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

Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.

Photo is of a piece of Cady's Jasper. Specimen collected by Kim Jensen (location and date unknown). Photo by Mary Polacek.

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• WORDS TO LIVE BY;
• We are united;
• BIRTHDAYS;
• UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS;
• HOSPITALITY;
• PROGRAM REVIEW;
• PROGRAM SCHEDULE;
• COMMUNITY OUTREACH;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• Five simple rules;
• MEETING MINUTES;
• St. Patty's Humor;
• VGMS 2007 SHOW UPDATE;
• CHIPS AND BOULDERS;
• FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN;
• HINTS & TIPS - (Use at your own risk);
• FEDERATION NEWS;
• LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER;
• LET'S GO TO A SHOW - 2007;
• Virtual Field Trips IX;
• Geography Refresher;
• Some General Comments about Competitive Exhibiting;
• Mineral Contents of Coins.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

Final preparations are underway for our club's most important annual event, the 2007 Gem & Mineral Show "Artistry from Nature". The VGMS needs help from you, your family and friends. Club members started working on this show in March of last year.

Set-up will begin next month on Thursday, March 1st. The FINAL Show meeting will be Sunday, February 18, at the I.B.E.W. meeting hall. Please plan on attending. Join us in making the 2007 Gem & Mineral Show our best ever.

Success is measured by the sum total of all effort given by good people for a common cause.

Ed Clark.

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WORDS TO LIVE BY.

Enthusiasm is the great hill climber.

Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.

Regret for wasted time is more wasted time.

Laughter is an instant vacation.

Collected by Wayne Ehlers

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"We are united with a common bond of wonderment at the miracles of nature we see. Most, on our populous planet, do not hove such an awesome privilege to seek and discover this beauty, as we do. Since we have been given this opportunity, it is our providence and maybe even responsibility to experience it as best as we can and pass it on to others. "

Randy Beach (excerpted with permission from a 1-18-2007 post to Yahoo Lapidary Group).

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BIRTHDAYS.

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

     Miriam Tetreault - March 06,
     Greg Davis - March 18,
     Callie Stephens - March 19,
     Rebecca Foster - March 20,
     Heidi Mauer - March 25,
     Cyndy Treutelaar - March 27,
     Dakota Robinson - March 28.

Aquamarine is the birthstone of March. March flowers are the Narcissus and Daffodil or Jonquil in the color of Yellow. The meaning of the flower is "The Sun Shines When I Am With You".

     Sharon Hixson - April 02,
     Richard Bromser - April 10,
     Matthew Sanford - April 19.

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

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UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.

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

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HOSPITALITY.

At the January 24th General Meeting, 25 members were in attendance and 2 pebble pups: Dallas and Callie Stephens.

Thanks to Shirley Layton and Sharlyne Holloway for the refreshments.

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PROGRAM REVIEW.

Marie Ehlers brought in a couple of the beautiful knitted blankets she makes for the disabled. Marie also sews duffle bags for the Interface Children's Home.

Marie was honored by the City of Oxnard at its 2006 Volunteer Recognition Luncheon for RSVP Shining Stars on October 3, 2006, for a truly outstanding 21 YEARS and over 2000 HOURS OF SERVICE!
     Marie has generously sewn and donated to our club thousands of grab bags over the past TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. Thank you, Marie. You are awesome!!

The January 24th Program was a show and tell of material collected during 2006 field trips.

Lowell Foster was just bursting with enthusiasm and pride as he talked about his collection of geodes and other cool rocks from the Hauser Beds. He also shared fortification agate found on the Arrowhead Trail across from Afton Canyon.

Ed Clark brought in a Ryker case full of beautiful cabochons. I appreciated his explanation of what the heck a "Ryker" case is. Next he showed us enviable specimens of Andradite garnet obtained at a rock sale in Tehachapi that was posted on LA-Rocks. Ed also shared beautiful pink soapstone and a large crystal cluster with pyrite inclusions, obtained in Quartzsite. Ed is going to be carving that soapstone at Zzyzx and we hope he will bring in his creation when completed, as it is exquisite material.

Nancy and Jim Brace-Thompson brought Moroccan fossil specimens obtained from a dealer at Tyson Wells. Nancy showed carnelian earrings and necklace, as well as rough of same, obtained from a dealer at a Monterey show.

Mel and Sharon Hixson brought in some amazing rough and tumbled rocks. Mel was particularly happy with last year's diggings, as evidenced by the spectacular varieties of poppy jasper he shared. He dug at some old and some new locations. He has found a variety similar to ocean jasper that is quite remarkable. He also collected mariposite from old mines in Mariposa County.
     How about leading a field trip Mel?

Paul and Mary Polacek shared samples of rose quartz and garnet they gathered at a trip in April to, uh, where was that? Thanks Ed, that's right: Greenhorn Mountain.

Kathryn Davis showed some lovely turquoise, a larimar slab, and a buffalo hide drum she purchased at Quartzsite this year. Kathryn also displayed some mighty fine jewelry she has crafted from silver clay.

Greg and Valli Davis also brought in examples of their art. Greg gave us a preview of the beautiful multi-stone pendant he is generously donating to the show raffle.
     Valli shared her first silversmithing project. You go girl!

Wayne Ehlers passed around pictures of his visit to the Rockhound Hall of Fame and also displayed his teaching aids for the lapidary class.

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PROGRAM SCHEDULE.

February's meeting will focus on our annual show in March. We will be discussing the final preparations, taking volunteers, and generally trying to make sure all is ready for March. There is a lot left to do and our weeks are dwindling to a precious few.

If this seems like too much business, don't fret, as it's our annual show-off from Quartzite also! A few people shared last month, but if you have something new or forgot to bring it last time, please share it with us this month. It is the easiest program of the year in which to participate.

     March: Mineral Identification - Ed Clark;
     April: Not-so-Silent Auction;
     May: Movie (Selection Pending).

(Note: I will be gone for May's meeting on a cruise to Alaska. I have switched the Silent Auction to the prior month in order to take part in it, as well as to ensure May's program will be easy to implement.)

     Lowell Foster.

If you have an idea for a program, or would like a particular topic, please contact our program chairperson, Lowell Foster, at (805) 648-1942.

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

On January 30, Ray Meisenheimer gave an Earth Science program to more than forty seniors at the Victorian in Ventura. They were more interested in talking to a new person about themselves and their lives than in old bones and fossils. One lady, whose parents died young, was so proud that she had reached the age of 76. When the group learned that Ray is 89 years old, they all said when he reached 90, they would give him a big party.

One lady promised to teach him to dance; with many laughs from the others, as she is in a wheelchair.

     Florence Meisenhemer.

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MEMBERSHIP.

Shirley Bromser reported that we have 26 paid memberships.

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 - Shirley Bromser.

(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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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

Five simple rules to be happy:

     1. Free your heart from hatred.

     2. Free your mind from worries.

     3. Live simply.

     4. Give more.

     5. Expect less.

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MEETING MINUTES.

Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting;
Thursday, February 1, 2007:
     The regular board meeting of the VGMS was called to order by Ed Clark at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 1, 2007, at his home.
Present: Ed Clark, Ray and Florence Meisenheimer, Shirley Layton, Mary Polacek, Steve Mulqueen 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 - An email was received from Help of Ojai. It contained a form for requesting space consideration. It will be completed after polling club members. The assessment form requests information on space requirements, what our club offers to the public and future goals. In the meantime, our monthly workshop is scheduled for February 17, at 9:00, at the existing workshop.
     Ed Clark made a motion to change our 2007 Christmas dinner plans. He offered his home as a site for a potluck dinner. After discussion, it was m/s/c to make the change in plans. A date will be determined at a later time.
     Regarding 2007 Committee Chairs, Ed has contacted members. Mary Polacek has agreed to be Librarian. Steve Mulqueen will be Historian. Sharon Cunningham will serve again as Hostess Chair. Ray Meisenheimer agreed to remain head of the Museum Committee. Ways & Means and Hospitality Chairs are vacant.
     Mary has requested access to the facility to prepare a detailed inventory of our library. Arrangements will be made and scheduled.
     Florence Meisenheimer - Plans are being put in place for the CFMS show, to be hosted here in Ventura in 2008. It will not include a country store or silent auction. The Fairgrounds staff will oversee camping and security. The AFMS show for 2007 will be held at Roswell, New Mexico in June.
     Ray Meisenheimer is still giving mineral and fossil demonstrations to schools in the county.
     Shirley Layton suggested a new answering machine be purchased for the museum, as the existing one has very bad sound quality. Greg will gather price comparisons and report back. A pricing event for country store items will occur at the museum on February 10th, 10:00 am. Everyone is welcome and can bring their items at that time.
     Mary Polacek is requesting more articles be submitted for the bulletin by club members and a list of committee chairpersons for 2007. The new email address is vgms_editor@adelphia.net. Possibilities include lapidary hints and personal experiences of members. Photos are always a good addition too. The 10th of the month will still be the deadline for articles to the bulletin. Mary asked whether the club would commit to a small extra monthly expense to have the bulletin cover printed in color. It was agreed that the extra expense was reasonable.
     Membership directories will be printed up in March so be sure your dues are paid, in order to be included.
     The next show meeting will be on February 18 at the I.B.E.W. Hall. The next General Meeting will be on February 28, 2007, at the Lexington in Ventura. The next Board Meeting, on March 1, will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
     There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:05 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.


Minutes of the VGMS Monthly Meeting;
Wednesday, January 24, 2007:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by Ed Clark at 7:30 pm, on Wednesday, January 24, 2007, at Lexington, Ventura, California.
     The December membership meeting and the January board meeting minutes were corrected and then m/s/c as shown in the bulletin.
     Ed Clark led club members in the salute to our flag and welcomed guests.
     Richard Browser presented the treasurer's report and it was m/s/c to accept as stated. Richard also stated that an alternate location will have to be found for the February 1st board meeting as he will be out of town. Arrangements have been made for our Christmas dinner at the other Carrow's Restaurant in Ventura, on December 12th. Richard asked for 20 volunteers for show setup. You can contact him directly for any special instructions or please show up at the Fairgrounds 9:00 am on Thursday, March 1.
     Shirley Browser - Dues are past due but will still be accepted and the directory will be printed soon.
     Shirley Layton - Several members attended a silver chain class put on by Nancy Bogart. Everyone enjoyed the class so much that Nancy may offer another class.
     Mary Polacek was happy to have her first bulletin completed. Mary will feature a different picture monthly on the front cover. She asked members to submit photos of specimens in their collection for consideration. Mary would also like to incorporate members' talents and specialties.
     Lowell Foster took suggestions for upcoming presentations which included the second half of the rockhound movie, fluorescent minerals, mineral identification and archeology. Lowell is still in need of mineral specimens for the display cases he's putting together for the four 'Kids Only' raffles during our show.
     Greg Davis - Help of Ojai has been contacted and there's a real possibility of acquiring a new home for our museum on the grounds of the old county honor farm. Greg will report back with progress reports.
     Jim Brace-Thompson - Our show theme, Agates & Jaspers, will be displayed at the Wright Library with set up happening on February 1st. Any and all help will be appreciated.
     Ed Clark offered to host the next Show Meeting at his house.
     Lowell next featured club members with their "finds" from this past year. Along with his own material from Wiley Well area, Mel displayed incredible poppy jasper from the Mariposa area, Ed had giant clusters of garnets from Russia. Paul and Mary collected rose quartz from the Sierras. Valli had her first silversmithing project. Jim and Nancy brought carnelian. Wayne had the cabbing display used at our classes. Kathryn had purchased some larimar. It was a great variety of material displayed and generated a lot of participation from members.
     There being no further business, Ed adjourned the meeting at 8:50 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

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St. Patty's Humor
From Wayne Ehlers:

Why do people wear shamrocks on St. Patrick's Day?
Real rocks are too heavy!

What's Irish and stays out all night?
Patty O'Furniture!

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VGMS 2007 SHOW UPDATE.

Volunteers Needed.
     Sign-up sheets will be circulated at the general meeting on February 28. Please be sure to volunteer. If you are unable to attend the general meeting, please contact the applicable chair to alert them when you could be on hand to help. All help is appreciated. There is a lot to do. Richard Bromser has requested 20 volunteers for Show setup on Thursday, March 1, 9:00 am. See you there!

Publicizing the Show: Let's All Help Get Out the Word!
     Our 2007 Show is just days away, so every minute now counts in getting out the word. National rock and gem magazines have us listed in their calendar section. Newspapers and radio stations have been notified. Flyers are posted in local libraries, museums, hotels, and elsewhere. Local teachers and college geology professors have been sent letters, as have all the rock clubs within easy driving distance. In these and many other ways, we've been spreading the word, but the most valuable method of publicity is the simplest and the easiest: good old-fashioned word of mouth! So please tell everyone you know, from family and friends to coworkers, colleagues, and complete strangers. We'll have a supply of show flyers at our February 28 meeting. Please pick up a batch and pass them around.
     We also encourage you to check out the lobby window display in the H.P. Wright Library on Day Road. My thanks to Mary Polacek for working with me to install this display; and to Mary, Nancy B-T, Ed Clark, Kathryn Davis, and Lowell Foster for donating specimens for the display in our local community. The display theme is "Reveal Your Inner Beauty: Agates, Jasper, & Geodes". We hope the beautiful specimens on display catch eyes and stimulate interest. Meanwhile, one and all, it's your turn to catch both eyes and ears. Let's all spread the word and plaster the town with flyers! See you at the February meeting and at the Show!
          Jim Brace-Thompson,
          Publicity Chair.

Plant Booth.
     Susan Mulqueen is in charge of the plant booth at the show. Please bring in any plant donations to Susan on Friday, March 2, 2007. All plant donations should be potted and in good general shape for immediate sale.
          Steve Mulqueen.

Country Store.
     We had a pricing session at the Museum on Saturday, February 10th, and find that we are in need of more items to sell. Please look through your closets, cupboards, garages, drawers, etc., and ferret out what you no longer need or want. You can bring them to the workshop on the 17th or directly to the fairgrounds on Thursday or Friday, March 1-2, the days of show set-up. We will get them priced and put out for sale! Some of our members brought donations in on Saturday and we thank them.
     Keep in mind:
          No Christmas items. (They don't sell in March.)
          Magazines - Hobby types are preferred.
          Books - Paper or hard back, fiction and non-fiction, but they should be rather current subjects.
          No clothes unless they are new or like new condition.
     Give Shirley Layton a call, 805 717-9226, if any questions or need help in transporting. Thank you all for helping our money makers to make money! See you all at the show.
          Shirley Layton,
          Country Store Chair.

Raffle Donations.
     I am pleased to report I HAVE A DONATION!!! Thank you Greg Davis for the lovely pendant contribution. I am waiting by the phone if any other members wish to call in their contribution for the raffle.
          Mary Polacek,
          Donation Raffle Chair.

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CHIPS AND BOULDERS.

Hosts and Hostesses Schedule for 2007.
The hostess signup sheet was not available as of the publication date. We anticipate someone will show up with goodies at our February meeting and we thank you.

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. Some information from these bulletins is included in our bulletin, 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!

What's In a Name.
     Diamond: From the Greek "invincible" as it was believed to be indestructible.
     Analcime: From the Greek "weak" because of its weak electrical power when rubbed.
     Barite: From the Greek "heavy" because of its high specific gravity.
          Ed Clark - From Gems, Minerals, Crystals, and Ores by Richard M. Pearl.

Congratulations to our New Editor.
I would like to congratulate Mary on a wonderful bulletin. I know she put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into it and it was worth it (to us anyway!). Thank you Mary! You did a great job. Our bulletin is oftentimes the first step in the door and you have made it one to be proud of.
          Shirley Layton.

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FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.

TRI-CLUB FIELD TRIPS 2007:
Tentative Schedule 2/08/2007. *

** Note: I will be at these events and will not have telephone service at this time - Ron Wise.
*** Please call your field trip leader to confirm that there is a field trip scheduled in the event of changes.

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HINTS & TIPS,
(Use at your own risk!).

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.

• Arthritis? - W-40 Spray and rub in. Soothes insect stings too!
• Athletes' feet - Cornstarch.
• Bee stings - Meat tenderizer.
• Burn your tongue? - Put sugar on it.
• Carpet stains - Club soda and a Pamper to absorb.
• Chigger bite - Preparation H.
• Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it.
• Dirty grout - Listerine.
• Fungus on toenails or fingernails- Vicks Vapor Rub.
• Grass stains - Karo Syrup.
• Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. Coca Cola also removes corrosion from batteries.
• Mayonnaise will kill lice! It will also condition your hair.
• Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste.
• Paper cut - Crazy glue or Chap Stick (Glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals.)
• Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls.
• Preserving a newspaper clipping - Large bottle of club soda and 1/2 cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
• Puffy eyes - Preparation H.
• Remove labels off glassware, etc. - Rub with peanut butter.
• Shiny Hair - brewed Lipton Tea.
• Stains on clothes - Colgate.
• Stinky feet - Jell- O.
• Sunburn - Empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water.
• Sweat Stains - Efferdent or vinegar.
• To keep flowers fresh longer, add two Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-Up instead of water.
• Wine stains - Pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

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@adelphia.net.

Let us hear about your good ideas!

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FEDERATION NEWS
By Florence Meisenheimer.

CFMS SHOW.
     The California Federation Show, hosted by the Palmdale gem club, will be held Friday through Sunday, June 15-17, at the new, air-conditioned fairgrounds in Lancaster. There will be 50 dealers with everything you might need. There will be guided field trips daily. Metal detecting and a treasure hunt are also featured. A car and RV show, and an antique car and tractor display are also being held at the fairgrounds on these dates. Motels and hotels are not far away.

AFMS SHOW.
     The combined American-Northwest Federation show will be held in Roswell, New Mexico, Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10, one week prior to the CFMS show in Lancaster. It is the 60th year for AFMS and a celebration is planned at the Cracker Barrel Thursday evening (June 7). There will be field trips during and after the show. New Mexico is noted for its wealth of minerals.
     The host hotel is the Sally Port Inn, 200 North Main Street, Roswell, New Mexico, telephone 505-622-6430. The price of the room includes breakfast and tax.
     Shirley Leeson from California will be installed as AFMS President at the Saturday night banquet.

California Oil Museum Obsidian Exhibit.
Photo submitted by Steve Mulqueen.

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LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE.

A nine-year-old motorcyclist escaped with relatively minor injuries and no broken bones after falling 50 feet down a mine shaft south of Red Mountain, while visiting family over Christmas break. Rescuers said the boy fell into one of the old mine shafts outside the designated off-road recreation area.

"The lesson to be learned from this is stay on the designated trails," Kern County Fire Department Capt. Tony Plante told the Ridgecrest Daily Independent. "There are so many shafts out there, it hard to know where they're all at."

Personnel from BLM's Ridgecrest Field Office contacted the Kern County Fire Department to find the exact location of the shaft, and installed a fence until a permanent closure could be completed.

Nearly 13,000 mine properties in California and northwest Nevada are listed in the Bureau of Mines Mineral Industries Location System database as on BLM land. An estimated additional 5,000 sites not recorded in the database are likely on BLM land. Of these 18,000, an estimated 3,000 significant properties contain hazardous substances or physical features and/or have environmental problems.

Source: http://www.blm.gov/ca/news/newsbytes/xtra-07/267-xtra_mineshaft.html.

Have you ever encountered an abandoned mine? I imagined this site without the fences, and it really struck me how inconspicuous it is. It doesn't seem out of the question that one could stumble into one; on a late night fluorescent mineral hunt, strolling in the moonlight gazing at the stars; on a careless off the road jaunt. Be careful out there. If you do encounter an abandoned mine, document the location and report it... you just may save a life.

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EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

Definition of the Month.

Famous Gold Nuggets of California - The California Gold Rush began shortly after the discovery of gold by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill, along the banks of the American River near Coloma. During the ensuing Gold Rush that followed that discovery, many large gold nuggets were found in placer deposits in the Mother Lode Country. News of each large nugget found during this era spread like wildfire to many towns, mining camps and "diggings".

Most of the large gold nuggets were melted down and sold shortly after their discovery. Some of the nuggets still exist in museums and private collections. Castings were made of a small portion of the choice specimens. The following is a list of the most famous nuggets and other forms with a brief history of their discovery. All measurements are in troy pounds or troy ounces:

• 195-pound (troy) mass found at Carson Hill, 1854. (One troy pound equals 12 ounces or 373.241 grams).
• 54-pound nugget, named the "Willard, "Dogtown" or "Magalia" nugget depending on who named it and how it was written in numerous newspapers, found at Magalia in 1859.
• 50-pound slab from Knapp's Ranch, Tuolumne County.
• 28-pound nugget, from Sullivan Creek, Tuolumne County.
• The 426- and 532-ounce nuggets from French Ravine, Sierra County.
• A gold-quartz boulder that held more than $8,000 in gold from Pilot Hill, El Dorado County.
• A 360-ounce oblong piece of native gold from Sullivan Creek, Tuolumne County.
• A 150-pound quartz-gold mass from Woods Creek, Tuolumne County, that yielded 75 pounds of gold.
• A 52-pound mass of gold quartz from the Diltz mine, Whitlock mining district, Mariposa County.

Data Source: Gold Districts of California, by William B. Clark, California Division of Mines & Geology, Sacramento, 1980.

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

Illustration of the Month

"The young man stood on a giant boulder." An illustration showing a desert traveler looking out on the vast expanse of the open desert.

Illustration Source: Beckoning Desert, a book by Edward Maddin Ainsworth, illustration by Bill Bender, Prentice-Hill, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1962.

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, Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, February, 2007.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

LET'S GO TO A SHOW - 2007.

FEBRUARY; 16-25 INDIO, CA - San Gorgonio Mineral & Gem Society, Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, Gem & Mineral Building #1, 46-350 Arabia Street. Hours: 10 am-10 pm. Bert Grisham (951) 849-1674.
FEBRUARY 23-25; SANTA BARBARA, CA - Gem Faire. Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Hours: Friday Noon-7. Saturday 10-7. Sunday 10-5. www.gemfaire.com.
MARCH 2-4; HAYWARD, CA - Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley. Centennial Hall at 22292 Foothill Boulevard. Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10-6. Sun. 10-5. Larry Ham (510) 887-9007. Email: info@mgscv.org.
MARCH 3-4; ARCADIA, CA - Monrovia Rockhounds, Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave. Website: www.moroks.com. Hours: 9-4:30 both days. Email: Jo Anna Ritchey j.ritchey@verizon.net or janieduncan@altrionet.com.
MARCH 3-4; VENTURA, CA - Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, "Artistry From Nature", Seaside Park, Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Ed Clark (805) 983-0028. Email:clarkoe@adelphia.net. Web site http://www.vgms.org/.
MARCH 9-11, DEL MAR, CA - Gem Faire, Del Mar Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., 92014. Hours: Friday Noon-7. Saturday 10-7. Sunday 10-5. www.gemfaire.com.
MARCH 10-11; TURLOCK, CA - Mother Lode Mineral Society, Stanislaus County Fairgrounds. Hours: 10-5 both days. Bud & Terry McMillin (209) 524-3494. Email: terry.mcmillin@yahoo.com.
MARCH 17-19; BAKERSFIELD, CA - San Joaquin Valley Lapidary Society, Indoor Show/Outdoor Tail Gate, 5th Annual Rock & Mineral Rendezvous, Kern County Fairgrounds. Hours: Fri. 9-8, Sat. & Sun. 9-5. Lewis Helfrich (661) 872-8230 or (661) 323-2663.
APRIL 14-15; SAN JOSE, CA - Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 334 Tully Road. Website: www.scvgms.org/. Hours: 10-5 both days. Marc Mullaney (408) 691-1584. Email: geologistm@aol.com.

AMERICAN FEDERATION / REGIONAL
SHOW SCHEDULE - 2007.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEDERATION,
June 7-10, Roswell, NM.

CALIFORNIA FEDERATION,
June 15-17, Lancaster, CA.

NORTHWESTERN FEDERATION,
August 3-5, Butte, MT.

MIDWESTERN FEDERATION,
August 11-12, Houghton, MI.

EASTERN FEDERATION,
October 6-7, Newark, NY.

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Virtual Field Trips IX:
Fossils in Patagonia, Part One,
By Lowell Foster.

     I admit to preferring beautiful, colorful, shiny agate over old, crack-filled, fossilized clamshells and incredibly rare dinosaur bones. This personal bias has kept my tours from incorporating information regarding fossil information on the web. I apologize for this oversight. To help rectify this, I have gone online to find something different and perhaps unknown to the members who spend their hard earned cash on the cold dirty remains of dead animals rather than, say, their children's tuition.
     The virtual tour this month is traveling south of the border, way south of the border to the region of South America called Patagonia. The site we will visit discusses the paleontology of this region.
     It can be found at http://www.interpatagonia.com/paleontologia/index_i.html and is a subset of a larger site focusing on travel in the region. On the home page, you can choose English or Spanish for your browsing pleasure. There is also a succinct introduction to the extinction of the dinosaurs and a sidebar about the K-T extinction. Of the five links the site provides, four lead to short articles on "Fossils," "the Earth," "Dinosaurs," and "Patagonian Dinosaurs." These are interesting but brief; more helpful to a student than somebody who has already researched this subject. The exception is the article on Patagonian Dinosaurs as it focuses on the local dinosaurs that may not be known to people here. There is also a picture of a dinosaur statue that would feel at home in Cabazon off Interstate 10.
     It is the final link that is the best of the bunch. It is called "Paleontological Sites" and serves up a whole list of locations where browsing is rewarded. Dinosaur track locations, regional museums, pertinent geological formations, and petrified forests all receive attention here. There is even a place where you can sign up to take part in a "mega excavation" of fossils, in a location called Lake Barreales, which sits in the center of Argentina. Evidently, this is the only permanent location in the world where the public is allowed to take part in the excavation of a dinosaur fossil bed. The information recommends that if you desire to see the whole process, four days there would be needed. Another site not affiliated with Interpatagonia providing more details is http://www.welcomeargentina.com/paseos/megaexcavacion_dinosaurios/index_i.html. This site provides more photos of the different activities a dinosaur fossil enthusiast could take advantage of, along with images of the display room/workroom.
     I hope you enjoyed this romp through Argentina's distant past. Next month we take another trip down there but this time our destination holds agate and gem mines for our viewing.

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Geography Refresher.

ALASKA: More than half of the coastline of the entire United States is in Alaska.

AMAZON: The Amazon rain forest produces more than 20% the world's oxygen supply. The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon River is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States.

ANTARCTICA is the only land on our planet that is not owned by any country. Ninety percent of the world's ice covers Antarctica. This ice also represents seventy percent of all the fresh water in the world. As strange as it sounds, however, Antarctica is essentially a dessert. The average yearly total precipitation is about two inches. Although covered with ice (all but 0.4% of it), Antarctica is the driest place on the planet, with an absolute humidity lower than the Gobi desert.

BRAZIL got its name from the nut, not the other way around.

CANADA has more lakes than the rest of the world combined. Canada is an Indian word meaning "Big Village."

CHICAGO: Next to Warsaw, Chicago has the largest Polish population in the world.

DETROIT: Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, carries the designation M-1, so named because it was the first paved road anywhere.

DAMASCUS, SYRIA, was flourishing a couple of thousand years before Rome was founded in 753 BC, making it the oldest continuously inhabited city in existence.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY, is the only city in the world located on two continents.

LOS ANGELES's full name is El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula, and can be abbreviated to 3.63% of its size: L.A.

NEW YORK CITY: The term "The Big Apple" was coined by touring jazz musicians of the 1930's who used the slang expression "apple" for any town or city. Therefore, to play New York City is to play the big time - The Big Apple. There are more Irish in New York City than in Dublin, Ireland; more Italians in New York City than in Rome, Italy; and more Jews in New York City than in Tel Aviv, Israel.

OHIO: There are no natural lakes in the state of Ohio; each one is manmade.

PITCAIRN ISLAND: The smallest island with country status is Pitcairn in Polynesia, at just 1.75 square miles, or 4.53 square kilometers.

ROME: The first city to reach a population of 1 million people was Rome, Italy, in 133 B.C. There is a city called Rome on every continent.

SIBERIA contains more than 25% of the world's forests.

S.M.O.M.: The actual smallest sovereign entity in the world is the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (S.M.O.M.). It is located in the city of Rome, Italy; has an area of two tennis courts, and as of 2001, had a population of 80, 20 less people than the Vatican. It is a sovereign entity under international law, just as the Vatican is.

SAHARA DESERT: In the Sahara Desert, there is a town named Tidikelt, which did not receive a drop of rain tor ten years. Technically, though, the driest place on Earth is in the valleys of the Antarctic near Ross Island. There has been no rainfall there for two million years.

SPAIN literally means 'the land of rabbits.'

ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, was originally called Pig's Eye after a man named Pierre "Pig's Eye" Parrant who set up the first business there.

ROADS: Chances that a road is unpaved in the U.S.A., 1%; in Canada, 75%.

TEXAS: The deepest hole ever made in the world is in Texas. It is as deep as 20 empire state buildings but only 3 inches wide.

UNITED STATES: The Eisenhower interstate system requires that one-mile in every five must be straight. These straight sections are usable as airstrips in times of war or other emergencies.

WATERFALLS: The water of Angel Falls (the world's highest) in Venezuela drops 3,212 feet (979 meters); 15 times higher than Niagara Falls.

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

Pat Zander via email from Bob Harper
via somewhere unknown on the Internet.

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Some General Comments about Competitive Exhibiting.

By B. Jay Bowman, AFMS Publications Chair:
http://amfed.org/rules/a_about_exhibiting.htm.

Every club should have a copy of all AFMS publications in their Club Library. This should include a copy of the Uniform Rules, Guidelines for Judges, Guidelines for Exhibitors, and all of the various approved lists of names. Many clubs don't have any of these and the excuse for not having them is that "no one in our club is interested in competition".

You don't have to be interested in competition to find a use for these publications. You do put in displays at your focal show (non-competitive), and want to have them look as nice as possible and show off your collection as well as possible. You also want to educate the patrons to your show so the labels should be as accurate and legible as if you were in competition. Besides, you might get a new member who is interested in competition and you want to help all of your members as much as possible, don't you?

Yes, you could tell them where to purchase the publications (if they are really interested they probably will get them eventually), but it would be nice for them to get started right with the backing of the people they have decided to join with.

So, you have decided to enter competition, now what? First, read the first two sections of the uniform rules. Then read the rules for the particular division and class that you will be competing in. Yes, the Rule book is a daunting challenge, but it is not as bad as it first appears. Some of the language may not make sense at first but, with very few exceptions, it does on the second reading.

Now that you are thoroughly intimidated lets get on to what to do next. We assume you have a collection of some type to display and, in the case of lapidary and jewelry, you did all the work yourself. How are you going to put it in the case? If you own your own case, great; if you don't, then set up an area the same size as the inside of a standard case or smaller depending on the display. Arrange the display in a pleasing arrangement using liners and risers as appropriate. Leave it for a week and come back and look at it. You will find something you don't like and will change it. Come back the next day and the same thing will happen. Sooner or later the changes will be minor, and you will decide that you have the display the way you want it. Make a drawing of the layout so you can duplicate it at the show.

Make sure your labels are correct and legible. Make them on something that is not going to curl up under the heat of the lighting. Don't make them too large, but be sure all of the information that is needed is there. If this is your first competition (and we assume it is), don't enter as a Master. I have seen too many disappointed exhibitors who entered the first time, and received a very respectable novice score that could have given them a blue ribbon, but didn't get any ribbon because they were really in the wrong group. They were then very discouraged and possibly never entered again. Unfortunately many of these exhibitors were advised by others to enter that way, because you can't receive a trophy except as a master. Learn from others' mistakes. As the story goes, "you won't live long enough to make them all yourself".

I have been cussed and discussed many times as a judge. In every case, if the competitor had read the rules and the other references, they would not have made the errors they made. When reading a rule, don't stop at the comma. Read the rest of the sentence. Most judges today are more than willing to discuss with you ways to improve your display. They are not willing to stand and listen to a diatribe about how blind or prejudiced they are.

I will be the first to agree that in the past many judges did not write very helpful comments and they were not willing to discuss anything with the exhibitor. Hopefully that is changing. I have seen in the past few years a great improvement in judge comment writing and willingness to help the competitor.

If you are going to be around the show during judging, ask to accompany the judges during the judging of your case. Most of the time the judges will agree to this. I personally prefer to have the exhibitor there when judging. It reduces my writing considerably. I will still write comments for the public to understand why points are being deducted. With the competitor there as I am judging, I can do a lot more in helping her/him improve his/her case.

Generally, most points are lost in showmanship and labeling. However, don't neglect workmanship, quality, and the other things that go into making a good display.

I hope this will be helpful to some of you, and I am perfectly willing to answer any specific questions about judging or exhibiting.

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Mineral Contents of Coins.

U.S. Mint bans melting, limits exports of 1-cent, 5-cent coins
By Paul Gilkes, "Hard Time For Melting", Coin Values Magazine, April 2007.

On Dec. 15, 2006, U.S. Mint officials implemented interim regulations, delegated through the Treasury Department, that restrict the melting, exportation and treatment of 1-cent and 5-cent coins and that include prison terms and fines for violations.

The regulations are in reaction to rising production costs for the Lincoln cent, which are 73 percent higher than face value, and for the Jefferson 5-cent coin, which are nearly 69 percent over face value.

While the regulations provide for imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to S10,000 for violations, Mint officials indicate the rules will not affect collectors transporting coin collections out of the country or individuals who create elongated coins.

The interim Treasury regulations were submitted Dec. 13 for publication in the Federal Register by Dec. 19. Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., on Dec. 11, authorized United States Mint Director Edmund C. Moy to implement the interim regulations prohibiting the exportation, melting or treatment of 5-cent and 1-cent coins.

"We are taking this action because the nation needs its coinage for commerce," Moy said. "We don't want to see our pennies and nickels melted down so a few individuals can take advantage of the American taxpayer. Replacing these coins would be an enormous cost...."

Moy said it would cost the Mint $43 million to replace just 1 percent of the 150 billion cents and 20 billion 5-cent coins that the Federal Reserve estimates are in circulation.

Prevailing prices of copper, nickel and zinc have caused the production costs of Lincoln cents and Jefferson 5-cent coins to significantly exceed their face values.

The Mint uses copper in the production of all of its circulating coinage denominations from cent through dollar, zinc in the cent and Sacagawea dollar; nickel in the denominations from 5-cent coin through dollar; and manganese in the Sacagawea dollar.

The current copper-plated zinc cent is composed of 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (a 99.2 percent zinc, 0.8 percent copper planchet is plated with pure copper). The 5-cent coin is made of a homogeneous alloy of 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel.

The Roosevelt dime, the State quarter dollars and the Kennedy half dollar are produced from a copper-nickel clad composition (two outer layers of 75 percent copper, 25 percent nickel, bonded to a core of pure copper).

The Sacagawea dollar is made of a manganese-brass clad composition (two outer layers of 77 percent copper, 12 percent zinc, 7 percent manganese and 4 percent nickel bonded to a core of pure copper).

Becky Bailey, director of the Mint's Office of Public Affairs, said the metal cost for a 5-cent coin is 1.99 cents more than face value, or about 40 percent above face value of 5 cents, at 6.99 cents. The total cost of producing the 5-cent coin is now 8.34 cents. Currently, the metal content of a Lincoln copper-plated zinc cent costs about 1.12 cents or 12 percent higher than its face value. Including other production costs, each cent costs the Mint about 1.73 cents to produce.

The interim regulations specifically prohibit, with certain exceptions, the melting or treatment of all 1-cent and 5-cent coins. The regulations also prohibit the unlicensed exportation of these coins, except that travelers may take up to $5 in these coins out the country, and individuals may ship up to $100 in these coins of the country in any one shipment for legitimate coinage and numismatic purposes, officials say.

In addition, any coins exported, melted or treated in violation of the regulation shall be forfeited to the United States government, according to the regulations.

U.S. Mint officials say there is no evidence that Lincoln cents and Jefferson 5-cent coins are being exported for melting, but intend the regulations to forestall any such efforts.

The interim rule restricting the melting, exportation and treatment of cents and 5-cent coins lasts 120 days. After 120 days, the interim rule may be rescinded, continued as is or continued with amendments, according to Mint officials.

The new regulations are patterned after the Treasury Department's regulations prohibiting the exportation, melting or treatment of silver coins in place between 1967 and 1969, and the regulations prohibiting the exportation, melting or treatment of 1-cent coins in place between 1974 and 1978.

For updates or further information, visit the United States Mint Web site at www.usmint.gov.

U.S. Mint officials have made it illegal to melt, export or treat 1-cent and 5-cent coins under an interim rule implemented Dec. 15, 2006. The interim rule lasts 120 days, after which it may be rescinded, continued as is or continued with amendments.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

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