[meteorite-list] KOLD Takes You Inside The Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase

From: Gary K. Foote <gary_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:19:17 -0500
Message-ID: <45BCB0E5.10618.154B8F4_at_localhost>

http://www.kold.com/global/story.asp?s=5999858

Suleika Acosta KOLD News 13 Reporter

Dozens of tents line downtown and other areas of Tucson for the 53rd Annual Gem, Mineral
and Fossil showcase. In the next two weeks, the event is expected to bring about $100
million to our local economy.

We spent a day exploring the fossil and mineral shows, discovering some of the world's
rarest rocks and minerals. The gem show attracts thousands of people from all over the
globe to buy and sell what they call treasures.

Fossil and mineral lovers - feast your eyes on the world's largest exhibit of rare stones
and rocks.

"It took us three days driving to get here and we just love this rock and mineral show,"
says Kevin Pipes. He's just one of thousands of dealers here with one mission: to buy and
later sell nature's art.

"You can find something that you're looking for and you can just have fun doing it. I've
probably spent a little over $50,000 and I may spend a little bit more," says Kevin.

This is his fifth year at the show. He comes from Tennessee, where he lives in the Smokey
National Park area. That's where he sells most of his finds.

"That's what I came here this year to look for is nice, genuine, authentic fossils and
minerals that young people can get and buy at affordable prices so that hobby can
continue on," explains Kevin.

He is most passionate about artifacts from places like Morocco, China and the Sahara
Desert.

"Each piece is an individual art piece when you look at the quality of it," he says.

And that's not all, minerals are also big at the gem show like this red Vanadinite from
Morocco, worth about $500.

"We sell these for jewelry and people they collect nice stuff like this," says Brehim
Karaoui, a dealer from Morocco.

Fossil collectors can find ancient bones dating to prehistoric times.

"Two vertebrae from the backbone of a prehistoric lizard, probably about 75 to 80 million
years ago," says Collector Ray Meyer.

Some finds mean big profit.

"We bought $25,000 of this one meteorite so hopefully we'll double our price and pay for
all this, hopefully," says Ray.

But for Kevin, his hobby goes beyond making money. His goal is to preserve these rocks,
some thousands of years old.

"But now their all things we should cherish and take care of and if we don't take care of
these stones then there won't be anything for the future generations," says Kevin.

He's already planting the seed and sharing his passion for artifacts with his new
grandson.

"What do you think Isaac? are you ready to make a deal? ha ha," adds Kevin.

The gem show runs through February 11th.
Received on Sun 28 Jan 2007 02:19:17 PM PST