Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois - ESCONI

Field Trip: State Street Quarry in Rockford, June 25th 2017

There will be a field trip for ESCONI members on June 25, 2017 to the State Street Quarry in Rockford. The trip starts at 9 AM and ends at 12 noon. Rules are as follows:

 

1. Everyone in your party must be an ESCONI member by June 18, 2017.

 

2. Everyone in your party must be at least 18 years of age.

 

3. Because this is a combined trip, there are only 20 open slots for ESCONI members.

 

4. The address of the quarry is 8966 East State Street, Rockford, IL.

 

5. We will have site-specific training, and everyone will sign waivers.

 

6. You must have the following safety gear: sturdy (preferably steel-toed) boots, hard hat, safety glasses and safety vest.

 

7. Please review the ESCONI Code of Ethics available on the ESCONI website. This applies to field trips.

 

To sign up for this field trip, send Dave Carlson an email with the number of members attending. His email address is: fossil54@att.net  No phone calls please. Do NOT call the quarry. I will confirm via return email within 24 hours. If you do not hear back from Dave within that time, send it again!

41st Chicagoland Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Show, May 27th and 28th 2017

The 41st Chicagoland Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show

On Memorial Day weekend, nationally-known dealers, demonstrations,  exhibits, lapidary arts, jewelry exhibits, faceting, cabochoncutting, polishing gemstones, silversmithing, jewelry making, wirewrapping, prospecting, geode splitting, a silent auction, Kids Korner - and jewelry repair - will all be available!  

Want more information? Download a brochure or a flyer to print. 

*Yes! Returning This Year: Wholesale Dealer Room! Click here to learn more.

Saturday, May 27, 2017 10am - 6pm
Sunday, May 28, 2017 10am - 5pm

Ticket Pricing (cash):

One Day Show Pass
$5.00  Adults
$3.00  Seniors & Students (ages 13-18)
  Children (Under 13) Free
 
Two Day Pass
$8.00  Adults
$4.00  Seniors & Students (ages 13-18)
  Children (Under 13) Free
 
Note: Service Personnel w/Id, Scouts in Uniform are free

FREE PARKING
INDOORS - AIR CONDITIONED - FOOD AVAILABLE 
Camping Available - Call (630) 377-0197(630) 377-0197

The 39th show was great! Check out the photos in the Photo Gallery.  Hope to see you this year!!

WE MOVED.  CHECK OUT OUR NEW ADDRESS

                                          Kane County Fairgrounds 

                                          525 S Randall Rd  

                                          St Charles, IL 60174 

 

Field Trip Report: Braceville, IL, Spring 2017, Mazon Creek Concretions

The Braceville Field Trip on May 13th and 14th, 2017 was very successful.  There was a large turn out and the weather was nearly perfect.  Because of the recent rains, many concretions were available by surface collecting.  There were a few immediate discoveries (fan worm, cyclopteris, ...) and many, many, unopened concretions ready to reveal their treasures at some future time.  Happy freeze thawing this summer!

ESCONI Member Andrew Young very generously dumped some opened concretions from his piles of extras.  No doubt on his quest to find an Eurypterid!

Here are various pictures from the day.

 

ESCONI Events May 2017

Field trips require membership, but visitors are welcome at all meetings!

Fri, May 5th	Field Trip - St. Paul, IN - see here for details.
Sun, May 7th	Field Trip - Rockford, IL Quarry - see here for details.
Fri, May 12th	ESCONI General Meeting, 8:00 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: "Tropical Permian Pangaea: Cradle of Biodiversity, Museum, or Both?" by Dr. Ken Angielczyk, Associate Curator at the Field Museum
Sat, May 13th and Sun, May 14th	Field Trip - Braceville, IL for Mazon Creek Fossils - see here for details.
Sat, May 13th	ESCONI Minerology Study Group Meeting, 7:30 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: "Geodes" John Good and Members will give a presentation on Geodes. He will bring the geode splitter to crack geodes.
Sat, May 20th	Field Trip - Vulcan Quarry in Kankakee, IL - see here for details.
Sat, May 20th	ESCONI Paleontology Study Group Meeting, 7:30 PM College of Dupage - Tech Ed (TEC) Building, Room 1038B (Map) - Topic: "Cyclothems" by ESCONI Member Rich Holm
	ESCONI Archaeology Study Group Meeting - Open at this time, seeking a chair
	ESCONI Junior Meeting - Open at this time, seeking to restart the group.  Contact Diana Lord for information.

 

Field Trip: May 13, 2017 Glacial Geology of Cook and Will Counties Field Trip

A field trip from Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists.

 

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DATE/TIME: 7 am to 5:30 pm. Saturday, May 13, 2017

WHERE: Starts at Plum Creek Play Meadow, 3298 E. 223rd St, Chicago Heights, IL, 60411.

 

PARKING: There is limited parking available, please carpool to reduce 1-driver vehicles.

BUS: everyone rides the school bus, 47 passenger capacity, Cook-Illinois Corp bus company.

FIELD GUIDE:  Electronic, available

DRESS CODE:  Hard hat, steel-toe boots, are recommended.

LUNCH:  ••on-your-own at Portillo’s and local restaurants.

WATER:  attendees are encouraged to bring your own re-usable water bottles.

WAIVER: All participants must sign a waiver releasing AEG from liability.

 

FEE: $ 30 for AEG members; $40 for non AEG members; $15 full time students

SIGN UP:    by May 5     cstohr@illinois.edu    

 

Field trip description (provided by ISGS leaders).  On this field trip, we will focus on the questions and issues that have vexed Quaternary geologists for more than 70 years. Some issues remain unresolved, and others are beginning to be addressed through a comprehensive characterization of mapped lithological units and the application of relatively new chronological tools: radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). At most field trip stops, we will encourage discussions of sedimentary environments and facies relationships and put them into the context of the important environmental issues of this region, primarily groundwater availability and quality. Other issues include aggregate resource development, landfill suitability issues, and groundwater protection. The field trip will consist of 6 stops; prepare to get dirty!

 

SAFETY  NOTE -- The field trip will include stops at stream cuts which includes hiking and climbing on soil and slippery surfaces, chance of tumbling into water, tripping over tree roots, falling debris such as cobbles, appropriate footwear and clothing including headgear is recommended.