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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
April 2007.

Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.

This month's photo is by Mary Polacek.
Description: Boytroidal agate.
Source: Colorado Desert 2004.

Rambling Picture of the Month is photographed by a VGMS Member. Subject may be a specimen in their own collection or a rock, mineral, gem or lapidary creation of others, accompanied with documentation of subject origin. Selection is at the discretion of the editor. Submit candidate photos to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.

For the record, any unsigned articles are by the Editor.

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• WORDS TO LIVE BY;
• BIRTHDAYS;
• UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS;
• HOSPITALITY;
• PROGRAM REVIEW;
• PROGRAM SCHEDULE;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• MEETING MINUTES;
• VGMS 2007 SHOW UPDATE;
• MAKE KIDS YOUR SHOW THEME;
• CHIPS AND BOULDERS;
• ZZYZX;
• FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN;
• SMITHSONITE;
• LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE;
• HINTS AND TIPS - See NOTE at end;
• FEDERATION NEWS;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER;
• HAVING FUN - JUNIOR ACTIVITIES;
• CFMS SHOWS 2007;
• VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS X;
• JURASSIC CROCODILE UNEARTHED IN OREGON;
• EARTH'S INNER TEMPERATURE TAKEN: IT'S HOT;
• PEROVSKITE.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

We are well into Spring, which means that summer temperatures in the desert are right around the corner. So it's time to get in a few more field trips before it gets too sweltering in our favorite collecting places. Field trips are an important part of our club. We are always looking for newer and better places to explore. Please consider leading a field trip or providing information about a collecting locality for our club members. I'm sure that all of you have some great ideas on a field trip for our members.

It's never too late to learn a new skill related to our hobby. I recently returned from Zzyzx where, after four and a half days of dusty, hard work, I created my first sculpture. If this old dog can learn a new trick anyone can! Now get out there and have some fun!

Ed Clark, President.

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WORDS TO LIVE BY.

He who plants trees benefits another generation.

Generosity is giving more than you can; pride is taking less than you need.

The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist (Gandhi).

Contributed by Wayne Ehlers.

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BIRTHDAYS.

We wish all of you good health and hope you have [had] a very, very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Is your birthday missing? Call Mary Polacek at (805) 644-5090 and leave a message, or email me at vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.

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UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.

If omitted, the time, location or address can be found on the VGMS Info Page (Close the new window to return here.).

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HOSPITALITY.

21 members attended the March regular meeting. Thanks to the Stephenson family for the refreshments.

2007 Hostess Schedule.

April - Valli & Greg Davis,
May - OPEN,
June - OPEN,
July - Sharon & Mel Hixson,
August - OPEN,
September - OPEN,
October - Stephenson family,
November - Pumpkin potluck,
December - Holiday potluck.

Thank you to those who have already signed up. Contact Sharon Cunningham, 649-3579, if you are willing to supply refreshments for one of the open months in the schedule above.

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PROGRAM REVIEW.

March Program: Mineral Identification.
VGMS President Ed Clark presented an excellent program at our March meeting. He demonstrated how to identify minerals by various methods, including color, crystal shape, habit, fracture, refraction, luster, streak, hardness, specific gravity, chemical reaction, geologic occurrence and florescence. He had numerous specimens displayed, demonstrated techniques for identification and circulated various examples. Ed also shared recommended resources for learning more about mineral identification. This was Ed's third time sharing his expertise in mineral identification, perfecting his technique with each program and we continue to be amazed at his knowledge in this area. It's obvious that he puts a lot of time into study of this field and in preparation for the program.

Really good job Ed!

     Greg and Valli Davis.

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE.

April - Not-So-Silent Auction: It's that time of year again! This month's program is the silent auction. Some people say, "This program is as good as a program can get!" However, we all know that it's only as good as we, the members, give. So dig deep in your backyards (avoiding the sprinkler pipes and any interred pets) and garages and collections and bring forth a treasure or two to donate to the club.

May - Movie: I will be asking for people's final opinion of what movie might be the most desired for May's program. I will also ask if there is a volunteer to play the movie in May, as I will be absent.

The rest of the schedule is unplanned at this point, though I am running down several possible presenters.

I hopefully will have more information at the April meeting.

     Lowell Foster.

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MEMBERSHIP.

VGMS welcomes the following new members:
     Martin and Melinda Isaacson,
     22031 Dolorosa Street,
     Woodland Hills, CA 91367,
     818-621-1233.

Directories were distributed at the March meeting.

Directory Updates:
     Ray and Florence Meisenheimer:
          Remove email address.
     Cyndy Treutelaar:
          Change email to treut@sbcglobal.net.
     Paul and Mary Polacek:
          Change email to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.

VGMS Club Vests and Badges:
     The Club vest colors are royal blue with gold lining. You can also buy or make a blue denim vest. A club patch is available to sew on the back of your vest for a cost of $5.00. You may purchase the patch from the Membership Secretary (Nancy or Jim Brace-Thompson).

(Webmaster's Note: If you want a printed copy of the following so you can place an order move the mouse cursor to the left of the word 'Attention', push and hold down the left mouse button, and sweep down over the ad with the mouse cursor. This will highlight the contents of the ad. Release the mouse button and, without clicking anywhere else on the page, select EDIT on the browser menu and select COPY. You may then PASTE into any word processor and print in your normal manner. If you highlight too much you may delete the unneeded part with the word processor before printing. This works with any browser I know.)

Attention New Members (or anyone needing a badge).
Need a Club Badge?
Blue Engravers is giving us a $.50 reduction per badge
for advertising space in the club bulletin!
Ventura County Shape badge $11.28 (includes. tax & ship).
ACCOUNT: Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.
Name (print clearly. It will be on your name badge):

_____________________________________________

Address:

_____________________________________________

_______________________________Zip: __________

Make check payable to and mail to (takes 5-7 business days):
Blue Engravers,
1375 Caspian Ave.,
Long Beach, CA 90813.
If ordering more than 2 badges call them for exact shipping
costs at (562) 983-5140, FAX (562) 983-5146,
E-mail BLUEGRAVR@aol.com.

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MEETING MINUTES.

Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting;
Wednesday, March 28, 2007:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by Ed Clark at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at Lexington, Ventura, CA.
     The February membership meeting and the March board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/c as shown in the bulletin.
Ed Clark welcomed guests.
Ray Meisenheimer presented the treasurer's report and it was m/s/c to accept as stated. Ray also reiterated the need for someone to take on the job of treasurer. Richard Bromser will be assisting us from afar for a while only.
Nancy Brace-Thompson issued Member Directories and the remainder will be mailed to members. Eight new members signed up during the show. Nancy also offered her home for the next board meeting as the IBEW Hall will no longer be available to us without Richard Bromser.
Wayne Ehlers - The cab class began on the 26th but to a slow start. Hopefully more of the new members who signed up for it will participate on following Mondays.
Ron Wise - Planned field trips are: March 30, 31 & April 1 to Ludlow for thulite, April 13-16 to Owens Valley for agate, April 21 to Jalama Beach for travertine and May 5th to Jade Cove for jade. See field trip report for details.
Mary Polacek - Mary would like to incorporate members' talents and specialties in the membership directory. Further details will be discussed at the board meeting. Beginning in April, articles to the bulletin will be required by the first Sunday after each board meeting.
Greg Davis - No word yet from Help of Ojai on space availability for our museum. I believe we'll hear something soon.
     Ed Clark next presented an excellent mineral identification program which included some fluorescent minerals. Color, crystal shape, habit, fracture, refraction, luster, streak, hardness, specific gravity, chemical reaction, geologic occurrence and fluorescence were demonstrated. Really good job, a lot of time was put into this and well presented.
     There being no further business, Ed adjourned the meeting at 8:48 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.


Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting;
Thursday, April 5, 2007:
     The regular board meeting of the VGMS was called to order by Ray Meisenheimer at 7:30 pm on Thursday, April 5, 2007, at the home of Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson.
Present: Ray and Florence Meisenheimer, Shirley Layton, Mary Polacek, Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson, Ron Wise, Abe Barshai and Greg Davis.
Old Business:
Greg Davis - Members still need to contact myself or Ron prior to going to the museum/workshop to confirm its availability.
New Business:
Greg Davis will contact the Lexington to see if we can hold board meetings there.
Ray Meisenheimer presented the treasurer's report for March, 2007 and it was m/s/c to accept it as written. Ray has CFMS show case forms for those interested in entering. Ray also mentioned we still are in need of someone to take over the position of treasurer. Richard will assist from a distance for a short time.
Florence Meisenheimer - It's tax form time again although ours have been prepared and should be up to date. The AFMS show for 2007 will be held at Roswell, New Mexico, in June following the CFMS show in Palmdale.
Ray Meisenheimer is still giving mineral and fossil demonstrations to schools in the county but will need someone to assist and learn the ropes.
Ron Wise planned field trips are: March 30, 31 & April 1 to Ludlow for thulite, April 13-16 to Owens Valley for agate, April 21 to Jalama Beach for travertine and May 5th to Jade Cove for jade. See field trip report for details.
Jim Brace-Thompson - It was m/s/c to accept the membership application for Martin and Melinda Isaacson. Jim would like the board to consider interests and specialties being mentioned with members' names in our roster. Of course it would be with the members' permission and this is similar to Mary's suggestion earlier this year to show this information along with whether or not the member could be listed as a contact for help in this specialty. Similarly, Shirley Layton suggested members offer to contact new members to inform them of meeting times and other pertinent information as a way of welcoming and encouraging them to attend the meetings. Further discussion of this matter will be placed on the next board meeting agenda.
Abe Barshai reported that he has read the show chair packet of information and has begun a timetable for our 2008 show.
Mary Polacek - As of this day, articles to the bulletin will be required by the Sunday following the board meeting.
     The wrap up and summary meeting for our 2007 show along with preliminaries for 2008 will be held on Thursday, May 10, 7:00 pm at Jim & Nancy's house. All are welcomed to attend.
     The next general meeting will be on April 25, 2007, at the Lexington in Ventura and the next board meeting location, on May 3rd, will be announced.
     There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

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VGMS 2007 SHOW UPDATE.

The results of our 2007 show were shared at the April 5th board meeting. It was a spectacular success for our club. Three areas had records over five year returns: Silent Auction, Kids Booth and Donation Awards. Dealer and Demos, Country Store and Plants also had significant returns.

Thank you again, to all who contributed to our annual show.

We cannot rest on our laurels, however, as our club has a serious challenge ahead:
     Shirley Layton will be sorely missed as she is stepping down from her Country Store Chair.
     Richard and Shirley Bromser will also be missing next year. Richard was an invaluable resource coordinating contracts with the City, obtaining insurance, coordinating truck rental and return, and innumerable other details.
     Shirley Bromser kept us all well fed during the show and worked hand in hand with Shirley Layton to ensure the Country Store's smooth operation.

How will we replace these volunteers? If you have been a passive member of our club, it may be time to consider kicking up your contribution a notch. We need your help. There will be a show recap and planning meeting on Thursday, May 10, at 7:00 pm, at the Brace-Thompson residence. This will be an important meeting for the continued success of our Gem and Mineral Society's Annual Show. Please put this on your calendar. Even if you are absolutely sure you cannot commit to our 2008 show, you can help with feedback regarding our 2007 show.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

MAKE KIDS YOUR SHOW THEME.

By Jim Brace-Thompson, Juniors Activities Chair,
Via CFMS APRIL 2007 Newsletter.
     To keep our clubs vital and to sew seeds for the future, we're all seeking those elusive younger members, particularly kids whose initial spark of interest in a shiny pebble might become a lifelong passion and hobby, or even career. But how to get the word out to parents and the community and get those kids and their parents to attend their first club meeting?
     In the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, this year we decided to make kids our show theme. We've always provided the usual assortment of kids' activities: the eternally popular grab bags, a free tumble-polished stone on entering the show, the spinning wheel for rock prizes, sand-sifting, and so forth. But this year we decided to go even further. There will be a station where kids can make fossils with plaster. Scouting groups have been invited, and I'll be helping one troop earn their Boy Scouts' Geology badge. Our Kids' Booth co-chair, Lowell Foster, has put together four wonderful collections of California rocks, minerals, and fossils with information on where the specimens came from and how kids can find their own, and these collections will be given away in special kids-only raffles. Lowell and the entire club will be sponsoring two "Walk Abouts" each day of the show, leading kids on tours of the exhibits to point out highlights and answer questions. On entering the show, each child will also be given a packet with coloring pages, word games, information about their state rock, mineral, fossil, and gem stone, and a quiz with 10 questions that can only be answered by visiting the exhibits. Kids bring their completed quizzes to the Kids' Booth, where they can exchange them for a free spin on the spinning wheel. We'll also have club president, Ed Clark, on hand at a mineral identification table. Finally, our club has been involved with the Oxnard and Conejo clubs in creating rock box collections for distribution to public schools throughout Ventura County, and Donna Knapton of the Oxnard club has alerted teachers to come see one of the collections at the show, to spread word about the show to their students, and to pick up a couple of free rocks of their own for their classrooms.
     In our show publicity, we've highlighted this year's focus on kids, and the local newspaper has done a terrific write-up about it in this morning's edition. Does it work? Have we attracted new family members with kids? Well, the show starts in about 24 hours (I'm typing fast because I have to run to the fairgrounds for set-up!), so I'll have to let you know in a future column, but I can say that the effort so far has been both rewarding and -- as always -- a lot of fun!

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CHIPS AND BOULDERS.

What's In A Name
Submitted by Ed Clark.
     Pyrite: From the Greek "fire", because it strikes fire with steel.
     Stilbite: From the Greek "to glitter", because of its bright luster.
     Grossularite: From the Latin "gooseberry", because of its yellow color.
          From Gems, Minerals, Crystals, and Ores by Richard M. Pearl.

Lapidary Class: Wayne Ehlers is continuing his Lapidary Class, Mondays at the Museum.

Rock Sales: Liquidation Sale - 50 years of collecting; approximately 13 tons of petrified wood, agates, jasper, geodes, obsidian, crystals, slabs, etc. Bring your bucket or wagon or truck and fill it up at these prices!
     When: April 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22; 8 am until 5 pm.
     Where: 13542 Olympus Drive, Westminster, CA 92683.
Jack Seilman is helping the widow of Dale Anderson sell his collection of 3000+ Cabs. A lot of them are rare material. Also slabs, rough material, and other such things we all need. Please call Jack at 619-260-8482.
          Via LA-ROCKS post, Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:28 pm.

The VGMS Workshop is open the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 am to noon unless otherwise notified. Shop Supervisors are Ron Wise (805) 647-4393 and Greg Davis (805) 647-9214. If you plan to attend, call ahead to make sure the museum will be open. A big thank you to Ron and Greg for the opportunity they give the rest of us. The workshop is there for your use; take advantage of it.

Tumbling Grit is still available. Contact any board member to arrange for pick up or come to a workshop Saturday at the museum.

CFMS & AFMS Newsletters: Anyone interested in their own subscriptions to these, please contact Mary Polacek (805 644-5090). The cost for one year is $5.50 for the CFMS and $4.50 for the AFMS. I do share some information from these bulletins with you, but there is much more in each issue that you may be interested in. If you have access to the Internet you can download both from their respective web sites for free!

Question for Members: This question was received via email. If any of you have an opinion regarding this, please email or call the editor with your response and I will forward it.
     Q: I had a guy show me (about 3 years ago) some yellow, crystallized rocks (looked like geodes/crystal clusters) that he said he found in the river bottom along the Avenue in Ventura. Have you also heard of any of these being found?

Volunteer Opportunities: Help of Ojai has a lot of opportunities for volunteerism. It may be beneficial if we can make ourselves useful while we are waiting for a decision as to whether our museum relocation will be accepted. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities, contact Lisa Meeker at lisam@helppofojai.org or 649-9218.

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ZZYZX.

By Valli Davis.

Greg and I had been looking forward to going to the Desert Studies Center at Zzyzx for several years. The experience was well worth the wait. The week was relaxing, educational and thoroughly enjoyable. VGMS members Ed Clark, Miriam Tetreault, Ron and Jean Wise also attended. It was great to meet so many of the CFMS people whose names we've heard for years. We attended classes in silver fabrication, precious metal clay, lapidary, soft stone sculpture and wire art. Several people took advantage of the opportunity to take field trips. We came home with some very nice things that we can be proud of, but more than that, we appreciated the opportunity to retreat, commune and enjoy the peaceful desert, beautiful sunrises and awesome stars in the vast night sky. Our fellow rockhounds were friendly companions; the teachers were excellent, and the food was great. We enjoyed the week even more than we could have expected. The Desert Studies Center is indeed a treasure that we hope remains protected yet available for continued studies. Its setting, history and the opportunity for ongoing research make it quite unique. We feel fortunate to have shared this memorable experience and have hopes of returning.

The three photos below courtesy of Valli and Greg Davis.



The Scene at Zzyzx including buildings.




A Photo of People "Working" at Zzyzx.




Greg Davis, Jean Wise, Ron Wise, Miriam Tetreault enjoying a break.

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FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.

If anyone was able to attend the March 30-April 1 Ludlow trip for thulite, please let me know what you thought about the trip.
     Ron Wise.

FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE.
Tentative Schedule - As of 4/15/2007. *

* Please call the field trip leader to confirm the schedule in the event of a change to published dates/times.

Saturday, April 21, 10:00 am, Jalama Beach.

Contact: Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734, rmsorca@adelphia.net or Mike Miller 805-498-9586, rockfmdr@aol.com. Please notify Robert or Mike if you plan on attending.

General Information: Come for the day or camp overnight. Robert and Deb will be camping overnight Saturday, possibly Friday. Day use $6.00, camping $18.00, with electric hookups $25.00.

Directions: From Ventura head north on 101, past Santa Barbara, just past Gaviota. As 101 goes inland take the State Hwy 1 turn off, marked Lompoc/Vandenberg. Go north approximately 14 miles to Jalama Beach County Park turn off. Turn left, west, drive approximately 13 miles to Jalama Beach County Park. Approximately 112 miles from Thousand Oaks, 2.5-3 hour drive time.

Camping Info: Campsites are assigned on a first come, first served basis, one site to one vehicle. There are 98 campsites, all overlooking the ocean or beachfront. Each site has a picnic table and BBQ pit, with hot showers, restrooms and water nearby. 29 sites offer electrical hookups, and dump stations are available.

Material to Collect: Agate, Jasper, Petrified Whale Bone, Travertine Onyx, Fossils.

Tools: Collecting bags, buckets, day pack, digging tools, rock pick, pry bay, trowels, chisels, eye protection, sturdy shoes, drinking water, food, towels, change of clothes/shoes in case you get wet, camping gear if you plan on spending the night.

Other information: Jalama Beach County Park Star Route, Jalama Road, Lompoc, CA 93436.
     Recorded Information - (805) 736-6316,
     Park Office - (805) 736-3504,
     Links - http://www.sbparks.org/docs/jalama.html.

Sunday, April 22, Oceanview Mine.

Contact: Brett Johnson.

FYI Only: Trip is sponsored by Diehard Rockhounds, Fees and restrictions apply.

Saturday, May 5, 10:00 am, Jade Cove.

Contact: Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734, rmsorca@adelphia.net or Mike Miller 805-498-9586 rockfmdr@aol.com. Please let us know if you are going to go on the field trip, to make sure there is a campsite for everyone.

General information: Come for the day or camp overnight. Robert and Debra Sankovich will be there Thursday 3rd-6th Sunday. Day use free by side of road, camping $20.00, no electric hookups.

Location: Plaskett Creek Campground, 235 miles from Thousand Oaks. Halfway between Monterey and Morro Bay on Highway 1, 60 miles north of Morro Bay.

Camping Info: 45 campsites are assigned on a first come, first served basis, 8 persons per site. Each site has a picnic table, grill and fire pit. Flush toilet restrooms and water nearby. There will be a potluck dinner Saturday night. We will be joining the Channel Island Divers Club', which Robert and Debra are also members of.

Material to Collect: Nephrite Jade, Serpentine, Soapstone, Actinolite, and the occasional Abalone Shell.

Tools: Collecting bags, buckets, day pack, digging tools, rock pick, pry bar, eye protection, trowels, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, rubber boots or old tennis shoes, layered clothing, towels, change of clothes/shoes in case you get wet. Drinking water, lunch or snacks. Camping gear if you plan on spending the night.

Links: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/recreation/camping/mrd/, http://www.parksman.com/plskt.html, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/html/rec/recmap_mrd_5.htm - Map.

The following two are Scuba Diving links, but have Jade Cove information: http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/USA_West/CalM/Jade_Cove/, http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnfeb/montery2.html.

May 4-6, Snyder's Pow Wow, Valley Springs, CA.

     Since becoming a card-carrying rockhound in 1990 I have parked my trailer in a cow pasture the first weekend in May, rain or shine. Why? To attend one of the greatest Rockhound events in California (and possibly in the West) the Snyder's Pow Wow in Valley Springs, CA.
     The first Snyder's Pow Wow was held in 1975. Once just a group of rockhounds looking for agate, moss opal, serpentine and jasper on the back of the ranch has grown into a grand gathering of people who specialize in every aspect of rocks, gems and minerals, and a diverse community event. Over 200 dealers and tailgaters from all over set up in the huge meadow to sell and display. Walk down the aisles and you will find countless nonprofit and community groups who participate in the Pow Wow. Over the years other attractions were added: field trips on the ranch, Chuggers Lane (antique engines) and Model A trucks and cars, Native American dancers, mountain men camp, radio controlled airplanes, Blue Grass musicians and a variety of great food. In May the Pow Wow is the place to be. Area gem and mineral clubs make a long weekend of it and camp together in the pasture.
     What makes the Snyder's Pow Wow so special is Betty and John Snyder. For 33 years Betty and John have hosted this wonderful weekend. And as true hosts they have made everyone that attends, both dealers and guests, feel welcome and that they are having a good time. You are treated like family. Betty and John not only run the Pow Wow they work at it, also. Betty is at the front tent signing in dealers and campers: making sure that everything is running smoothly. John is out and about taking care of details, servicing the outhouses, emptying garbage, shooing a stray calf back to the other side of the fence. They operate a working cattle ranch but it is obvious that the Pow Wow is their work of love. Through their years of dedication and efforts with the Pow Wow, the Snyders are a great supporter of rock hounding and our hobby, and are a promoter of good stewardship of the earth and of nature.
     Through the years many future rockhounds have been introduced to our hobby at the Pow Wow. On Friday morning a caravan of yellow school busses from area schools deliver their students for this very special field trip. People return year after year bringing their children and eventually their grandchildren. There is a lot of good history and good memories at the Pow Wow. Ellen Schultz (Past President of CFMS) and her husband Carl would do an evening Rock Concert and Ellen led the worship service in the Old Red Barn on Sunday and played hymns on her Triple Octave Shaker Chimes.
     The Pow Wow has always been special for me. For the last several years my wife, Betty, and I have been the wagon masters for the combined Ye Old Timers Mineral Club and the North Bay Field Trips camp. Our groups have volunteered to help direct traffic at the Pow Wow. Working at the Pow Wow has given all of us a sense of belonging to this event.
     I hope that all of you will have a chance to attend and enjoy this great rockhound event. This year the Snyder's Pow Wow is on May 4th - 6th in Valley Springs, CA.
          Dick Pankey Via CFMS April 2007 Newsletter.

Saturday, May 19, 9:30 am, Field Siding & Green Ash Hills.

Host: Sierra Pelona Rock Club.

Meet Location: Field Rd. exit off I-15 about 31 miles east of Barstow past Yermo. From Mineola Rd 14 miles east. Turn right if heading east (south side of I-15). Large pullout.

Road conditions: Passenger car friendly at both sides if driven cautiously. Paved part way, graded road the remainder. We will park at the old Field Rd. railroad siding. Primary collecting area is between the railroad tracks to the dry Mojave River.

Materials to Collect: At Field Siding - agates in shades of white, yellow, beige, green, blue, orange, pink, brown, gray, or any combination. Petrified wood, chert, and jaspers. Agates may also be found in moss, plain and plasma. At Green Ash Hills - petrified palm, bog and reed, agates, jaspers, cherts, common opals, jasp-agate. Many fluoresce. Mostly found as float in both locations. At the Green Ash Hills off Mineola Rd. limb casts have been found and a burgundy agate up to soccer ball size can be found. Many ravines to search in.

Precautions: Sturdy shoes, hat, gloves, spray bottle (rock licking not required), collecting bags and buckets, rock hammer, small shovel & chisel if desired. Field Siding is a widespread mostly flat area. The further you explore, the better the material. Bring plenty of water and your own lunch. This is arid desert area with unpredictable weather. It is inhabited by snakes, lizards, coyotes, rabbits, etc. Approximately 1.5 miles south of I-15. EXTREME caution if searching near railroad tracks. Green Ash Hills is a boundary to Mule Canyon and, consequently, is hilly with many steep ravines and very rocky terrain. Exercise the normal cautions when climbing or moving large rocks and around brush. Reptiles may be active as in any other remote area. Nearby is the Early Man exhibit, a protected area. Mule Canyon itself also offers much to explore with many specimens of minerals. Release of Liability forms will be required.

June 16-17 CFMS will sponsor two field trips
in conjunction with the show in Palmdale.

     Saturday June 16: North Edwards: travertine and onyx.
     Sunday June 17: Pine Canyon: agate and jasper.

June 24, Cerro Gordo Mine.

Contact: Francis Pedneau (760) 876-4319.
     This is the 11th annual trip that the Lone Pine Club has hosted.
     There is a $5.00 fee per person and proceeds go to the restoration of the mining town. There are 50 different types of minerals to be found with the most sought after mineral being "Smithsonite". Smithsonite is only found in 2 areas in the United States: one being the "Kelly Mine" in New Mexico and the Cerro Gordo Mine here in California. The most precious to find in both areas is the Kelly Blue.
     Things to bring are standard rock hounding hand tools, good boots, sun screen, water and food.
     Although the roads are good, a high clearance vehicle is recommended. Altitude is at 8500 feet. A letter of release of liability must be signed. Also those with disabilities please make the field trip rep aware of your problem just in case there is a situation where help is needed; diabetes, heart problems, etc.
     This will be a great trip for everyone.
     If you think your CFMS club in the Southern California Region might be interested in joining the Southern California Field Trip Co-Op please have the President or field trip chairman contact me.
          Lew Helfrich, C.F.M.S. Field Trip Chairman South.
          President SanJoaquin Valley Lapidary Society,
          (661)323-2663 or lewsrocks@netzero.net.

Upcoming field trips: Old Topanga, Somis Fossils.

Armchair Collecting: Montana Sapphire Gravel, http://macsgems.homestead.com/Gravel.html.

Cartoon submitted by Greg Davis.

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SMITHSONITE.

     Smithsonite is named for James Smithson, the founder of the Smithsonian Institution. The luster of Smithsonite sets it apart from other minerals: it has a silky to pearly luster giving natural specimens a certain play of light across its surface that resembles the fine luster of melted wax glowing under a candle flame. It is easy to wax poetically when discussing Smithsonite's unique luster. It is really unusual and captivating and collectors can easily get hooked.
     Smithsonite, in addition to wonderful luster, also has a varied color assortment. The apple green to blue-green color is probably Smithsonite's most well known color, but it is its purple to lavender color that is probably its most sought after hue. There also exists attractive yellow, white, tan, brown, blue, orange, peach, colorless, pink and red Smithsonite specimens and all of them are a credit to this mineral.
     The typical crystal habit of Smithsonite is an interesting form called botryoidal. This form has the appearance of grape bunches and is the result of radiating fibrous crystals that form from central attachment points and grow outward and into each other. The result is a rounded, bubbly landscape for which Smithsonite is considered the classic example. There are also other habits more typical of Calcite Group minerals including rounded rhombohedrons and scalenohedrons. Most of these come from the famous mines of Tsumeb, Namibia and the Broken Hill Mine in Zambia. The Tsumeb specimens are colored by trace amounts of cobalt and can have some real exotic colors. The Kelly Mine, Magdalena, New Mexico has produced the absolute finest blue-green botryoidal masses of Smithsonite. But there are many localities that have or are producing excellent specimens.
     Smithsonite has been and is still being used as an important, although rather minor ore of zinc. At Leadville, Colorado the Smithsonite deposits were largely overlooked until their profit potential was finally realized. Many other zinc ore minerals may have been originally Smithsonite before metamorphism or other altering processes, formed new minerals. Smithsonite forms in dry climates as a weathering product of primary sulfide zinc ores such as sphalerite.
     Smithsonite is not easy to confuse with many other minerals. Hemimorphite has a similar botryoidal habit and blue-green color, but the fracture edges of Smithsonite's specimens have a plastic-like look while hemimorphite reveals minute, radiating crystals. Prehnite has similar color and habit as well, but is much lighter and harder. Both of these minerals lack the melted wax luster of Smithsonite. Its high density, good cleavage, crystal habit, luster, its reaction to hot HCl acid and its high hardness for a carbonate are all quite conclusive for Smithsonite to be differentiated from all other minerals. With its lovely luster, many beautiful colors and interesting habits, Smithsonite specimens are a source of real pleasure for collectors around the world.
          Source: galleries.com/minerals/carbonat/smithson/smithson.htm.

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LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE.

Sticks and Stones May Break Your Bones
but Splinters and Stickers Can Hurt You
By Don Monroe, AFMS Safety Chair.
Via AFMS April 2007 Newsletter.

     It seems obvious that splinters and stickers do indeed hurt, but it may be that the damage is more serious than we recognize.
     Most years I spend a couple of weeks assisting a deer hunting group in the Big Bend region of Texas. The ranch we have access to is about 15,000 acres and it is wild country. The most sobering aspect of this area is the fact that everything, and I do mean everything, sticks. In addition to the ever-present cactus in an impressive variety of sizes and colors, almost all other plants stick. Now I don't mean little stickers, but I mean thorns of size and ferocity that you do not see many places. Once you have allowed one of these thorns to deeply penetrate, you have a wound that needs attention. Since we hunt in a really remote area, both guides and hunters often have to take care of their medical problems. To see one of your friends digging in his leg with a sharp knife and tweezers to pull out the offending sticker is not a pretty sight. Applying a strong antiseptic is necessary, but can make a strong man cry.
     You are now thinking, "What can a person do?" I do not have all of the answers. As a matter of fact I do not have many answers but I will tell you what I do. First, I acquired some snake-proof boots and snake-proof pants. I put snakes in the category of nasty stickers and snake-proof outerwear will take care of most all types of stickers. Then I put together a little first aid kit just to handle cuts, punctures and abrasions.
     Finally I wear gloves. I don't just wear any old gloves, but I wear leather gloves that will repel thorns and the like. The last thing I do is try to be alert. Watch where you step and where you sit and try to not fall down. Vigilance can really pay big dividends.
     Do not get the idea that you must "go west" to encounter stickers. Our yard in north Georgia has been left in the "natural state" because that is the way we like it. Most of the trees and bushes are wild crab apple and they will attack you with a vengeance. Add briars, blackberry bushes and other unfriendly varieties and you get the picture. On our farm we had Osage orange and black locust, both of which have well-deserved bad reputations. Is there any part of our great country that does not have stickers?
     I haven't forgotten about the splinters. There are a great number of splinters that we encounter in daily life and we really should be a lot more concerned about them because any skin penetration can provide an access path for germs. Splinters can be soft wood, hard wood, metal, glass, plastic, paint, and many other materials. Splinters can be insidious and really quite dangerous.
     Obviously a splinter in the eye is a serious hazard but have you enjoyed a splinter under a fingernail? When we were much younger, a friend got a small splinter in his foot and could not locate it so he ignored it. Have you ever heard of phlebitis? He hadn't either until the doctor at the hospital explained why his leg was so severely swollen. Keep a magnifying glass and good tweezers handy and search out those pesky splinters.
     The last splinter I want to warn you about is unusual and many have not encountered it. It is the common cat hair. No, not dog hair or any other type of hair, just cat hair. Now cat hair is fine, but a bit stiff and has a very sharp tip. If you get cat hair in your shoe it may take awhile, but it can get lined up so that the sharp tip comes up against the bottom of your foot. This most often occurs on the heel or ball of the foot. This little sharp spike will work its way between the layers of the "print" of the foot and work its way into your foot. You slowly begin to feel a little pain and you cannot see the source. The pain continues and finally you get serious about finding the source. When you find that little hair it will appear that it is growing out of your skin. When you pull it out, the relief will be instantaneous. I know this is hard to believe, but it does happen. Ask around and I will bet you will find someone who has experienced this unusual "splinter".

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HINTS AND TIPS - See NOTE at end.

A New Dop Glue We Just Discovered:
     While Jim and I were at the Tucson Gem Show we visited the Rio Grande Catalog in Motion Show. Jim was talking to one of the guys doing demos and asked about using something besides "dop" when doing cabochons. Jim was told about a wonderful glue called Zap-A-Gap, and the accelerant called Zip Kicker. It's awesome stuff and really works. Jim's been using it like crazy making cabs. How it works is you spray the Zip Kicker on the back of the stone and then put a little drop of the Zap-A-Gap on the dop stick. Stick the dop stick on to the rock and hold for a few seconds and voila they are stuck together. What's nice about this is you don't have to work with a hot dop and it doesn't get all over the piece you're working on so you can work on very small cabs without a mess around the edges. What's also nice is all you need to do to separate the rock from the dop stick is pop it off with a fingernail. In case you're interested you can find more information at http://zap.supergluecorp.com/pt04.html.
     I don't know if this would work for those of you involved in faceting. Something to check out!
          Via Wichita Gem & Mineral Quarry Quips 03/2007, El Paso M&G Society The Voice, El Paso Texas,03/2007.

NOTE: The club presents these hints and tips for informational purposes only and does not specifically endorse or profess first-hand use or experience with any or all. As always, be aware of your situation, knowledge level and comfort zone before attempting anything new. When in doubt, stop! Get help before you need it. Keep a log in your shop. Document your techniques and inspirations. You will come up with a journal full of useful tips, and maybe even an educational article or two!! Email hints and tips to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.

Let us hear about your good ideas!

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FEDERATION NEWS.

LAST CALL!
From Joy Bourne, AFMS Endowment Fund Committee Chairman.

Our list of prizes for the 2007 Endowment Fund Drawing is now complete. We are very gratified and proud to show these beautiful and valuable items, each created or collected and contributed by a craftsmen or artisan in one of our seven Regional Federations of AFMS. Our Regional representatives in each of the seven Federations will have tickets available for distribution until May 15, so if you have not already made your contribution, NOW IS THE TIME!

For a donation of $5, you can obtain one coupon, or if you donate $20, you will receive five opportunities to be the proud recipient of one (or more) of the prizes. Every coupon has an equal chance of being drawn at the conclusion of the AFMS/RMFMS Awards Banquet in Roswell, NM on June 9. Tickets can be obtained from any of our Regional Federation representatives [or directly from Joy at the address below]:
     Joy Bourne, Endowment Fund Chair,
     RR #1, Box 159A,
     Towanda, PA 18848-9739.

Endowment Fund Regional Representative for 2007:
     CFMS: Bural LaRue, Rialto, CA,
     P.O. Box 1657, Rialto, CA 92377-1657, (909) 874-5664,
     Email:bplarue@earthlink.net.

Editors Note: The AFMS Endowment Fund Drawing has attracted an impressive assortment of donations. You can still participate in the drawing. Here is the URL if you are interested in seeing the pictures and descriptions of the donated items: http://amfed.org/endow2007.htm.

Make your check payable to AFMS Endowment Fund and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Mail in time to reach destination by May 15 for your chance to win one of these very fine awards.

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EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

Definition of the Month.

Aa (pronounced ah-ah) - A Hawaiian term for a specific type of lava flow consisting of a rough assemblage of scoriaceous basalt. Scoriaceous basalt, basalt scoria and vesicular basalt are synonymous terms referring to a volcanic rock that has abundant holes or vesicles. Vesicles represent gas bubbles that formed in magma at depth or within lava flows at the surface from the reduction of magma pressures, cooling and the release of volcanic gases including carbon dioxide, water vapor, sulfur dioxide and many other gases.

Some lava flows can travel long distances. As they cool, they lose their ability to flow in a smooth, even manner. Much of the phenomena involved in Aa flows are related to the magma chemistry, relatively high melting point and rate of heat-loss associated with lava flows consisting of basaltic magmas. Often times, the lava flow will move so slow and with such high viscosity that the upper portion of the flow will travel faster than the lower half. This causes the upper portion to break into blocks of solid basalt as it spills over the leading edge of the advancing lava flow. The best locations to study Aa flows are on the Hawaiian Islands. However, there are many great examples of Aa flows in California.

The term Aa can also be used in chemistry, in reference to the standard abbreviation for acetic acid.

Written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, April 2007. The "Definition of the Month" features words relating to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history.

Illustration of the Month.

"Stamp Mill in the Sixteenth Century" - A print from a woodcut engraving. This illustration features a water wheel powered machine constructed and operated for the purpose of crushing gold ore and other metallic and non-metallic rocks and minerals. One of the great obstacles that had to be overcome in processing, extracting and refining metals from hard rock was the application of mechanical work needed to pulverize the rock.

Ores and other rocks are composed of minerals in which the ions, atoms and/or molecules are held together by strong ionic or covalent bonds. In most hard silicic rocks (pronounced "silisic", rocks composed of an abundance of minerals containing a form of the silicate ions), the covalent bonds are very strong. A rock crusher must exert more energy than the combined forces of the covalent bonds which hold the ions or molecules together as a "solid" rock.

Rock crushing was an enormous task during the Sixteenth Century. This illustration details the most advanced technology available during that period. In prehistoric times, the first iron tools were fashioned from meteorites. The first copper or Bronze Age tools were made from native copper. Iron meteorites and native copper were not common in nature. As a result, early man developed means of extracting metals from ore. The history of refining ores for the manufacture of metals such as iron and copper (for making bronze) involved crude methods of crushing metallic ores. The first rock crusher probably involved dropping a larger, more durable rock on a smaller ore sample resting on a hard surface. Imagine spending your entire day crushing rock by applying this method.

Illustration source: Agricola, Georgius, "De Re Metallica", Book VIII, page 284,written in 1556, originally printed in Latin in the year 1557. Transcribed in 1912 by Herbert C. Hoover and Lou H. Hoover, first printing in English 1912, reprinted in 1950, Dover Publications, Inc., New York. (Refer to other illustrations by Agricola on the VGMS Web Site from bulletins dated August 2001 and February 2006.)

The "Illustration of the Month" features a drawing, sketch, pen & ink rendering, engraving print or any form of art rediscovered in books, maps, manuscripts and many other sources related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. This illustration was chosen for its educational content by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, April 2007.

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HAVING FUN - JUNIOR ACTIVITIES.

GOLD!
By Jim Brace-Thompson, AFMS Junior Chair, via the AFMS April 2007 Newsletter.

Gold has held a special allure from the very beginning of humankind. Thus, it should come as no surprise that two of our youth leaders, Ted Zagwyn of the Central Maine Jr. Geologists Club, and Ingo Wells of the Che-Hanna Rock & Mineral Club in Pennsylvania, have recommended that we add a unit on gold to our FRA Badge program.

Of course, there is one small problem: gold is just so darn valuable! Thus, getting even small flakes for a number of junior members could prove problematic. Here are some possible activities revolving around gold that won't bust the bank:

• Report on a historical event surrounding gold, for instance, the Spanish quest for the fabled El Dorado in the American Southwest, the Forty-Niner Gold Rush that led to California statehood, North Carolina's less well known gold rush (interesting fact: before the discovery of gold in California, North Carolina was known as the "golden state" and prior to 1829, all the gold coined at the Philadelphia mint was from North Carolina), the quest of Medieval alchemists to turn base metals into gold, the impact of gold discoveries in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the late 1800's (General George Armstrong Custer, anyone?), etc.
• Report on uses of gold. Beyond its obvious use in jewelry and as an economic tool (good old Fort Knox!), kids might explore its use in dentistry, in the space program for satellites and space capsules, in the electronics industry, etc.
• Learn about gold resources in your own State: Use the U.S. Geological Survey web site (www.usgs.gov) to guide you to your state's geological survey or division of mines to find information about any gold that may be in them-thar hills of your own backyard. Simply click on your state on the map that appears on the opening page of the USGS web site.
• Learn how to distinguish between fool's gold (iron pyrite) and real gold by learning about the differing properties of each.
• Pan for gold in the field. Check bookstores and outdoor or camping supply stores for guides and maps to gold panning in your state. In bookstores, these are often found in the section selling field guides or regional books; in camping supply stores, these are often found in their maps and publications section.
• Pan for gold in your own backyard or patio. Not every state is rich in gold resources, so a good alternative to a field trip with your youth group is setting up tubs of water and using bags of gold concentrate. You can order these from many places through the web. In a search engine, enter "gold panning concentrate" and a host of commercial sites pop up, many from California and Alaska. Prices range from "practice" bags at 2 pounds for around $15 to super-deluxe 20-pound bags at over $400 (I recommend the practice bags....).

My thanks to Ted and Inga for suggesting this unit, which I am hoping may become part of our badge program. Be careful, though! Catching the gold bug has been known to lead to irrational behavior while, as always, having fun!

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

CFMS SHOWS 2007.

APRIL 28-29; SANTA CRUZ, CA - Santa Cruz Mineral & Gem Society, Civic Auditorium @ Center & Church Sts. Hours: 10-5 both days. Eleanor & Hubert Drake (831) 688-8086, Email: hmdrake@pacbell.net.
MAY 4, 5, 6; BISHOP, CA - Lone Pine Gem & Mineral Society, Tri County Fairgrounds, Sierra Street & Fair Drive. Hours: Fri. 5 pm-9 pm; Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-3. Francis Pedneau (760) 876-4319, Jeff Lines (760) 937-4498.
MAY 12-13; RENO, NEVADA - Reno Gem & Mineral Society, Reno Livestock Events Center, 1350 N. Wells Ave. Sat. 10-5; Sun. 10-4. John Peterson (775) 356-8820, Web site: renorockclub.com.
MAY 18-20; REDDING, CA - Superior California Gem & Mineral Association, Shasta County Fairgrounds, Anderson, CA. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-4. Bill Seward (530) 365-8641.
MAY 19-20; YUCAIPA, CA - Yucaipa Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Yucaipa Community Center, 34900 Oak Glen Road. Hours: Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-4. Bill Jochimsen, Email: bjm2285@aol.com, Web site: mysite.verizon.net/yucaipagem/.
MAY 19-20; NEWBURY PARK, CA - Conejo Valley Gem & Mineral Club, Borchard Park, 190 Reino Rd., Newbury Park, CA. Hours: Sat 9-5; Sun 10-4:30. Robert Sankovich 805-494-7734, E-mail: rmsorca@adelphia.net.
MAY 26, 27, 28; WEAVERVILLE, CA - Trinity Gem & Mineral Society, Lowden Park, 550 Washington St. Hours: Sat & Sun 10-5; Mon 10-4. Jack Renewing 778-3786, Jim Robertson 623-3493.
JUNE 2-3; GLENDORA, CA - Glendora Gems, 859 E. Sierra Madre. Hours: Sat. 10-5; Sun. 10-4. Bonnie Bidwell (626) 963-4638, Email: Ybidwell2@aol.com.
JUNE 2-3; LA HABRA, CA - North Orange County Gem & Mineral Society, La Habra Community Center, 101 W. La Habra Blvd. Hours: 9-5 both days. Don Warthen (626) 330-8974, Email: warthen@earthlink.net.
JUNE 15, 16, 17; LANCASTER, CA - CFMS Annual Show by the Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club, 50 years of Rock N Gems, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, Hwy. 14, exit Ave. H. Hours: 9-5 daily. John & Susie Martin (661) 916- 9479, E-mail: pgmc@antelecom.net.
AUGUST 3-5; NIPOMO, CA - Orcutt Mineral Society, St. Joseph Church, 298 S. Thompson Ave. Wes Lingerfelt, (805) 929-3788.
AUGUST 31-SEPT. 3; FORT BRAGG, CA - Mendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Town Hall, Main & Laural. Hours: Fri., Sat. & Sun. 10-6; Mon. 10-4. Don McDonell (707) 964-3116, 643 N. Mc Pherson, Fort Bragg, CA 95437.
OCTOBER 7; FALLBROOK, CA - Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society, Fall Festival of Gems, FGMS Museum, 123 W. Alvarado. Hours: 10-4. Mary Fong-Walker (760) 723-3484, Email: mrwizard@tfb.com, Web site: www.fgms.org/.
OCTOBER 13-14; GRASS VALLEY, CA - Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society, Earth's Treasures, Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road. Hours: 10-5 both days. Cliff Swenson (530) 272-3752.
October 13-14; TRONA, CA - Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society, Lapidary and Show Building, 13337 Main St. (corner of Main & Trona Rd.). Sat. 7:30-5; Sun. 7:30-4. The Searles Lake Gem & Society 2008 Show Flyer: http://www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub/FLYER.htm.
OCTOBER 20-21; ANDERSON, CA - Shasta Gem & Mineral Society, Shasta District Fairgrounds. Hours: Sat. 9-5; Sun. 10-4. Bill Seward (530) 365-8641.
OCTOBER 20-21; PLACERVILLE, CA - El Dorado County Mineral & Gem Society, El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive. Hours: 10-5 both days. Jackie Cerrato (530) 677-2975, Email: jacbobcer@directcon.net, Web site: eldoradomineralandgem.org.
NOVEMBER 3-4; CONCORD, CA - Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society, Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd. Hours: 10-5 both days. Sam Woolsey (925) 837-3287.
NOVEMBER 10-11; YUBA CITY, CA - Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral Society, Festival of Gems, Grace Franklin Hall, 442 Franklin Avenue. Hours: Sat. 9-5; Sun. 9-4. Cliff Swenson (530) 272-3752.

AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2007.

Any time you go to a web site close the new window to return here.

AFMS/Rocky Mountain Federation RMFMS,
June 5-10,
Roswell, NM,
www.rmfms.org/rmfms_2007_show.htm.

California Federation (CFMS),
June 15-17 2007,
Lancaster, CA.
Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club,
Antelope Valley Fairgrounds.
Hours: 9-5 Daily.
Email: pgmc@antelecom.net,
Web: www.palmdalegems.org/.
Show Information: http://www.cfmsinc.org/shows/palmdaleshow07/palmdaleshow07.htm.
Show Forms: http://www.cfmsinc.org/forms07/forms.htm#ps07.
$1.00 off General Admission Coupon: http://www.cfmsinc.org/forms07/cfmsshow07/show07.pdf.

Northwest Federation (NFMS),
August 3-5,
Butte, MT,
www.amfed.org/nfms/nfmsshow.htm.

Midwest Federation (MWF),
August 11-12,
Houghton, MI.

Eastern Federation (EFMS),
October 6-7,
Newark, NY.

Canadian Federation Convention.

South Central Federation (SCMS).

Southeast Federation (SFMS).

Fossil Sand Dollars,
Photo by Jim Brace-Thompson.

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VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS X: Gemstones in Patagonia
-
A Mine Called Wanda.

By Lowell Foster.

     Last time out we bounded our way across the southern regions of the New World looking for dinosaurs. Our mission fulfilled (I hope to your satisfaction), I decided to toss a few random inquiries into the virtual search engine for other sites that might hold our collective interest or at least mine since I gotta write this column.
     After fits and starts, there appeared on my map a strange sounding place, strange not from some unusual spelling or an exotic, foreign title, but strange by its seemingly out of place name for deep in Argentina. The place is a mine called Wanda.
     I first came across Wanda on the site: http://www.colonialvoyage.com/viaggi/argentinawanda.html. Provided was a simple paragraph stating that on the road to some historical mission were the mines of Wanda along with the factories and dealers that worked with the gemstones found therein. Along with this brief note were three photos of large, broken, quartz-crystal geodes out in the open set in their original volcanic stone matrix. Intrigued, I toured the colonialvoyage.com website but came up with nothing more on Wanda, its mines, or its gemstones.
     (Though, for those who are interested in South American history, there are a dozen or so links on this website leading to photo galleries of amazing places both historical and natural that I doubt 1 out of 100 Americans know about. These include Iguassu Falls [incredible photos of the World Heritage site between Argentina and Brazil], and Morro do Pai Inacio in Brazil [a mountain peak in Chapada Diamantina National Park that provides views of a topography that mixes Monument Valley and Mesa Verde-minus ruins - in a rainforest setting].)
     Additional touring brought me to http://garyisse.com/article-140.htm, which according to the title is not just your regular blog. Evidently Gary had been to the mine called Wanda and took some video that he kindly provides for us. The video (which is in Spanish but enjoyable due to its nice musical score) is a not-too-long overview of the mine, and I highly recommend taking this virtual tour. The geode mine is unlike anything I've seen in the U.S. Here the large and very large geodes are mined directly from their original basaltic birthplace. Their fractured halves appear like giant, crystal toothed maws imprisoned in rock faces ready to chomp down on any hands that attempt to reach for the treasures within. The video is fascinating if not overly educational, and the written portion, like the previous websites, is minimal. What is nice, again for folks curious about places in Argentina, are the links to other video clips, including one of the aforementioned Iguazu Waterfalls.
     For an example of material found at Wanda, there is a drive-through window at http://www.paleofacts.com/images/minerals/agate/pages/wmag5.html that shows a red and gold agate slab that is quite impressive (and should be with its $50 price tag). Another, evidently more impressive (at $100) white and black agate sample can be seen at http://www.paleofacts.com/images/minerals/agate/pages/wmag4.html. And if you want to see the whole batch of them, go to http://www.paleofacts.com/minerals.html and scroll down to the "Polished Agate Slabs" section.
     There are other sites, mostly in Spanish, that provide visuals of this far away location, but I have been unable to nail down the geology of the site or find information on the jewelers who work (and theoretically sell) jewelry from this material. May you enjoy your brief excursion to Wanda and if while you are there, additional information is revealed, please forward me your discoveries. I'm curious to know more about the place.

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JURASSIC CROCODILE UNEARTHED IN OREGON.

By Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 21 March 2007, 11:58 am ET.

     The fossil of an ancient amphibious reptile with a crocodile's body and a fish's tail has been unearthed in Oregon. Scientists believe the creature's remains were transported by geologic processes nearly 5,000 miles away from where it originally died more than 100 million years ago.
     The new fossil is the oldest crocodilian ever unearthed in Oregon and one of the few to be unearthed on this side of the Pacific. The "hybrid" animal is thought to be a new species within the genus Thalattosuchia, a group of crocodilians living during the age of dinosaurs.
     The reptile roamed a tropical environment in Asia about 142 to 208 million years ago. Called a Thalattosuchian, the amphibious creature represents an early milestone in evolutionary history, marking a transition during which these reptiles moved from being semi-aquatic to wholly ocean species.

An artist's rendering shows how the fossilized remains of a Jurassic crocodile found in Oregon may have appeared in water. Credit: Jon Hughes.

Rocky ride.
     Scientists uncovered the remains of the six- to eight-foot-long reptile in Jurassic rock on private property in the Snowshoe Formation of the Izee Terrane, a rock formation in Oregon. They knew the croc came from Asia due to distinct anatomical features, such as the way its ribs were connected to the rest of its body. The rock-entombed animal migrated eastward from perhaps Japan via continental drift, a theory of land movement in geological time, suggests William Orr, part of the fossil-discovery team and director of the Thomas Condon State Museum of Fossils at the University of Oregon.
     During ancient times, the Pacific Ocean was much wider than it is today, and Orr suggests the rocky ride could have taken as long as 100 million years before reaching North America.
     This idea is kind of profound, that you can move pieces of the Earth's real estate about the globe, Orr told LiveScience.

Into the ocean.
     Like modern-day crocodilians, the creature sported both land-lubbing and ocean-faring equipment. It had short, stubby legs, which the scientists say would have allowed it to creep easily along the ground and lay eggs. But the amphibious Thalattosuchia was also at home in the water. With webbed feet and a fish's tail, the reptile was likely a swift swimmer that could pulse through the water in search of aquatic prey.
     The thing that makes this creature unique is its tail, Orr said. Unlike today's reptiles, the creature had a shark-like tail, an indication of its ability to maintain itself in a marine environment. [The animal] was awfully close to being purely aquatic, Orr said.

Bones from a Jurassic-age marine crocodile remain in rock removed from an eastern Oregon mountainous region. At left are rib bones. At right is an upper leg bone (humerus) that measures 8.5 inches. Credit: Jim Barlow.

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EARTH'S INNER TEMPERATURE TAKEN: IT'S HOT.

By Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 30 March 2007, 09:53 am ET.

     Scientists have taken the temperature of Earth's innards, more than a thousand miles beneath the surface, and found that the mercury there soars to about 6,650 degrees Fahrenheit.
     That's nearly as steamy as our sun, where the surface reaches 9,980 degrees.
     The findings, detailed in the March 30 issue of the journal Science, will help geologists as they seek to understand how heat is transferred through the planet's interior, which drives all geologic processes like earthquakes and volcanoes, and Earth's magnetic field.

Vital signs.
     Robert van der Hilst of MIT and his colleagues examined an area beneath Central America by monitoring earthquake-generated seismic waves in real time.
     The waves penetrate thousands of miles beneath Earth's surface, effectively taking the temperature of the boundary between Earth's core and the surrounding mantle, if you know how to read the data.
     Here is how: The speed of the seismic waves indicates the chemical and physical properties of the material they encounter. By combining this seismic data with mineral physics, the team calculated the temperature at this boundary as well as above and below it.
     Specifically, a mineral called perovskite transforms into so-called post-perovskite at certain temperatures and pressures. The location of the core-mantle boundary, a place where abrupt temperature and pressure changes occur, can be identified by locating the exact spot of this mineral transition. The scientists' calculations put this temperature at about 6,650 degrees. Scientists estimate Earth's inner core to be about 9,000 degrees.
     "What is really the important thing is the amount of heat that can flow from the core into the mantle, and the amount of heat is related to the contrast in temperature," van der Hilst said.

Compared to us.
     All planets are born hot, theory holds, and they cool for billions of years.
     Combined with a past study that estimated heat loss in an area beneath the Pacific Ocean, the research team suggests Earth's total heat loss at the core-mantle boundary is about 7.5 to 15 terawatts, much higher than previous estimates. Global energy use by humans is about 13 terawatts.
     From their measurements, the scientists estimate that about one-third of the heat that radiates from Earth's surface into the atmosphere -- estimated to be 42 terawatts -- comes from our planet's core.

Magnetic mysteries.
     The new temperature measurements will also help geoscientists refine their understanding of our planet's magnetic field, which protects us from cosmic rays and solar storms. The field fluctuates over time, for reasons not fully understood, and now and then it even shrinks to zero before flipping polarity entirely.
     "We know the Earth's magnetic field is generated and maintained in the liquid outer core of the Earth where you basically have rapid flow of metallic iron," van der Hilst said. Since iron is charged, the swirling iron mix sets up an electric field that gives rise to Earth's magnetic field.
     The turbulent flow is the result of convection, and a higher rate of heat loss indicates more convection and a faster flow. With computer simulations, scientists have estimated the amount of energy needed to maintain the magnetic field. But this study is arguably the first to nail down concrete estimates, not computer-modeled ones, of these temperatures, van der Hilst said.
     "The heat flow that we measure is larger than what is needed to drive the geo-dynamo, so there is actually more energy down there than people thought," van der Hilst told LiveScience.

  Table of Contents.

PEROVSKITE.

Perovskite is an increasingly economically important, and in some rocks a rather common, mineral. It is sought after for its rare earth metal content. Often perovskite is enriched in cerium, niobium, thorium, lanthanum, neodymium and other rare earth metals. Rare earth metals are becoming rather attractive for prospectors due to their growing value to industry. The titanium derived from perovskite is recovered as well.

Crystals of perovskite appear as cubes, but this is deceiving. Perovskite is actually pseudocubic (or "falsely shaped" in a loose translation from the Greek). It is really orthorhombic in symmetry, but its structure is very close to isometric. The titaniums and oxygens compose a framework structure in which TiO₆ octahedrons are connected at each corner to other TiO₆ octahedrons. If the connections were at perfect 90 degree angles then the structure would be isometric. However the large ions, such as calcium and some rare earth metals that are needed to balance the formula, are too large to fit comfortably between the octahedrons. This causes a bending or twisting of the octahedrons and a distortion of the structure to orthorhombic symmetry. But the structure is still close to being isometric and it can therefore create crystals that are close to being cubes. Specimens can remind one of darkly colored cubes of galena. But galena's better metallic luster, greater density and perfect cleavage will give nobody any trouble in permanently confusing the two.

Perovskite is named for a Russian mineralogist, Count Lev Aleksevich von Perovski. The mineral was discovered and named by Gustav Rose in 1839 from samples found in the Ural Mountains. Now it is well known and recognized as a common mineral in aluminum and silica poor rock types such as nepheline syenites, carbonatites, kimberlites and melilites as well as some contact metamorphic marbles.

Square, opaque perovskite on green clinochlore.
Very brilliant and with large crystals (2 x 1.5 cm.).
Location: Ilmen Mountains. Chelyabinsk, Urals, Russia. Scale: 6 x 4.5 cm.

Source: http://webmineral.com/specimens/picshow.php?id=908.

Photo Copyright Fabre Minerals. Use permission has been granted to Rockhound Rambling for this publication. Reprint permission should be requested of Fabre Minerals (mineral@fabremineral.com).

  Table of Contents.

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