THE 734th MEETING
OF
THE MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 10, 1999
The Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Arcadia
Featuring A Talk By
Rock Currier
"Into The Heart Of Darkness"
A recent collecting trip to Zaire
PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
by Bob Housley
At the February meeting we heard some exciting reports from Tucson. Carolyn
Seitz was able to line up a great group of speakers for our Pasadena Show in
November so now we know we will have an outstanding program to offer. She
also found a very enthusiastic response from dealers so we also expect to
have an excellent representation of dealers with the best new material.
Several members reported on interesting activities at Tucson and new mineral
finds from around the world. The find that most caught my attention was a
“cave” of pink fluorite on quartz that has recently been discovered and
mined in the Alps. The locality can only be reached by rock climbing
techniques and the material sounds simply beautiful.
Talking about fluorite we also had a brief field collectors' forum as part
of the meeting and Carolyn showed us some very nice green fluorite
thumbnails she had recently collected at the Felix Mine in Azusa. That
reminds me of something I have planned to call attention to in the Bulletin
for some time.
The Felix Mine is generally listed as a locality for minim, a rare mixed
valence state lead oxide. It was first put in CDMG Bulletin 173 based on a
personal communication from a person named Clarke. From there it was picked
up by Dana, since there are few localities known for the mineral. However
in CDMG Bulletin 189 it is mentioned that nobody at that time knew who
Clarke was nor how the identification was made. Based on lack of
documentation the locality has been dropped from the most recent edition of
Dana. I have been unable to locate any confirmed specimen.
One of my strong interests as a collector is to collect complete suites of
minerals from a locality, not just the showy ones. I have been working on
the Felix for a number of years. I have found galena inclusions and badly
weathered free galena crystals. I have found abundant limonite pseudomorphs
after chalcopyrite or sphalerite, both as inclusions and free crystals. I
have found inclusions of cerussite and malachite in fluorite. Recently
Steve Shailer gave me a nice fluorite with inclusions of unaltered
sphalerite. I have also found decent free microcrystals of malachite.
Over the years I have tested a number of orange powdery samples from
fluorite inclusions and found free in cavities. None have been minim.
About half have been cinnabar and about half have been mottramite. My
conclusion is that nobody should label orange material or orange inclusions
in fluorite from the Felix as minim without testing that specific sample.
If anybody is interested I will volunteer to do some tests.
My other strong interest is in exploring new or little known areas as a
field collector. I have recently found some nice varicite in the San
Gabriel River canyon near Morris Reservoir and will bring some samples to
the meeting to show.
Don’t be left out...This will be your last bulletin if your dues are
not
current. Then, no need to renew until 2000 !
by John Schwarze
This time I’d like to discuss some of the terminology used to describe the
shape of mineral specimens. Believe it or not, a crystal’s shape is not just
“awesome” or “grungy”. I’ll try to do this in alphabetical order;
so that
Ron Thacker has a tougher time shortening the piece.
Acicular (a sick u lar): Needle like crystals, either singular or in
groupings. Many zeolites, such as Natrolite, Mesolite, or Mordenite take
this form. Do you remember your Latin? The word is from acus, or, that’s
right, needle.
Bladed: Pretty obvious. The mineral takes the form of a knife blade. The
mineral Kyanite takes this form and, since it’s blue, it’s a good addition
to any collection.
Botryoidal (boy tree oyd el): These look like bunches of grapes or small
marbles glued together. The classic example of this shape are the specimens
of Hematite from Cumberland, England. The name is Greek and means a “bunch
of grapes”. By the way, that same mineral from the same locality also serves
as a classic example of Reniform, which, for some reason, means kidney
shaped. (Actually, it’s from “renis”, Latin for kidney).
Columnar: Have you seen the Devil’s Postpile up near Mammoth Mountain? Well,
that’s the shape; standing like the columns holding up Tara in Gone with the
Wind. Best examples are any Beryl or Tourmaline crystal.
Dendritic: Tree like and/or branching. You’ll commonly see various Manganese
minerals coating rocks in this fashion. However, those spectacular gold
specimens featured in the Mineralogical Record in Kristalle’s ads are
frequently in this form. This one’s Greek, from “dendron” or tree.
Druse: A coating of well formed crystals so tiny that it looks like the
underlying rock or mineral is covered with sugar. The mineral that typically
forms this coating is clear quartz, although it can be any mineral and can
be any color. Believe it or not, this is a German word, a rare break in the
Greek/Latin scientific name monopoly.
Fibrous: The appearance is that of threads or fibers all bound together.
Serpentine (asbestos) is the best example. If the crystals look like threads
or fibers but are single crystals rather than aggregates, then the preferred
term is Filiform or Capillary. The best examples of these are Millerite from
Hall’s Gap, Kentucky.
Massive: Showing little or no structure; but consisting of only one mineral
species. If it’s composed of more than one species, then you’re looking at a
rock, not a mineral.
Micaceous: To me this always looks like the scales of a fish; but,
obviously, it’s from the word and mineral Mica. I prefer Specular minerals,
which also look like fish scales; but are opaque and shinier. Hematite can
look great this way.
Radiating: The crystals grow outward from a central point, forming a
circular specimen. Most of the literature uses Pyrite or Wavellite as
examples; but I’m partial to the Ulexite that used to come out of the mines
at Boron when they were underground and not a large, open pit.
Reticulated: Minerals that form in aggregates of lattice like structures.
Some of the Cerussite from Bisbee, Arizona forms this way and can be quite
attractive in its strange back yard trellis way.
Does this exhaust all possibilities? Of course not. With the thousands of
distinct mineral species that exist, the possibilities magnify. For example,
there’s a mineral(?) called Cylinderite that forms in little, you’ve got it,
cylinders; the only one I know of. However, there’s some dispute as to
whether or not it’s a distinct species or just something else in a disguise.
In the long run, just describe the shape of your specimens the way they look
to you. Chances are you’ll be on the same page as everyone else.
As usual, I write these pieces to stimulate interest and comment on things
mineralogical. I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Last year we got such a good response to our Petersen Mountain field trip
that I committed to Jon for another trip this year. Of course the things to
collect are smoky quartz, quartz scepters, and amethyst. Last year some
spectacular specimens were found and nobody had to pay a cent extra for
their finds. As last year, the claim holders reserve the right to keep one
specimen per day (not from each collector but from the group (this is not
likely to happen)) but if it does, he will compensate the finder $200.00.
Collectors will also sign a lease agreement and a liability waiver. There
will be a toilet on site as well as a first aid tent. The claim holders
will be operating a backhoe most of the time to aid collecting. It's a
guaranteed good time.
Dates: Memorial Day Weekend, May 29, 30, 31
Time: We will meet at the campsite and caravan from there to the
collecting
site. We will leave promptly at 9:00 a.m.
Please do not drive to the collecting site alone. Come to the campsite
first. We will pass out information packages and collect signed waivers. We
may also need you to help transport people without four-wheel drive. Last
year a few drove up alone, and the rest of us waited and waited for them to
show up at camp, not knowing that they were already at the collecting site.
For this reason, as well as for safety reasons, anyone who fails to comply
with this requirement will have their fee refunded and they will be denied
access to the claim for that day.
Fee: The fee to collect is $50.00 per person per day.
Attendance: Jon would like to have 15 to 20 people per day
Registration: Complete and return the sign-up form, with your check, to
the
address on the form by April 30, 1999. I will confirm your registration
when I receive it.
Vehicles: Any vehicle can make it to the campsite but you MUST have
four-wheel drive to get to the claim. Last year we had no trouble getting a
ride for anyone who needed it.
Directions: Take U.S. 395 north to Reno, Nevada. Continue 30 miles more
to
Hallelujah Junction, and then about 10 miles more to Red Rock Road. Turn
right and the camp site is just up the road. Watch for MSSC signs. If you
plan to stay in Reno, make your reservations early, it is a holiday weekend.
U.S. 395 between Reno and Red Rock Road is a high enforcement zone for both
CHP and NHP. DO NOT drive over the speed limit.
For information: Jim Schlegel, phone: (626) 449-9197, Fax: (626) 449-5484,
e-mail: jeschlegel@earthlink.net
by Randy Hurst
1. I am defined as the "work of snow and ice beyond the limits of
glacier
action." Who am I ?
2. During the middle ages a man who was born of "superior
breeding," was
thought to be this. This name also has been given to a group of elements
that make "superior alloys." Who or what are we?
3. What is the name for the practice of naming allied groups of plants,
animals, and minerals?
4. The gradual increase of sodium towards the outside of a plagioclase
crystal is called?
5. When crystals are grown by synthetic means a seed kernel is placed
into
the super saturation mix to begin this?
6. Avalanches and volcanic gas clouds both travel by the same means but
only
the volcanic form is called this?
7. John Stutter found one of these?
8. I am often defined in planer geometry and am also found in the Martin
L.
Stout quiz's? Only the first part of my many names is necessary to identify me.
9. I am a black substance that has a very diverse past. I have been
traded
for dear skins and grain, worn as jewelry, and even used in war, but am not
a metal. Who am I?
1. Inclinometer
2. Index fossil.
3. Joints
4. A nonconformity.
5. Ordovician.
6. Orogeny.
7. Yes to both, paint pots are colored mud holes.
8. Thank God for something smooth to walk on.
March 20, 21: Mineral Collectors Workshop: Searles Valley, by San
Bernardino County Museum. Lectures on Solution Mining Techniques, Borates
from Searles Lake. Pot-luck supper. Sunday field trips to Calico led by
Bob Housley, and Crestmore Quarry led by Curt Forrester.
March 27, 28: Boron Rock Bonanza by the Mojave Mineralogical Society at the
Boron High School. Sat 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sunday to 4:00 p.m.
April 7: MSSC monthly meeting.
April 11: MSSC Board of Director’s Meeting
April 23-26: 1999 Desert Research Symposium, San Bernardino County Museum.
June 18-20: CFMS Show, County Fairgrounds, Turlock.