Bulletin of the Mineralogical Society 
of Southern California

Volume 77  Number 1                                             January 2007

The 827th Meeting of The Mineralogical Society 
of Southern California

"San Andreas Fault"

• January Banquet 
• Minutes of the December 8, 2006, Meeting
• Mico-Mount Conference
• The Goodsprings District (Part I Geology)
• Calendar of Events

January Banquet to Feature the San Andreas Fault.

Join MSSC members and friends for a special evening of fun, food, and an extraordinary talk about the San Andreas Fault! 

When: Saturday evening, January 20, 2007. Festivities begin at the 5:30 Social Hour with a no host bar serving wine and beer. Dinner at 6:30 will be followed immediately with the program. Reservations are required (see below)!

Where: The Oak Tree Room, 1150 East Colorado Blvd., Arcadia at the SE corner of Colorado Blvd. and Michalinda.

What’s happening: In addition to the program described below, a silent auction of mineral specimens and mineral books will add to the Social Hour festivities. Come prepared to spend a little for the benefit of the MSSC and your collection. The evening’s speaker will also have his new book available for those who wish to purchase copies. 

The Food: The meal will be a buffet featuring prime rib, salmon, chicken dejon, mash potatoes and gravy, rice pilaf, salad bar, bread, dessert table, and dinner beverages. The cost for the complete meal including tax and tip is $30.

Reservations are imperative! Make reservations with Walt Margerum no later than January 13th by phone (310-324-1976) or e-mail wmargerum@sbcglobal.net. Payment may be made at the door by cash or check, or checks may be mailed in advance to MSSC Treasurer, P.O. Box 41027, Pasadena, CA. 91114-8027.

The Program: Dr. David K. Lynch will present a talk based on his new book “Field Guide to the San Andreas Fault.” Dr. Lynch explains that the San Andreas Fault is the most accessible plate boundary in the world. Yet, most people (Geologists excluded) don’t know where it is or how to look for it. In some places like the Carrizo Plain where there is little ground cover and the fault has shifted in historic times, the fault is more beautifully exposed than anywhere in California: offset streams, pressure ridges, beheaded channels, left and right stepovers and many subparallel faults. In other places like the San Bernardino Mountains where no major movement has happened recently and where urbanization has hidden much of the fault’s surface manifestation, the fault’s trace is more subtle. Still, the fault and its attending landforms are there for anyone to see. In this talk he will present photographs and detailed maps that highlight the fault based on a series of driving trips from Cape Mendocino to the Mexican border, with emphasis on southern California. 

“Field Guide to the San Andreas Fault” is Dr. Lynch’s third scientific book for the general public. His previous book “Color and Light in Nature” written with William Livingston was one of Choice’s Outstanding Academic Books for 1996.

David Knight Lynch received a B.S. in Astrophysics in 1969 from Indiana University and a Ph.D. in Astronomy in 1975 from the University of Texas in Austin. He is Senior Scientist at The Aerospace Corporation where he specializes in infrared spectroscopy of comets, novae, supernovae, young stars and very old stars. Dr. Lynch has also held research positions at Caltech and UC/Berkeley. He has published over 150 scientific papers and 10 books based on observations from telescopes on Mauna Kea, Kitt Peak and Mt. Hamilton. He has organized 12 international scientific meetings.

 Minutes of the December 8, 2006, Meeting

The 826th meeting of the Mineralogical Society of Southern California was held on Friday, December 8, 2006 at Pasadena City College. President Ilia Lyles brought the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m.

She then introduced the speakers of the evening, Garth Bricker and John Watson, who gave a presentation entitled: “Growth of the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society Museum and Better Museums to come.” Mr. Bricker, who has been with the FGMS since 1960, is the FGMS Museum curator. Mr. Watson, who is the fundraiser and organizer for the future FGMS museum hall, has expended considerable time and energy acquiring Russian minerals for display in the expanded future museum hall.

During their presentation, the speakers discussed the evolvement of the FGMS club, with initial “grab bag” funding, to its current museum status, and included descriptions of the museum’s considerable mineral collections and facilities. 

Mr. Bricker and Mr. Watson also described the museum’s close involvement with community organizations and activities, as well as the formation of the museum’s own educational programs. Additionally discussed in detail were the proposed expansion program and funding efforts, including the founding of The Tourmaline Club and the presentation of the related Support Pledge and Multi-Year Contract. The MSSC has copies of the Contract.

The possibility of joint field trips and other activities between the MSSC and the FGMS was briefly discussed. Janet Gordon also offered some kid rock materials to the FGMS for the museum’s educational programs. The speakers were very much interested in both the specimens and the teaching materials prepared by Dr. Gordon.

It was announced that: 1) Jewel Tunnel Imports would be holding an open house on December 9, 2006; 2) the MSSC annual banquet would take place on January 20, 2007; and 3) the Pacific Micromount Conference would be held January 26-28, 2007.

There was no further business.

The meeting was brought to a close by President Lyles at 8:35 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Pat and Geoff Caplette

Pacific Micro-Mount Conference

Don’t miss the 42nd Pacific Micro-Mount Conference to be held January 26-28, 2007 at the San Bernardino County Museum, 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, California. Three great speakers: Sugar White, “What’s New in Minerals”; Fred Elsnau, “Mostly Micros”; and Joe Marty, “Recent Finds in Utah and Nevada”. There will be a verbal, and a silent auction of great specimens, plus tables of fine specimens for purchase, and tables of give-away specimens. Add to this the camaraderie of old, and new friends, and this is an event not to be missed. Remember this is the first year the MSSC is sponsoring this event. So let’s all make it a success! If you are an old hand, new to micros, or just want to learn about this fascinating area, this is the place to be.

A pre-registration form is included in this Bulletin. The schedule is as follows:

• FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2007
  3:00-6:00 PM REGISTRATION, greeting friends and microscope time.
  6:00-7:00 Famous POTLUCK BUFFET Dinner (Each family, please bring hors d’oeuvre, salad, hot dish, dessert, etc. contribution will assure the success of the Potluck! We will have the use of the kitchen facilities.)
  7:00-10:00 PM “WHAT’S NEW IN MINERALS”
  by Sugar White.
  SHORT CONTRIBUTED TALKS AND MEMBER SLIDES.

• SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2007
  8:00-9:00 AM DOORS OPEN, REGISTRATION.
  Setting up scopes, filling “Give-away” and
  "Sales" Tables, and greeting friends.
  10:00 AM WELCOME, Introductions and Special Announcements.
  10:15 AM “Mostly Micros” by Fred Elsnau
  NOON LUNCH. Subway sandwiches (pre-selected). Served at Museum. (No cost)
  1:30 PM VERBAL AUCTION, followed by silent auction of member donated materials.
  3:00-4:00 PM SHORT CONTRIBUTED TALKS.
  6:00 PM BUFFET DINNER. Served at Museum. The cost is $5.00. Advance reservations necessary. (See Registration slip.)
  7:30-10:00 PM “Recent finds in Utah and Nevada”
  by Joe Marty
  SHORT CONTRIBUTED TALKS AND MEMBER SLIDES.

• SUNDAY JANUARY 28, 2007
  FIELD TRIP: To be announced at the Conference.
  9:00 – Noon Microscope time at the Museum.
  
  MSSC Membership is not necessary to go to the Conference, but is needed for the Field Trip
  
  Now is the time for you to make your advance registration for the 2007 Pacific Micromount Conference.
  
  Registration: Please give us the names of all in your party. We really like to have a name tag waiting for everyone. In addition to registration fees you will be asked to make reservations for Saturday dinner and pay an extra fee for that. For those signing up for the Sunday Field Trip, pay extra attention to the need for MSSC membership.
  
  Conference Lodging
  Redlands Motor Lodge, 1151 Arizona St.,Redlands (Alabama off-ramp)
  909-798-2432
  Good Nite Inn, 1675 Industrial Park Ave.,Redlands (Alabama off-ramp)
  909-793-3723
  Starlight Motel, 1371 W. Redlands Blvd.,Redlands (Alabama or Tennessee off-ramp)
  909-792-3333
  Super 8, 1160 Arizona St., Redlands (Alabama off-ramp) 909-335-1612
  
  Also, if you have an RV, a trailer, or van and are self-contained, you may camp at the outer edge of the Museum parking lot. Quite a few do this, and you will not be alone. (Use Registration slip to let us know)
  
  The San Bernardino County Natural History Museum is located just north of the 10 Freeway, at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, California. (Take California Street exit and go north to Orange Tree Lane, then turn right to Museum Entrance.)

The Goodsprings District
Part I Geology

by Walt Margerum

Introduction

For the last several years Bob Housley has led trips to explore the mines of the Goodsprings district. While the exploration is not complete I feel there has been enough information gathered to merit an article. It will be in four parts. The first will discuss the geology, the second the ore deposits, the third the mines and the fourth the minerals of the district. The discussions of the geology and ores rely heavily on Hewett and Albritton. The mine and mineral parts are a compilation of many sources, along with information obtained in the field.

The Goodsprings district is located in the southern Spring Mountains of Clark County Nevada, northwest of Jean. The first reported mining was for lead in 1857 at what is now the Potosi mine. Peak production was during WWI, followed by a lull during the inter-war years with a small increase in the 1920’s. Mining was again renewed by the need for minerals during WWII, and continued during the strategic war reserve period after the war. It essentially ceased when that program was ended. Today most of the mines are abandoned, but there are still some active claims, most notably in the vicinity of the Boss mine. All the work is exploratory. If you go on the web and type Boss Mine into your search engine you will get a hit for the Boxxer Gold Corp which currently holds over 200 claims in the area.

The district has gold, copper, and lead-zinc deposits. In general the gold deposits comprise a small area in the center of the district, the copper deposits are along the edges, while the lead-zinc deposits comprise the major central portion of the district. Having said this it should be noted that most of the deposits contain both lead-zinc, and copper. Gold occurs sparingly in many deposits. In the early 1900’s platinum group minerals were found in several mines in the district, most notably at the Boss mine. A few mines have produced small tonnages of vanadium, and chromium. Several mines were prospected for uranium, but there was little or no production.

From a collectors view point it is the secondary minerals that are of interest, and many rare and beautiful minerals can be collected, mostly micro’s. Having said this it should be noted that none are abundant, and it requires diligent searching to find them. In my opinion the search has been worth it. Many of the mines have undergone reclamation, mostly bulldozing shafts closed. This has eliminated several prime collecting locations, such as the White Pine, and Bluejay mines. The reclamation at most of the mines has been limited to erecting fences, and posting danger signs.

Geology

The geology of the area is complex. A series of sedimentary rocks were laid down from Cambrian through the Jurassic eras. The rocks that contain most of the ore deposits are the Monte Cristo formation, shown dark in Figure 1, of the Mississippian period. Hewett divides them into the Yellowpine limestone, Arrowhead limestone, Bullion dolomite, Anchor limestone, and Dawn limestone members. Albritton states major faulting and folding occurred some time between the late Jurassic and the middle Tertiary. During that period the terrain was broken into blocks from 1.5 to 3 miles thick by thrust faults that strike prevailingly north and dip westward. As thrusting progressed high angle tears and rifts developed within the blocks. This combination of faulting and tearing provided the channels for the ore emplacement.

None of the referenced sources provide a firm date for the emplacement of the ore, but Albritton indicates it was most probably during the Cretaceous.

If you are interested in pursuing the geology further I recommend Albritton, and Hewett.

Figure 1. Geology of the Goodsprings area

References

Albritton, Claude C. Jr., et al (1954) “Geologic Controls of Lead and Zinc Deposits in Goodsprings (Yellow Pine) District, Nevada”; United States Geological Survey Bulletin 1010, pp. 111
Hewett, D. F. (1931) “Geology and Ore Deposits of the Goodsprings Quadrangle, Nevada”; United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 162, pp. 172
Longwell, C. R. et al (1965) “Geology and Mineral Deposits of Clark County, Nevada”; Nevada Bureau of Mines Bulletin 62, pp. 218

Dues are Due

As we enter another new year, and you make your New Years resolutions don’t forget to resolve to pay your dues. There are 36 of you out there. We would hate to lose you.