Join us for the Society’s annual meeting, which is returning to centrally located Trinity College! Current GSC VP Christoph Geiss will be our keynote speaker, and longtime GSC member Harold Moritz will be bringing a rock and mineral display to accompany Christoph’s talk. Take a break from your busy schedule to relax, to enjoy conversation with friends and colleagues, and to learn about pyrrhotite, the most infamous mineral in our State. All are welcome at this event!
Please note that after 5 p.m. parking is available on the Trinity College campus for guests in any parking lot or parking space. Parking is also available along Summit St. and by the field house.
Cost: Regular member: $60; Student: $30 (includes membership); Non-member/guest: $80 Registration deadline: Noon on Friday, October 31, 2025
Schedule of Events
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Happy Hour
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Dinner, Business Meeting, Raffle, CT Geology Quiz Drawing
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Talk by Christoph Geiss
The Geophysicist in the Basement: Rock-Magnetic Techniques to Detect Pyrrhotite in Concrete and Aggregate
by
Christoph Geiss
Over the past decades, pyrrhotite-containing aggregate has been used in concrete to build basements and foundations in central Connecticut. Unfortunately, the mineral (Fe(1-x)S) can react to several secondary minerals, and the associated changes in volume can lead to a loss of structural integrity, possibly rendering structures worthless or in need of costly repairs.
Since 2018 researchers at Trinity College have analyzed over 500 Connecticut homes using techniques borrowed from rock- and paleomagnetism. Some pyrrhotite phases are magnetic, and rock-magnetic techniques, in combination with chemical analyses, can be used to detect and quantify the presence of pyrrhotite in natural and man-made materials. This talk will introduce you to some of the standard magnetic measurements and how we use them to estimate the abundance of pyrrhotite.
Please consider making a donation to the GSC Student Fund when registering for the annual meeting.
We also encourage you to donate an item to the annual meeting raffle in lieu of, or in addition to, making a direct donation. Items for the raffle should be brought directly to the raffle table at the annual meeting. Proceeds from raffle ticket sales go directly to the GSC Student Fund.
