Bulletin of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California

Volume 74  Number 6                                             June 2004

The 796th Meeting of The Mineralogical Society 
of Southern California

"What's New in California Gold"
by Wayne Leicht

 Friday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Geology Department, E-Building, Room 220
Pasadena City College
1570 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena

Wayne Leicht to Present California Gold Update

  Wayne Leicht, well-known mineral dealer, former MSSC president, and a leading expert on gold specimens will present "What's New in California Gold" for our June 11, 2004, meeting at 7:30 p.m.  Wayne is a recognized authority on California gold, old and new.  He will bring us up to date on what's being mined where, how specimen gold forms, and how crystallized gold is prepared for the enjoyment of mineral collectors.  This will be a fully illustrated presentation by a speaker whose extensive knowledge and enthusiasm has captivated many a mineral collector.

When Wayne was a small boy, his grandfather had a log cabin near Big Oak Flat. The summers spent there were filled with the hunt for the “big one” by panning in the local streams. Well, he never found the “mother lode,” but it did inspire a life-long interest in gold and the history surrounding the California gold rush.

            In the late 1970's the Leichts acquired their first major gold collection. Specimens from that Crespi collection now reside in museums around the world, and their own famous gold with the tree root is from the same collection.  Since then Wayne and his wife, Dona, were fortunate to meet up with a wonderful family in northern California who (over several generations) have operated a series of ten claims now brought together under the general name of “Eagle’s Nest Mine.” For a little background reading and a hint of what is to come, see "The Eagle's Nest Mine: Placer County, California" in the January-February, 2004, Mineralogical Record, p. 65-72.  Don't miss this opportunity to hear more of the real California gold story.

June Field Trip:  Cerro Gordo Dump Dig

by Walt Margerum

The Lone Pine Gem and Mineral Society will be holding their annual Cerro Gordo dig on Sunday, June 6, 2004.  All MSSC members are invited to join in the fun.  Participants will meet at Lee's Frontier Chevron at the south end of Lone Pine and leave from there at 8 a.m.  Normally Cerro Gordo is a $25 a day fee dig.  This fee is waived for this field trip.  We ask that participants donate money to the Jody Stewart Memorial Fund instead.  Jody was the long time owner of Cerro Gordo who died recently of cancer.  The money will be used toward the restoration of Cerro Gordo.  High clearance vehicles are recommended, and good brakes are a necessity.  Because Cerro Gordo is at 8000 feet, the sun is bright, and the weather can be either hot or cold, sometimes both on the same day.  Please dress appropriately.  Bring your own water and food.  The tools needed are a good shovel, pick, and rock hammer. 

For information on Cerro Gordo please read my article in the June 2002 Bulletin (available at www.mineralsocal.org).  Several interesting articles can be found by typing Cerro Gordo California into the Google Search engine.

Minutes of the April Board Meeting

The April 2004 board meeting the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was held on Sunday, April 25^th at the home of James Kusely.  Vice President James Kusely brought the meeting to order at 1:31pm.  In attendance at the board meeting were the following board members; James Kusely, Ilia Lyles, Walter Margerum, Larry Bruce, James Imai and Justin Butt.

First on the agenda for the meeting was the treasurer’s report that was given by Treasurer Walt Margerum.  Along with the net worth report, the treasurer’s report was discussed and approved with a motion by Larry Bruce and a seconded by James Kusely.  It was passed unanimously. 

The August picnic plans were next on the agenda.  Preparations regarding as to where to have the picnic this year as well as if there would be any possible speakers were discussed.  Plans were also made to make sure there was room to do Kid Rock and the annual rock swap.  The August picnic if possible will be held at the women’s club or PCC.  Vice President James Kusely will now be responsible for the further planning of the picnic. 

This year's MSSC show was discussed for the remainder of the meeting.  The show chair, Justin Butt announced the latest news regarding this year’s plans.  Justin then showed a nice rough draft of the flier that is to go out this year.  The theme of this year’s show is ‘Minerals from China’; postcards displaying this theme along with handouts will be distributed in the upcoming May shows.  A motion was brought forth by Walter Margerum to fund the show account with further monies for Justin to use to make cards for mailings, etc.; this motion was seconded by Larry Bruce and then passed unanimously.  If more funds are needed at a later time they will be discussed at the July board meeting. 

Promotion and advertising for the show were also discussed. This year the board also believes that there should be more of a push to have more diverse exhibits at this year’s show to entice more families.  To help with this, announcements will be sent out to some museums to see if they would like to set up there own exhibit.  For the show 12 tables have been set aside to aid in the promotion and development of the demonstrators, as well as space for Kid Rock.  Security for the show at the Long Beach Convention Center as well as the price of parking was brought up.  Also this year there will be tables available for smaller dealers to get an opportunity to display their wares at very reasonable prices.  Booklets for the show and their production costs were also talked over as well as the possible selling of advertising in the booklet.  Some of the board members believe that the booklets given out at the show should have a map as well as more information about the society and how to become a member.

The board meeting was brought to a close at 3:12pm.

Respectfully submitted by Ilia Lyles, Secretary

Minutes of the April Meeting

The 794^th meeting the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was held on Friday, April 30th in the Geology department at Pasadena City College.  Vice President Jim Kusely brought the meeting to order at 7:34pm.  This meeting had an incredibly large turnout; there wasn’t an empty seat in the house.

Jim Kusely then brought up some issues regarding the MSSC show on October 16^th and 17^th.  This year the admission for the show will be free.  Along with free admission there will be convenient parking at a very large venue.  This year’s show should be very exciting.

Before the speaker there were a few field trip announcements.  Field trip chair Walt Margerum announced trips he was arranging to the Custer, Lucky Lucy and Fernando mines.  Various galena, fluorite and calcite can be found on these areas.  Steve Knox also announced some trips to Four Peaks as well as to Quartzite and the Purple Passion for octahedron fluorite and wulfenite specimens.  Further information regarding these trips will be announced in a later bulletin. 

Vice President Jim Kusely then introduced this month’s speaker, Mr. Andreas Ertl.  Andreas comes from the University of Vienna and gave a terrific talk on tourmaline.  He discussed the general chemical formula for the tourmaline group minerals and the range of chemical differences that can be observed within various crystals.  We all then learned an interesting fact: schorl is the most common form of tourmaline while elbaite is the rarest.  During the talk pictures of the different crystal forms in which tourmaline exists were shown.  Many of his discussions were based on tourmaline specimens known as olenite, which can be found in a pegmatite in Koralpe, Austria.  His research discovered that the lattice parameters in boron rich olenite is much lower because boron is smaller than silicon, therefore reducing the bond length.

Through analysis Mr. Ertl was able to find that aluminum rich lithium rich tourmalines from pegmatites may contain significant amounts of tetrahedral boron and no magnesium.  While tourmalines with high amounts of iron, manganese and magnesium many contain significant amounts of aluminum.  Another interesting fact to collectors that Mr. Ertl shared with us is that pink, brown and yellow tourmalines are often low in iron content and manganese rich.

After the talk there was a drawing for April’s door prize.  Congratulations Walt Margerum for winning this month’s prize!

At 8:55pm the meeting was brought to a close.

Respectfully submitted by Ilia Lyles, Secretary

Minutes of the May Meeting

The 795th meeting the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was held on Wednesday, May 5th in the Los Angeles Natural History Museum.  This meeting was a joint venture with the MSSC and the Gem and Mineral Council.

The evening began with snacks and refreshments at 7:00 p.m. in the Museum Foyer.  There was also an open house of the Gem and Mineral Hall and everyone was able to see the minerals on display.  Many familiar faces were there, and the social hour was greatly enjoyed by all.  At 8:00 p.m. the meeting was brought to order by the President of the Gem and Mineral Council, Charley Schoettlin.  Various Gem and Mineral Council announcements were made.  Then the Curator of the Gem and Mineral Hall Dr. Anthony Kampf announced this evening’s speaker Bill Larson.  Mr. Larson then gave a great talk on his experiences collecting minerals.  Wonderful pictures of specimens he has owned and sold over the years were enjoyed.  The meeting came to a close around 10:00pm.

Respectfully submitted by Ilia Lyles, Secretary

Minerals in the News: 

From the Moon:  Hapkeite is a new mineral occurring in a lunar meteorite found in the Dhofar region of Oman.  The meteorite contains well-preserved clasts of igneous rock from the moon, and terrestrial alteration is negligible.  The compositions of the plagioclase feldspar in the clasts are typical of lunar highland breccias.  Three new iron-silicon (Fe-Si) phases were discovered in the breccia clasts, and sufficient analyses have been done on the Fe₂Si phase to characterize it as a new mineral.  Hapkeite has cubic structure and contains minor amounts of nickel, cobalt, phosphorus, and chromium.

Hapkeite is named for Dr. Bruce Hapke (University of Pittsburg), who more than 30 years ago predicted the process considered most likely to produce the observed Fe-Si phases.  According to Dr. M. Anand of the University of Tennessee and his colleagues, the preferred scenario for forming hapkeite involves the melting and vaporization of lunar regolith (soil) by micrometeorite impact.  The impacts vaporize FeO and SiO₂ in the lunar regolith, which, in turn allows the Fe and Si to dissociate from oxygen in the Moon's oxygen-deprived atmosphere.  They are then free to combine as Fe-Si phases including FeSi, FeSi₂, and Fe₂Si (hapkeite).  This process has been termed "space weathering" by some, and is different from processes here on Earth.  Micrometeorites slow down and may burn up in the Earth's atmosphere before reaching the surface, and the oxygen-rich environment favors oxidation of Fe and Si.

Reference: Anand, M, and others, 2003, New lunar mineral hapkeite:  Product of impact-induced vapor-phase deposition in the regolith?:  Lunar and Planetary Science Conference XXXIV, abstract #1818.

Gold nugget from Germany:   According to the May 17, 2004 edition of The World on National Public Radio, a gold rush is in the making in the state if Thuringia, Germany about 200 miles south of Berlin.  Gold mining in Thuringia dates back to the 12th century, but there has been essentially no activity for the last 200 years.  This may change with the discovery of a 9.64 gram (0.31 troy ounce) gold nugget by an elderly gentleman out enjoying nature.  This is a small nugget by international standards, but German nuggets are rare and the collector's value is estimated at US$1,770.  Tourism officials are confidently predicting that the media invasion produced by this find will boost tourism.  For more about gold mining in Germany see www.goldmuseum.de.

Smithsonian Jade at GIA, Carlsbad:  The Gemological Institute of America Museum in Carlsbad will host an exhibit of Chinese jade carvings from May 24 to October 31.  The collection "Magic, Myths, and Minerals: Chinese Jades from the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery" is on loan from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service.  It includes 37 sculptures dating from the Shang Dynasty (13th-11th century B.C.) through the Qing Dynasty-Republic Period (1875-1925).

Darwin Area Field Trip Report

by Walt Margerum

In my article "The Darwin Tungsten Area Part II:  Mines and Mineralogy" I wrote that I was going to the area in mid May and that Company was welcome.  Shortly afterward I received a call from Frances Pedneau, a member of both the MSSC and the Lone Pine Gem and Mineral Society, asking if I would lead a trip the Custer and Lucky Lucy mine area.  I agreed, and Sunday May 23 was set as the date for the trip.  I announced the trip at the May MSSC meeting and sent e-mails to all members on our list.

I arrived at the designated meeting point, Lee's Frontier Chevron, at about 7:45 AM not knowing how many people would show.  By 8:15 nineteen people had arrived.  Five of the nineteen were from the Southern California area.  Not a bad showing considering the shortness of the announcement.  We then caravanned in about a dozen vehicles to the area. 

After we arrived and got all the vehicles parked along the road everyone fanned out over the dumps to collect.  Among the minerals collected were aurichalcite, brochantite, hemimorphite, and several nice "limonite" pseudomorphs of pyrite.  The best I saw was a dirt covered square foot specimen covered with half-inch cubes collected by Steve Knox.  Happy cleaning Steve!

All in all it was a good trip, and showed that even a quickly organized trip can be fun.

Notes from the Editor's Desk

The level of enthusiastic participation in MSSC activities these days is heartening, and it's a good time to consider how we can continue to strengthen the Society and have a good time, too.  For starters, keep coming to the meetings!  Jim Kusley has been doing a great job of finding excellent speakers, and he has plans for the Sunday, August 15th picnic well under way.  The picnic has traditionally been a time to informally swap, sell, or donate minerals you no longer need.  Good food and relaxed cordiality are always part of the mix, too, so save the date.  As added incentive to attend our meetings, the minerals in the door prize box have just been upgraded!

Nothing is as satisfying as finding your own minerals in the field, and field trips are one of the best opportunities for learning more about minerals and where to find them with the help of  other collectors.  Walt Margerum has lots to share as our field trip chair, and the trips will be successful if you come.

On the show front, Justin Butt is making excellent progress.  October will be here surprisingly soon.  Have you figured out what you are going to display yet?  Are you willing to do a Kid Rock shift or two?

In the early days the MSSC show had no competition from commercial shows, but now there are multiple large southern California shows.  For our show to be a success, it needs to offer something substantially more than hotel rooms full of minerals.  The most obvious edge we have on commercial shows is the marvelous private collections that members and society friends have been willing to display.  Let's all promote displaying at our show.  Talk it up, twist arms, dare your friends, do whatever it takes!

A second way to stand out in the show game is to continue to expand our successful outreach to kids.  I am thankful for the support this effort has had in the past, and this has fueled my interest in expanding and improving the program.  It turns out that funding the kids' education effort is the easiest part.  What we most need is enthusiastic volunteers to man the activities at the show, and we need better networking with science teachers, scouting groups, and other mineral societies interested in getting kids excited about minerals, rocks, and fossils.  Do you know someone outside of the MSSC who is a scout leader or a science teacher who would be good to contact?  I'd like to hear from members who do, and the sooner the better!

And if you are still reading this, here comes your invitation to enhance the quality of our Bulletin.  Even small tidbits can be combined to make something interesting -- perhaps an item for a minerals "gossip" column.  I heard that a couple of our members left the Costa Mesa Show with a 3-inch afganite!  Somehow I missed seeing that one.  On a more serious note, we are ready financially and technically to include color in the bulletin.  Do you have an article with a great color photo to contribute?  Or just a great color photo?  The possibilities are there, let's do it.

Janet Gordon

2004 Calendar of Events

June 5-6, Glendora Gems Gem and Mineral Show, Goddard Middle School, 859 E. Sierra Madre, Glendora, Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Mark Thompson (626) 335-3814.

June 19-20, Cayucos, CA, San Luis Obispo Gem & Mineral Club, Cayucos Veteran's Hall, 10 Cayucos Drive. Hours: 9 - 5 both days. Robert G. Hurless (805) 772-7160

June 19-20, La Habra, CA, North Orange County Gem & Mineral Society, Jubilee of Gems Show, La Habra Community Center, 101 W. La Habra Blvd., Hours: Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4. (626) 330-8974 / warthen@earthlink.net

June 26-27, Culver City, CA, Culver City Rock & Mineral Club, Culver City Veterans Memorial Complex, 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City, Corner of Overland Ave. & Culver Blvd., Hours: Sat. 10-6 Sun 10-5 . Chairmen--Rosalie Peschel (310) 397-4336 / RSP@MSK.COM; and Linda Taibi (310) 823-8137 / bocour@aol.com; Publicity - Janice Metz (310) 314-1203 / jenft4@aol.com.

June 30-July 4, Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Madras, Oregon, Gem and Mineral Show, Eula Dillard, 145 E. 179th St., Spanaway, WA 98387, (253) 847-2755 mistybluemorn@aol.com.

August 7-8, San Francisco Gem and Mineral Society Golden Anniversary Show and Sale, San Francisco Co. Fair Building (Hall of Flowers), 9th Ave. and Lincoln Way, San Francisco, Hours Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5.  Robert Campbell (415) 564-4230. Web site: http://www.sfgms.org.

August 15, MSSC Picnic, Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m., at the Arcadia Women's Club. Contact Jim Kusley bdbrdpen@earthlink.net.

October 16-17, Southern California Gem and Mineral Show, Long Beach Convention Center, presented by the Mineralogical Society of Southern California.  Hours: Sat. & Sun 10-6. Justin Butt, minwreck@hotmail.com.

November 12-14, West Coast Gem and Mineral Show, Costa Mesa Holiday Inn, 3131 S. Bristol St., Hours Fri. & Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. mz0955@aol.com,www.mzexpos.com.