANDERSON, RMAG FOUNDATION The RMAG and the RMAG Foundation are pleased to announce the 2021 Earth Science Teacher of the Year Awardee! The outstanding finalist is Tricia Kearns science teacher at Webber Middle School in Fort Collins, Colorado. She personally receives $1500 to further her professional activities, and Webber Middle School receives $1500 to be used for Earth Science purposes, as directed

by Earth Science teacher awardee.

Tricia Kearns has an MS in Science Education and a life-long fascination with geology. Her philosophy is to get kids interested in the amazing phenomena of Earth Science and then get them to understand the processes that cause those phenomena. Normally, she teaches Earth Science to 180 students a year, but with the Pandemic she had to modify her program with a fully remote model, creating challenges to her regular subject content. To that end, she connected remotely with geology teachers all over the U.S., sharing best practices, lessons, and collective learning about geologic phenomena.

Her hope is to use some of the award funds for a geology field trip to study volcanoes. And for the classroom, she wishes to get a better collection of rocks and minerals along with a OUTCROP | July 2021

microscope. Tricia also plans to designate part of the award to take the entire 7th grade class to the Heart J Center for Experiential Learning at the Sylvandale Guest Ranch in Loveland, Colorado for the Earth Science field trip they didn’t get in 6th grade due to the pandemic. She has been teaching for 17 years.

Tricia says: “I am so humbled and grateful to receive this award.

Colorado truly is one of the best places to teach Earth Science! I have been teaching secondary science for 17 years, with the past 10 years being at Webber Middle School in Fort Collins. Earth Science has been a passion of mine from a very young age. I became fascinated with the variety of crushed stone in our Merrimac driveway in Deer Park, Illinois and that natural curiosity led to a 30

love of science. I try to inspire my students to understand and appreciate the unique geology that exists locally to connect to the phenomena found worldwide and on Mars.

Ms. Kearns received high praise from her school.

Patrick Kind, Assistant Principal formerly at Webber Middle School , says, “Tricia is a wonderful teacher and Webber is very lucky to have her as a member of our staff. We are so proud of her and all of her accomplishments. Thank you to the RMAG and the RMAG Foundation for recognizing this outstanding educator.”

With the mission to inspire and educate current and future geoscientists, the RMAG Foundation recognizes the importance of this dedicated teacher who provides earth science education. In honoring Tricia Kearns, the RMAG is pleased to encourage and foster interest in STEM careers in general and particularly in earth science.

The applicants for the Award this year were highly qualified. To foster educational outreach and engagement, they each will be given complimentary one-year memberships to the RMAG, funded by the RMAG Foundation.

Congratulations!

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2021 Neal J. Harr Awards The RMAG Foundation Trustees are pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Neal J. Harr awards. Every year since 1976, the Foundation has invited all the Colorado colleges and universities, now 10 in number, to nominate the outstanding senior geology major for this award. Fondly known as the “Pick” Award, each winner receives an engraved rock hammer and a free one-year membership to RMAG.

This year, the Foundation hosted a virtual awards ceremony and invited the students, faculty, and family members to celebrate these students.

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Jacob King returned to school after 6 years with the Marines which gave him an opportunity to travel the world. Growing up in

Fort Collins afforded him an opportunity to become an outdoor enthusiast with an ultimate focus on environmental geology. His professors, Dr. Bill Sanford and Jerry Magloughlin spoke highly of his maturity and experience that led him to be an outstanding role model for other students. Jacob will take an academic break to spend time with his children while his wife, who works, pursues additional

Screen shot of participants for the Neal J. Harr awards ceremony.

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Screen shot of participants for the RMAG Foundation’s scholarship winners. coursework in her field.

ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY Isabel Rodriguez was unable to attend the awards ceremony.

FORT LEWIS COLLEGE

Diego Ray Schutz was disappointed to miss the awards ceremony, but we understood his absence since he was attending field camp. In addition to his geology major, he received a GIS certificate.

He will be working for a minerals exploration company in Durango following field camp.

COLORADO COLLEGE

Mingxi Hu was unable to attend the awards ceremony.

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES

Shahad Aldhamin attended CSM at a Saudi Aramco Scholar.

With an interest in both petroleum and mining, she will return to Saudi Arabia this summer and hopes Vol. 70, No. 7 | www.rmag.org

to work in the Unconventional Resource Exploration Department with Saudi Aramco. Her professor, Wendy Bohrson, praised her academic intellect, her enthusiasm for learning, and her leadership.

COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY

Jarad Lavelle introduced himself as a non-traditional student.

After working in the automobile industry for 15 years, he returned to school with a renewed interest in academics and an initial fascination with soils. As a native of California, he was aware of aquifer and snowpack issues affecting the state’s hydrologic supply. He will be working as an environmental consultant after graduation with plans to get a master’s degree in hydrology in the future.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN COLORADO

Sydney A. Clayton supplemented her geology major with a minor in anthropology. Growing up in 33

Gunnison, she developed a fascination with rock collecting which ultimately led her to UNC. She has enjoyed volunteering with the paleontology department at the Museum of Nature and Science and indicated a second interest in groundwater studies. Professor Graham Baird was highly complementary of her academic achievements, her drive, and her seeming ability to succeed in any scientific venture.

WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY

Destany Vargas was unable to attend the ceremony because she was serving as a TA for field camp.

Her academic emphasis is in petroleum due, in part, to a grandfather who worked in the industry and introduced her to all aspects of his work. Her enthusiasm for geology and the hands-on experiences that she has had provides her with an enthusiastic plan to pursue a master’s degree.

OUTCROP | July 2021

IN THE PIPELINE JUNE 13- SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

RingCentral Meetings. 12:00 PM-1:00 PM.

RMAG GeoHike Challenge.

JULY 10, 2021

JULY 6-8, 2021

RMAG Field Trip.

Trip Leaders: Dennis Gertenbach and John McLeod.

“Fossil Collecting in Central Colorado. Pennsylvanian Belden Formation.” Dotsero, CO.

SPE Virtual Workshop.

“Integrated Water Injection Management.”

JULY 7, 2021 RMAG Online Luncheon.

Speaker: Kate French.

“Geochemistry of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale in the Wind River Basin.

Wyoming.” Online via

JULY 16, 2021

JULY 24, 2021 RMAG Field Trip.

Trip Leader: Kermit Shields.

“Dinosaur Ridge and Morrison Natural History Museum.” Golden, CO. JULY 26-28, 2021 SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference.

Online or In- Person. Houston, TX. Urtec.org to register.

RMAG Field Trip.

Trip Leader: Bob Raynolds.

“Paint Mines Interpretive Park.” Calhan, CO.

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WE ARE GREAT WESTERN AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO:

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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER

By Ronald L. Parker Senior Geologist, Borehole Image Specialists, P. O. Box 221724, Denver CO 80222 | ron@bhigeo.com

DIOPTASE The Emerald Imposter

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

This is an eye-popping aggregate of lustrous, intensely blue-green, cm-scale dioptase crystals from the Onderra Mine of the Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia. 3.5 cm in long dimension. Photo by Annette Slade. Used with permission from Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc. https://collectorsedge.com/

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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: DIOPTASE

This is a zoom of crystalline dioptase aggregate from the Onderra Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia. This perspective reveals the translucent appearance of the crystal mass, with multiple internal reflections, variations in color intensity, euhedral faces and cleavages. Annette Slade photo. Used with permission from Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc. https:// collectorsedge.com/

Dioptase is a beautiful, deep emerald-green hydrated copper silicate that has long been a favorite of mineral collectors. The intensity of the green and blue-green coloration is astonishing and, when combined with rhombohedral symmetry and brilliant internal reflections, dioptase has sometimes been mistaken for true emerald. Dioptase is too fragile for use as jewelry, and yet, is sometimes faceted as a display gem. Dioptase occurs as a secondary mineral in the oxidized portions of copper orebodies and is associated with the more plentiful copper carbonates, sulfates and phosphates. Dioptase is known almost entirely from arid settings. Once considered a rare mineral, newer discoveries have increased its availability to collectors. The most significant dioptase occurrences are found in Namibia.

The name dioptase is derived from the Greek and is based on the translucent appearance of some euhedral crystals which display partially-activated cleavages that accentuate attractive internal reflections.

‘Dioptase’ was proposed by Abbe Rene Hauy, in 1801, after studying new green crystals from Kazakhstan (Cook, 2002). Hauy was struck by the internal cleavage reflections within his specimen and named it from

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the Greek “to see through.” (Jones, 1985). In Greek dia means ‘through’ and optazien means ‘visible’ or ‘to see’ (Bonewitz, 2005).

Dioptase is a cyclosilicate, composed of six silica tetrahedra arranged in a circle, each tetrahedron sharing two of the three basal oxygens. This yields a 1:3 silicon to oxygen ratio. The chemical formula of dioptase can be reduced to CuSiO3 – (OH)2 to reflect the simple 1:3 Si:O ratio. The more complicated formula [Cu6(Si6O18) - 6H2O], with the same Si:O ratio, reflects the cyclosilicate structure. According to Ribbe et. al (1977) the crystal structure of dioptase is described as “puckered trigonal rings of 6 water molecules… sandwiched between similarly puckered trigonal rings of six silicate tetrahedra bonded together laterally and vertically by Cu atoms.” (p. 807). Like Oreos, stacked down the c-crystallographic axis. The Cu2+ atoms display 6-fold coordination with oxygens; four from the silica tetrahedra and two from water molecules (Ribbe et. al., 1977).

Dioptase is often found with well-developed, euhedral crystal faces, as crystalline aggregates and, sometimes, as crusty, massive coatings (Cook, 2002).

Dioptase has a crystal symmetry that is similar to yet

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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: DIOPTASE

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distinctly different from that of emerald. Dioptase crystallizes in the uncommon trigonal-rhombohedral (bar 3) crystal class. Thus, the c-crystallographic axis is a 3-fold axis of rotoinversion with no attending mirror planes. Dolomite is another representative of the bar-3 class. In the world of real mineral specimens, this is reflected in crystals that are prismatic, elongated in c, with rhombohedral terminations. These forms can be differentiated from those of the cyclosilicate emerald (a Cr-rich beryl) which is from the dihexagonal-dipyramidal (6/m2/m2/m) crystal class (Klein, 2002).

Dioptase has a suite of diagnostic physical properties that make it an easy guess in an undergraduate mineralogy lab. Of course, a vitreous luster (also described as sub-adamantine) and a specific gravity of ~3.3. Not surprisingly, dioptase yields a green-blue streak. Dioptase has perfect rhombohedral cleavage {10bar11} and cleavage activation is easily delivered.

Dioptase has a telltale Mohs hardness of 5 (easily distinguished from the 8 of emerald). Pough (1995) observes that a hardness of 5 makes dioptase easy to segregate from the many other – usually softer – green minerals like the copper sulfates, copper carbonates and copper phosphates. Yet, when combined with facile cleavage, the hardness of 5 prevents more widespread use of this attractive mineral as a gemstone.

In spite of these shortcomings, dioptase IS used as a gemstone, but it is a fragile one at best: too soft and easily damaged. As an illustration, dioptase is known to shatter when subjected to the ultrasonic cleaning other gemstones enjoy (Bonewitz, 2013).

The most distinguishing characteristic of dioptase is its deep emerald green to blue-green color (Cook, 2002). Dioptase crystal masses, observed in person, can take your breath away with the sheer magnitude of mineral beauty. Humans have been enthralled with blue and green minerals for a long time, as evidenced by the first appearance of green stone beads and pendants at the dawn of the Neolithic (~13,500 to 11,500 B.C.E.) (Bar-Yosef Mayer, 2008; Parker, 2020). Dioptase has been identified as an eye-liner in lime plaster statues dating to 7,200 B.C.E. (The British Museum, 2021). The mesmerizing influence of this emerald

ABOVE: Astonishing forked blue-green dioptase from the Tsumeb Mine, Oshikoto, Namibia. Photo by Rob Lavinsky, iRocks.com – CC-BY-SA-3.0 BELOW: Namibia’s Kaokoveld Plateau has become well-known for its colorful and rare copper silicate minerals, including shattuckite, and malachite. This is a beautiful specimen featuring several lustrous, large, dark blue-green crystals of dioptase embraced by a matrix of vibrant aquamarine blue and kelly green shattuckite. The color contrast is simply arresting. 5.3 cm in long dimension. Onderra Mine, Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia. Annette Slade photo. Used with permission from Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc. https://collectorsedge.com/

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Mallard Exploration is a Denver-based upstream Oil & Gas Exploration and Production company focused on the DJ Basin of Colorado. We are building a successful business with strong ethics, hard work and industry-leading technology.

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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: DIOPTASE

» CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38

green-blue color, combined with the shiny translucent crystals with infinite winking internal reflections, led some miners of the past to think they were in the presence of emeralds. There are several accounts of the first miners of dioptase in Kazakhstan sending purported emeralds to Czar Paul in 1797 (Cook, 2002; Bonewitz, 2005). History is mute on his response.

Intriguingly, I’ve seen several references that claim that the beauty of dioptase cannot be appreciated if not experienced in the ‘now’. A photograph by David Barthelmy on the dioptase Webmineral website (Webmineral, 2021) includes this quote in the caption: “The color of dioptase does not photograph well and must be seen in person to appreciate.” (Webmineral, 2021).

While I do agree with this sentiment, in principle, I also am pleased to discover that recent photographic artistry has rendered this concept obsolete. When writing this article, I discovered some absolutely stunning photographs of dioptase by Annette Slade on the Collector’s Edge Minerals Inc. website. Bryan Lees gave me permission to use some of them, and I think you will agree – they are spectacular.

Dioptase is found as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zones of copper-bearing deposits. Dioptase occurrence is almost entirely restricted to arid climates. One curiosity is that, unlike copper deposits themselves, “why isn’t dioptase more plentiful?” An idea, found on the Wikipedia Dioptase webpage, holds that oxidizing copper sulfides creates strongly acidic conditions from produced sulfate. These are conditions where silica is highly stable, hence, immobile.

In arid settings, however, buffering by carbonate aided by time may create the proper conditions for silica mobility and reaction to form dioptase (Wikipedia, 2021). In these copper deposits, dioptase is associated with other secondary minerals including chrysocolla, malachite, azurite, mimetite, wulfenite, cerussite, hemimorphite, plancheite, fluorite and quartz (Cook, 2002).

Dioptase is well-regarded by the metaphysical community. Various crystal healing websites tout the ability of dioptase to help one move on from negative life experiences by expunging sensitive emotions such as grief, trauma, abandonment, betrayal, heartache,

ABOVE: This photo displays a single, wellformed, prismatic crystal of dark green dioptase on a calcite matrix. The prism elongation is the c-crystallographic axis. Perfect rhombohedral pyramid faces decorate the top. From the Kaokoveld Plateau, Kunene Region, Namibia. The crystal is about 2.5 cm long. Annette Slade photo. Used with permission from Collector’s Edge Minerals, Inc. BELOW: Superb large crystal mass of green dioptase euhedra from the Tsumeb Mine, OtaviBergland District, Oshikoto, Namibia. Specimen is 5.5 cm in long dimension. Photo used with permission from John Betts Fine Minerals, www. johnbetts-fineminerals.com

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MINERAL OF THE QUARTER: DIOPTASE REFERENCES

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depression, anxiety and self-hate. In addition to these strengths, green dioptase “…is supposed to grant the skill to speak with trees and to understand the language of birds.” Powers the physicist authors would ascribe (tongue-in-cheek) to strong quantum fluctuations evidenced by a broad maximum in magnetic susceptibility and a low value of sublattice magnetization (Janson et. al., 2010).

The type locality for dioptase is Altyn-Tyube, 50 km east of Karaganda, Kirghiz Steppe, Kazakhstan. Dioptase was once considered a rare mineral because it was only known from this locality. Today, many more locations have been discovered and dioptase is considered an “uncommon-but-available” mineral (Jones, 1985). Important localities for dioptase include Kazakhstan, Mexico, Spain, Iran, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Argentina, Chile, and South Australia. It is widely held that the most significant dioptase mines are found in Namibia, including the Tsumeb mine in the Otavi-Berglund district, Oshikoto, and the Kaokoveld Plateau region, Kunene (Jones, 1985). Many of the photos in this article are from Kaokoveld. In the United States, dioptase is widespread, though in low abundance in the arid western states. Cook (2002) reports dioptase occurrence in Grant and Otero Counties in New Mexico, Clark County, Nevada, Granite County, Montana, and San Bernardino County, California. The greatest number of dioptase localities in the U.S. are from Arizona, most notably from the copper mining districts of Pinal County.

Dioptase: not emerald, but a fair substitute!

Bar-Yosef Mayer, Daniella E. & Naomi Porat, 2008, Green Stone Beads at the Dawn of Agriculture, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105:8548–8551. Available on-line https://www. pnas.org/content/pnas/105/25/8548.full.pdf Bonewitz, Ronald Louis, 2005, Rock and Gem: The Definitive Guide to Rocks, Minerals, Gems and Fossils, New York, New York: Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 360 pp. _______________, 2013, Smithsonian Nature Guide: Gems, New York, New York: Dorling-Kindersley Limited, 224 pp.

British Museum, 2021, Lime Plaster Statues, website https://web.archive.org/web/20130511103233/ https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/me/l/lime_plaster_statues. aspx, Accessed 6/23/2021 Cook, Robert B., 2002, Connoisseur’s Choice: Dioptase, Tsumeb, Namibia, Rocks & Minerals, 77(3): 176-180 Janson, O., A. A. Tsirin, M. Schmitt and H. Rosner, 2010, Large Quantum Fluctuations in the Strongly Coupled Spin-1/2 Chains of Green Dioptase: A Hidden Message from Birds and Trees, Physical Review B, 82:.

Jones, Robert W., 1985, Featured Mineral at the 1985 Tucson Show: Dioptase – the Emerald Copper, Rocks & Minerals, 60(1): 5-8.

Klein, Cornelis, 2002, The 22nd Edition of the Manual of Mineral Science: New York, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 641 pp.

Parker, Ronald L., 2020, Amazonite - The Blue Flash of the Rockies, Outcrop, the Monthly Newsletter of the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, 69(4): 34-40.

Pough, Frederick H., 1995, A Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals: Fifth Edition, Peterson Field Guide Series, New York: Houghton-Mifflin Company, 396 pp.

Ribbe, Paul H., G. V. Gibbs and Martha Hamil, 1977, A Refinement of the Structure of Dioptase, Cu6[Si6O18] – 6H2O, American Mineralogist, 62:807-811. https:// rruff.info/doclib/am/vol62/AM62_807.pdf Webmineral, 2021, Dioptase Mineral Data webpage, http://webmineral.com/data/Dioptase.shtml#.YNLnfWhKiHs Accessed 6/2/2021

WEBLINKS

• https://www.minerals.net/mineral/dioptase.aspx • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioptase • https://www.mindat.org/min-1295.html • http://www.handbookofmineralogy.com/pdfs/dioptase.pdf • http://webmineral.com/data/Dioptase.shtml#.

YNN1huhKiHt • http://www.galleries.com/Dioptase • https://www.healingcrystals.com/Dioptase_Articles_2708.html • https://collectorsedge.com/

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WELCOME NEW RMAG MEMBERS!

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ADVERTISER INDEX

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CALENDAR – JULY 2021 SUNDAY

MONDAY

4

TUESDAY

5

WEDNESDAY

6

7

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

1

2

3

8

9

10

RMAG Online Luncheon.

RMAG Field Trip.

“Pennsylvanian Belden Formation.”

SPE Virtual Workshop.

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

RMAG Field Trip.

“Paint Mines Interpretive Park.”

18

19

20

21

22

23

24 RMAG Field Trip.

“Dinosaur Ridge and Morrison Natural History Museum.”

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

SPE/AAPG/SEG Unconventional Resources Technology Conference.

RMAG GeoHike Challenge: Continues thru Sept. 15, 2021

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