THE
758th MEETING
OF
THE
MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
7:30 p.m., Friday March 9, 2001
Geology
Building E Lecture Hall
Pasadena
City College
Pasadena,
California
Featuring a Talk
by
Sugar White
“The Arsenates of the Great Basin”
Sugar White will present a talk on “The Arsenates of the Great Basin.” The mines covered, among others, are the Centennial Eureka Mine in Utah and the Mohawk and Mammoth Mines in California. She has recently given this talk at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and at the Micromounters Hall of Fame.
by Dave Smith
Friday, Feb 16 marked the first meeting presided over by me as your new president. We had a very good turnout and I had the privilege of hearing an excellent presentation on the subject of ground penetrating Radar and its use in locating gem pockets. While I anticipate organizing the meeting better with time, I can hardly ask for better presentation material. Mr. Patterson had an interesting topic, good representative slides and samples of minerals found using the Radar.
If you have not paid your dues this is the last Bulletin you will receive! We do not want to lose you, so please send your dues to:
Mineralogical Society of Southern California
P.O. Box 41027
Pasadena, Ca. 91114-8027
Attn.: Treasurer
by Walt Margerum
Over the last two years, I have spent some time at the Jackrabbit and Tungsten Blue mines in the Tungsten Hills just west of Bishop. These mines were both started around the time of World War I as a result of the tungsten shortage. They were intermittently worked after the great war, and all production ceased with the end of the strategic stockpiling program in the 1950’s.
The Tungsten Hills are composed mainly of granite and quartz diorite, which enclose small masses or roof pendants consisting of schists, quartzite, limestone, and skarn a silicate-rich rock formed through the alteration of limestone. All these metamorphic rocks are derived from sedimentary rocks. Tilted remnants of a basalt flow cap a few summits on the north, and numerous dikes of aplite, diorite, and andesite cut the older rocks.
Although good material is scarce I was rewarded with several decent specimens of garnet, epidote, and scheelite. The garnets are in the andradite-grossular series, and range from microscopic to about 1 cm. They are of a light brown to almost black color. Many of the garnets at the Jackrabbit mine are covered with a loose powder of magnetite. The largest epidote crystal I collected measured 2 cm., but the massive material can be several times that size. The epidote ranges from the usual pistachio green to almost black. I was not able to find any decent crystals of scheelite, but much of the material has formed along cracks and therefore makes for good ultraviolet specimens. Most glow a deep blue, but some have a yellowish cast indicating the presence of powellite.
This may not be the best collecting area, but it is easily accessed, and makes for a good day trip if you are in Bishop with nothing else to do. To get there go east on Line St. turn north on Ed Powers Rd. and then go east on the Tungsten City Rd. After several miles you will see the mines. The Jackrabbit is on the left side and the Tungsten Blue is to the right. Happy hounding!
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is soliciting public participation in the development of a vehicle access network for the Newberry and Rodman Mountains. The BLM has prepared detailed maps and a written report that describe a preliminary access network.
An open house will be held Thursday, March 29, 2001, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the BLM’s Barstow Field Office located at 2601 Barstow Road, and BLM staff will be available to discuss the suggested network. The public is invited to "field check" the suggested network and provide their comments during the 90-day field review.
Development of a vehicle access network will implement a decision reached by the BLM in 1980 when it completed the California Desert Conservation Area Plan. The plan directed the BLM to design and designate such a network on public lands throughout the deserts of southern California. This "route designation process" is now being implemented through the new West Mojave Plan, an interagency wildlife conservation plan currently being developed by a consortium of desert cities, counties and agencies. Based upon the public comments received during the 90-day public review, the BLM will develop a modified proposed route network, which will be used as the preferred alternative in the West Mojave Plan.
The Newberry-Rodman area is one of 22 regions into which the western Mojave desert has been subdivided for purposes of developing a network of vehicle access routes. When completed, the network will provide recreational and other access to public lands while at the same time protecting sensitive natural and cultural resources.
Subregion reports are not a decision documents, nor does the route network suggested by this report constitute a formal proposal by the BLM. The written report provides an overview of the subregion, its current uses, natural and cultural resources and management goals. It describes the effectiveness of the suggested network in meeting those goals. It is a preliminary assessment prepared to assist the staff and public as they cooperatively develop a formal proposal for a route network.
Once a proposed network is developed, it will be discussed at public meetings to be held during the summer of 2001. Following publication of a draft environmental impact statement on the West Mojave Plan late in 2001, additional public hearings will be held. This field review, therefore, is but the first of several opportunities for public involvement in the route designation process.
Comments regarding the proposed Newberry-Rodman route network must be received by Friday, May 18, 2001. Copies of the report and 1:25,000 scale maps are available upon request from the BLM. For more information contact the West Mojave Team at (909) 697-5294.
In case you haven't noticed I have added a volume and issue number to the front page. My numbering is not technically correct as the first Bulletin was issued in November 1931 as Volume I No. 1, so using that as my criteria this is technically Volume 70 No. 4. The second volume was issued in September 1932 as Volume II No. 1. Therefore this should be Volume 70 Number 7. Somewhere along the line the volume and issue numbers were dropped from the Bulletin. Being a nostalgia buff I decided to reintroduce them. So as not to cause confusion, I arbitrarily decided to start the January issue as Volume 71 No. 1. I hope that makes everything clear. If not I can make the next issue Volume LXX No. 7.
I need articles to use in the Collectors Notes column. As you can see by the one I have written they do not have to be literary masterpieces. Those by Bob Housley are masterpieces, so keep them coming.
The 757th meeting of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was called to order right on time at 7:30 pm by president Dave Smith, who then introduced the evenings speaker. About 25 people were in attendance.
The talk by Jeffrey Patterson was far ranging and absolutely fascinating. Prior to embarking on a Ph. D. program at the University of Calgary, Jeffrey already had had a career as a consultant applying computer technology in civil engineering. He thus brought a lot of valuable experience to his new projects.
He began with an overview showing that all the significant gem bearing pegmatites in Southern California are aligned along the Elsinore /San Jacinto fault systems. The main part of the talk then began with a map of the underground workings of the Himalaya Mine. In large parts of the mine past operations had left a boxwork structure of supporting columns connected by criss crossing stopes and drifts. Over 2500 linear feet of dike is exposed, but in most parts only a limited amount of material can be safely removed. These conditions made the use of ground penetrating radar to locate pockets especially desirable.
The dike itself is generally less than a meter thick and the signals from the radar would penetrate into it about 2 meters. The signal was mostly absorbed in the rock above and below the dike. Thus conditions for use of the radar were also ideal. The newer ground penetrating radar units that have become available in the last few years are compact and light weight enough to be practical to carry through difficult mine workings. Twenty four hundred linear feet were surveyed at the Himalaya Mine. Astoundingly the results proved to be 100 % accurate, even to the sizes and distances to the pockets and vugs. Numerous pictures were shown of pockets and vugs shortly after they had been opened, with most of the contents still in place. In one section of the mine the pockets were all filled with red clay whereas in another section it was absent entirely and they were air filled.
These results allowed the pockets to be opened with a minimum of damage so that the maximum amount of gem and specimen material could be recovered. No vugs were encountered when work was done in areas where the radar had reported none. As another interesting note most of the pockets discovered were in sections of the dike that would not have been considered favorable by the rule of thumb criteria that the miners generally use. The talk was further illustrated with typical sections of the dike and a nice display of material recovered from one of the pockets.
The talk was followed by a lively question and answer session. Then Jim Schlegel gave us an interim report of last years Show and outlined preliminary plans for next years. It appears certain that we made a modest profit last year. Next year we will stay at the same place, but move to the weekend of December 8 and 9. The theme will be “California Minerals”. Jim plans to organize a more formal Show Committee this year and would like to hear from anyone interested in participating. Even if you have discussed it with him in the past anyone now interested in serving should again contact Jim at (626) 449-9197 or jeschlegel@compuserve.com
We briefly discussed future field trips, but are still looking for a Field Trip Chair to take a more systematic approach. I reported that we are unable to schedule a trip to Borate in March because U. S. Borax is currently reviewing their policies regarding group access. Jim Schlegel indicated that he, as in the past, plans to lead an informal trip to Crystal Ridge in late April. A trip to San Benito County was also mentioned.
Jim Schlegel announced that Walt Bowser had kindly donated quite a lot a material for door prizes following the Show, and brought in one flat of it to augment what we had on hand. I also mentioned that Walter Mroch had donated three nice thumbnails of topaz and bixbyite for door prizes and added those to the collection.
We had four guests, including one couple from Australia, who were then invited to introduce themselves. One of the guests, who had recently moved here from the East Coast had already discovered Tick Canyon and mentioned finding a pocket of nice amethysts there. Another guest brought what appeared to be a large, stream polished chunk of black jade that he had found while hiking in Altadena. All four guests were given prizes and then the regular door prize raffle was won by Carolyn Seitz.
The meeting was adjourned about 9 pm and a lot of rock looking and friendly discussion followed until it was time to leave.
Respectfully submitted by Bob Housley, Secretary.
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).
7-8 The Mojave Mineralogical Society, Inc. show will be held at the Boron High School - Multipurpose Room - Prospect Street, Boron, Ca. The hours are: Sat 9-6 Sun 9-4. Contact David Eyre (760) 762-6575 or Roy Eyre (760) 762-6555.
7-8 The Puente Hills Gem and Mineral show will be held at Steinmetz Park 1545 S. Stimson Ave. Hacienda Heights, Ca. The hours are: 10-5 both days.
Contact: Don Warthen Don@Ofeliawarthen.com
28-29 The annual Field Trip to Crystal Ridge will be hosted by Jim Schlegel. There will be more details in the April Bulletin,.