Return to the Rockhound Rambling Center.
You may also go to the VGMS Home Page.
The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
December 2003.
Table of Contents.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
It was unfortunate that the fires and dense smoke caused all of the city parks to be closed, so our annual summer picnic had to be cancelled at the last minute. Thank you Ron Wise for handling all the details and notifying members. We had a good number of people signed up for it. (Editor's Note: Don't know about the rest of you, but we ate macaroni salad for quite some time! That was too bad, but compared to what other people in the fire areas were going through, we were lucky.)
I hope you all plan on attending the Christmas dinner December 10th at Carrow's at the beach. The food is good as well as the service, and we all enjoy the fun and visiting. Richard Bromser is handling the sign-up. (Thank you, Richard.)
I feel that we have had a very good year. Our club meeting attendance has been good, and club members have attended every field trip. Nancy Brace-Thompson has lined up very interesting and educational programs. Also we have signed up a number of new members. There have been several educational classes, thanks to Wayne Ehlers and Greg Davis, and all the others who helped. Steve Mulqueen has kept a rotating, popular display in the Union Oil Museum in Santa Paula.
Jim Brace-Thompson has had several meetings planning for next year's show. He has selected his committee and every one is doing their part to make it even better than the successful one this past year.
I feel this has been a really good year.
Ray Meisenheimer.
![[TOC]](../imagebtn/uarrow.gif)
Table of Contents.
IN MEMORIUM:
Opal Benson.
Opal Benson died October 29 at the care center in Ontario, California. She had been transferred there from Ojai to be near her daughter, Frances. Opal would have been 94 on December 15 of this year.
Opal, along with her husband Bruno joined VGMS in 1952. Bruno preceded her in death 2 and one half years ago. She was very active in the club until Bruno passed away. She especially supported Bruno's Earth Science museum and the club shows.
Opal was generous to a fault, sharing her gem and mineral collection with other members. Her favorite collections were minerals and petrified wood. She had a very fine collection of both.
Opal served as hostess for the club meetings and provided refreshments for more than ten years.
She and Bruno traveled extensively sight seeing and collecting. The club now has many, many slide pictures of their travels and field trips.
Besides being very busy supporting the club, Opal volunteered time at FOOD Share, the local food bank, and helped give out donated food to 120 needy families at her local church.
Along with their children Frances and Roger, Opal leaves many grand children and great grand children as well as nieces and nephews. She loved them all. The one person closest to Opal was great grandson Bryan, whom Opal and Bruno raised.
Opal was a wonderful, busy lady and we will all miss her. We send our thoughts and prayers to the family.
Contributed by Florence Meisenheimer.
Editors Note: Bruno and Opal were a very important part of VGMS and have left many wonderful stories and legacies. They are both very much missed, but together again - which is the way they liked it!
Those giant dahlias just keep growing! - Giant dahlias stocks were originally given to club members several years ago by Bruno and Opal Benson (now deceased). Since that time, several of our members grew their own stocks and either gave them to other members or donated them to the plant sale booth at our annual mineral show. Many of these stocks are now blooming (middle November) in and around Ventura. Perhaps each stock represents a fellow VGMS member who has passed on. Thanks Bruno and Opal for your contribution to our club. We will take good care of them.
Steve & Susan Mulqueen.
Table of Contents.
DUES ARE DUE!
Dues are due by January 1, 2004. See the VGMS Information Page (and use your browser's BACK button or equivalent to return here) for the amount and send to Gary and Sharon Markley, 1686 Kenewa Street, Ojai, CA 93023. Don't forget!!
Table of Contents.
WORDS TO LIVE BY.
It is better to deserve honors and not have them, than to have them and not deserve them.
You can't turn back the clock but you can wind it up again.
Anything you are good at contributes to happiness.
The next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.
Collected by Wayne Ehlers.
Table of Contents.
DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DINNER,
December 10, 2003 - 6:30 pm.
Our annual Christmas Dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 10th at Carrow's Restaurant on Harbor Blvd. in Ventura at 6:30 pm.
There will be a complete fresh baked turkey dinner with salad, pumpkin pie, coffee-tea-milk or coke for $13.00 per person (includes tax & tip).
Let Richard Bromser know if you plan to attend. Please send a check to Richard, made out to VGMS, prior to the dinner so Richard and his family can enjoy the dinner. Hope to see everyone there, as the food is delicious, the service great and the company extraordinaire! Besides that it is fun! - Happy Holidays!
Table of Contents.
OPEN HOUSE AT JEWEL TUNNEL.
Members of the VGMS, their family and guests are invited to the annual Open House at Jewel Tunnel on Saturday, December 13, 2003 between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm. Jewel Tunnel is a wholesale dealer that specializes in gems, minerals, tumbled stones, carvings, spheres, eggs, bookends, fossils, rough rock material, light boxes, etc. All items in their warehouse will be for sale at 20% below their wholesale prices. They are located at 13100 Spring St., Baldwin Park, CA 91706, phone number (626) 814-2257 or toll free 800-999-4584. If you plan to attend, please call me or put your name on the sign-up sheet. The shop owner, Rock Currier, usually provides refreshments, finger sandwiches and snack items and would like to know how many to plan for.
Editor's Note: See these two maps for directions or call me at 805-642-2683. Leave a message if I'm not there.
Table of Contents.
PROGRAM REVIEW - October:
A Train Trip From Paris to Beijing (Peking),
By Wayne Ehlers.
Wayne gave a wonderful slide program and narrative of his and Marie's six week, 10,000 mile train trip that started in Paris and went to Peking by crossing Germany, Poland, Russia, Mongolia, and China. Some special highlights he shared were the Versailles Palace in Paris, Warsaw in Poland including Chopin's home, Moscow including the Kremlin, a gem and mineral museum in Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Lake Biakil, Ulan Bator in Mongolia, visiting a horse farm with an overnight stay in a yurt, many sights in China including the great wall, the summer palace, the forbidden city, Shanghai, the buried army, a boat trip on the Li River, Guangzhou (Canton) and finally Hong Kong. It was most interesting and thank you so much Wayne for sharing it with everyone.
Table of Contents.
Keep smiling - It will make people wonder
what you've been up to!
Table of Contents.
PROGRAM REVIEW - November:
Silent Auction.
I want to thank everyone who made our silent auction a success, we made over $160.00. I especially want to thank Florence and Ray Meisenheimer for all the wonderful items they brought for the auction.
Submitted by Nancy Brace-Thompson, Program Chair.
Table of Contents.
2003 Meeting Programs.
Don't forget to come to our Christmas dinner on Wednesday, December 10, 2003. Please contact Richard Bromser to make your reservations.
Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who have helped us fill our slate of programs for this year. If anyone would like to volunteer to do a presentation in 2004, please let any of the board members know.
Nancy Brace-Thompson, Program Chairperson.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
2004 VGMS OFFICERS ELECTED.
Many thanks to our nominating committee for their hard work in putting together a slate of officers for the 2004 year. Thank you also to the nominees who agreed to run and were subsequently elected! The 2004 slate of officers is as follows:
President: Steve Mulqueen,
1st Vice President: Open (This is the Program Chair. It has been suggested that
different individuals arrange for a program each month unless of course a wonderful
volunteer would come forward!),
2nd Vice President: Ron Wise,
3rd Vice President: Jim Brace-Thompson,
Treasurer: Richard Bromser,
Recording Secretary: Greg Davis,
Membership Secretary: Sharon & Gary Markley,
Federation Director: Florence Meisenheimer,
Bulletin Editor: Shirley Layton,
Parliamentarian: Ray Meisenheimer.
These new officers will be installed at our December Christmas Dinner.
Table of Contents.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
11-27 to 30-03 - Tri-club Field Trip North Cady Mountains - See "Field Trips are Fun" section for details.
12-4-03 - VGMS Board Meeting - 7:30 pm - At the Museum. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
**12-10-03 - VGMS Christmas Party - 6:30 pm - Carrows Restaurant at Harbor Blvd & Seaward in Ventura.
12-13-03 - Open House at Jewel Tunnel - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
12-20-03 - VGMS Work Shop - Museum - Open - 9-12 am (Check with Greg or Ron before you go - Christmas is close!).
1-?-04 - VGMS Board Meeting - 7:30 pm - Date to be announced at meeting (Don't think it will be New Years Day!!) - At the Museum. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.
1-10-04 - DEADLINE FOR JANUARY Bulletin Articles to the Editor! HAPPY NEW YEAR - Let's make it a Great One!
**Note this is the 2nd Wednesday of the month.
Table of Contents.
EDUCATION THROUGH SHARING;
Barbara Matz, Chair;
CFMS NEWSLETTER November 2003.
The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society wishes to honor Nancy and Jim Brace-Thompson with the Education Through Sharing award. Jim is currently serving as Youth Coordinator for the California Federation and also the American Federation. He has many plans for encouraging young people to be more active in the club, which has improved attendance. With Jim and Nancy as Show Chairpersons, our early spring show was a fantastic success. Nancy also arranges for excellent speakers and other interesting and educational programs for our meetings. Both Nancy and Jim are very deserving of recognition.
Submitted by Florence Meisenheimer.
Editors Note: Congratulations Jim & Nancy, it is well deserved!
Table of Contents.
GEM SHOW 2004:
STOCKPILE & PUBLICIZE.
With the last month of 2003 upon us, 2004 is just around the corner, and with it, our annual Gem Show is just a couple of short months away. My message for December is brief: stockpile and publicize! I ask everyone who has a tumbler to haul it out, oil it up, fill it up with rough, and start polishing stones. Don't have any rough? Never fear - plenty is available at the club rock pile, and I would be happy to meet you there to fill a bag for your tumbler. Just give me a call (659-3577)! With our supply of grab bags depleted after last year's show, we need plenty to fill new bags, and kids especially like shiny, tumble-polished gemstones. I've also been polishing the ends of small twigs of petrified wood, agates, and thunder eggs at the club workshop whenever it's open, and I invite others to join me because these make great spinning wheel prizes. Also, please set aside small prizes to go into the sand-sifting box and large specimens for the silent auction. And don't forget items for the country store and the plant sale. Find a shelf or a corner in your home, and start filling a box to bring to the show. We'll also be seeking donations of especially fine mineral or fossil specimens and nice lapidary works to fill the raffle prize case. Start stockpiling today, and come Show Time, all you'll need to do is pull the box from your shelf and cart it to the Fairgrounds, thus leaving you with more time to work on preparing an exhibit case!
In addition, I ask that everyone start getting out the word to family, friends, and neighbors. One of the best means of publicity is good old-fashioned word-of-mouth. I'll have show flyers at all our club meetings between now and our show date, and I encourage everyone to pick up a few and start distributing them to friends, family, and acquaintances. Put one on the bulletin board at work and on any community bulletin boards you see around town. Put one in your car window. The wider the circle, the more visitors to enjoy the fruits of our efforts come March 6. If you know of good channels for publicizing the show that we haven't yet tried, please call me, and pass the idea along. We want to cover as many bases as possible.
Finally, we still need a person to take on Exhibitor Chair to send invitations to potential guest exhibitors, including members of nearby clubs and those who have exhibited with us in the past. If that person might be you, please call me right away. (That number again? 659-3577). Here's to Gem Show 2004!
Jim Brace-Thompson, Show Chair.
Table of Contents.
CHIPS & BOULDERS.
Work Party at the VGMS Museum. - On October 18, several members volunteered their time at the VGMS Museum to rake leaves in front of the museum and to repair the roof in preparation of the rains common to the late fall and winter. The work party consisted of Richard Bromser, Dave Mautz, Ed Clark, Wayne Ehlers, Ray Meisenheimer, Ron Wise, Sharon Cunningham and Steve Mulqueen. Thanks for all your help!
OPPORTUNITY. - Former dealer, Byron Lewis, is now in real estate in Oakhurst. He says there is a store - Yosemite Gallery - for sale in Coarsegold. The store sells gold panning equipment, Indian artifacts, jewelry and more. Byron thinks adding lapidary materials would be a nice addition.
$685,000 includes the store, land, parking, and the entire inventory. There is a creek on the land. Bryon thinks it is a superb deal.
Give him a call (even if only to say hello) at 559 642-2880. - Kathryn Davis.
Lapidary Class will be postponed until after the holidays. There weren't enough people to make it worthwhile at this point. Many thanks to Wayne Ehlers for volunteering his time and talent. - Until Next Year!
2004 VGMS Show is nearing - Remember to "Stock Pile"!!!
Thank You to all who helped at the Country Store pricing session on 10-23-03 - Richard & Shirley Bromser, Ron & Jean Wise and Steve & Susan Mulqueen. It is a good start. - Shirley Layton.
Milk Crates are available for members at $5.00 each. See Richard Bromser. They are great for storing our treasures!
Hosts and Hostesses Schedule for 2003 Meetings. - Many thanks to Sharon Cunningham for coordinating the hostess schedule and many, many thanks to the volunteers who brought the wonderful refreshments!
VGMS Business Cards Available. - You can get them printed with your name and address or whatever you wish on them. They are $4.00 for 100. See Shirley Layton with the number you want and how you want them printed.
VGMS Workshops. - They are held on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00 until noon unless otherwise notified. The Shop Supervisors are: Ron Wise (805) 647-4393 & Greg Davis (805) 647-9214. Stop and say thanks to these volunteers for the opportunity they give the rest of us. It is there for your use, take advantage of it.
Bulletin e-mail. - It would be helpful when you e-mail information or articles for the bulletin if you could start the subject with "VGMS (space)". This will help Jim to sort them and hopefully not miss any! E-mails work great as we can just roll the information over and don't have to re-type it, so keep them coming!! jns@west.net Thanks!
Table of Contents.
Website Reviews,
By Sandy Riekeman - WGMS.
http://mineral.galleries.com:
The Mineral Gallery is a constantly growing collection of mineral descriptions, images, and specimens, together with several ways of accessing these descriptions. Search by Name, Class, or Interesting Groupings such as Birthstones, Gemstones, Biblestones, Significant Element, Minerals that Twin, Fluorescent Minerals, Minerals by Locality, and Natural Groupings. The descriptions include searchable mineralogical data, plus other information of interest to students and rock hounds!
www.orerockon.com:
OREgon ROCKhounds ONline. - This site has two purposes. The first and foremost is a listing of Oregon Rockhounding sites as well as some for South West Washington with directions to get there and pictures of items that have been found there. The ulterior motive is to buy, sell and trade lapidary rough, slabs, and finished goods, fossils, and mineral specimens. Another motive is to provide information on the Portland area Rock and Gem Clubs, shows and field trips.
Via Quarry Quips 10/03.
Table of Contents.
Web Sites.
AFMS Web Site - http://www.Amfed.org/,
CFMS Web Site - http://www.cfmsinc.org/,
California BLM Web Site - http://www.ca.blm.gov/,
American Lands Access Association Web Site - http://www.amerlands.org/.
Table of Contents.
JANUARY BIRTHDAYS.
Happy Birthday to all those born in January. We all wish you good health and hope you have a Great Day! Please let me know if I have missed your birthday. Please call Shirley Layton at 642-2683 and leave a message if I'm not there or an e-mail will also do the trick, jns@west.net. Thanks!
January - Happy Birthday!!
Anthony Beinar - 2nd,
Donna Stephens - 3rd,
Shawne Lardin - 9th,
Marie Ehlers - 13th,
Josh Glenn - 23rd,
Florence Meisenheimer - 23rd.
The January birthstone is the Garnet and the flower is the Carnation.
THE GARNET GROUP:
Garnets as a group are relatively common in highly metamorphosed rocks and in some igneous formations. They form under the high temperatures and/or pressures that those types of rocks must endure. Garnets can be used by geologists as a gauge of how much temperature and pressure the rock has endured. As a gemstone, garnets have had a mixed reputation. Garnets do possess high indices of refraction, are hard enough, have pretty colors, are sometimes transparent, lack cleavage and are durable; thus making good candidates for gemstones. However, many people consider garnets to be inferior to other colored gems. This may be due to garnet's relative abundance and widespread use, and therefore a (typically) low price. Garnets are greatly variable in colors and varieties, though, and many of these are both rare and beautiful, producing genuinely precious gemstones. Some garnets are truly unique in the mineral kingdom and have much to offer as both gemstones and mineral specimens.
Garnets are isostructural, meaning that they share the same crystal structure. This leads to similar crystal shapes and properties. The general formula for garnets is A3B2(SiO4)3. The A represents divalent metals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and manganese. The B represents a trivalent metal such as aluminum, chromium, iron, and other elements found in rarer members of the group. The main differences in physical properties among the members of the garnet group are slight variations in density and index of refraction. Garnets belong to the isometric crystal class, which produces very symmetrical, cube-based crystals. The most common crystal shape for garnets is the rhombic dodecahedron, a twelve sided crystal with diamond-shaped (rhombic) faces. This basic shape is the trademark of garnets, for no other crystal shape is so closely associated with a single mineral group like the rhombic dodecahedron is with garnets. Most garnets are red in color, leading to the erroneous belief that all garnets are red. In fact a few varieties, such as grossular, can have a wide range of colors, and uvarovite is always a bright green. As a mineral specimen, garnets usually have well shaped and complex crystals and their color and luster can make for a very beautiful addition to a collection. At times, garnets are accessory minerals to other valuable and pretty gem minerals such as topaz, beryl and tourmaline, making these specimens extra special.
Unless otherwise noted, all mineral descriptions and images, plus the related descriptions on this server are the property of Amethyst Galleries, Inc., and may not be copied for commercial purposes. Permission to copy descriptions and images is granted for personal and educational use only.
Table of Contents.
HOSPITALITY.
In October our wonderful hostess was in the hospital and not able to attend the meeting. I'm not aware of anyone putting out an attendance sheet, so we will just say we had a very nice attendance for Wayne Ehlers' slide show on their train trip which was most fascinating. What an experience! Fortunately Sharlyne is feeling better and we were most happy to have her at our November meeting to keep things in order! We had some wonderful pumpkin pies and desserts at the November meeting to help soothe our nerves during the silent auction! There was some good material there and, fortunately or unfortunately, I brought home my share. We had 20 members and one guest, Dick Heiser, vying for the items.
Table of Contents.
PUBLIC OUTREACH.
On October 21, Steve Mulqueen presented a slide lecture titled "Solution Mining at Searles Lake" at the monthly dinner meeting of the Society of Mining Engineers in Pomona. The lecture included information about the geology/stratigraphy of Searles Dry Lake, the history of mining on the lake surface, current solution mining efforts by IMC Chemicals and the annual mineral show sponsored by the Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society.
Mineral Resources of the Searles Lake Area,
Summary by Steve Mulqueen:
Searles Lake is an evaporite basin located near the community of Trona in San Bernardino County, CA. IMC Chemicals currently extracts 1.5 million tons of industrial minerals each year from several lakebeds within the basin.
Searles Lake is one of a chain of Pleistocene lakes that extends from Owens Lake to as far as ancient Lake Manly in Death Valley. The stratigraphic record at Searles Lake indicates that it once held brackish water as deep as 200 meters (650'). Fluctuations in lake levels correspond to the advances and retreats of glaciers in the Sierra Nevada Range. Thirty major lake levels occurred during the last 150,000 years, represented by a sequence of salt and mud beds. The precipitation of minerals occurred during long periods of lake evaporation.
Borax was first produced from the dry lake surface in 1873 by John Searles under the name of the San Bernardino Borax Mining Company (SBBMC). Searles was the first to haul borax using the famous 20 mule team wagons. In 1873, before the railroad was built to Mojave, refined borax was hauled 175 miles by 20 mule teams from Slate Range Playa (now called Searles Lake) to the harbor at San Pedro.
Searles Lake is a vast resource of sodium and potassium minerals of the carbonate, sulfate, chloride and borate system of mineralogy. Production of industrial minerals involves a complex solution mining operation in which brines are produced from wells completed in several salt beds at depths of over 100 meters below the surface. A network of production wells, injection wells, solar ponds and piping is used in the extraction and treatment of the brines.
Industrial minerals are extracted from the brines at the Argus, Westend and Trona plants. Minerals are crystallized from the brines, washed, screened and dried in rotary kilns. This complex extraction process at the 3 plants is generally referred to as fractional crystallization. It includes the treatment of brine through carbonation extraction, refrigeration extraction and / or solvent extraction. Salt is harvested with use of heavy equipment from the lake surface and from solar ponds.
IMC Chemicals products from Searles Lake include borax, V-Bor (borax w/5 moles of water), anhydrous borax, boric acid, soda ash, salt cake and salt. Mineral reserves exceed 4 billion metric tons.
Background: Steve and his wife Susan currently live in Ventura, Ca. Steve has worked more than 20 years as an Oil & Gas Engineer with the Department of Conservation's Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at Cal Poly, Pomona in June 1978. As an Undergraduate, Steve developed an interest in industrial minerals, mining geology and mining history. He was employed at American Borate Company's Billie borate mine in Death Valley from 1978 to 1979. In Trona, CA., Steve worked as a geologist for Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation at their Searles Lake operations 1979 to 1982.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.
Instead of pointing a finger why not hold out a hand?
Table of Contents.
"FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN."
North Cady Mountains - Basin Road,
Triclub fieldtrip - November 27-30, 2003.
Fieldtrip: The November Triclub fieldtrip will be to the Basin Road area of the North Cady Mountains to hunt for Agates, Jasper, Jaspagate, Saginite, Petrified Wood, Fluorite and much more. This should be an interesting and fun fieldtrip. Bob Wheeler from Ridgecrest, who is very knowledgeable about the Cady Mountains area, has offered to guide us for one day. There will also be folks from other clubs in the area at this time. Marion Roberts of the Mother Load Mineral Society said their club will be there. In addition, the Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society in Barstow has their show that weekend - a perfect opportunity to pick up materials you may have missed on the fieldtrip.
Directions: After Barstow continue east on interstate highway 15 towards Baker for approximately 43 miles to Basin Road. Basin Road is the next off ramp after Afton Canyon, if you see ZZYZX you missed the turn off. Turn right and continue for one mile to the campsite. Look for Triclub signs.
Camping: We will camp one mile off highway 15 on Basin Road. This will be dry camping in the desert, no water, no toilets, no tables, no firewood, and no fees. Be sure to bring food, water, sunscreen, firewood and camera. Bring a variety of clothing the weather can be warm in the daytime and cool at night.
Wednesday: We plan to be at the campsite on Wednesday the 26, so you will have company if you decide to come out earlier.
Meeting: On Thursday, November 27, we will leave the campgrounds for the collecting site at 9:00 am. The road to the campsite is adequate for cars, trailers and motorhomes. From the campsite to the collecting areas it is about 12 miles the trail is sandy and rutted, we recommend pickups or four wheel drive vehicles.
Tools: You may need:
Shovel,
Sledge hammer,
Gad and/or chisels,
Something to carry rock over rugged terrain back to your vehicle,
Do not forget goggles, mask, hat, sunscreen, water and lunch,
Be warned there is no shade in this area.
Extra time? On the way home you may want to stop in at the Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Show in Barstow.
Ron Wise, Field Chair Person.
Table of Contents.
Wrinkles should merely show where smiles have been.
If you haven't got time to do a job right,
When will you have time to do it over?
Table of Contents.
ALAA NEWS,
from Jon Spunagle, President ALAA.
A fossil bill "The Paleontological Resource Preservation Act" continues to move through Congress. The Senate version S-546 was passed by unanimous consent (with only a voice vote, no actual vote count). The Act was changed somewhat from its original introduced version with some elimination of parts that were objectionable to the ALAA and amateur collectors. However, some of the objectionable language remains and new problems have been added. It will undoubtedly have a negative impact on amateur hobbyists nationwide. The Senate bill passed was referred to the U.S. House of Representatives and sent to its Committee on Resources for consideration. The U.S. House of Rep. already has a companion bill, HR-2416 introduced a few months ago.
From our vantage point, it would seem likely that a fossil bill of some kind will pass both houses and probably be signed into law by the President. Therefore, we believe all interested hobbyists need to get a copy of the proposed legislation, review it, and write letters to their Members of the House of Representative to let them know your feelings. If you don't tell them how you feel, someone else will and that someone may not agree with your views.
The American Lands Access Association (ALAA) is most concerned by the penalty provisions of the Senate Passed Bill, and the "Rewards Forfeiture" sections. There are Savings Provisions that prevent the Act from being applied to rock collecting and invertibrate fossil collecting, but the actual language could be improved in this area. Commercial fossil collecting will be prohibited. Also, in our view, the historical role that amateur collectors have played in the advancement of the Science of Paleontology will be severely curtailed. Only qualified professional paleontologists will be allowed to collect vertibrate fossils regardless of their scientific significance. Overall we believe this is a better bill than its predecessors but it still needs more change to lessen the impact on amateur collecting.
Copies of the passed Senate Bill and proposed Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives are available by calling your U.S. Representative's Office and can be found on the internet at thomas.loc.gov using the Bill numbers S-546 and HR-2416. Your letters and comments to your Congressional Representative have helped change this bill from the original "Baucus" Bill introduced in 1991 and can continue to help the final language to better recognize the contributions that amateurs make to the Science of Paleontology.
from AFMS Newsletter, 10/03 via CFMS Newsletter 11/03.
Table of Contents.
Worry is like a rocking chair -
It gives you something to do,
But it doesn't get you any closer to the problem.
Table of Contents.
MEMBERSHIP.
REMEMBER DUES ARE DUE!
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.
Table of Contents.
VGMS MINUTES.
Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, October 22, 2003:
The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Ray Meisenheimer at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, October 22, 2003 in the Bijou Room of the Lexington, 5440 Ralston, Ventura, Ca. The group was led in the salute to the flag.
The September regular meeting and board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/p as shown in the bulletin. Guests were welcomed.
Ray asked for but received no old business.
New business:
Steve Mulqueen was nominated for the position of President.
Richard Bromser gave the treasurer's report. Richard also reminded everyone of our Christmas dinner, December 10th at Carrow's in Ventura. Cost is $13.00 per person (make checks out to VGMS).
Steve Mulqueen. - Jewel Tunnel has again invited our club for a day of exclusive shopping and viewing of their facility in Baldwin Park. A date is yet to be set. Steve also proposed a club trip to the Los Angeles Historical Museum on December 13th with more details later. A work party of 10 covered the roof of the museum and cleaned the yard last weekend.
Ron Wise. - The Club picnic will happen on Sunday, October 26th, 12 noon, at Arroyo Verde park in Ventura. Just look for the club flag about midway in the park. Bring a chair and the hot dogs will be provided by the club. You can pretty much figure on a very relaxing and enjoyable time with perfect weather during this time of year, so mark your calendars, bring side dishes and we'll see you there. The trip to Trona went well with a lot of quality specimens collected. The Cady Mtn. trip (November 27-30) will coincide with the Barstow show on that weekend. See Ron for details.
Shirley Layton - Reminded everyone that the October and November bulletins will be combined and that the 10th of November will be the deadline for articles to be submitted for the December bulletin. A Country Store pricing event will take place on Thursday, Oct. 23rd at 7 p.m. at the club museum. The next show meeting is scheduled for November 16th, at the Brace-Thompson's house.
Wayne Ehlers asked for a show of hands of those interested in a class combining lapidary, tumbling and silversmithing which will take place on Monday evening. Also, other classes can be arranged if anyone would like to head a demonstration in their favorite aspect of our hobby. Wayne next presented a slide show and talk on his and Marie's train trip around the world in 1986.
Ray Meisenheimer reminded us that the November meeting will involve voting for board member positions, a silent auction and pumpkin pies as refreshments. The next Board meeting will be December 4th, all are welcomed to attend and the next regular meeting will be December 10th, during our annual Christmas dinner.
Door prizes were awarded and refreshments were provided by Emma Mayer.
There being no further business, Ray adjourned the meeting at 9:05 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Greg Davis.
Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting,
November 6, 2003:
The regular board meeting of the VGMS was called to order by President Ray Meisenheimer at 7:30 pm on Thursday, November 6, 2003, at the VGMS Museum, 5019 Crooked Palm Rd., Ventura, Ca.
Present: Ray and Florence Meisenheimer, Richard Bromser, Steve Mulqueen, Nancy Brace-Thompson, Gary Markley, Shirley Layton and Greg Davis.
Richard Bromser. - Checks 1053-1057 were m/s/c to be used for club utilities and expenses for the month of October.
Nancy Brace-Thompson. - The next show meeting will be November 16th, 2:00 at Nancy's house. Wednesday's meeting will include a silent auction.
Steve Mulqueen suggests a committee be assembled to pursue options for relocating the club museum/workshop. Possible areas to explore are the old City Hall, churches, schools and the VFW hall. Also, a possibility of appointing 12 people ahead of time for monthly presentations was mentioned. Susan Mulqueen would like to see cases and any other materials salvaged from behind the museum, possibly on our next scheduled work day, November 15th.
Gary Markley. - 6 dealers have paid for the 2004 show.
Shirley Layton. - Dues are due! The 10th of November is the deadline for articles in the December bulletin.
Florence Meisenheimer. - Opal Benson passed away October 29th, at the age of 93. Graveside services are being planned for Ojai and we will try to notify everyone as soon as a time is set. CFMS insurance may not cover future club shows. More information will be gotten from Fred Ott at the upcoming CFMS meeting.
Ray Meisenheimer. - Lois Allman has a couple of 12 foot display cases that the Oxnard club is trying to offer us and Brian Peal is offering our club a couple of rock saws for free. The problem is finding room to store more. A discussion followed and more information will be needed. Our next meeting will be on November 12th and will include our club silent auction and home made pumpkin pies from members. Speaking of November, we'll vote on club board member nominees during that meeting, with nominations starting at our September meeting and the installation during our December meeting. See you all there.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:25 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Greg Davis.
Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, November 12, 2003:
The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Ray Meisenheimer at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 in the Bijou Room of the Lexington, 5440 Ralston, Ventura, Ca. The group was led in the salute to the flag.
The October regular meeting and board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/p as shown in the bulletin. Guests were welcomed.
Ray asked for but received no old business.
New business:
Richard Bromser gave the treasurer's report. Richard also reminded everyone of our Christmas dinner, December 10th at Carrow's in Ventura. Cost is $13.00 per person (make checks out to VGMS). Please respond by December 8th so that a count can taken.
Steve Mulqueen. - Jewel Tunnel has again invited our club for a day of exclusive shopping and viewing of their facility in Baldwin Park, tentatively set for December 13th.
Ron Wise. - The Cady Mtn. trip (November 27-30) will coincide with the Barstow show on that weekend. See Ron for details.
Shirley Layton reminded everyone that the 10th of November will be the deadline for articles to be submitted for the December bulletin and that Dues are due!!
Jim Brace-Thompson. - The next show meeting is scheduled for this Sunday, November 16th, 2:00, his house.
Ray Meisenheimer next presented the slate of officers to be voted on for 2004. They were: Steve Mulqueen - President, Ron Wise - 2nd Vice President, Jim Brace-Thompson - 3rd Vice President, Richard Bromser - Treasurer, Greg Davis - Recording Secretary, Sharon Markley - Membership Secretary, Florence Meisenheimer - Federation Director, Shirley Layton - Bulletin Editor and Ray Meisenheimer - Parliamentarian. A vote was taken, the motion was made, seconded and carried that these named people be installed as officers during our December meeting.
Next, the silent auction took place with a lot of beautiful specimens provided by the Meisenheimers. The fortunate attendees engaged in active bidding on a variety of materials and all left smiling.
The next Board meeting will be December 4th, all are welcomed to attend and the next regular meeting will be December 10th, during our annual Christmas dinner.
Refreshments were provided by Sharon Cunningham and others who provided the pumpkin pies. Thank you everyone. They were delicious.
There being no further business, Ray adjourned the meeting at 8:55 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Greg Davis.
Table of Contents.
IRRITANT.
When Oysters are annoyed by grit,
They lift their lids a little bit,
Admit the grit, then calmly sit
And start to make a pearl of it.
This seems to me quite ample proof
It pays sometimes to raise the roof!
By Jean Chisholm in "Together" Magazine,
Via CFMS Newsletter - November 2003.
Table of Contents.
Deserts.
Whenever we think of deserts, we usually picture a really hot place where the sun is blazing down and there is no water. In reality, there are four different kinds of deserts ranging from the blazing hot Sahara to the frozen wasteland of Antarctica. Deserts are found on every continent. The only thing they have in common is that they receive less than ten inches of rain a year.
Four factors influence the formation of deserts. The most important one is high pressure. This type of desert is usually found between 15 degrees and 30 degrees latitude. Back at the equator, the air is heated and rises. Then it cools, condenses and rains before it sinks back down toward the earth. Because the air mass has already lost its moisture, no clouds form and no rain falls. The Sahara is an example of a high-pressure desert. Another high-pressure desert, but very different from the Sahara, is found at the South Pole. Antarctica is the driest place in the world. It is even drier than the Sahara. It is so cold there that the air is unable to hold any moisture.
Cold, up welling ocean currents along the western coasts of continents cause the second type of desert. Here the air is so cool that it won't hold much moisture and no rain reaches the land.
The third cause of a desert is the rain shadow effect. The Mojave and Death Valley are the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the air tries to rise and get over the mountains, it cools, condenses and rains on the western side of the mountain. By the time the air gets over, no moisture is left.
The fourth and last type is found in the middle of continents. By the time the air mass reaches here, most of its moisture has already been lost so a desert forms. The Gobi desert in China and the Australian deserts form this way.
Wind and water are the main forces that sculpt the deserts. During the few storms that do occur in deserts, water, moving with great force, carries soil, rocks and other debris and dumps it in cone shaped alluvial fans. This is a great place to go rock hunting.
Wind is responsible for the beautiful sand dunes found in most deserts. Bryce Canyon in Utah was formed from huge dunes piled up by the wind 200 million years ago. Wind has since eroded the sandstone layers into dramatic forms. Many of our beautiful land formations out west were formed this way.
Author unknown; source Stone Age News, Marysville R&G Club, Marysville WA, July/Aug 2003 via Quarry Quips 10/03.
Table of Contents.
Vibration Tumbling,
By Lloyd Riekeman.
I've been asked to write an article about vibration tumbling and how it compares to rotating barrel rock polishing. Well up front there is not much to compare. Rotating barrel rock polishing is very slow, as most of you know if you have ever tried it. Vibration tumblers are 5 to 10 times faster and cheaper in the long run in the amount of grit you will need and the amount of electricity you will use.
Here is my procedure and hints that I use. You may want to vary this to suit your own method.
First Run: Fill your tumbler tub with the rocks you intend to polish about 3/4 full. These rocks should all be about the same hardness. Pour in enough water to cover the rocks. Next pour all the water out. Now you have a bunch of wet rocks. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of your first coarse grit. I use #80 grit. You can use anything from 30 to 90 grit. The difference being how fast you grind off the sharp edges of the stones. I watch this grind quite often to assure that the grind doesn't get too dry, you may want to add a little water or grinding compound as necessary. I usually will run this first grind for 8 to 15 hours depending on the hardness of the stones. Agates and petrified wood will take longer and use more compound.
Second Run: Remove and wash the rocks and inspect them to see if they have all the sharp edges removed. If so, clean both the rocks and the tub completely. Put the clean rocks back in the tub and add about 3 tablespoons of #120 grit. Put enough water in to keep the rocks wet. Too much water will wash the grit off the rocks and it falls to the bottom of the tub. Watch this operation and add either water or compound as required to keep the rocks covered with the polishing slurry. Polishing time? 5 to 20 hours depending on how hard the rocks are. When you are pleased with the polish move on to the next step.
Runs #3, #4, & #5: Same as Second Run using 240 grit, 400 grit and 600 grit. Check the progress of each step and adjust the time as needed. Be doubly sure each grind is cleaned thoroughly. During the last grind using the 600 grit I recommend you add about 10 tablespoons of either walnut shells or plastic pellets, these separate the stones and prevent scratching.
Final Polish: I recommend a different tub to be used only for dry polishing. I've also found that treated corncob works as well as anything I've ever used. Here's how to prepare your treated corncob polish media. Start with 1 pound of ground corncob pieces. In a container add the corncob pieces and about 1 cup of alcohol. Mix together and let stand until all the liquid is absorbed into the corncobs, when all the alcohol is absorbed add 2 to 4 teaspoons of tin oxide; mix thoroughly so all the tin oxide is used up. Place this mixture on a cookie sheet and place out doors until the alcohol is evaporated, preferred in the sun and not too much wind. Stir several times. When this mixture is dry, place it in your tumbler tub with the polished rocks and continue the polishing until the rocks meet with your approval. NOTE: If the polishing compound sticks to the rocks rather than polishing them, your corncobs may have absorbed moisture from humidity. The way I solve this is to take the corncob mixture (rocks and all), put it on a cookie sheet, put in 175-degree oven for 2 to 3 hours.
via quarry Quips 10/03.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
WHICH GEMS ARE OF ORGANIC ORIGIN?
by Patricia Roebuck.
Pearl, Coral, Amber and Jet are the four organic gems. Although they contain calcium carbonate, a mineral substance, pearls are the product of certain mollusks whose secretions allay the discomfort of an irritation caused by disease, a parasite, or a foreign particle. The result is the "Queen of Gems" formed inside the protective mantle that surrounds the soft parts of the animal's body, within the shell.
Coral is the accumulated skeletal material of tiny marine animals called polyps, which live in branching colonies. Extracting calcium carbonate from the water, they deposit it in their tissues and build their framework of hollow tubes, which remain after their death.
Whereas pearl and coral are of animal origin, Amber and Jet are derived from plants. Amber is the fossil resin of ancient coniferous trees. These trees flourished during the Oligocene Epoch of the Tertiary Period - nearly 40 million years ago, and were species of pine (Pinus Succinifer). Most properly speaking, amber is a fossil resin containing Succinic acid. Hundreds of species of insects and other invertibrates of the Oligocene Age are found beautifully preserved in amber, caught in the sticky sap as it dripped down the bark of trees.
Jet is a compact black variety of lignite coal. Lignite is the lowest rank of coal, having been least changed. The best quality of Jet is velvety black. All coal has a plant ancestry, having formed from the remains of ancient vegetation. During many centuries vegetation thrived and died. Progressive changes of heat and pressure carried these plants through peat, then to lignite, which we know as Jet. Jet was most popular during the Victorian Era and was mainly used as mourning jewelry.
The above information was taken from "1001 Questions Answered About the Mineral Kingdom" by Richard M. Pearl and "Precious Stones" by Bauer. -- via The Rollin' Rock, 10/03 via CFMS Newsletter 11/03.
Table of Contents.
HINTS & TIPS FOR ROCKHOUNDS
(Use at your own risk).
Useful Trivia,
contributed by Shiley Leeson.
Did You Know?
1. Drinking two glasses of Gatorade can relieve headache pain almost immediately - without the unpleasant side effects caused by traditional pain relievers.
2. Did you know that Colgate toothpaste makes an excellent salve for burns?
3. Before you head to the drugstore for a high-priced inhaler filled with mysterious chemicals, try chewing on a couple of curiously strong Altoids peppermints. They'll clear up your stuffed nose.
4. Achy muscles from a bout of the flu? Mix 1 Tablespoon of horseradish in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the mixture sit for 30 minutes, then apply it as a massage oil, for instant relief for aching muscles.
5. Sore Throat?? Just mix 1/4 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of honey and take 1 tablespoon six times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria.
6. Cure urinary tract infections with Alka-Seltzer. Just dissolve two tablets in a glass of water and drink it at the onset of the symptoms. Alka-Seltzer begins eliminating urinary tract infections almost instantly - even though the product was never been advertised for this use.
7. Eliminate puffiness under your eyes. All you need is a dab of Preparation H, carefully rubbed into the skin, avoiding the eyes. The hemorrhoid ointment acts as a vasoconstrictor, relieving the swelling instantly.
8. Honey remedy for skin blemishes. Cover the blemish with a dab of honey and place a band-aid over it. Honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile, and speeds healing. Works overnight.
9. Listerine therapy for toenail fungus, get rid of unsightly toenail fungus by soaking your toes in Listerine mouthwash. The powerful antiseptic leaves your toenails looking healthy again.
10. Easy eyeglass protection. To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Crystal Clear nail polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.
11. Coca-Cola cure for rust. Forget those expensive rust removers. Just saturate an abrasive sponge with Coca Cola and scrub the rust stain. The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.
12. Cleaning liquid that doubles as bug killer. If menacing bees, wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets get in your home and you can't find the insecticide, try a spray of Formula 409. Insects drop to the ground instantly.
13. Smart splinter remover. Just pour a drop of Elmers Glue all over the splinter, let dry, and peel the dried glue off the skin. The splinter sticks to the dried glue.
14. Hunt's tomato paste boil cure. Cover the boil with Hunt's tomato paste as a compress. The acids from the tomatoes soothe the pain and bring the boil to a head.
15. Balm for broken blisters. To disinfect a broken blister, dab on a few drops of Listerine.... a powerful antiseptic.
16. Heinz vinegar to heal bruises. Soak a cotton ball in white vinegar and apply it to the bruise for 1 hour. The vinegar reduces the blueness and speeds up the healing process.
17. Kill fleas instantly. Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.
18. Rainy day cure for dog odor. Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.
19. Eliminate ear mites. All it takes is a few drops of Wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.
20. Vaseline cure for hairballs. To prevent troublesome hairballs, apply a dollop of Vaseline petroleum jelly to your cat's nose. The cat will lick off the jelly, lubricating any hair in its stomach so it can pass easily through the digestive system.
21. Quaker Oats for fast pain relief. It's not just for breakfast anymore! Mix 2 cups of Quaker Oats and 1 cup of water in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 minute, cool slightly, and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.
AFMS Newsletter - October 2003.
Table of Contents.
List of website addresses
for important mineral shows.
Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Soc., mineral show in Trona, October, 2004:
http://www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub/flyer.htm.
Quartzsite Mineral shows, 2004:
http://www.quartzsitechamber.com/show.schedule.shtml.
Tucson Mineral showcase, 2004:
http://www.visittucson.org/Features/index.cfm?action=Display&featureID=13.
Steve Mulqueen.
Table of Contents.
SHOW DATES.
ARIZONA.
QUARTZSITE:
Prospector's Panorama,
Gold Show,
Jan. 2 - Jan. 14, 2004.
Gem & Mineral Show,
Jan. 17 - Feb 2, 2004.
The Main Event,
Jan. 17 - Feb. 1, 2004.
Tyson Wells,
Rock & Gem Show,
Jan. 2 - 11, 2004.
Sell-A-Rama,
Jan. 16 - Jan. 25, 2004.
Pow Wow (38th Annual),
Jan. 28 - Feb 1, 2004.
TUCSON SHOWCASE:
Overall dates Jan. 30 - Feb. 15, 2004.
NEVADA.
LAUGHLIN:
At the Avi Hotel,
Jan. 2 - Feb. 1, 2004.
In Laughlin,
Jan. 9 - 18, 2004.
Table of Contents.
2003 CFMS CLUB SHOWS.
NOVEMBER 21-23; SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento Mineral Society (61st Show) "Golden Harvest of Gems". Scottish Rite Temple @ 6151 H. Street. Hours: Fri. 9-5, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4. Tom (916) 729-1829 or Jim 685-4111.
NOVEMBER 22-23; LIVERMORE, CA - Livermore Valley Lithophiles, Lithorama 2003, The Barn, Pacific Ave. & S. Livermore. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Bill Beiriger E-mail: xyzzx@xyzzx.com.
NOVEMBER 22-23; VICTORVILLE, CA - Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club, San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, 14800 7th Street. Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-4. Bob Harper (760) 947-6383.
NOVEMBER 29-30; BARSTOW, CA - Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society, Barstow Community Center, 841 S. Barstow Road. Hours: 10-5 both days. Bob Depue (760) 255-1030.
DECEMBER 6-7; ORANGEVALE, CA - American River Gem & Mineral Society, Orangevale Grange Hall, 5807 Walnut Avenue. Hours: 10-5 both days. Paul D. Daly (916) 725-6578, Cell phone (916) 849-5114.
DECEMBER 6-7; SAN BERNARDINO, CA - Orange Belt Mineralogical Society, "World of Gems 2003", San Bernardino Women's Club, 503 31st Street. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Lyle Stayer (909) 887-3393. E-mail: ecobyrd@aol.com.
DECEMBER 13-14; LOS ANGELES, CA - Society of Southern California & The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Co., "Gem Fest", 900 Exposition Blvd, Across from U of So Cal - Just off the 110 Fry. Hours: 10-5 both days. Admission is free with admission to the museum. Museum admission is: Adult $8, Students & Seniors $5.50, Ages 5-12 $2. Bob Rhein (213) 763-3538.
Table of Contents.
AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2003.
SOUTHEAST FEDERATION,
November 28-30, Roanoke, VA.
The Eastern, Midwest, South Central, California, Northwest and Rocky Mountain Federations have already held their 2003 Conventions and shows.
Table of Contents.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Just for the record any unsigned articles are by the Editor. Anyone wanting to write up their thoughts about the show, vacations, rock collecting trips, Great Find or anything of interest, please do so as we are all interested. Contributions from you members keep the Bulletin interesting and I thank you for them.
Since this is the last bulletin for 2003, I would like to thank all of you faithful readers and those that contributed to the make-up of Rockhound Rambling during the year. Steve Mulqueen and his contribution each month for "Educational Corner" helped to make us think and learn about new things each month. Thanks Steve for this and all the other items you contributed throughout the year. Wayne Ehlers and his "Words to Live By" are always inspiring, humorous and just fun! Thanks Wayne! Ron Wise keeps us up on the field trips, those to come and those that went! He and Jean shared many a field trip with us. Thanks Ron & Jean! Nancy Brace-Thompson for letting us know what to look forward to for programs and what we were honored with. Thanks Nancy! Jim Brace-Thompson for keeping us up to date on the Show progress and needs. Thanks Jim! Greg Davis for the Minutes! Thanks Greg! Last but not least, Our President's inspiring words! Thanks Ray! I don't think I had to nag any one of them at the last minute for their information and that certainly made my job much more enjoyable. Thanks to these regulars and to all those that contributed throughout the year. Hopefully this coming year will be even better! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
 |
| Trili - The Editor's Pet Trilobite. |
Table of Contents.
CFMS Mariposa Show.
Call 209-742-7625 or e-mail mineralmuseum@sti.net for more information.
Table of Contents.
EDUCATIONAL CORNER.
Definition of the Month.
Geothermal gradient:
The rate of temperature increase in the Earth with depth. The geothermal gradient differs from place to place depending on heat-flow characteristics and thermal conductivity of rock units within the Earth's crust and upper mantle.
Factors which contribute to abnormally high gradients include: proximity to magma/hot igneous intrusive bodies and ascending hydrothermal waters and gases. Conditions which contribute to abnormally low gradients include: circulating cool groundwater and expanding gases. Some of the highest temperatures recorded within the Earth are from measurements made in deep mines and deep exploration wells. Hot springs and volcanic eruptions are some of nature's examples of the Earth's inner heat visible at the surface.
On average, the geothermal gradient is equal to 1 degree Fahrenheit for every 50 to 60 feet of depth (or about 2 degrees per 100 feet). A petroleum exploration well drilled vertically to 20,000 feet will have a calculated bottom-hole temperature of approximately 400 degrees F. Temperature anomalies, areas which have abnormally high or low geothermal gradients have been detected and interpreted in order to locate faults, mineral deposits, groundwater aquifers, petroleum deposits and geothermal resources.
The Imperial Valley has one of the highest geothermal gradients in California. The abnormally high subsurface temperatures in this area are directly related to the thinning of the Earth's crust caused by the separation of continental plates. Another area known for its high geothermal gradients is the Basin and Range Geomorphic Province. This region extends east from the Sierra Nevada Range of California, covers most of Nevada to the Wasatch Range in Utah.
The "Definition of the Month" features words related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. Written by Steve Mulqueen for the VGMS, December 2003.
Illustration of the Month.
 |
| "The Witches' Cauldron." |
An engraving print by Thomas Moran, 1873, showing steam vents at "Witches' Cauldron", an active geothermal site within the area now designated as the Geysers Geothermal Field located in the northeastern corner of Sonoma County, California.
From the article "The Geysers Geothermal Field, 1969", by James B. Koenig, published in Mineral Information Service, a publication of the California Division of Mines & Geology, volume 22, number 8, August, 1969, page 131.
The "Illustration of the Month" features a drawing, sketch, pen & ink rendering or an engraving print rediscovered in books, maps or manuscripts related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. Written by Steve Mulqueen for the VGMS, December 2003.
Table of Contents.
SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.
COLORBOOK.
V is for . . .
. . . Vanadinite.
Vanadinite forms bright red to reddish-orange, six-sided crystals. Six-sided crystals are called hexagonal crystals. Vanadinite crystals are very valuable to mineral collectors.
. . . Variscite.
Variscite almost always forms lumps or masses. However, some very small crystals (micro-crystals) are found in Arkansas. It is light green and sometimes surrounded by a yellow mineral called crandallite.
Table of Contents.
VGMS PHOTO ALBUM.
"Geodes & Nodules" display case at
the California Oil Museum in Santa Paula.
Photo and case were done by Steve Mulqueen.
Table of Contents.
Return to the Rockhound Rambling Center.
You may also go to the VGMS Home Page.
Webmaster: James A. Layton,
URL of this Page: http://www.vgms.org/bt/vgms0311.htm.