Bulletin of the Mineralogical Society 
of Southern California

Volume 75  Number 11                                             November 2005

"Geology of Mt. Wilson"

by 
William "Bill" Green 

Friday, Nov. 11, 2005, at 7:30 p.m.

Geology Department, E-Building, Room 220
Pasadena City College
1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena

Inside this bulletin:            

  • Mt. Wilson Geology is November Meeting Topic

  • Report from the Nominating Committee 

  • Open House at Jewel Tunnel Imports 
  • Southern California Gem and Mineral Show a Success 
  • Trivia Quiz 
  • Mineral Collecting with Lewis and Clark 
  • Calendar of Events

Mt. Wilson Geology is November Meeting Topic

The Friday, November 11, meeting will focus on the MSSC's home territory with a lecture titled "Geology of Mt. Wilson" to be given by Bill Green of Glendale College. 

Mr. Green will explain that Mt Wilson originated as a continental fragment in the eastern Pacific Ocean. That continental fragment drifted eastward due to plate tectonics and was implanted on the North American continent along the coast of present day Mexico as a "foreign" terrane. Later it was moved from a place 100 miles south of the border to its present location north of Los Angeles by the San Andreas fault. 

Compression and under thrusting lifted the mountain over 5 miles while aggressive erosion reduced the mountain to the point where it only stands a mile above sea level today.

The blanket of sediment from Mt. Wilson and the San Gabriels can be seen today in the folded and tilted formations of Vasquez Rocks in Aqua Dulce and in the sedimentary beds that lap the front range of the San Gabriels 

William "Bill" Green graduated from Tufts University in 1958 with BS in Geology. In 1962, he took an MS In Geochemistry and Geochronology from the University of Arizona at Tucson, and then spent a couple of years working on a project at Aero-Jet in Azusa to develop the means for extracting oxygen from moon rocks on the moon. Later, he spent 14 years at Meteorology Research, Inc. in Altadena working on air pollution chemistry and aerosol physics.

This was followed by 12 years at Xerox Electro-Optical Systems in east Pasadena, studying the transmissivity of lasers in the atmosphere for application to laser range finders and target designators. However, when several government agencies realized that Xerox color copiers could make excellent copies of money, he was asked to head up a technical team to develop anti-counterfeiting features that could be incorporated in the money. Many of these features appeared in the recent redesign of the U.S. currency.

Having "solved" that problem, he took early retirement and went on to teach in the public schools and eventually to teach Physical Science and Geology at Glendale College.

Report form the Nominating Committee

The nominating committee submits the following slate of officers and directors for service beginning in 2006. Additional nominations from the membership will be accepted at the November meeting.

President: Ilia Lyles 
Vice President: Jim Kusely
Secretary: Geoff and Pat Caplette
Treasurer: Walt Margerum
Past President (not elected): William W Besse
Federation Director: Jo Anna Ritchey

Board of Directors, 2006 - 2007:
Robert Housley
Ken Raabe
Jo Anna Ritchey

Save these dates!

The December 9, 2005, meeting will feature Dr. Ken Libbrecht, Professor of Physics, Caltech, who will speak on the crystallography of snow flakes.

The MSSC Annual Banquet will Saturday evening, January 21, 2006. Details to be announced soon.

An invitation for the 
Mineralogical Society of Southern California
and their guests for
an Open House at Jewel Tunnel Imports
Saturday, December 10, 2005, 10 AM to 4PM
13100 Spring St., Baldwin Park, CA 91706, 626-814-2257
Check out our web sight at jeweltunnel.com
Refreshments will be served.

Jewel Tunnel Imports is a leading wholesale distributor of mineral specimens, crystals, fossils, tumbled stones and many different kinds of lapidary items like balls, eggs, jewelry, etc. made from different minerals. We have a warehouse in excess of 10,000 sq. feet full of mineral-related natural history items, perhaps the largest of its kind in the United States.

Historically Jewel Tunnel Imports has had limited open house parties for mineralogically and geologically oriented groups such as the students and faculty of various university geology departments and members of certain gem and mineral societies. These open houses, by invitation only, on a few weekends just preceding Christmas, offer a chance for individuals belonging to these groups to buy minerals and crystals at wholesale prices and to learn something about the wholesale gem and mineral business.

The owner of Jewel Tunnel (Rock Currier) is also interested in learning about new sources of mineral specimens and has been known to buy and trade such items. He is a micromounter and always interesting in trading for good micromount material not represented in his collection.

Also at your open house will be the fellows or the Bowers Museum and the faculty and students from the California State University at Los Angeles.
Watch for driving instructions and last minute details in the December Bulletin.

Southern California Gem and Mineral Show a Success!

Our hats are off to show chair, Justin Butt, for a successful show in Long Beach last month. It was the MSSC's 58th annual show, and the convention center was filled with great dealers and spectacular exhibits. Mineral collectors and the general public came and had a terrific time. 

Although Justin and his wife, Brandy, get credit for shouldering the largest burden in putting the show together, there was a good showing of MSSC and other volunteers who made this labor of love a success. Ken Raabe put the show 

firmly back on the map as a place to come see minerals from significant private and museum collections. Janet Gordon once again organized the popular Kid Rock activities. Jim Kusley took care of many logistical details from vinyl to trailer towing. Walt Margerum produced the program and did other behind the scenes chores during the year. Rock Currier provided storage facilities throughout the year. Bob Griffis helped with dealer contracts. 

Thanks also go to the many members and friends who could be seen working hard at the show as volunteers. This included Bill Besse, Vicki Bruce, Justin Butt, Toni Callaway, Geoff Caplette, Pat Caplette, Rock Currier, Anne Davila, Linda Elsnau, Janet Gordon, Paul Gordon, Nel Graham, Warren Haby, Bob Housley, Josh Imai, Ed Imlay. Mary Johnson, Steve Knox, Jim Kusley, Ilia Lyles (and her mother), Walt Margerum, Ann Meister, John Moore, Brandy Naugle, Craig Naylor, Al Ordway, Ling O'Connor, Ron Pellar, Ken Raabe, Mary Alice Raabe, Gene Reynolds, Jo Anna Ritchey, Sonia Ritchey, Herman Ruvalcaba, and Fiona Will, plus many geology-student volunteers from four different colleges who staffed Kid Rock tables. Surely in an undertaking of this size, there are some names that have been unfortunately omitted from this list. If yours is one, please also accept the Society's thanks for your efforts and an apology for the omission.


The Southern California Gem and Minerals Show in full swing at the Long Beach Convention Center on Oct. 15, 2005.  Walt Margerum photo.


Part of the case assembly crew (Josh Imai, Herman Ruvalcaba, and Geoff Caplette) takes a break while the firemen clear smoke out of the exhibit hall on Friday.  These workers were prepared for anything!  Jim Kusley photo.

This year's exhibits created quite a buzz, and we thank all who contributed to making this part of the show successful. Individual exhibitors included Carl Acosta (southwestern minerals), Bill Besse (minerals of the true southwest), Justin Butt (Willard Perkins Collection), Sharon Cisneros (minerals of the west), Rock Currier (southwestern minerals), Anne Davila (self-collected Riverside minerals), Ken and Dana Gochenour (southern California minerals), Janet Gordon (assorted minerals), Bob and Sarah Griffis (minerals of Nevada and the southwest), Rick Kennedy (rough and cut gem minerals), Joe and Susan Kilbaso (southwestern minerals), Stan Korfmacher (unusual rough and cut minerals), Steve Knox (self-collected minerals of the southwest), Shou-Lin Lee (cat's eye gems), Wayne and Dona Leicht (minerals of Bisbee), Walt Margerum (minerals self-collected by MSSC members), Al Ordway (morganite from the Cryo-Genie mine), John Page (recent finds from the Green Cloud Prospect), Alfredo Petrov (minerals of Japan), Alina and Regina Raabe (pieces of earth), Bob Reynolds (hexagonal and trigonal minerals of California), Gene Reynolds (quartz from the southwest), Kay Robertson (the southwest is copper country), Carolyn Seitz (minerals of the southwest and New Mexico minerals), Jim Steinberg (mining memorabilia), Kelsey Stevens (mixed minerals), Patrick Stevens (spodumene from Afghanistan and mixed minerals), Sandy Taylor (minerals and corresponding faceted stones), John and Claudia Watson (lapidary arts of Russia and pseudomorphs), Scott Werschky (minerals of Nevada), John Woodward (Wickenburg minerals),

At the last minute Bill and Elizabeth Moller were unable to exhibit this year. Both they and their extraordinary minerals were greatly missed, and we wish them the best.

Institutional exhibitors were also a great asset to the exhibits section. Tony Kampf of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County brought eye-catching minerals of Bisbee, Arizona. Joe Siefke installed two excellent educational cases about borax and borate minerals on behalf of Rio Tinto Borax, The Jurupa Mountain Cultural Center was represented by Paula Jefferson who displayed a case of minerals and their products. Susan Celestain of the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum provided an educational case of Arizona minerals of beauty and utility. Pasadena City College's Dana Club contributed two cases of their geology department museum's best southwestern specimens. Lastly, the Fluorescent Mineral Society wowed the crowds with their tent of fluorescent minerals.

Thanks to Mary Johnson, Ron Pellar, and Ken Raabe for serving as judges for this year's exhibits. Winners of this year's awards were--


Exhibit judges (left to right) Ron Pellar, Ken Raabe, and Mary Johnson hard at work. Walt Margerum photo

Kelsey Stevens: Non-Theme-Junior
John and Claudia Watson: Non-Theme Individual
Kay Robertson: Theme- Individual
Scott Werschky (Miner's Lunchbox): Theme-Dealer
Sharon Cisneros (Mineralogical Research Co.): Non-
Theme-Dealer
Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum: Non-Theme-Museum
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Co.: Theme-Museum
John Page: H. Stanton Hill Trophy (outsanding case 
display of one or more minerals)
Anne Seminaris Davila: Gus Meister Trophy (best theme mineral specimen)
Al Ordway: Hyman Savinar Trophy (best gem crystal, 
presented by the Gem and Mineral Council of the 
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County)

Congratulations to all!

The featured speakers for the show were Jeff Scovil and Rick Kennedy. Jeff shared his recent experiences as a world famous mineral photographer traveling in Europe and Israel. The talk gave views of some of the finest mineral collections in Europe, including the the Folch Collection. This collection was known during the period 1960-1980 as one of the best private collections in the world. It was famous worldwide for its size (more than 15,000 specimens), the quality of the pieces, the large number of classic specimens, which are now almost impossible to obtain, and the style of the collection, which is surprisingly 'modern'. Sr. Folch (Joaquín Folch i Girona) collected smaller specimens that were esthetic, and, where possible, damage free. On the death of Sr. Folch, in 1984, the collection passed to his son Alberto, and when he in turn died to his grandson Joaquín Folch who wisely decided to keep the collection exactly as his grandfather had it (including the display cases). So the collection was kept together and its enormous historical value has not been lost.

In contrast, Rick Kennedy intrigued his audience by revealing the magic potions he uses to remove the natrolite which hides benitoite and neptunite clusters. Both talks were very popular with their audiences.

And last but not least, the kids and their keepers had a great time in the Kid Rock section this year. Free minerals were acquired by about 700 mineral enthusiasts aged 3 through 16. The touch table, crystal model construction, and hardness testing activities were also well received. Thanks to all who glued up little rocks, contributed material, and manned these activities. The rock painting area provided by the Orange County Museum was also well received, and we thank them for coming again this year. Many of the kids were repeat visitors, including several families who followed the show from the museum to Long Beach. 


The Kid Rock area was ready and waiting for the next wave of young mineral collectors.  About 7,000 free mineral samples were given away at the show.  Janet Gordon is modeling the fashionable purple show T-shirt.  Walt Margerum photo.


Gene Reynolds dispenses show information at the Society booth under MSSC President Bill Besse’s watchful eye.  Walt Margerum photo.

In addition, the Kid Rock area had a give-away table for teachers that held a selection of larger labeled specimens available for free to classroom teachers who were willing to sign in. More than 40 enthusiastic teachers participated, many responding to the special mailing sent to science teachers. One teacher reported that 25 of her middle school students were attending the show. Donations for future teacher give-away tables are currently being accepted.

The show committee is still getting feed back from dealers and adding up the final bills. We hope the show was successful for all the dealers. It wouldn't be a show without them! The goal is that proceeds from the show will allow the MSSC to continue funding scholarships, museum mineral purchases, and other activities in support of earth science education. Are you ready for our 59th annual show?

Trivia quiz

Can you define the following?

1. miner's inch
2. oryctology
3. mineralogic maturity
4. mineral soap
5. mineral blossom

Submit your answers to the editor and look for the "correct" answers in the December Bulletin.

Mineral Collecting with Lewis and Clark

In June 2001, at the AFMS/SCFMS Convention, it was suggested and approved to create a traveler's guide to the rocks, minerals, and fossils along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Thus the AFMS Lewis and Clark Project was created. After much work from volunteers from all regions of the AFMS Federation, the project has been completed and can be downloaded for your enjoyment from http://www.amfed.org.
The booklet is titled "Lewis and Clark: Rockhounding on the way to the Pacific." Two versions of this document are available. A version that is optimized for viewing on your computer, and a version that is optimized for printing on your printer.

2005 Calendar of Events

Nov. 5-6, Ridgecrest, Indian Wells Gem & Mineral Society, Desert Empire Fairgrounds, Mesquite Hall, 520 S. Richmond Rd., Hours: 9-5 both days, John DeRosa (760) 375-7905.

Nov. 5-6, Oxnard, Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society, The Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Norb Kinsler (805) 644-6450.

Nov. 5-6, San Diego, San Diego Mineral & Gem Society, Al Bahr Shrine Center (behind Hampton Inn), 5440 Kearny Mesa Road. Hours: Sat. 9:30-5, Sun. 10-4. Wayne Moorhead (858) 586-1637.

Nov. 11-13, Costa Mesa, West Coast Gem & Mineral Show, Holiday Inn, 3131 S. Bristol St., Costa Mesa. www.mzexpos.com.

Nov. 12-13, Anaheim, 38th Annual Opal and Gem Show, The American Opal Society, The Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort, 6161 Convention Way, Anaheim. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun. 10-5, Fran Todd (310) 987-0642, toddle@aol.com.

Nov. 12-13, Lancaster, Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club, Lancaster Fairgrounds, 2551 West Ave. H. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. John Martin (661) 916-9479.

Nov. 18-19, Northridge, San Fernando Valley, GEMboree, by the Del-Air Rockhounds, United Methodist Church, 9650 Reseda Blvd. (at Superior), Northridge. Hours: Fri. 1-9:30 p.m., Sat. 10-5, Bob Backus (818)347-2056. Free.

Nov. 19-20, Vicotrville, Victor Valle Gem & Mineral Club, San Bernardino Co. Fairgrounds, 14800 Seventh St. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. Joe Kosik (760) 241-0894.
Nov. 26-27, Barstow, Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society, Barstow Community Center, 841 S. Barstow Rd. Hours: 10-5 both days. Bob Dupue (760) 255-1030.

Dec. 10, MSSC Open House at Jewel Tunnel Imports, Sat. 10-4. See details on p. 5

Jan. 21, 2006, MSSC Banquet! Save the date, details to follow.