THE 733d MEETING
OF
THE MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

7:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 17, 1999
The Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Arcadia

Featuring A Round Table
"Tales of Tucson"
by
All Who Went There
and
The Collectors' Forum
by
All Who Have Collected Since August
Featuring

A Display Of Specimens That Were Collected
Please Bring Your New Acquisitions
For All Of Us To Enjoy

by: Bob Housley

We are off to a great start for 1999, thanks in large part to our 1998 officers and committee members. Our annual banquet was well attended and was a huge success with much old t!ime socializing capped with a fascinating talk by Bob Jones on collecting adventures in Mexico. Outgoing president Ron Peller nicely thanked those who had helped make the year a success and both he and the Show Committee deserve our special thanks for the !strong position we are now in as a club.

For those of you who have not yet heard we will have our Pasadena Show again at the Pasadena Convention Center in the 3rd weekend in November this year. Good dealers are already !lining up. We will again have good facilities for speakers and an area for demonstrations. I am excited and all the other members who have heard the news seem to be also.

I have just come from our first MSSC Board meeting of the year full of enthusiasm, but tired. All the Board members and Officers were present as well one guest and we worked for! over 4 hours making plans for the new year. We have tentatively decided to move our regular meetings to the geology building at PCC on the second Friday of the month. The facilities at PCC are excellent and we will not have the severe time constraints t!hat we currently have. We expect that the change in day will be popular with families having school age children and with college students. We have worked out general and board meeting dates for the year and a date for our annual picnic and swap meet.

We plan to use some of the extra available time at meetings to again make MSSC meetings a clearinghouse for information about what is going on in mineralogy and mineral collecting! in Southern California. We plan to have a short field collectors forum section in each general meeting. We also plan to have reports on what other organizations such as Friends of Mineralogy, Micro Mineralogists, Gem and Mineral Council, and the local !museums are doing. We plan to announce field trips and shows by other clubs and have feedback reports from people who have attended.

The challenge is that to make these ideas work a number of people have to come to meetings prepared with interesting things to tell us about. That is where we will need every one!'s help to make this work since no one has been assigned topics. If you know about something of mineralogical interest or know where to find out quickly please plan to tell us about it.

In keeping with tradition the main part of the program for our

coming meeting is reports from Tucson, and it will be on the 3rd Wednesday instead of the 2nd. This topic should allow us plenty of time to discuss recent field collecting activ!ities, and have as my organization reports as people are prepared to give, without shortchanging the main presenters on time.

An up to date roster with e-mail addresses should be mailed to all members soon. Our website is currently being expanded and updated. We plan to keep it current with meeting, program, field trip, and show information. If you have ideas, comments, or even complaints please let me k!now by phone or e-mail. If you are willing to help implement the idea so much the better.

MINUTES OF THE 732nd MEETING OF THE MSSC

The 732nd meeting of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting and Installation Banquet at the Peppermill Restaurant in Pasa!dena on January 16, 1999. Ron Pellar called the meeting to order at 7:54 p.m. after the dinner. The meeting business and installation were conducted before the speaker's presentation.

Ron Pellar opened the meeting by thanking the many people who have helped him through his term. He followed this by introducing the outgoing officers. He then called on Jim Schl!egel to brief us on the show. Jim reported that the show will be at the Pasadena Civic Center on the third weekend of November, which is the 20th and 21st. Our featured speakers will be Bob Jones and John Sinkankas. Jim thanked Martin Zinn for keeping t!he show alive as the MSSC made a transition to a new generation of people to carry the burden. He indicated that the show would return to the MSSC's core values with demonstrations and speakers, etc. as well as returning to the Pasadena area.

Ron Pellar then introduced the incoming officers and handed the meeting over to Gus Meister to install the officers. With the new President, Bob Housley's permission, Ron preside!d over the remaining portion of the meeting.

Ron Thacker presented the Treasurer's report. He indicated that both our bank balance and membership numbers were down slightly but that the Society is still quite sound. Ron Pe!llar mentioned that changes in our banking practices along with potential higher income from the show would hopefully reverse those trends.

Ron then adjourned the meeting at 8:25 p.m. and called on Program Chairman Bill Rader to introduce the evening's speaker, Robert Jones, who spoke on the subject "Mineral Collecting in Mexico."

Respectfully submitted,

David Smith, Secretary.

MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 24, 1999 MSSC BOARD MEETING

A meeting of the MSSC Board of Directors was held on January 24, 1999, at the home of Jim Schlegel at 2:15 p.m. Board members in attendance were: Ron Pellar, Jim Schlegel, Carolyn Seitz, Bob Housley, John Schwarze, Charlie Freed, Ed Smith, Rock Currier, Steve Shailer, and Dave Smith. Also in attendance were Bill Besse, Ron Thacker, and Janet Gordon.

Bob Housley commenced the meeting with a few announcements. The next item on the agenda was how to make the meetings more interesting and beneficial to the members. The discussi!on ranged widely, covering to a great extent many ways that the Internet and electronic communication could improve our sources of information for the Bulletin and improve our information delivery capabilities. Also, e-mail could be used to foster better ties with the various societies in the Western Region. Additionally, Bob indicated that he would like to have a core of members who would welcome new members and guests to meetings and introduce them around and involve !them in some of the discussions that take place after the meeting.

The third item on the agenda was a presentation by Janet Gordon on the available meeting facility in the Geology Building. at Pasadena City College. The hall seats 65 with theate!r-type seating. It will support numerous media types and has an attached kitchen. There is an additional room with several display cases of mineral samples and a number of web linked iMacs. The presentation was followed by a discussion on transitioning to! PCC for the society's meetings. The Geology department said they could ensure that the society would not be "bumped" at short notice. Additionally, Janet said that there is no parking enforcement on the weekend, so parking would also be free. Jim Schleg!el made a motion, amended by Rock Currier as follows: " Moved that the Board of Directors intends to move the monthly meeting to the second Friday of the month at Pasadena City College and, unless there are significant objections from the membership, the transition will be made within the next six months." !The motion was passed unanimously. Additionally, Ron Thacker will investigate the possibility of limiting our contract with the Arboretum to six months.

The fourth item on the agenda was the budget. Ron Thacker brought in the data relating to budget history and a proposed budget. The Board discussed the budget item by item and m!ade changes and corrections. Jim Schlegel moved the budget be approved as amended. Charlie Freed seconded the motion. It was approved unanimously.

The fifth item was a schedule of Board Of Directors meetings for the year as follows:

April 11, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Steve Shailer .

July 11, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Bill Besse.

October 17, 1999 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Ron Pellar.

January 23, 2000 at 2:00 p.m. at the home of Carolyn Seitz.

The annual picnic will be on August 14, 1999. The location will be announced later.

To support Jim's work on the show Jim moved that he be authorized to approve necessary expenditures and make commitments for the Society on items regarding the Show. Ron Pellar seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously.

Carolyn Seitz then gave a progress report on the educational project. The Dana Club, LA County and San Bernardino County Museums and others have offered expertise and advice from! their ongoing educational outreach programs. Many members and dealers have donated minerals - both to give to the children and items of display only. Many people have volunteered to help when the program is being drawn up. Carolyn stated that we should be ready to start moving into classrooms by September.

The Board of Directors meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

David Smith, Secretary

SOME MINERAL BOOKS

By John Schwarze

Recently I admonished you to "buy a good mineral book, and use it". Naturally, a few of you have asked which ones, what are they about, etc. First let me say the expected: The Mineralogical Society of Southern California does not sell, rent, endorse, front for or otherwise ask or force any of you to buy or read these books. The opinions expressed are all mine. As far as I can discern, these books are all still obtainable. S!o, here goes:

Field Guides: I have never seen anyone bring one of these in the field. I know that I would rather bring another pint of water, another sandwich, or an extra chisel; but before you go, or after you’re back, these can help you decide what you’ve found.

The old timer in this group is the Peterson Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals, 5th Edition. I believe the 4th edition is the first non-text book on minerals I ever bought and I still have it. In addition to describing and illustrating mineral specimens, it also contains discussions on mineralogy, the crystal systems, origins of rocks and minerals, how to identify minerals and more. In add!ition, the photos of micromounts in the 5th edition were taken by our own Sugar White.

My favorite, however, is the Audubon Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals. The photos are of more typical specimens, giving you a clearer idea of what a mineral looks like. It also give multiple photos of many specimens, giving one an idea of the varied appearances !that many minerals can assume. As the Peterson does, this volume also contains discussions of the crystal systems, the origins of rocks, etc. Speaking of rocks, this guide contains many photos supplied by the erstwhile Rock Currier, member of the Board of t!he MSSC. (Tip: I’ve seen this one at Costco at about half the cover price).

A third is Simon & Schuster’s Guide to Rocks & Minerals. The difference between this and the above two is that it consists of mineral photos from Europe, with an emphasis on Italian specimens. Apparently the guide, and its companions on other subjects, was or!iginally published in Italy, translated into English, and finally appeared here. If you have an interest in European mineralogy, this may be for you.

Advanced Mineral Books: The last few years have seen a rebirth in the production of detailed, technical volumes on minerals; books that tell you everything about every mineral known at the particular time of publication. If you want to get deep into mineralogy, I suggest that you take a class, or multiple classes. After that, you may be interested in these volumes:

The Handbook of Mineralogy, Vols. 1, 2,& 3 (with more to come). These treatises intend, no less, to compile and disseminate all knowledge on all known minerals. The three volumes published so far cover Elements, Sulfides, and Sulfosalts in Vol. 1, Silic!a and Silicates in Vol. 2, and Halides, Hydroxides, and Oxides in Vol. 3.

Another is Dana’s New Mineralogy: The System of James D. Dana and Edward S. Dana, 8th Edition. As with the Handbook, this book attempts to collect all information on all known minerals; but does it in one volume! Maybe I should have discussed this one under Field Guides. The other thing you should be aware of with these advanced books is that they aren’t cheap. If you’re going to make the commitment to buy and read these books, I anticipate coming to you to get my mineral specimens identified.

Specialized Mineral Books: For a field that the general public knows so little about, it’s amazing how many books are currently in print and how many have been printed. A recent list I’ve seen contains over 360 titles - all currently available. However, the ones you’d be most likely to use would be:

Minerals of California by Pemberton. A little piece of history here; beginning in 1866, the State of California began publishing detailed lists of all minerals reported within the State’s boundaries. This continued until 1966, when the State suffered one of its periodic recessions, budgets were cut, and you get the idea. In 1983, H. Earl Pemberton took up the challenge, updated the State’s data and published. It is the primary document on California mineral localities.

Glossary of Mineral Species, 7th Edition by Fleischer (probably due for a new edition) This document is more of a list; but does cover all minerals. It also has a section in the back that groups minerals - Micas, Garnets, etc. That helps in understanding that many share common characteristics; but are dissimilar enough to get separate species names.

Manual of Mineralogy, 21st Edition. If any of you take a class on Mineralogy, this will probably be the textbook. I still have the 17th edition that I used in my class from Alan Colville so long ago, and it’s still useful

Curious Lore of Precious Stones by Kunz. If you’ve ever wondered how amethyst become associated with temperance, or just what minerals were in the breastplate of Moses’ brother Aaron, then this is the book for you. Kunz was a respected mineralogist of the late 19th and early 20th century; but he went to work for Tiffany and went a little bit astray. The mineral Kunzite, a gem variety of Spodumene, is named after him.

Also, if you can find anything written by John Sinkankas, buy it. John is truly a renaissance man, has written myriad books on myriad subjects and is well worth reading and listen!ing to.

Coffee Table Books: We’ve got to have them, don’t we? Those beautifully illustrated volumes that sit there, unread, but proclaim what our interests are. Well, here’s two that are readable, and useful, and remarkably well written:

Gem and Crystal Treasures by Bancroft. This one may be a little difficult to find; but I think book dealers can still dig one up. Peter Bancroft, the speaker at last year’s MSSC banquet, compiled a list of the 100 greatest gem and specimen mines in the world and wrote their histories in this book. I’ve never heard more than minor squabbling over his choices. The book is profusely illustrated with photos of specimens; but also with great photos of the mines and the early miners. I love it!

The National Gem Collection (of the Smithsonian Institution) To celebrate the remodeling of this national treasure, this book was published. Although it specializes in cut gems, rather than mineral specimens, it still grabs my friend’s attention, especially the section on the Hope diamond. Hopefully (pun intended) they will publish a companion volume with great photos of their minerals, particularly their San Diego County tourmalines.

Periodicals: I subscribe to two. One is a little quirky, sometimes reads like a gem club bulletin (Sorry, Ron) and occasionally features fossils. The other is, quite simply, the most well done and gorgeous book ever printed:

The first is Rocks and Minerals. I like this one because it is field trip and locality oriented. It also sticks to home, the USA. I enjoy its’ articles on mineral museums of the United States and appreciate that it always gives directions on how to get there. It also features mineral art, minerals on postage stamps, and other esoteric issues.

The second is, of course, the Mineralogical Record. This is what I watch for in my mail box six times a year. I’ve had friends (?) call and boast that they’ve gotten their issue a few days or hours before me and then hang up without telling me what the issue contained. The attention to detail in getting the document printed (I won’t call it a magazine) is incredible. The effort they go through to get the colors right is heroic. Look at an issue and see if you don’t agree. I’ll be honest; some of their articles get technical enough to put even me to sleep; but the pictures snap me back awake.

Computer Program: This is an area that is just reaching its’ potential. There are programs available for cataloging your collection; but that’s not what this article is about. If you want a program on identification, localities, and great pictures, then consider The Photo-Atlas of Minerals by the Gem and Mineral Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. This thing is great and the latest update is even better. A definite plus is going down to the Museum to buy it and walking around th!e Mineral Hall. If you don’t want to do that, Tony Kampf will be happy to send one through the mail.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these opinions and won’t take offense if I’ve left one or more of anybody’s favorites out. Remember, part of my goal here is to get people discussing and talking about this stuff, so don’t hesitate to seek me out and give me your opinions.

YOUR OPINION COUNTS – PLEASE CALL

At the January meeting, your Board of Directors considered a proposal to relocate our monthly meetings to the Geology Building at Pasadena City College. Recognizing that this is !an important issue which might affect members in many ways, the Board directed that a poll be taken of individual member's opinions to assist the Board in making this decision.

Significant changes include a change of meeting date from the second Wednesday to the second Friday. Meetings would be joint with the Dana Club and held in the main lecture room !which features theater style seating as opposed to the open architecture at the Arboretum. Extensive projection equipment would be available. Socializing and hospitality would be held in the adjoining lounge and study area which has a kitchen facility and! houses a portion of the school's mineral collection in glass display cabinets. It is probable that free parking will be available in the faculty lot at the northeast corner of campus, however this issue must be clarified.

Please send your opinion and any information you want the Board to consider to the Bulletin Editor for tabulation and transmittal to the Board. You may send it by e-mail to: rthacker@earthlink.net, or by fax to 818-248-3090, or by telephone to 818-248-9977. Alternatively, you can write a note to our post office box, or personally contact any board member. Please respond by the end of February on this important issue.

DUES ARE DUE

Believe it or not, it is that time again. But look at the positive side....you won't have to renew again until the next millennium. So is that a deal, or what.

EMPTY CHAIRS

Your Society needs help to fill two empty committee chairs....Publicity and Membership. These are important functions. They can be a lot of fun and provide rewarding experiences!. MSSC has some of the most interesting people of any group you can imagine, but we need help to tell others about us and to help us grow. Contact President Bob Housley.

A BIG THANKS. . .