THE 775rh MEETING
OF
THE MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

7:30 p.m., Friday September 13, 2002
Building E, Room 220
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, California

Featuring a Talk by
Dr. Gary Peterson

on

Why is Mars Red ?

SEPTEMBER PROGRAM

Dr. Gary Peterson will present a program on why Mars is red.  Dr. Peterson has a BA in geology from the University of Colorado, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Washington.  Among his present duties as a professor at San Diego State University, he teaches an introductory class in planetary geology.  He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and a member of the Planetary Society.  He has been testing this talk on a number of geological and Astronomical groups and looks forward to sharing his ideas with a group that has an interest in and knowledge of minerals.

MSSC TELEPHONE INFORMATION LINE

VOLUNTEER NEEDED !!

Ron Thacker

The MSSC telephone information line is now active at  626-683-1770.  Initially it will be used to provide show information to the general public who may not have Internet access.  The system can be expanded in the future to accommodate other uses as the need arises.  So why the volunteer?

If you listen to the recorded message, you will know.  Some people have great telephone voices....yours truly is not one of them.  If you have a good telephone voice, we need about thirty minutes of your time to record a new message.  No experience required.  Sorry, no residuals, either.

The Luck Lucy Mine

Walt Margerum

In the December 2001 Bulletin I reported on a trip Bob Housley and I made to the Custer mine.  After rereading the article by Gail E. Dunning etal. titled “Ag-Cu-Pb-Si Sulfosalts New to Darwin Mining District, Inyo County, California” in Volume 16 Number 9, (2000) of the Mineral News I have come to the conclusion that we might have also visited the Lucky Lucy, and some of the minerals we reported as coming from the Custer actually came from the Lucky Lucy.  The Mineral News article describes the Lucky Lucy as being about 100 meters east of the St. Charles mine on the same side of the canyon.  This puts it between the St. Charles and the Custer.  It also says the mine consists of a single pit about 4 meters deep extending into the side of the hill.  Along with the rare sulfosalts described in the article they also list the following minerals; brochantite, serpierite, rosasite, aurichalcite, hemimorphite, bismutite, iron oxides, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrite.

C. S. Stolburg  in “The Mines and Minerals of Darwin California” Mineralogical Record Volume 15 Number One, (1984) lists brochantite, and serpierite as occurring at this mine.  This article lists the mine as being in Custer Canyon, but gives no specific location.

Therefore the minerals listed as occurring at the Lucky Lucy are:

This is an impressive list for such a small pit.  The minerals in bold were found by Bob or myself, and those in italics are the rare sulfosalts described by Dunning.   It should be noted that the sulfosalts were found in only two small specimens in the 1960's, and none have been found since.

In June 2002 I returned to the area to verify if I was correct in assuming that we had visited the Lucky Lucy.  The location that Bob and I found matches exactly the description given by Gail E. Dunning.  The mine is located as shown by Dunning between the St. Charles and the Custer, but is closer to the Custer than the St. Charles.  Therefore the brochantite, aurichalcite, and hemimorphite listed in the December 2001 Bulletin as coming from the Custer actually came from the Lucky Lucy.

To get there you need to hike approximately 2000 feet (600 meters) down Custer Canyon.  The vertical distance is about 256 feet (78 meters).  After you pass the St. Charles loading chute you will see the Custer to your left.  As you start up the side road to the Custer you will see a small road leading to your left.  This is the road to the Lucky Lucy.  There is some lumber and remnants of an ore chute on the side of the hill below the mine.  The pit is not visible until you are almost on top of it.  The GPS coordinates are N 36° 16.392' ; W 117° 34.447'.

The trail down Custer Canyon gets progressively steeper as you approach the mine, and the canyon traps heat as the day progresses.  So even though the distance is short you need to bring plenty of water.  On my trip in June 2002 the temperature in the canyon reached 100° by 11:00 AM, and a hot breeze was blowing up the canyon.  You also need to remember that the trail back is all uphill!

The Lucky Lucy as seen from below

In addition to the minerals found on the first trip I found chrysocolla, serpierite, tremolite, rosasite, pyrite, and sphalerite on this visit.  Chrysocolla, as usual, is the most common copper mineral found at the mine.  All of the minerals I collected were from the dump, and were micro's. 

Hemimorphite occurs as small sprays of crystals, some of which have been coated by chrysocolla, or brochantite.  The aurichalcite ranges from almost white to a pretty sky blue, and makes very attractive specimens.  Brochantite occurs as either dark green blocky crystals or groups of sprays.  It is especially pretty when it occurs with light blue chrysocolla. While not common, I found only three specimens, the serpierite is sky blue, and looks similar to the brochantite sprays.  I have tentatively identified rosasite in two specimens.  It occurs as small globular to angular masses with a fibrous structure, and also appears to be replacing hemimorphite in one of the specimens.   I found a single specimen containing pyrite cubes, and a very dark subhedral sphalerite.  The tremolite is white and fibrous.  All of the minerals occur in a pale tactite.  The tactite consists primarily of small garnet (andradite?) dodecahedrons with some quartz, calcite, and a pink feldspar.

It is interesting to note that with the exception of the two rare sulfosalt specimens found in the 1960's none of the other minerals contain lead.  It makes one wonder about the origin of the 1960's specimens.  Since the Lucky Lucy is less than 100 meters from some of the St. Charles mine prospects, and 50 meters from the Custer, a known lead producer, one has to consider the possibility that they may have been transported from either of these. 

 There are several specimens that have not yet been identified.  If they turn out to be interesting I will report on them in an update to this article.

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

The following article is reprinted from the July 2002 CFMS Newsletter

Izzie Burns

May 10. 2002 Senator Boxer introduced a Senate Bill as an addition to another Senate Bill which would include 2.5 million acres of new wilderness area and more than 400 new wild and scenic river miles. Included in the wilderness acres is the North Cady Mountains, which we had an MOU with the BLM to use for our educational recreation of collecting, studying and enhancing rocks. The Alvoris Mountains, the bowling alley, and several other sections are to be added to the Death Valley National Park. Now Representative Hilda Solis of East LA and Representative Mike Thompson will introduce companion Bills in the House of Representatives,

Today Senator Feinstein had one of her spokespersons give me a call to discuss this problem. I was not home and he has not returned my call. Sen. Boxer sent her spokesperson to see me May 10 and she introduced her Bill that day; so you can see how important my input was. There was a party in San Diego the night of the tenth and one of 200 people on the Golden Gate Bridge overlooking the San Francisco Bay on May 11. Obviously Senator Boxer was too busy to consider my suggestions. Her spokesperson did not know that you cannot collect rocks, plants, flowers, etc. from a National Park or preserve.

So guys and gals if we want to keep our collecting areas open, we must each and every one write to our senators  and representatives. There is no authentic reason for more wilderness areas or an extension of our national parks. This is environmental greed not need.

Another disappointment! For the First time since the California Mojave Desert Advisory Council was formed as required by the Desert Protection Act of 1994, we, the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies did not have any one appointed to this Council. I will try to get that improved next year.

GEMSTONE DEPOSITS OF COLORADO 
AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION

For those of you going to the Denver show, this symposium might be of interest. ed.

A Symposium to be held at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado September 7-10, 2002

Sponsored by Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter; Colorado School  of Mines Geology Museum; Denver Museum of Nature and Science; and U.S. Geological Survey

The symposium will precede the Denver Gem and Mineral Show, theme “Colorado Gemstones”, Sep. 13-15, 2002

All persons, amateur and professional, interested in the geologic occurrence of gem minerals are invited to attend.

The symposium will include:

*Welcoming party, Friday evening Sept. 6 at the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum

* Lectures, Saturday Sept. 7 and Sunday morning Sept. 8, at the Colorado School of Mines

* Sat. Banquet; speaker, Dan Hausel, Wyoming Geol. Survey, “The Great Diamond Hoax of 1872”

* Tour of Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Sunday afternoon Sept. 8

* Reception at DMNS, Sunday evening Sept. 8

*Field trips, Monday & Tuesday, Sept. 9 & 10 (diamond-bearing kimberlites and Cripple Creek)

* A booklet containing the program, extended abstracts, and field trip guides

Speakers will include: Dick Berg, Montana sapphire deposits; Bill Chirnside, Utah pink topaz; Bob Cobban, Colorado blue corundum; Howard Coopersmith, Kelsey Lake diamonds; Heather Douglas, emeralds of northwestern Canada; Nelia Dunbar, origin of thunder eggs; Mary Garland, origin of Montana sapphires; Mike Gray, rare and unusual gem minerals; Dan Hausel, Wyoming gem occurrences; Mark Jacobson, Mt. Antero aquamarine; Bob Jones, turquoise of the Southwest;  Dan Kile, Del Norte agate; Bryan Lees, Colorado gem rhodochrosite; Jay Lininger, Art Montgomery and the history of mining gem minerals in Colorado and Utah; Pete Modreski, Colorado topaz; Jack Murphy, Colorado gemstones; Jim Piper, gemstones of South Park & vicinity; John Rhoads, Colorado peridot; Jim Shigley, Utah red beryl; Art Soregaroli, Zapot pegmatite, Nevada.

Symposium registration fee: $30.00.  Saturday evening banquet: $25.00. Field Trips: $35.00 each (transportation provided; you must also be registered for the symposium)

#1 Monday, Sep. 9 - State Line diamond-bearing kimberlite district (attendance may be limited)

#2 Tuesday, Sep. 10 - Cripple Creek gold (Cresson mine) and turquoise mines

Send payment for registration to: Friends of Mineralogy, Colorado Chapter, P.O. Box 5276, Golden CO 80401-5276; make checks to Friends of Mineralogy.  For further information please contact:

Pete Modreski, 303-202-4766, pmodreski@usgs.gov, or Jim Hurlbut, 303-757-0283, jfhu@vanion.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

SEPTEMBER

20-21  Fontana, CA  Kaiser Rock Club
California Speedway , 9300 Cherry Ave.
Hours: 9-5 both days
Jo Ann Watson (909) 355-7455

28-29  Downey, CA  Delvers Gem and Mineral Society, Inc.
Woman's Club of Downey, 9813 Paramount Blvd.
Hours: Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4
Chuck Pierce (714) 526-5614 / caseychuck@att.net 

OCTOBER

5-6  Vista, CA  Vista Gem & Mineral Society
Brengle Terrace Community Recreation Center
1200 Vale Terrace
Hours: 10 - 5 both days
Mary Anne Mital (760) 758-4599

12-13  Trona, CA  Searles Lake Gem and Mineral Society
Gem and Mineral Building, 13337 Main Street
Hours: Sat 8-5 Sun 8-4
Bonnie Fairchild (760) 372-5356
web http://www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub/tronagemclub.html 

19-20 El Cajon, CA  El Cajon Gem & Mineral Society
El Cajon Valley Masonic Hall Association, 695 Ballantyne
Hours: 10-5 both days
Mikki Santens (619) 440-3201

19  Canoga Park CA  Woodland Hills Rock Chippers
Canoga Park Community Center, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue
Hours: 10-5
Thalia Goldsworthy - WWROCKShow@aol.com 

19-20  Whittier CA  Whittier Gem & Mineral Society
Rocks In Our Back Yard - The 53rd show
7630 Washington Ave. (Corner of Mar Vista and Washington Ave.)
Hours: 10-5 both days
Jay Valle (626) 934-9764

20  Fallbrook, CA  Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society
Fall Festival of Gems
Fallbrook Mineral Museum, 123 W. Alvarado Street
Hours: 10-4
Karen Dawes & Mary Fong/Walker
(760) 728-1130
E-mail: fgms@att.net