COLLECTOR’S NOTES

Ord Mountains

by Bob Housley

For the past several years documenting the mineralogy of the Ord Mountains has been one of my low key projects and at various time several people have joined in. A couple of years ago Paul Adams and I wrote a progress report describing some of the mines which appeared in the San Bernardino Count Museum Quarterly. Still I would say that collectively we have visited far less than half the accessible areas of potential interest. Partially in preparation for a field trip to follow the Pacific Micromount Conference Al Wilkins and I further explored the area just before Christmas.

We first stopped at the White Dollar Mine which yielded a small tonnage of tungsten during the 1950’s. With a uv light scheelite can be seen in a short incline. Two parallel veins occur in a hornfels area. Although no large specimens were seen, several areas of the rock contain small calcite nodules. Nice micro specimens of epidote, garnet, albite, and actinolite can be seen where the calcite has weathered away and better ones can be obtained by collecting specimens with unweathered calcite and etching it out with dilute cold HCl.

Following the gas line road west at the west base of a steep pass we stopped briefly at a nearby dump. Tiny black crystals collected there proved to be mottramite, a new mineral for the area. This dump may have been part of the east workings of the Gold Banner Mine.

We then went on west and Al collected at the Josephine Shaft while explored the Modesto Claim of the Ord Mountain Mine. There I found some interesting samples with cavities containing clear barite blades along with what seems to malachite in two distinct habits. One is deep green and solid with stubby crystals on the surface. The other is very long slender needles with a light rusty staining. They occur adjacent to each other in the same cavities.

At this claim I also found something else I have never encountered before. It is chrysocolla pseudomorphs after chalcanthite. Some of them are quite well formed.

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

This is my second Bulletin, and as you can see there are no significant changes in format from that of my predecessor. I have added a Collector’s Notes section. This is just a formalization of the inputs that have been supplied by Bob Housley and others over the past couple of years. It is my not too subtle way of conning Bob into continuing to provide what I consider a valuable service. It is also a place for all members to provide information to the MSSC membership about collecting areas. I hope that I will hear from each one of you over the ensuing year.

On rare occasions, changes occur between Bulletin issues that need to be presented to the membership. If you want me to e-mail these to you, send me your address. It will not be revealed to anyone, or used for any other purpose. I presently have the addresses of 55 members.

My address is wmargerum@earthlink.net.

IN MEMORIAM

We are saddened to note the passing of MSSC member Jeri Rossman, wife of MSSC Member George Rossman.

MINUTES OF THE JANUARY ANNUAL BANQUET AND MEETING

The meeting was held on Saturday evening 1/20/01 at the Oak Tree Room, a very pleasant banquet facility recently discovered by Cathy Casey, and was attended by over fifty members and guests. It was a special pleasure to see former president Jack Streeter who came up from San Diego for the occasion. He is now 97 and still going strong.

Happy hour started at 5 pm and provided a good chance to catch up with many members, such as Bill and Elizabeth Moller, from more locations who we do not see too often during the year. It was followed by a fine, all you can eat, buffet featuring prime rib, salmon, and lemon chicken entrees, a salad bar, soft drinks, and a variety of deserts.

Following dinner a short business meeting was called to order about 7:15 pm by outgoing president, Robert Housley, who began by introducing and welcoming guests and thanking some of those people who had contributed toward making the year 2000 a great success. These particularly included Jim Schlegel and the other members of the Show Committee who put on a Show in November that we can all feel proud of. Discussion of the Show led naturally to presentation of the awards for the best mineral display cases. The trophies themselves are beautiful pieces of art and had been on display at the front of the room during the earlier part of the evening.

All awardees were present. Robert Housley called on Ron Thacker to make the first two presentations. Tim Sherburn received the H. Stanton Hill award. Al Ordway received the Gus Meister award. Since the overall level of displays was excellent it follows that these winning displays were truly outstanding.

Then Robert Housley then called on Wayne Leicht to present the new Kristalle award for the best junior case. It was happily accepted by Bill Larsen Jr., who also had a great case.

A call for general announcements was made and Cathy Casey briefly described her recent experience in teaching about minerals at the Braille Institute for the Blind and introduced Patrick, one of her students. She ask for volunteers who could bring fossil or mineral specimens with interesting feels and spend a couple of hours talking with the students about them. Contact her if you would like to try that.

All other business having been taken care of Robert Housley then asked Gus Meister to install the new officers for this year. They are David Smith, president, Dan McHugh, vice president, Janet Gordon, treasurer, and Robert Housley, secretary. The business meeting was then adjourned at 7:40 pm.

After a short intermission the program began about 8 pm. It was a talk titled “Gem Mining in the Thomas Mountains of Utah” and was given by Walter Mroch and John Holfert. They described several areas they have located and mined in the Thomas Mountains including the Maynard Claim, Solar Wind Claim, Searle Canyon, and the durangite locality and showed a number of mouth watering pictures of specimens from each. In addition to some spectacular topaz these included many nice red beryl plates and combinations with bixbyite and topaz, and a number of nice durangites. The talk concluded with an invitation to come up for a field trip this summer. A invitation we are likely to take them up on.

Following the talk quite a few members bought autographed copies of their book on mineral collecting in the Thomas Mountains and thoroughly enjoyed previewing specimens they brought that they had recently prepared to take to Tucson. After some more visiting member drifted homeward.

Respectfully Submitted by Bob Housley, Secretary

MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 2001 BOARD MEETING

The first MSSC Board meeting of 2001 was called to order by president Dave Smith at about 2:15 pm at Rock Currier’s home. Present were Dave Smith, Dan McHugh, Janet Gordon, Robert Housley, Carlie Freed, Charlie Crutchfield, and Bill Besse.

Since a vacancy on the Board was created by the election of Dave Smith president it was moved by Ron Thacker and seconded by Charlie Freed to appoint Bill Besse to fill the vacancy. This motion passed unanimously.

Janet Gordon then gave a brief interim treasurers report and indicated that she still had some work to do before she could access all the files generated by the previous treasurer. Ron Thacker volunteered to help resolve this impasse. Janet properly indicated that the top priority right now is getting membership dues for the current year collected. In the meantime Bill Besse moved and I seconded a motion to use last years budget as a working guideline for this year. The motion passed unanimously.

As an item of new business I brought up the question of MSSC rejoined as a affiliate of the California State Mining Museum. This involves paying them $1 per MSSC member, for which in addition to the satisfaction of supporting them our members get certain benefits when there. After some discussion during which it seemed to be generally agreed that the Museum is now back on track and worthy of support I moved and Charlie Freed seconded that we rejoin. The motion passed unanimously.

We then briefly discussed next years Show. Ron Thacker called Jim Schlegel and confirmed that we have a verbal commitment from the Pasadena center for Dec. 8 and 9. Bill Besse then volunteered to make flyers to pass out at Tucson.

Then finally we picked places and times for the next four Board meetings. They will be April 22 at Dave Smith’s, July 22 at Bill Besse’s, October 21 at Charlie Freed’s, and January 13, 2002 at Janet Gordon’s.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:15 pm.

Respectfully Submitted by Bob Housley, Secretary

FIELD TRIP

Last months Bulletin listed a tentative Field Trip to Borate. Unfortunately the trip has been postponed due to scheduling difficulties.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FEBRUARY

8 -11 The theme of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society show is Russian Minerals and Gem art. It will feature the work of Peter Carl Fabergé. For show information see the web site at www.tgms.org.

16-25 The San Gorgonio Gem & Mineral Society show will be held at the Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival Gem & Mineral Building, 46-350 Arabia Street Indio, Ca. The Hours are: 10-10 daily. For more information contact Don Grisham (909) 845-9361 or, Bert Grisham (909) 849-1674

24-25 The San Fernando Valley Gem Fair sponsored by the Del Air Rockhounds, Sierra Palona Club, and Woodland Hills Rock Chippers will be held at the Valley Plaza Recreation Center, 12240 Archwood Street, North Hollywood, Ca. The hours are: 10-5 both days. Contact Julie & Oscar Marin (818) 886-7190 (E-mail ohmarin@flash.net).

MARCH

3-4 The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society show will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd. (Seaside Park), Ventura, Ca. The hours are: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-4. Contact Richard Jiaras (805) 646-7184, or Kathryn Davis (805) 658-2606.

3-4 The Monrovia Rockhounds show will be held at the Arboretum of Los Angeles County, 201 North Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia. The hours are 9 - 4:30 both days. Contact Jo Anna Ritchey (626) 359-1624

10-11 The Pasadena Lapidary Society show will be held at 3130 Hunting Dr., San Marino, Ca. The hours are Sat 10-6 Sun. 10-5 Contact Alex Sergienko (323)258-1394.

24-25 The San Diego Mineral and Gem Society,“Gem Diego” show will be held at the Al Bahr Shrine Auditorium 5440 Kearny Mesa Rd. San Diego, Ca. The hours are: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Contact Wayne Moorhead (858) 5861637.

24-25 The South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society show will be held at the Torrance recreation Center 3341 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, Ca. The hours are: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Contact Doris Turney (310) 318-2170

25 - April 1 The CFMS Spring Earth Sciences Seminar will we held at Soda Springs (ZZYZX), which is 8 miles East of Baker. The workshops will include bead stringing, silversmithing, sculpting, wire-wrap, cabochons and perhaps others. There will also be field trips and speakers. Registration is limited to 60, and the fee is $220.00 per person. For more information call Cal Clason at (661) 589-4189 or Ray Meisenheimer at (805) 642-3115, or visit the CFMS website at www.cfmsinc.org.

31 -April 1 The North Orange County Gem and Mineral Society show will be held at the La Habra Clubhouse 200 W. Greenwood, La Habra, Ca. The hours are: Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4. Contact Susan Hansen (562) 865-2040 (sunkaysen@aol.com), or Don Ogden (909) 598-2456 (donogden@aol.com).