THE 789th MEETING
OF
THE MINERALOGICAL SOCIETY
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

7:30 p.m., Friday November 14, 2003
Building E, Room 220
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, California

Featuring a Talk by

Rock Currier

on

The Bolivian Death Switch.

November Program

This month’s speaker is our own Rock Currier, and his subject is the Bolivian Death Switch.  It sounds thrilling, so don’t miss it!

Election Time

It’s election time for the new Officers of your Society.  Please show up at the November meeting, and Vote.  This is your Society and your vote counts.  We guarantee there will be no chads.

Dues are Due

It’s that time of year again.  Time to pay your MSSC dues.  You will receive a mailing soon with information and a dues form.  Please look for it.

Show News

It’s time to get ready for the Annual Show.

This year show will be held on December 13th and 14th at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.  The hours are from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days.  The show theme is Silver.  The December Bulletin will provide details on the dealers, exhibits, and activities occurring during the show.

As usual we need help, your help, in the preparation and running of the show!  The table and exhibitor case setup will begin Wednesday,  December 10 at 3:00 PM.  The dealers and exhibitors will be setting up from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Thursday the 11th, and from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Friday the 12th.  Your help is urgently needed for these activities. 

We also need help during the show!  To volunteer please contact Larry Bruce [Ph; 714-969-1250][e-mail; exoner8r@earthlink.net ].

Field Trip

by Justin Butt

I have a trip planned on the 16th of November for members of Culver City and MSSC.  There is limited space available...we are going to the Ocean View mine in Pala.  The cost is $35.00 for the day.  We can only accommodate 40 people, so it should fill up quick.  We will be having a pot luck with a grill and some tents and whatnot.  Should be a fun trip. For Information go to http://www.minwreck.com/oceanviewtrip.html

Call for Papers

We would like to inform you of the first call for papers for the 8th International Congress on Applied Mineralogy, to take place at Aguas de Lindoia, Brazil, on 19 to 22 September 2004.

The congress will cover applied mineralogy in the broadest sense: Advanced materials; Analytical instrumentation; Biominerals and biomaterials; Ceramic, glasses and cement; Cultural heritage; Environmental mineralogy and health; Gem materials; Industrial minerals; Mineral exploration; Oil reservoirs; Ore mineralogy and Process mineralogy.

Details of the Event can be found at www.icam2004.org  

The deadline for submission of Abstracts is November 10th, 2003.

Short courses on related fields, as well as field trips to world-class ore deposits will take place before and after the Congress.

The organizers the International Council of Applied Mineralogy  and the International Mineralogical Association  invite you to participate.

Minutes of the October Meeting

The 788th meeting of the MSSC was called to order by Vice-President Jim Kusley on October 10 at 7:35 p.m.  Walt Margerum made announcements about the show including the initiation of the Hyman Savinar award for the best gem crystal to be displayed at the SoCal GemFest.  The museum's Gem and Mineral Council is sponsoring the award. 

Bob Reynolds then gave an excellent talk on entitled "Turquoise from the Mojave Desert: a gemstone mined for the past 1,000 years."  Although number of California turquoise localities were mentioned, the talk focused on the significant deposits in the Halloran Hills near Baker.  These include the Tiffany mines of the last century.  Bob gave a review of the geology of the area in relation to the formation of turquoise with the deeply weathered Tutonia quartz monzonite, over-thrusted Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, crustal thinning and young basalt flows all having a role.

Currently worked turquoise claims are on state land, so the miners use hand tools just as the earlier Native American miners did.  Ed Nazelrod of Baker is working the most productive claims at Middle Camp and can be contacted about field trips.  Alternatively, one could collect at the less productive East Camp area.  Bob showed images of a number of specimens from the area including large nodules and an interesting variety of pseudomorphs.  Turquoise specimens in the forms of barite, apatite, feldspar, and pyrite have been found.  He also brought some very attractive hand specimens.  The talk concluded with evidence for at least a millenium of turquoise mining at Hollarn Hills by Native Americans.

The talk was followed by a discussion of our up coming show with Walt Margerum reviewing the need for volunteers to help with set up of cases and tables and chairs on the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, December 10, as well as during the show and the take down on Sunday.  Janet Gordon reviewed the volunteer needs of the kids' activities on Saturday and Sunday.

Respectfully submitted for the Secretary by, Janet Gordon

Minutes of the October  Board Meeting

The MSSC Board met at the home of Bill Besse on October 19, 2003.  President Jo Anna Ritchey called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.  Jim Imai, Rock Currier, Dave Smith, Bob Griffis, Walter Margerum, Jim Kusley, Larry Bruce, Charles Freed, Bill Besse, and Janet Gordon were present.  Janet gave the treasurer's report and moved that members be allowed to renew their dues for 2 years at a time with a one dollar discount for 2-year renewals.  Bob Griffis seconded the motion, which carried.  A brief discussion of purchased life memberships followed.  This may be considered further at a future meeting.

The annual January banquet was planned for January 17, 2004.  Larry Bruce will contact Cathy Casey to make reservations at the Oak Tree Room for dinner as in the past.  Wine and beer are to be made available, but not a full bar.  Larry will arrange for the speaker and was authorized to commit up to $500 for speaker expenses, if necessary, to bring in an out of the area speaker.  If the speaker is a dealer, he or she may sell specimens at the banquet.

The Board is generally unhappy with the show advertising graphics provided by the museum.  The Society's name needs to be featured more prominently, and all agreed that the design was unattractive.  Bob Griffis will review our contract with museum to ascertain if it includes our right to approve advertising copy and will make sure that it is included in next year's contract.  Also, the post cards provided by the museum failed to include a return address in the text.

The board members then discussed the show's volunteer staffing needs.  Janet Gordon had a preliminary matrix of duties and times, and signed up those present for the times that they can serve.  These data will be forwarded to show committee and board members as a spreadsheet.  Larry Bruce will seek more volunteers for the show generally, and Janet will complete the volunteer list for the kids' activities.  The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted for the Secretary by, Janet Gordon

In Memoriam

It is with sadness that we report the passing on September 26, 2003 of Dr. Peter Weigand, a former MSSC member and a friend to all interested in minerals.  Peter, who recently retired as Professor Emeritus of Geology from CSUN, was a strong supporter of the amateur mineral community.  In addition to his numerous professional accomplishments, he spoke frequently at club meetings, and fostered geology and mineralogical education at all levels.  Recently, he had a special interest in making information about Los Angeles area mineral localities known to his students and the public.  Peter and a number of his students enthusiastically helped to man the kids' activities at our last show.  Dr. Weigand will be missed by many.

Calendar of Events

November

1-2  Oxnard, CA  Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society
"California Gems"
Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center
800 Hobson Way
Lois Allmen (805) 483-6871 / allmenl@vcss.k12.ca.us 

1-2  Ridgecrest, CA  Indian Wells Gem & Mineral Society
520 S. Richmond Road
Hours: 9-5 both days
John De Rosa (760) 375-7905

15-16  Palmdale, CA  Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club
Palmdale Elks Lodge, 2705 E. Avenue Q
Hours: 9 - 5  both days
Gail Becker (661) 256-4689 / Gail1010becker@aol.com 

22-23  Victorville, CA  Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club
San Bernrdino County Fairgrounds,14800 7th Street
Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-4
Bob Harper (760) 947-6383

29 -30  Barstow, CA   Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society
Barstow Community Center, 841 South Barstow Road
Hours: 10 - 5  both days
Bob Depue (760) 255-1030

December

6-7  San Bernardino, CA  Orange Belt Mineralogical Society
"World of Gems 2003"
San Bernardino Women's Club, 503 31st Street
Hours: Sat 10 - 6, Sun 10-5
Lyle Stayer (909) 887-3393 / ecobyrd@aol.com 

13-14  Los Angles, CA  The Mineralogical Society of Southern California & The Natural History Museum of LA Co.
 "Gem Fest"  900 Exposition Blvd
Hours:  10-5 both  days
Admission:
  Adult $8
  Students & Seniors $5.50
  Ages 5-12 $2