by Dr. David K. Lynch

Saturday Evening, January 20, 2007

To be presented at the Oak Tree Room,
1150 East Colorado Blvd., Arcadia. 
Happy hour at 5:30 and Dinner at 6:30
to be followed by show awards and program. 
Reservations required.  See details inside.

Inside this bulletin:   (Note: due to a PC problem, not all topics are here yet. Sorry!)

• 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. 

 
The San Andreas fault crossing the Carrizo Plain. 
Photo provided by David K. Lynch, our banquet speaker. Used with permission.

“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 are included in this Bulletin. The schedule is as follow:

Mineral Donations Requested for Micromount Conference

Gene Reynolds reminds conference participants to bring mineral specimens of any size for the “give away table.” He will be ready to receive them as he sets up the table on Saturday morning. All specimens need to be labeled. Get conference poster here.

2007 Calendar of Events

January (all month), Quartzsite, Arizona, see Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce web site for multiple show details: www.quartzsitechamber.org.

January 12-21, Laughlin, Nevada, Cloud’s 6th Annual International Rock, Gem, and Jewelry Show, Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino, www.cloudsjamboree.com.

January 20, MSSC Annual Banquet, Oak Tree Room, Arcadia. Festivities start at 5:30 p.m. Dr. David K. Lynch will present new views of the San Andreas Fault.

January 26-28, Pacific Micromount Conference, San Bernardino County Natural History Museum. Details in this and previous bulletins. Contact Walt Margerum, wmargerum@sbcglobal.net, 310-324-1976. Get conference poster here.

January 27-February 10, Tucson, Arizona Mineral and Fossil Show, Five locations: Quality Inn-Benson Hwy, Clairon Hotel, InnSuites Hotel, Ramada Ltd, Mineral & Fossil Marketplace, Details at www.mzexpos.com.

February 8-11, Tucson, Arizona, Tucson Gem and Mineral Show: “Australia-Minerals from Down Under,” Tucson Convention Center, www.tgms.org.

February 16-25, Indio, San Gorgonio Mineral & Gem Society, Roverside Co. Fair & National Date Festival/Gem & Mineral Building #1, 46-350 Arabia St., Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Bert Grisham (951) 849-1674.

March 2-4, Hayward, Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley, Centennial Hall at 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hours: Fri. & Sat. 10-8, Sun. 10-5, Larry Ham (510) 887-9007, info@mgscv.org.

March 3-4, Arcadia, Monrovia Rockhounds, Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Hours: 9-4:30 both days, Jo Anna Ritchey, j.ritchey@verizon.net, www.morocks.com.

March 3-4, Ventura, Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, The Ventura Gem Show: Gems, Minerals, Lapidary Arts, and Fossils, Seaside Park, Ventura Co. Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Ed Clark (805) 983-0028 clarkoe@aldelphia.net.

March 10-11, Turlock, Mother Lode Mineral Society, Stanislaus Co. Fairgrounds, Hours: 10-5 both days, Bud & Terry McMillin (209) 524-3494 terry.mcmillin@yahoo.com.

March 17-19, Bakersfield, San Joaquin Valley Lapidary Society, Indoor Show/Outdoor Tail Gate, 5th Annual Rock & Mineral Rendezvous, Kern County Fairgrounds, Hours: Fri. 9-8, Sat. & Sun. 9-5, Lewis Helfich (661) 872-8230 or (661) 323-2663.