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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
May 2009.

Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.
This month's photo is by Mary Polacek.

Description: Another mystery rock.



Here's another view.

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

If proper credit is given permission is granted to quote any item.

Exchange Editors email to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com or mail to 3063 Bayshore Avenue, Ventura, CA 93001-4125.

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

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• PROGRAM REVIEW & SCHEDULE;
• UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS;
• BIRTHDAYS;
• HOSPITALITY;
• MEETING MINUTES;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• GROWTH HABITS OF SINGLE CRYSTALS;
• CHIPS AND BOULDERS;
• CHUCKLES;
• FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN;
• FUN STUFF - ROCKY MAZE;
• HINTS AND TIPS;
• INTRODUCTION TO CUTTING FIRE AGATE;
• FEDERATION NEWS;
• LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE;
• LET'S GO TO A SHOW - 2009;

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

Nancy and I had a terrific time at the statewide CFMS Show & Convention last month in San Jose, along with our club's Federation Director and 1st VP, Jean and Ron Wise. Displays were impressive, dealers were everywhere, and an army of more than 2,000 school kids and scouting groups came marching through one of the very best Kids' Activities areas I've ever seen! Attending and participating in the statewide show is always fun, and next year, it'll be in Southern California, so let's all make plans to go! Watch future issues of the bulletin for emerging details.

Field trip season is upon us, and we've already enjoyed some great trips. For instance, as I write this, I've just returned from one organized by Rob Sankovich to collect giant fossil scallops while stepping over rattlesnakes at Malibu. (Thank you, Rob - for the fossils, not the snake!) If you haven't yet participated in one of our tri-club field trips, you're missing out - and we miss you. Come join us on the next one!

I'm pleased to report we had a small but productive show recap meeting April 26. While it may seem very early to think about our 2010 show next March, it's never too early to start planning, particularly if you'd like to see and implement new ideas and activities. So now is the time to volunteer to take on show committee positions. Contact Andy to volunteer your services. Don't wait for Andy to come calling - surprise him with a call of your own!

As noted last month, we need to return attention to continuing infrastructure improvements at our Camp Comfort facilities (thanks go to Roy and Frank Boulch for recent improvements to the garage building). Watch for workdays that will be scheduled and announced in the bulletin, at our monthly meetings, and through phone calls seeking work crews. Bring work gloves, rakes, weed-whackers, and other lawn tools, and we can put in a couple hours on lawn work following our annual Spring Potluck Breakfast, which takes place Saturday, June 6, at Camp Comfort. Hope to see you there!

I also encourage everyone to start thinking about what you'll enter into this summer's Ventura County Fair and to volunteer a few hours either helping to register entries or as a floorwalker during the show. See articles in this month's Rockhound Rambling for more details. Finally, speaking of summer, I want to reiterate my offer to set aside some weekend days this summer to kids' activities at Camp Comfort. See my full article on this for details, and please volunteer to help our kids learn while having fun. Here's to a fun summer for all!

Jim Brace-Thompson.

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PROGRAM REVIEW & SCHEDULE.

April Program: Silent Auction By Lowell Foster.
     April's Shining Silent Auction generated a nice pile of ducats for our coffers. The booty generated by the pile of sparkling stones was $177.35. A nice chunk of change that is being set aside for shop equipment! Thank you to all those who brought material, bought material or sought material. We couldn't have taken your money without you!
          Lowell Foster.
     [Ed. Note: The April auction featured 56 items! Here's a sampling of what you missed if you didn't attend the meeting: giant fossil scallops, fossil fly larvae, dinosaur bone, opalized rock, polished geode halves, malachite belt buckle, selenite, gypsum, toredo wood, slabs and rough, barite rose, fire agate, howlite, shark teeth, chapenite, petrified wood, coral, palm wood, polished Mexican nodule, and fossil sand dollar. Very nice selection and spirited bidding!]

May Program: Touring Route 66 - Past and Present By Lowell Foster.
     Route 66, the Mother Road, has been romanticized for the past 40 years on TV, in books, and in the movies. Though we all can probably picture the road in its heyday, with garish motels, roadside attractions, and fifties era cars, not many of us can say how it began. So May's program will detail how it was started, why it follows the route it does, and who was the driving force (pun intended) behind its creation. This program will also include an overview of the gem and mineral collecting sites adjacent to this highway as well as various geologic oddities along its path.
     Some sites to be shown from California include Newberry Springs, Hector Hills, Lavic Siding, the Southern Cady Mountains, the Marble Mountains, Cadiz, and Siam Siding. Representative material from each site should be displayed at the time. If you have a sample of the trilobites from Cadiz, or material from the Marble Mountains, please bring it.
          Thank You.

June Program - (tentative) By Lowell Foster.
     Southern California Desert Flora and Fauna - focusing on the Wildflowers of the Desert - given by ME - again! Seriously, volunteer for a talk if you get tired of my voice...just find something you are interested in, research it a little bit, toss a few photos in a powerpoint, and you're done! Easier than kettle corn!

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UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.

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

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BIRTHDAYS.

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

Emerald History and Lore.
Some interesting, yet unscientific attributes have been credited to emeralds from the Ancient Greeks:

• They considered it able to reveal faithfulness among lovers and dedicated it to the Goddess Venus.
• The Romans considered it soothing as Nero would "refresh and restore his vision" watching battles through the cool clarity of fine emerald glasses (GIA).
• In the ancient days, emeralds were confused with other stones such as jasper, green sapphire, smithsonite and others, as if each was a different phase of metamorphosis towards the most prized: the Emerald.

     Since the time of ancient legends, the more recent history begins in South America in 1568 when the Spanish Conquistadors formally began mining emeralds at the Muzo mine, still the world's largest known deposit. It took many years for the Conquistadors to try and force the subjugated Incas to reveal the location of the hidden tunnels of which even the paths had been overgrown by the jungle. Finally the Spanish, almost by accident, found them on their own and began mining and producing for the Spanish crown, who claimed one-fifth. The rarity of emeralds has been evidenced by the struggle to find them, which has been the main factor in its high value over the centuries.
     From the 1940's, the Government of Colombia took over the emerald mines due to high incidences of violence. Then in 1970, the government privatized Muzo and Coscuez to be operated by Joint Ventures between its own agency, Mineralco, and private companies such as Esmeracol in Coscuez, Tecminas Lrda in Quipma, and Coexminas Ltda in Muzo.
     From 1986 to 1990, Mineralco attempted to initiate a policy to "explore and produce emerald deposits in a more traditional manner." (Mineralco) During this time, other smaller deposits were found in and among the triangle formed by the other three big deposits. Mining contracts for exploration and production were granted for 25 years.
     As in diamonds, the few famous large emeralds, scattered around the world, are often known by their names. The two most famous are the Devonshire Emerald and the Patricia Emerald. The Devonshire Emerald was given to the sixth Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil in 1831. Uncut, it weighs 1,385.95 carats. The Patricia Emerald, located in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, weighs 630 carats. Five unnamed large emerald crystals from Muzo are located in the vault of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia and they weigh between 1,100 carats to 1,796 carats, as well as one weighing 220 carats. A Russian emerald in the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History weighs 1,965 carats. The Smithsonian Institute in Washington has some notable, fine quality emeralds, one of them an 858 carat crystal considered to be the finest quality in existence. There are also some notable emeralds in the Smithsonian from discoveries in North Carolina in the 1960's and 1970's (GIA).
     The largest collection of emeralds is said to be the crown jewels of Iran with pieces mounted in a belt, the Pahlabi Crown, necklaces and even the Nadir Throne itself with between 1500-2000 carats of emeralds. The Crown of the Andes is probably the most famous single piece of emerald jewelry with 453 stones (1,521 cts.) including the Atahualpa Emerald (45 cts.) named after one of the last Inca emperors. The Crown, fashioned from a solid block of pure gold, was made in 1593 for the Madonna statue in Popayan, Colombia. Briefly captured by English pirates in 1650, it was recovered and became a prize of the revolutionary war for independence from Spain waged by Simon Bolivar in 1812. Its present location is unknown.

Source: http://emeraldstone.com/history.html. (Close the new window to return here.)

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HOSPITALITY.

There were 31 rockhounds at the April 22 VGMS meeting including guest Mary Meeker, new member Matt Boeck and three pebble pups/juniors.
     Valli Davis.

Thank you to Lisa Lopez for the April refreshments. The nachos were a delicious surprise. Lisa also brought birthday treats to celebrate Jonathan's birthday with us. Michele Quistad brought yummy Jello. It was fabulous food.

There are no volunteers on record for the June THROUGH September meeting refreshments. Please call or contact Sharon Cunningham at the May meeting if you can volunteer for one of these months. Thank you in advance.

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MEETING MINUTES.

Minutes of the VGMS Regular Monthly Meeting;
Wednesday, April 22, 2009:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Jim Brace-Thompson at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center.
     Jim introduced visitors and then asked for corrections, if any, to the previously printed board and regular meeting minutes. It was m/s/c to accept the minutes. Members were led in the pledge to the flag.
Jim Brace-Thompson: A club breakfast has been scheduled for June 6 at our Clubhouse. More details later.
     Jim is asking for parents with pebble pups to contact him if interested in scheduling a weekend day for badge programs.
     Jim next asked for a vote on changes to the by-laws which would clarify terms for "couples" (eliminating the term "married") and "Pebble Pups" as under the age of 12, with "Junior Members" as 12-17 years of age, also adding that neither group would pay an initiation fee or annual dues. The motion was ratified with a majority vote.
Valli Davis: New member, Matt Boeck, was introduced. Matt comes to us from our neighboring club in San Diego and is quite knowledgeable about minerals. Please join us in welcoming him.
     Membership patches and name badges are available. Contact Valli.
Andy Anderson: Again, a big thank you to all of our club members for all the effort and a very successful show this past March. Now it's time to start the groundwork for 2010! The first meeting will be April 26, 1:00 at the Clubhouse. All are welcome.
Ron Wise: Future field trips include... the Conejo show May 16 & 17, North Edwards in June and South Dakota in June also. Details will follow in the bulletins.
     The Omnibus land deal was passed by Congress, with much more land designated as wilderness. Full ramifications regarding our collecting areas is not yet known.
Nancy Brace-Thompson: The treasurer's report was read and noted that our club is solvent.
Jean Wise: The Federation show in San Jose will be held on the weekend of April 25.
Mary Polacek: Deadline for the next bulletin will be May 10. Any and all photos and comments for the bulletin are welcomed.
     The new club library is now open for business. A sign out sheet will be used for members to check out books and magazines.
Michele Quistad presented the Ways & Means raffle prizes to the lucky names drawn.
Lowell Foster presented the "Shiny Silent Auction." With great enthusiasm, members bid on a large assortment of donated items.
     The next board meeting will be held May 7, 2009, at The Lexington.
     The next monthly membership meeting will be held May 27 at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center, 420 E. Santa Clara.
     Refreshments were provided by Lisa Lopez in celebration of Jonathan's birthday and by Michele Quistad.
     There being no further business, Jim adjourned the meeting at 9:20 PM.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.


Minutes of the VGMS Board Meeting;
Thursday, May 7, 2009:
Present: Jim & Nancy Brace-Thompson, Mary Polacek, Valli & Greg Davis and Lowell Foster.
     The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society Board Meeting for May 7, 2009, was called to order by Jim Brace-Thompson at 7:00 PM, at The Lexington in Ventura.
Old business:
Jim mentioned the post show meeting went well. Some officers still need to be determined for the 2010 show. We'll need to determine storage arrangements for materials at Camp Comfort by August when we move out completely from the Santa Paula storage. Show case repairs will be evaluated and made at that time also.
     The Clubhouse garage floor was discussed but more study is required before a plan cab be submitted and no work day has been scheduled at this time.
     The June 6 breakfast at Camp Comfort will begin with setup at 8:00 and serving beginning at 9:00. It was suggested that a work detail be held following the breakfast, for those willing to help clean the grounds.
     By-law changes were voted in at our last membership meeting, copies will be available upon request and an inventory of club materials will be our next task.
     The State Mineral collection donated to the CFMS by our club is now on display at the Buena Vista Museum in Bakersfield.
     Jim also wanted to remind everyone that the Ventura County Fair is just around the corner and that all should consider entering displays.
     Jim indicated that the club's operating regulations require inventory of equipment, museum, etc.; the club should have an Education Case Chairman to set up club case at shows and exhibits. A committee will be formed.
     A club breakfast has been scheduled for Sat., June 6, 9:00 at the VGMS clubhouse. It was suggested members bring their own place servings and a sign-up sheet will be available at the next meeting.
New business:
Jim said the Federation show went well with a very large kids' program offered.
     The new land deal was passed by Congress. The ramifications and areas of closure will be printed as soon as possible. The organization ALAA is our voice in this matter and Jim will print details for members to join the effort.
     Oxnard School district has surplus stackable chairs and Jim is trying to find a means of transporting them to the CFMS.
     It was m/s/c to award a $300.00 scholarship to Deborah Bereki. The Board requested she accept the award in person at a future meeting.
Mary mentioned that articles for the upcoming bulletin should be submitted by May 10. There will be no bulletins for June or July. Announcements will be made at regular meetings and by email.
Valli presented new club member Mathew Boeck. It was m/s/c to accept his membership.
Nancy will renew with the Senior Center for another year.
     It was m/s/c that bills for club-related expenditures by Jim & Valli be paid.
Lowell announced that May's program will be a program focusing on Route 66 collecting sites. June will be a presentation on the flora and fauna of our deserts and more impromptu auctions might be a good idea for future meetings.
     Lowell also mentioned that he'll have more time available during summer vacation if work at the Clubhouse can be scheduled on week days.
     The next general meeting will be on May 27, 2009 at the Senior Center, 420 E. Santa Clara in Ventura, and the next board meeting will be on June 4, 2009, 7:00 at The Lexington in Ventura.
     There being no further business, Jim adjourned the meeting at 8:50 PM.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

  Table of Contents.

MEMBERSHIP.

Welcome New Member.

Matthew Boeck,
328 S. Pueblo,
Ojai, CA 93023.
(760) 216-8971,
MKBoeck@hotmail.com.
Be sure to add Matt's information to your VGMS directory.

Matt's interests include all areas of our hobby with emphasis on fluorescent minerals, field trips, meteorites and a special rock find he calls quasarite. Glad to see Matt's interested in fluorescent minerals as there were several inquiries at our annual show about the missing fluorescent mineral display. With past President Ed Clark's move to New Mexico, we miss him and his wonderful fluorescent mineral display.

Hope to see many of you at our upcoming breakfast.

Valli Davis, Membership Secretary.

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GROWTH HABITS OF SINGLE CRYSTALS.

Barrel-Shaped: Self descriptive term applied to such crystals as vanadinite and mimetite.
Bladed: This describes the appearance of crystals that are almost equal dimension in all directions and look like children's toy blocks. Some of the feldspars, galna and fluorite can be so described.
Columnar: These crystals are thick and fairly elongated, shaped in miniature like the columns of a building. Examples include beryl, quartz and tourmaline. Sometimes the word prismatic is used to describe the same crystals, because the dominant faces on columnar crystals are usually called prisms.
Capillary: From a Latin word meaning hair, capillary is often used interchangeably with filiform, also from Latin, meaning thread-shaped. The terms describe minerals such as silver, which is sometimes found as thin wires, or millerite, which is found in long, very thin, stiff wires.
Pyramidal: This expression is used when the ends, or even the entire crystal, looks vaguely like three-, four-, or six-sided pyramids. Examples include wulfenite and anatase.
Stubby: Such crystals are also sometimes described as stout or equant. All these terms try to draw an image of crystals that are neither flattened nor elongates, but are nearly the same dimensions in all directions. Tourmaline, apatite and beryl can be columnar or prismatic, but they may also be of shorter lengths and stubby.
Tabular: This means that the crystal growth has been flat, with only minor thickness. Wulfenite is often tabular. Torbernite is almost always tabular.
     From Michigan Gem News date unknown via Gems of the Foothills, August '95.

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CHIPS AND BOULDERS.

Congratulations.
     At the CFMS Show, Jim Brace-Thompson won TROPHY# 32, F 9 - Fossils, One Rock Unit. Congratulations, Jim!

Club Potluck Breakfast By Jim Brace-Thompson.
     Saturday, June 6, starting 9:00 AM at Camp Comfort. Seeking volunteers to arrive by 8:00 AM to help set up tables, get a start on preparing food, coffee, etc. Valli Davis will bring a sign-up sheet to the May meeting for folks to indicate what sorts of dishes they'll bring. In addition to bringing a potluck dish, everyone is asked to provide their own service (plates, silverware, cups, napkins), although we'll have some backup paper plates and utensils on hand. Finally, we hope some folks will stick around afterwards to help with some clubhouse maintenance, both yard work and interior improvements.

Kids' Days at Camp Comfort By Jim Brace-Thompson.
     As noted in last month's Rockhound Rambling, I'd like to arrange activities for our VGMS kids and junior members to help them earn badges from the American Federation of Mineralogical Society's Future Rockhounds of America program. In completing activities within this program, kids can earn up to 15 badges: Rocks & Minerals, Earth Resources, Fossils, Lapidary Arts, Collecting, Showmanship, Communication, Field Trips, Leadership, Earth Processes, Earth in Space, Gold Panning, Gemstone Lore & Legend, Stone Age Tools & Art, and Rocking on the Computer. Kids who earn 6 of these badges graduate and earn a Rockhound badge, and their names are entered into an Honor Roll on the American Federation web site.
     We have materials at our Clubhouse to help kids work on and earn their Rocks & Minerals, Earth Resources, Fossils, Lapidary Arts, and Earth Processes badges. I'm willing to help out on some selected weekends this summer. But, as I noted last month, for this I'd like to enlist the help of two or more club parents to get together to discuss ideas and possibilities. I haven't heard from anyone yet. If you have kids, please call (805-659-3577, email jbraceth@roadrunner.com) or see me at the May meeting to volunteer your help and to schedule Kids' Days at our Clubhouse facilities. Here's hoping to see all VGMS kids and junior members learning, while having fun!

Enter the 2009 Ventura County Fair! By Jim Brace-Thompson.
     The Ventura County Fair is coming up sooner than you think! Let's all plan to enter at least one item! For the Fair, you can enter either whole collections or just a single, individual specimen (or both!). If each and every VGMS club member entered just one mineral or fossil or lapidary project, we could quickly fill up over 75 spots in the fair from our club alone! It can pay to enter! In addition to ribbons and trophies, the Fair pays out cash awards, so enter this year, win a bit of cash, then use your winnings toward purchasing a rock to enter next year - or to help cover the cost of gas when field-tripping to enter a self-collected rock! I've heard a rumor that there will be a new category for triplets, so if you've ever taken the opal class offered by the Oxnard club, dig out the specimens you've made and enter them into the fair!
     Entries will be registered and taken in the Gem & Mineral Building on July 24, 25, and 26 (10 AM to 5 PM). If entering cases, members should call and alert Richard Bromser ahead of time at (805) 649-9065 so that he can make sure table space is set aside. He'll also need to know if you'll be bringing your own case or will need to borrow one of the Fairground cases (of which, there's a limited number - first come, first served - so call as soon as you can). Richard's in Texas at the moment, but will be back in our area starting June 10. I hope to get a bunch of Fair Entry Guide booklets to bring to future club meetings. Those booklets have info on entering displays and specimens and the various categories you can enter into. See you at the Fair!

Fair Volunteer Request By Richard Bromser.
     The 2009 Ventura County Fair will soon be here. It runs Wednesday, August 5 through Sunday, August 16. The theme for this year is "Purebred and Home Grown".
     There have been changes in entries this year. We will take gem and mineral first, then hobbies, models and collections. Entry dates for gem and mineral are Friday through Sunday, July 24-26 (10 AM to 5 PM). Judging will be done on Tuesday, July 28. Entry dates for hobbies, models and collections are Friday through Sunday, July 31, August 1-2 (10 AM to 5 PM). Judging will be done Tuesday, August 4. Pick up day for all entries: Monday, August 17, between 9 AM and 7 PM.
     We will start setting up the Gem and Mineral Building on Wednesday, July 1, at 10 AM. We need volunteers to help take exhibitor entries, help clerk for judges and help setting up the building. If you can commit to four hours or more, that would be great! Lunches will be provided.
     During the Fair, we need volunteers for "floor walking". I will have a sign-up sheet with dates and times that would work for you.
     This is a good time to start planning your entries. Do you have your own case? Will you need to use one of the Fair cases? Do you have a single item to enter?
     Please call Richard Bromser (805-649-9065) if you can help on any of the above dates. If you need to reserve a case, or a space for your own case, or if you need more information, give me a call. If I do not answer, leave a message with your name and phone number and I will be sure to return your call.
     Thank you.

The American Lands Access Association By Jim Brace-Thompson.
     The American Lands Access Association (ALAA) was established by a 1992 vote of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS). It serves as a separate 501(c)(4) organization and works to promote and ensure rights of amateur rock, mineral, and fossil collecting, recreational prospecting and mining, and use of public and private lands for educational and recreational purposes. It carries the voice of amateur collectors and hobbyists to elected officials, government regulators and public land managers.
     The AFMS and its affiliated groups, including the CFMS and local clubs such as our own VGMS, are all 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organizations and, as such, we're not allowed to actively lobby about lands issues or to encourage members to write to Congress to take specific positions. ALAA, on the other hand, was founded specifically as a lobbying organization. This past year has seen passage of major legislation affecting access to public lands. ALAA tracks such legislation in its formative stages and tells how you might take a stand and which government offices and officials you might contact to make your opinion known.
     Anyone can join ALAA. Individual membership is $25 a year and gets you on their mailing list and gets you copies of their newsletter. Check out the ALAA web site (www.amlands.org. Close the new window to return here.) to learn more and to get an application. (Note: much of the info for this article came from CFMS Newsletter articles written by ALAA President, Dick Pankey.)

Bulletin.
     Please note that there will be no June or July Rockhound Rambling bulletin published. My daughter, Leilani, her best friend and I, are celebrating their high school graduation by embarking on a 15 state road trip. Our departure and return dates preclude publishing your bulletin until our return because I am leaving the laptop behind! Enjoy your summer and ROCKAWAY!

Desert Magazine Resource Review by Lowell Foster.
     There is a wonderful online resource that has been made available. This site, www.scribd.com, (Close the new window to return here.) has scanned copies available of every issue of Desert Magazine, a reference treasure trove of data and history, and a mandatory read for the serious rock and gem hunter.
     Desert Magazine's first issue came out in November of 1937. In the pages of this issue and each subsequent one, articles on all aspects of the desert were published. Topics included everything one could imagine would be covered by a magazine exploring this topic: wildlife, Native American Culture, lost mines, gem and mineral collecting, exploration, travel, history, etc. It is one of the most fascinating magazines, especially the issues between 1937 through 1960, I've ever read. Many of the people writing or being written about in these pages were alive during the "taming of the west," and prospectors and homesteaders provide a rich accounting of this part of our country's history.
     Our club is fortunate to possess a large collection of Desert Magazines which were donated by Ruth Parker, a founding member of our club and ardent naturalist. The collection, bound in annual sets, covers most of the years between 1945 and 1960. Over time, pieces have been lost, articles excised, and corners nicked from these magazines. They also take up quite a bit of space. It's exciting to know that there is a place where you can access these classic magazines without waiting to check them out or worry about damaging them.
     Even though each issue is filled with different fascinating topics, the area that our group would be most interested in is the gem collecting. The articles here give wonderful descriptions of sites before they became common collection locales. The black and white photos provide visual landmarks that current collecting guides lack. Less important but more fascinating are the stories of the people themselves, driving when roads into the desert were dug out with shovels each time out, and each trip could reveal brand new collecting locations.
     The magazines are easy to access. Just go to the website and type in the search engine, "Desert Magazine" and the year you'd like to read. A link to each issue appears. By clicking on it, the scanned copy appears in a special window. It does take a little bit to load, so you may have to wait on slower computers. Once loaded, just scroll down through the magazine. There is one strange part to this site. Random words have been covered throughout the magazines. I don't know why, but it does make reading a little painstaking.
     Next issue, I will provide a short index of articles that cover the better known sites in Southern California. Following this, I will then add issues that cover collecting locations that have now been closed - absorbed into National Parks or military bases.
     I hope you find the magazine as interesting as I have.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

CHUCKLES.

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are the winners:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of having sex.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

From Kim Noyes, via centralcoastrockhounds Digest Number 225, 1/24/09.

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FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.

Saturday, April 25: Jalama Beach.
     We had a good turnout for Jalama: 26 rockhounds showed up. We had good weather, though it got really windy late in the day. We walked along the beach collecting agate, petrified whale bone and found some plant and fish fossils. From the Conejo Club, Deb and I, Mike Miller, Jeff Miller, Linda Barrozo, Joel Roush. From Oxnard, Lina Cousineau, Ralph Rotondo, Gary & April Louis. From Ventura, Abe Barshai, Andy Anderson and Dave Mautz. I found a small plant fossil and a larger fish fossil, it was weathered and only a part of the whole fish, but it's about 10", the spine is the size of my small finger. The whole fish must have been about 2 feet long.
     In March went to Ant Hill. I dug near the painter Wes Farmer. He painted a scene of Ant Hill, with rockhounds collecting shark teeth. Jeff Miller and I are in the painting. You can only see my back, it's the red shirt. Jeff is to the left. Here is the link to check it out. http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/seashorediscoveries/index.html. (Close the new window to return here.)
          Robert Sankovich.

Saturday, May 9: Piuma Road, Malibu.
     Picture from the fossil collecting field trip that Rob Sankovich led to Malibu to collect fossil scallops. This particular boulder remains high up on the hill, waiting for a massive military helicopter to deliver it to our club house....!
          Jim Brace-Thompson.


How to Become a Fossil.
Freezing: Leaves the creature much as it was in life. Its arteries may still contain dried blood. The Ice Age mammoths of Siberia and Alaska froze.
Drying or Desiccation: Best known are the camels and sloths in our southwest caves.
Wax and Asphalt: Natural paraffin makes an excellent preservative. Many specimens have been found in Polish mines. The most famous asphalt fossils were found in the California La Brea Tar Pits ('la brea' means 'the tar').
Simple Burial: English bogs are famous for their buried forests. Sand dollars are mollusks, some of which were preserved this way for up to 75 million years.
Carbonization: Incomplete decay of volatile substances leaves carbon behind, sometimes reducing organisms to paper-thin layers of shiny black film that reveal much detail.
Tracks, Trails and Burrows: Dinosaur tracks are the most famous of these. In Nebraska, the Devil's Corkscrew once housed a beaver who dug an eight foot spiral hole.
Castings and Coprolite: Ancient worms swallowed sand to help digest small organisms, then regurgitated these castings. Coprolite is a polite word for petrified dung.
Gastrolites: Many ancient reptiles ground their food with these stones (as do modern fowl). The stones are rounded, smoothed, and even polished at times and are known as gizzard stones.
Petrification: Our common stony fossils got that way by mineralization, the replacement of structure by dissolved minerals, or by secondary replacement, such as when limey fossils are dissolved and replaced by silica.
Molds and Casts: Natural molds in sediment remain after organisms decay. Sandstone beds reveal molds of shells and trees. The finest molds are Northern European amber, which have perfectly preserved insects.
Imprints: Sandstone, shale and tuff reveal external molds of very thin objects such as leaves. Best known are the Illinois Coal Age plant imprints.
     From Numerous bulletins, original authors/sources unknown via The Rock Bag 03/1998.

Noodling for Nodules in the California Desert By Lowell Foster.
     [Editor's Note: The following begins a six part article by Lowell Foster which, due to length, will be published over several bulletins. Look for the second installation in the August bulletin.]

     noodling (v.): Australian term for amateur gemstone hunting; i.e. rockhounding Down Under-style. Often used for opal searching. See fossicking.

Part I - Preparation.

"There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it." - Charles Dudley Warner

     Spring break was coming fast and I had no idea where I wanted to go to hunt rocks. That I wanted to go hunting was never in doubt. It had been a long haul at school with my fourth grade classroom since Christmas and I needed - I really needed - to get far, far away from them both geographically and mentally. So, ever since mid-February, different locations that I could disappear into kept crossing my mind. By late March I knew I had it bad when one of my lectures degenerated into a 15-minute description of the Hauser Geode Beds and their history.
     So I set out to find where I really wanted to go and who I was going to be able to go with, and most importantly, I needed to find out if I could go.
     (Honey, are we busy the first weekend in April? - No? Can I go out to the desert? You got a baby shower and a bridal shower those two days. I can go! Excellent! - Somersaults and pirouettes ensued. - Search YouTube if you care to see my dance.)
     Permission granted, I now was left with those questions of who and where. The former was fairly easy. I alerted Ron Wise of my time frame and found out he was available the first weekend in April. I then called my dad and, after a few days of wondering if he was going to be babysitting my nephews, he was cleared for departure - as said nephews were slated to be in New Mexico hunting UFOs or something at the time.
     Now came the 'where'. This can be the most heartbreaking part of a trip. It is when you eliminate (some say narrow) your options down to a do-able few from a possible dozens. I asked for Ron's opinion and he deferred. He said he would be happy to go anywhere. Because this was going to be an overnight trip, the distance from Ventura could be greater so I ignored everything out to Barstow. The only location I seriously considered near that dusty burg was the North Cady Mountain region accessible via Basin Road. I had heard (rightly or wrongly) that it was part of the Wilderness package passed by Washington D.C. and might be closed relatively soon, but my dad wasn't too keen on that choice.
     I continued pondering and weighing options. I knew I didn't want to dig geodes this year. I have tons (okay - 500 pounds) of the dang things but I have no way of cutting them and no way of polishing them except through the club. With this limitation in mind, my current stock should last me through, oh, 2025, by my calculations. So - no Hauser.
     But what about other sites near Wiley's Well? Thumb Butte just off Wiley's Well road has/had deposits of black agate, paisley agate, and some agate nodules Mary Strong described as the most beautiful material in the region. Of course, that was 40 years ago and times change. Recent descriptions of available material are dire ones. The black and paisley agates are gone. The nodule bed is dug out. You gotta hike in. You'll get bitten by rattlesnakes. Sasquatch lives back there.
     Then I began thinking about Chuckawalla Springs, a region just off Graham Pass Road about 15 miles to the west of Wiley's Well. I researched the place, paging through both new and old guide books and fading magazine articles from the 60's and 70's. I liked what I read and decided it would be a fun place to explore. Agate nodules, plume agate, and geodes (matrix-less) were listed as being some of the material to hunt. None of our 3-man group had ever been there before and getting lost in the wilderness sounded nice.
     Saturday was now spoken for. Sunday came next and was surprisingly simple. We would hit the agate beds in the Turtle Mountains.
     The Turtle Mountains, 23 miles south of Needles, is about 320 miles from Ventura, which makes a day trip out there nearly impossible. I say nearly as I have done a there and back to the Turtles two years ago. It's brutal, but as I say, "Obsession begins where common sense ends," and the Turtles can obsess a person.
     This time, though, we'd be leaving from Blythe Sunday morning, only 60 miles from the Turtles, which would make the morning drive out a little easier to stomach. What also helped sway me towards those rugged, jagged, gorgeous peaks was a Mary Strong magazine article I found from 1966 two days before the trip. I thought I had lost the issue years ago, but in the course of cleaning up an old bookcase, I came across it. The article was key because unlike her book, the article provided both photos of nearby landmarks and a detailed map showing the agate location I really wanted to search - one that produced blue and white fortification nodules, sagenite, and moss agates. I had been out to these mountains twice before, but both times I never felt like I had prepared myself enough for the search. That the hunting area was now a mile or so into a no-drive wilderness region made the additional details key for a locating the exact site. We've all heard the phrase: Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. It's the same agate hunting. If you are not close enough to see the agate, you ain't goin' ta collect the agate.
     So, Friday came and I packed. I saw Becca and Karen off to Orange County and I, myself, headed out to pick up Ron and his equipment. The time was 8:30 or so in the evening, and I found myself feeling a greater excitement and anticipation for this trip than any other I had taken in the last few years. Visions of new sites and blue chalcedony danced in my head. I had very high hopes, and I hoped they would be fulfilled.

Tri-Club Field Trips 2009. *
     The field trips listed below are tentative, they might change. All are Tri-Club field trips (exceptions noted) with either Conejo, Oxnard or Ventura leading.

* Please call your field trip leader to confirm that there is a field trip scheduled in the event of changes.

May 23-24: North Edwards/Castle Butte Area - The Great Onyx Hunt.
SPONSORS: CFMS Field Trip South Co-Chairs.
LEADERS: Adam Dean and Shep Koss.
This trip is open to all rockhounds that agree to abide by the AFMS Code of Ethics, the directions of the field trip leader, and practice safe rockhounding. A Consent and Assumption of Risk Waiver of Liability form must be signed upon arriving at the campsite.
MEET: By 10:00 AM at the hotel/restaurant parking lot in Ludlow south of I-40 for orientation and sign in. From the meeting spot we will caravan west to a safe crossing over the tracks then make a number of stops.
WHAT TO BRING: Collecting bags/buckets, rock hammer, and spray bottles. This is the heart of the Mojave but weather can be unpredictable this time of year so dress accordingly.
MATERIAL TO COLLECT: We will be collecting the world famous Lavic jasper which can come in a multitude of colors and can be brecciate, layered or solid with veins of white, black or blue agate. The jasper has been found in reds, blacks, yellows, golds, greens, purples, or any combination and range from tumble sized to football sized. Most found as float. This site covers a vast area between the Pisgah Crater lava fields, the railroad tracks and the dry lake. We will explore various spots here. Other materials at this site may include agates and jaspers with sections of multi-shaded pink opal. Nearby is Pisgah Crater, a young volcano with an extensive lava field.
BRING LUNCH: This widespread field offers no shade. Gas and food available in Ludlow.
ROADS: While the roads are basically traversable in most high clearance sedans, high clearance trucks and SUVs highly recommended.
FOR STAYOVERS: This general area also offers the southern Cady's for a wide variety of material, a nearby obsidian field, Dish Hill for peridot, trilobites and the Hector Hills for chalcedony, opal & agate. Bring your rock collecting guides. For these other sites 4WD recommended but high clearance mandatory. Stay-overs may camp at a number of undeveloped sites or at the hotel in Ludlow.
TREAT THE DESERT WITH RESPECT: Please help protect our deserts, tread lightly, and pack-out what you packed-in! All those attending the collecting trips will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver form.
For further information, please contact:
     Adam Dean @ (909) 489-4899 or e-mail him: theagatehunter@verizon.net,
     Shep Koss @ (661) 248-0411 (land line) or e-mail: freudonetoo@yahoo.com.
You should contact us if you are interested in participating. The weather can change and without knowing if you're going or not we won't be able to give you updates or notify you if the field trip gets cancelled.


June 12-28: Road Trip, 17 days, 6 collecting sites: I must know if you're going!
Field trip: Our June field trip will be to 6 different sites, 17 days, collecting in 4 different states and traveling through a few others. We will be collecting topaz crystals, trilobite fossils, blue forest petrified wood, Green River formation fish fossils, sapphires and obsidian. We'll be leaving on Friday afternoon-late afternoon June 12 and will be at our last site on Sunday, June 28. We will be rough camping, and staying at motels for part of the trip. If you will be camping you will need to bring everything you need; most sites have no facilities. You can join us for part of the trip or all of it. We will keep to the itinerary so you can rendezvous with us. We will need to know if you are going so we can exchange cell phone numbers, and we can rendezvous if you aren't going the same date/time as us. The basic information is below. If you plan to go, I will e-mail more detailed information and maps. There is not enough room on this flyer for all the information. You won't need 4WD, but it is preferred. The weather will vary so bring layers of clothes. It should be warm in the lower states, but Montana could be cool at night. Deb and I will be tent camping. On the bottom of this there is a breakdown of each day. I'd recommend bring a shade unit of some sort, some places there won't be any trees or shade. We will leave Friday the 12th in the afternoon/early evening and drive as far as we can and spend the night in a motel. The time we leave depends on who's going and if you want to caravan. Some sites are pay sites: Trilobites $70, Fish fossils $100 for 8 hours.
Directions: I've put our route/time table at the bottom of this. Estimate 3200 miles for whole trip.
Meeting: Depending on who's going and where, we will work out rendezvous times and places. I plan on leaving Friday afternoon - late afternoon. If you can leave Friday, we will meet at my house. We will then drive as far as we can for the day/night and stay at a motel. I want to try to get to the Las Vegas area (315 miles, 4 hours, 45 minutes). You can rendezvous with us anywhere on the trip. I'll give you my cell phone number and I'll need yours. Some days I might not have reception, but every time we move to another site, I will check my voice mail and call anyone who is planning to rendezvous.
What to collect:
     Utah: 2 sites, Topaz Mountains for topaz crystals: http://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/topaz.html, (Close the new window to return here.) U dig fossils for trilobite fossils: http://www.u-digfossils.com/. (Close the new window to return here.)
     Wyoming: 2 sites, Blue Forest Petrified Wood for petrified wood, Kemmerer/Green River Formation for fish fossils. Warfield Fossils: http://www.fossilsafari.com/index.html. (Close the new window to return here.)
     Montana: Yogo Gulch/Creek for sapphires: http://www.gemland.com/yogo1.htm. (Close the new window to return here.)
     California: Davis Creek, obsidian, various types: http://www.cfmsinc.org/fieldtrp/y2001/obsidbon/obsidbon.htm. (Close the new window to return here.)
Tools: Collecting bags, buckets, day pack, digging tools, rock pick, pry bar, safety glasses, gloves, sledges, gad bars, chisels, shovel, trowels, sieve, sifter box, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, layered clothing. Bring lots of drinking water, camping gear, shade unit, food, and cooler. We will stop along the way and buy groceries/Ice to restock coolers, wood for campfires.
Contact: Robert Sankovich, 805-494-7734, rmsorca@adelphia.net. Please let me know if you are going to go on the field trip.
Route: Time includes short stops, averaging 60 miles an hour overall.
Friday: 6/12 Thousand Oaks to Las Vegas area, 315 miles, 4 hours, 45 minutes - (Motel).
Saturday: 6/13 Las Vegas area to Topaz Mountains 360 miles, 5.5 hours - (Camp).
Sunday: 6/14 Topaz Mountains - (Camp).
Monday: 6/15 Topaz Mountains - (Camp).
Tuesday: 6/16 Topaz Mountains to U dig fossils, 30 miles, 1 hour, after collecting we will drive east then north as far as we can, should reach Salt Lake City, Utah, 180 miles, 3 hours - (Motel).
Wednesday: 6/17 Salt Lake City to Wyoming, Blue Forest Petrified wood, 170 miles, 3 hours - (Camp).
Thursday: 6/18 Blue Forest Petrified wood - (Camp).
Friday: 6/19 Blue Forest Petrified wood - (Camp).
Saturday: 6/20 Blue Forest Petrified wood to Kemmerer, Warfield fossils, 50 miles, 1 hour, after collecting we will drive north as far as we can, should reach Jackson, Wyoming, 170 miles, 3 hours - (Motel).
Sunday: 6/21 Jackson Wyoming to Yogo Gultch/Creek, 360 miles, 7 hours - (Camp).
Monday: 6/22 Yogo Gultch/Creek - (Camp).
Tuesday: 6/23 Yogo Gultch/Creek - (Camp).
Wednesday: 6/24 Yogo Gutch to Twin Falls Idaho, 545 miles, 9 hours - (Motel).
Thursday: 6/25 Twin Falls Idaho to Davis Creek, NE California, 485 miles, 8.5 hours - (Camp).
Friday: 6/26 Davis Creek - (Camp).
Saturday: 6/27 Davis Creek - (Camp).
Sunday: 6/28 Davis Creek, California to home, 716 miles, 11 hours, 15 minutes.


Saturday, July 11: Oak Park.
Field trip: Our July field trip will be to Oak Park. We will be looking for petrified wood, float and buried. Some of it is on the surface and all you have to do is pick it up. Most of it is golf ball size and smaller, but I have seen larger pieces found there. We will be walking up a hill. Light brush on the hill. The hill is not very high or big, so this is a good field trip for all ages.
Directions: From Ventura head South on 101, past Thousand Oaks, to Kanan Road (6.2 miles East of 23 Freeway in Thousand Oaks). Exit at Kanan Road, turn left/North on Kanan Road. Drive 2.5 miles to Deerhill Road. Turn right/North. Drive 0.5 miles to Deerbrook Road. We will meet there at 9:00 AM. You will see my white Ford truck. We will walk about 50 yards on Deerbrook Road, then go up a hill to collect. There will be a short briefing before the field trip. There will be a map at the meeting, or e-mail me.
Meeting: Saturday July 11, 9 AM-2 PM. We will meet site at 9:00 am. There will be a short briefing of the site. Please remember to sign a release form to participate in the field trip.
Tools: Collecting bags, buckets, day pack, digging tools, rock pick, pry bar, eye protection, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, pants recommended, drinking water, lunch or snacks.


Saturday, August 1: Jade Cove, Big Sur area.
Meeting: 10 AM.
What to collect: nephrite jade, serpentine, actinolite, soapstone, abalone shells.
Details and map will be provided at the July regular meeting.

NOTE: Tri-club field trip information can be found on the Conejo Gem and Mineral club web site: www.cgamc.org. (Close the new window to return here.)


Benitoite Mine By Dave Schreiner [dave@calstategemmine.com] via email.
Hello fellow Rockhounds,
     The Benitoite Gem Mine has re-opened for screening at a location with easy access. www.calstategemmine.com. (Close the new window to return here.)
Here's your chance to come and find the California State Gemstone "Benitoite" one of the rarest and most valuable gemstones in the world!
Pricing: $70 per person, kids 12 and under $20, seniors 70 and over with proof of current rockhound membership, $35.
Reservations: See www.calstategemmine.com. (Close the new window to return here.)
Large Groups: Large groups should give us a call and let us know what days you are coming.
Open: We are open Saturdays and Sundays.
Sign-in and Demonstration Time: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM.
Collecting Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Destination: The historic old Road Camp. 48242 Los Gatos Rd. Coalinga, CA 93210.
Directions: Follow Los Gatos Canyon Rd., 18 miles west of Coalinga, CA. On right side, look for white buffalo.
We Supply: Screens, screening tables, buckets, water, and a quart sized ziplock bag. We have a UV dark room to look through your washed material. Employees will be there to assist, demonstrate, and identify your finds. A port-a-potty is available.
You Need to Supply: Tweezers for picking up gemstones and a plastic apron or something to keep you dry. Bring your lunches, drinks, and lawn chair, a pop-up shade if you need it, rubber gloves if you need them. It's a muddy job screening for Benitoite, so you might want to bring your rain gear.
Rules of the Hunt:

1. Stay in the immediate area between the screening pile and parking lot.
2. Do not go into buildings unless permission is granted.
3. You are allowed to take home your ziplock bag full of finds.
4. If you find something too large for your ziplock bag and would like to purchase, we will negotiate a price.
5. Kids are allowed to play freely, please keep them close.
6. Pets are free. Keep them on a leash please.

Sign-in Procedure: Park in the parking lot next to the white buffalo. Line up at the walk-in gate in front of the small cabin. If you are concerned about not getting a screen, pay in advance, via PayPal. See www.calstategemmine.com.
Contact Us: Owner: dave@calstategemmine.com. Co-owner: jl@calstategemmine.com. Cell: (559)-284-4126 Home: (559)-935-5909.
          Thank you, Dave and John-Luke.

  Table of Contents.

FUN STUFF - ROCKY MAZE.

Rocky Rockhound is in trouble!!! He went into a mine looking for rocks and now he can't find his way out. Can you help? Start in the middle and work your way out.

Moral: NEVER wander into mines and caves!

From MLMS Ghost Sheet, 10/2008; Created at http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com. (Close the new window to return here.)

  Table of Contents.

HINTS AND TIPS.

Undercutting.
Trouble with undercutting while working with plume agate? If so, the problem can often be remedied by reducing the speed of your sanding and polishing operation. The plumes are composed of a softer material than the host agate and sand more quickly, thereby causing the undercutting. If you can reduce the speed to about one-half the normal, this problem should be eliminated. In addition, use cerium oxide on a leather wheel for the final polish attempting to avoid excess heat.
     From The Palomar Gem date unknown via Rockhound Rambling April 1984.


Ten Commandments of Using Acid.

1. Never add acid to water.
2. Always keep a container of water nearby for neutralizing solutions in case of a spill.
3. Never use acid with bleach.
4. Always use acids in a well-ventilated area.
5. Always use inferior specimens for experimentation.
6. Always treat a spill as if it is the worst acid you are using.
7. Always wear protective clothing and use proper equipment.
8. Always neutralize acid solutions before disposing of them.
9. Always use and store acids carefully (well labeled and out of reach of children).
10. Always practice common sense.

     From Del Air Bulletin date unknown via Moroks January 2001.


Bench Tool.
One of the most versatile tools on your workbench is the orange stick, available in cosmetic departments. Orangewood is soft enough not to mar gold or silver, yet hard enough to use as a pushing tool. This tool will not scratch gems and it reaches into almost impossible places.
     Original source unknown via The Nugget January 1999.


Flex Tool.
When polishing hard-to-reach places with your flex shaft tool, take a Q-tip, cut it in half, insert it in the hand piece and charge it with polishing compound. The cotton end will produce a very high luster and will last an amazingly long time.
     Original source unknown via The Nugget January 1999.


Polish Application.
When polishing, don't use a messy brush to apply polishing agents. Such methods invite contamination. Instead, procure a plastic bottle with a long tip, such as beauticians use and throw away when empty. Put the polishing agent into the bottle, add water and a couple pieces of gravel or buckshot as an aid to agitating and stirring up the polishing agent. Then apply to the wheel - with no contamination.
     From Petroglyphs date unknown via Lithosphere April 1995.


Friction Free with Pam.
To make rock saws remain friction free, clean the saw blade perfectly clean and free of all oil and residue; then spray with Pam. It also works well on guides for the saw vise.
     From The Mountain Gem 07/1994, via Lithosphere 11/1995.


The club presents these hints and tips for informational purposes only and does not specifically endorse or profess first-hand use or experience with any or all. As always, be aware of your situation, knowledge level and comfort zone before attempting anything new. When in doubt, stop! Get help before you need it.

Keep a log in your shop. Document your techniques and inspirations. You will come up with a journal full of useful tips, and maybe even an educational article or two!! Email hints and tips to vgms_editor@roadrunner.com.

Let us hear your good ideas!

  Table of Contents.

INTRODUCTION TO CUTTING FIRE AGATE.

SILVER DESIGN & FABRICATION.
Introduction to Cutting Fire Agate
by
Ryszard Krukowski.

[When I run out of ideas for an article, thank God for the Internet.
Terry Vasseur.]

Fire Agate, a relatively uncommon gemstone amongst the masses of agate and opals found in gem shows around the USA, can be a remarkably unique addition to any lapidary artist's repertoire of cutting experience and stone collections. The stone has a very unusual formation, the result of having grown in natural volcanic pockets of trapped mineral deposits which can make it quite a challenging stone to cut.
Furthermore, Fire Agate often develops a cap of chalcedony or layers of brown which can conceal brilliant layers of fire underneath. When choosing a piece of rough to start cutting, look for indications of fire around edges of the stone or through any concealing layers. Sometimes, in the event of a large cap over a formation for example, you may have to just "cut and pray" so to speak - cut and grind away the cap, and look for fire. It might be worth it to start on one side and grind off a few layers on the side to peek at layers that are underneath. Cutters often take a shortcut in the cutting process, and "window" stones -- cutting away as much of a chalcedony cap as possible until they hit layers of fire, and proceed to polish the flat stones. This process, while saving time, is near impossible to predict, and often damages layers in the stone. Cutting Fire Agate can be hit or miss, but part of what makes it a very rewarding stone to cut is the fact that you can take a stone that has nothing but promise, cut away a few layers, and find a "killer". (Fire Agate Miner lingo for a REALLY great stone!)

Source: South Bay Lapidary Gem & Mineral Society
AGATIZER, date unknown.

With our approach to cutting Fire Agate, the natural formation is preserved as much as possible. It is a gradual process of removing chalcedony (the white crystals and milky formations which often form a cap that may conceal a really great stone) and cautious removal of agate, layer by layer, until finding the right layer of fire to polish.

Every lapidary artist finds his own style, and often his own set of tools and grinding wheels to cut Fire Agate. Fire Agate can be a tricky stone to cut, with tight groove's that require attention beyond the reach of large grinding wheels. We use a Flex-shaft (foredoom) hand tool to grind into the grooves and apply fine polishing agents. Fire Agate can have complications in the cutting process, such as cracks, dead spots with discontinuation of the layers of fire, and unusual formations. Solving these problems can require getting pretty creative - you might try cutting smaller stones out of the single piece, drilling holes into the stone, even setting gold with other stones, into the dead spots.

*NOTE: From experience, we have found that investing in quality tools can make a huge difference in the cutting and finishing of Fire Agate. The investment of $100 for a quick changing foredom handpiece can save you a lot of time changing bits and burs - something you will be doing constantly when cutting Fire Agate. Also, using high quality diamond wheels and bits has dramatically improved the finishing of our stones.

At this point the Fire Agate's cap and brownish layers have been removed, and a layer of great fire is exposed. A flex shaft hand tool was used to work the brown out of the groves of the stone, and various diamond wheels for broader areas. There isn't really a developed method to the cutting process; we use whatever bit fits the job, as well as a variety of brush and sander bits.

We kept the base of the stone on as a grip during the cutting, and later flattened the base of the stone to position it correctly in a gold broach. Fire Agate has a broad range of use in jewelry, as seen in the variety of pieces in our photo galleries and in our sales pages. From mosaic and inlay work to stand alone pendants to knife handles, Fire Agate can be a remarkable flash of color to any accessory -- key chains, iPod and cell phone charms, even knife handles!

Creating a jeweler setting for a piece of Fire Agate can really accent the intense colors of the stone and can help bring out an image or object the stone might resemble. Fire Agate is a pretty hard gemstone, making it pretty versatile for all sorts of settings, mosaics and drilling... we've even managed to drill out rings made entirely of Fire Agate, and set gold in grooves cut into a stone! Each piece of Fire Agate, in being unique, requires a custom setting - not some sort of generic ring mounting or setting. We often create jewelry which mimics or continues the organic forms of Fire Agate as pieces which incorporate the stone into some sort of image or subject such as flowers, animals, or landscapes.

  Table of Contents.

FEDERATION NEWS.

Seeking Nominations for AFMS Scholarship Foundation Honoree
By Jim Brace-Thompson via CFMS Newsletter, June 2009.
     As CFMS 2nd Vice President, I chair the CFMS Jury of Awards for the AFMS Scholarship Foundation. To accomplish that duty, I need your help! What is the Jury of Awards of the AFMS Scholarship Foundation, you ask? As reported in Feb., since 1964 this Foundation has distributed over a million dollars to deserving geoscience students at the graduate level (in either a Master's or Ph.D. program). Six regional federations participate. Each chooses an honoree (an individual or a couple) who, in turn, chooses a university and participates in choosing two geoscience graduate students who receive $2,000 each year for two years, or a total of $4,000 for each student. We have a long list of distinguished honorees, both from within the ranks of the CFMS and from academia. For instance, Golden Bears and CFMS Past-Presidents Jeane and Bob Stultz were recently honored with the 2009 award.

I'm seeking nominees for our 2010 award. The goal is to have nominees determined at or shortly after the conclusion of our annual November Directors' Meeting in Visalia, but please don't wait until then! I'm sure any number of worthy names come quickly to mind, so please share your thoughts with me as soon as you can.
     To make a nomination, send me the name/s of your nominee/s along with a brief backgrounder explaining why you believe them worthy of this award. You should consider service that has been long and sustained and that ripples beyond the regional level. I'll take your nominations whatever way works best for you. Call me (805-659-3577), mail me (7319 Eisenhower St., Ventura, CA 93003), or email (jbraceth@roadrunner.com). Here's thanking you in advance for your nominees!


Notes From John
By John Martin, AFMS Conservation & Legislation Committee via CFMS Newsletter, June 2009.

Omnibus Public Lands Bill Passes.
The massive lands package commonly referred to as the Omnibus Public Lands Bill was reintroduced in Congress, passed both houses, and signed into law by the President on March 30. Among many other things, it converts more than 2 million acres into wilderness, including BLM-administered lands in California (34,000 acres in the eastern Sierra now designated as Granite Mountain Wilderness, 23,000 acres added to the White Mountain Wilderness, 26 miles of the Amargosa River designated as wild and scenic, 84,000 acres in Riverside County, etc.). A new "protected areas" database has been recently released; for info about it, see: http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2201. (Close the new window to return here.) This has been called "the most significant withdraw of public land law in at least 15 years." We'll be keeping tabs and assessing fallout from this massive government package that bundled together 170 different bills. Also, the battle is not over. Note that Sens. Boxer and Feinstein are promoting more legislation that would affect more California public lands, such as a proposed Mojave Desert Wilderness bill that would designate still more wilderness in San Bernardino, Imperial, and Riverside counties.

Effort to Revoke Forest Service Fees.
Despite his earlier vote in favor of the Omnibus Lands Bill, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) has introduced a new, more rockhound-friendly bill in the Senate that, if passed, would revoke authority given to the Forest Service in 2004 to institute new fees and increase existing fees at campgrounds, trailheads, and other public areas. The bill is S868, The Fee Repeal Act & Expanded Access Act of 2009, and has currently been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Baucus is joined in his crusade by bill co-sponsors Sens. Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Jon Tester (D-MT). To find out more about the bill, go to this web site: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-868. (Close the new window to return here.) Though this bill will not preserve or allow us to get access to rock collecting areas that have been withdrawn, it will make it less expensive to visit areas that we can still access for our hobby. Please help get the word out if you can and make your opinion on this known to your respective Senators and Congressmen. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Paleontological Resources Preservation Act.
The Omnibus Public Lands Bill included the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA), which the Society of Vertebrate Paleontologists (SVP) has been pushing for 18 years. There have been many rumors and uncertainties about what is in this bill and how it will affect amateurs collecting on public lands. The following is from a statement by the SVP Government Affairs Committee: The "...Act codifies the existing practice of requiring that vertebrate fossils and other rare and scientifically significant fossils be collected only by qualified researchers who obtain a permit. Permittees must agree to deposit the fossils in public institutions, which will ensure their future availability to researchers and the public. The PRPA strengthens penalties and acts as a deterrent for illegal collecting activity. The PRPA greatly benefits amateur paleontologists. For instance, the BLM and Forest Service have been allowing casual collecting of common plant and invertebrate fossils for many years, but without specific statutory authority from Congress. This activity could have been taken away at any time. However, the PRPA ensures amateurs can continue to pursue their hobby on BLM and Forest Service lands. The Savings Provision specifies that, 'nothing contained in the Act shall apply to, or require a permit for, casual collecting of a rock, mineral or invertebrate or plant fossil that is not protected under this Act.' Over the years there has been an abundance of misinformation regarding the PRPA. Please note that the PRPA DOES NOT:
     1. Affect Private lands or Indian lands in any way.
     2. Prosecute anyone for misidentifying a fossil unless that misidentification is made in association with a knowing criminal violation of the PRPA.
     3. Interfere with rock collecting.
     4. Restrict access to those who do not have a Ph.D.
     5. Interfere with mining on federal land.
     6. Create restrictions for public lands access.
That, anyway, is what the SVP (the promoters of the bill) are saying. So far as I can tell, petrified wood, plant, and invertebrate fossils are exempt for amateur commercial collection. We'll keep you posted with updates as the bill gets implemented and specific regulations start taking affect.

Norvie Enns Now on BLM RAC!
We finally have great news to report in efforts to preserve access to our public lands! CFMS Public Lands Advisory-North Committee Chair, Norvie Enns has been selected to represent the public-at-large on the BLM's Northeast California Advisory Council (RAC). The following announcement was posted to the BLM web site: Mr. Enns "has served 7 years on a subgroup of the Northeast California-Sierra Front BLM RACs, helping to develop the management plan for the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. He is a member of the Reno Gem & Mineral Society and the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, where he has served 17 years on the public lands access committee. In addition to the public at large representation, he would bring to the RAC knowledge of gemology and mineralogy, commonly called rock hounding, a popular pursuit in northeast California and northwest Nevada." Congratulations, Norvie!

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LET'S BE SAFE OUT THERE.

Jury Duty Scam.
     Verified by Snopes. Pass this on to your grown children. This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). It is spreading fast, so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.
     The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen.
     The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states. This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
     Check it out here: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm and here: http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp. (If you go to either of the above links pleaae close the new window to return here.)

  Table of Contents.

LET'S GO TO A SHOW - 2009.
(If you go to a web site close the new window to return here.)

May 30-31; Glendora, CA - Glendora Gems, 859 E. Sierra Madre Ave., Glendora. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Bonnie Bidwell (626) 963-4638, Ybidwell2@aol.com.
June 5-7; Woodland Hills, CA - Rockatomics Gem & Mineral Society, Pierce College - Victory & Mason. Hours: 10-5 Daily. Gary Levitt, Show Chair (818) 993-3802, Show@Rockatomics.org, www.Rockatomics.org, FREE Parking. Gems, Jewelry, Dealers, Tailgate Selling. At the Pierce College Farm Center are lots of activities for kids and a farmer's market offering fresh strawberries and other fresh goodies.
June 6-7; La Habra, CA - North Orange County Gem & Mineral Society, La Habra Community Center, 101 W. La Habra Blvd. Hours: 9-5 both days. Don Warthen (626) 330-8974, warthen@earthlink.net, nocgms.com.
June 13-14; Cayucos, CA - San Luis Obispo Gem & Mineral Club, Cayucos Vets' Hall, 10 Cayucos Drive. Hours: 10-5 both days. Kim Patrick Noyes (805) 610-0603, kimnoyes@gmail.com, slogem.org.
July 11-12; Culver City, CA - Culver City Rock and Mineral Club, Veterans Memorial Auditorium and Rotunda, 4117 Culver Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Robert Thirlaway (310) 213-7677, thirlawr@gmail.com, CulverCityRocks.org/fiesta.htm.
August 1-2; San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Gem & Mineral Society, San Francisco County Fair Building, Ninth Ave. at Lincoln Way. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. www.sfgms.org.
August 7-9; Nipomo, CA - Orcutt Mineral Society, St Joseph's Church, 298 S. Thompson. Hours: 9-5 daily. Wes Lingerfelt (805) 929-388, Rocks4u@prodigy.net, www.omsinc.org. (Webmaster's Note: The following telephone number is from last month's entry. I've included it since the one given this month is obviously incomplete - 805-710-1983. Good Luck.)
August 14-16; Tehachapi, CA - Techachapi Gem & Mineral Society, St Malachy Catholic Church, 407 West E. Street. Hours: Fri.-Sat. 8-7:30, Sun. 8-5:30. Chuck Overall (661) 821-4650, Luckydog5433@aol.com.
September 4-7; Fort Bragg, CA - Mendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Town Hall, Corner of Main & Laurel. Hours: Fri. to Sun. 10-6, Mon. 10-4. Don McDonell (707) 964-3116.
September 12-13; Vista, CA - Vista Gem & Mineral Society, Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N. Santa Fe Ave. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Fred Wilson (760) 433-8464, Cherie Wilson (760) 941-7073, Lois Harr (560) 724-0395.
September 19-20; Redwood City, CA - Sequoia Gem & Mineral Society, Redwood City Community Activities Bldg., 1400 Roosevelt Ave. Hours: 10-5 daily. Carol Corden (650) 248-7155, coorden@comcast.net, sgms.driftmine.com/home.htm.
September 19-20; Paso Robles, CA - Santa Lucia Rockhounds, Pioneer Park & Museum, 2010 Riverside Ave. Hours: 10-5 both days. Richard Smith (805) 467-2966, jonme2@wildblue.net.
September 19-20; Stockton, CA - Stockton Lapidary and Mineral Club, Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 33 West Alpine Avenue. Hours: 10-5 both days. (209) 946-0113, footsey1@yahoo.com, www.stocktonlapidary.com.
September 26-27; Downey, CA - Delvers Gem & Mineral Society, Women's Club of Downey, 9813 Paramount Blvd. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-4. Nancy Bird (562) 697-0636, nancyjbird@verizon.net.
September 26-27; Monterey, CA - Carmel Valley Gem and Mineral Society, Monterey Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road. Hours: Sat.10-6, Sun. 10-5. Sky Paxton (831) 262-2492, sky@familystones.net, Janis Rovetti (831) 657-1933, Janis12@sbcglobal.net, www.cvgms.org.
October 3-4; Fallbrook, CA - Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society, Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Museum, 123 W. Alvarado Street. Hours: 10-4 both days. Mary Fong-Walker (760) 728-1130, ikonmiming@gmail.com.
October 3-4; Oroville, CA - Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Club, Oroville Municipal Auditorium, 1200 Myers Street. Hours: 10-5 both days. Connie Rossetto (530) 59-1840, crossetto@aol.com, www.orovillerocks.com.
October 10-11; Grass Valley, CA - Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society "Earth's Treasurers", Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road. Hours: 10-5 both days. Kim Moore (530) 470-0388, kmoore160@comcast.net, www.ncgms.org.
October 10-11; Trona, CA - Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society, Searles Gem & Mineral Show Building, 13337 Main Street. Hours: Sat. 7:30-5, Sun. 7:30-4. Jim & Bonnie Fairchild (760) 372-5356, slgms@iwvisp.com, www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub.
October 17; Woodland Hills, CA - Woodland Hills Rockchippers, First United Methodist Church, 22700 Sherman Way, West Hills. Hours: Sat. 10-5. show@rockchippers.org.
October 17-18; Anderson, CA - Shasta Gem & Mineral Society, Shasta District Fairgrounds, Near Redding off Hwy 273. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Steve Puderbaugh (530) 365-4000.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

AFMS REGIONAL SHOWS 2009.
(If you go to a web site close the new window to return here.)

Northwest Federation (NFMS) / AFMS,
July 30-Aug 2.
Combined Show hosted by Billings Gem & Mineral Club,
Holiday Inn Grand Montana,
5500 Midland Rd.,
Billings, MT.
Hours: 10-5 Daily.
Contact Person: Doug True (406) 670-0506, Email: dtruefossils@yahoo.com, Website: www.amfed.org/nfms, NFMS/AFMS Show Website: www.amfed.org/nfms/nfmsshow.htm.


Rocky Mountain Federation (RMFMS),
October 2-3, Roswell, NM.
Website: www.rmfms.org.


South Central Federation (SCMS),
October 10-11, Temple, TX.
Website: www.scfms.net.


Eastern Federation (EFMS),
October 16-18.
Beals Community Center, Bristal, CT.
Website: www.amfed.org/efmls.


Southeast Federation (SFMS).
Website: www.amfed.org/sfms.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

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