Our June meeting will be special because it will be a joint meeting between our group and the Southern California Friends of Mineralogy.  I understand that Bob Reynolds and others with the SCFM would like to discuss with our club SCFM's desire to have several yearly joint meetings to share ideas and the study of mineral locality suites.  The SCFM would also like to update us on its proposal to develop a series of mineral photos which can be sent to museums and schools for educational purposes.  This effort dovetails with, but is separate from, SCFM's annual Werner Lieber photo project.  I know that some of our members are excellent photographers and have taken home Werner Lieber awards in the past.  Anyone with an interest in minerals and photography is encouraged and welcome to come participate in the joint meeting and this new endeavor.

In response to the donations we approved at our last meeting, the Club received two kind acknowledgment letters.  The first came from Tony Kampf and the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.  Tony thanked us for our donation of $200  to the museum's "Adopt-a-Mineral program," and told us that a nice Reddingite and Hureaulite from the Jacao Mine in Brazil was chosen in our behalf by Juanita Curtis.  Tony noted this is a particularly appropriate choice because it is a displayable specimen of minerals that usually occurs only as microcrystals.  Kathleen Springer also wrote to us in behalf of the San Bernardino County Museum and said that it was her great pleasure this past year to host our Pacific Micromount Conference, and that the funds we donated were being used by the museum to augment a recent grant to improve its mineralogical exhibits.  Kathleen expressed her happiness to have our group as contributors to the museum's ongoing efforts to educate and raise awareness about local mineralogy.

For us micromounters, there was an important article that recently appeared in the May/June  issue of "Rocks and Minerals" magazine.  The article, entitled "The Year in Micromounting," is Quintin Wight's review of the events that have occurred in the world of micromounting during the past year.   Several of our club members contributed background information for this article.  Our club is highlighted in Quintin's article which acknowledges that, each year, micro-mounting events generally begin with our own Pacific Micromount Conference.  For those of you who have not seen Quintin's article, I will have a number of copies available at our June meeting.  Hope to see you all then -- and remember our new start time of 10:00a.m.!

For the Meeting

     For the June 15 meeting, bring your lunch and scopes, and any specimens you have from recent field trips.  Directions:  From the 60 freeway (east or west), exit on Pyrite Avenue, go north under the freeway to the first signal, turn right, and continue east on Granite Hill to the Jurupa Mountains Cultural Center.

Sunshine Corner

We continue to send our best wishes to those who are incapacitated and unable to pursue the activities that have brought so much enjoyment in the past.  Please give your editor an update on your condition as the months go by.  We miss you and want you to know that we truly care.  Let us know how things are going so we can re-port to the membership.

We were sorry to hear recently that Lillian Penprase is battling cancer.  Cards or notes will surely be appreciated. 

Just a thought:

Conscience doesn’t really prevent you from doing anything wrong—it just keeps you from enjoying it.

Safety – At High Altitude

Chuck McKie, CFMS Safety Chair

Summer is coming and a lot of you rockhounds are planning your field trips.  Those who are plan-ning to go to the high elevations, which were covered with snow all winter so that you could not easily do your rock hunting, are the ones I want to address at this time.

Some people may have breathing difficulties at altitudes of 6,000 feet.  When you start going above that height, even more will have trouble.

  What trouble might you encounter?  Nausea, light-headedness, fatigue, feeling like you can’t get enough air (oxygen).

  What causes these symptoms?  Air – that stuff that is all around us – contains a specific percentage of oxygen per cubic foot.  Every-body says that as you go higher in our atmosphere, there is less oxygen.  But the oxygen percentage always remains the same.  It is just that the pressure (the weight) of the air above us decreases as we climb higher toward the sky.  Because—naturally—there is less air to press down on us as we go up until we’re into space where there is no air, air pressure is zero.  (That is why the astronauts have to wear space suits).  Since there is less pressure to squeeze the air, it spreads out and becomes a much larger volume with the same percentage of oxygen.  Therefore, when you breathe in, you do get less oxygen.  The solution is to breathe more deeply and faster.  

  When I was stationed in Panama, I was in a Commando Squadron and consequently was in very good condition (not to mention younger).  I went to Bolivia TDY in an Air Force plane piloted by a full Colonel.  When we got ready to deplane, I started to pick up the Colonel’s bag.  He immediately said “No!  I’ll carry your bag!”  That was because the airfield at La Paz, Bolivia was at 16,000 feet altitude.  He knew about the high altitude hazards.   He told me that if I had difficulty to call him and he would bring me an oxygen bottle.  I would wake up with a headache, take some deep breaths, then was OK and got along without the bottle.

  Walking around La Paz (only 15,000 feet high) I went very slowly, stopping often to look in the shops, going into a restaurant, having a cup of coffee, and resting.  

  Later on, I went to Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  When my plane landed back at La Paz, I ran a mile to the hangar to get a truck to carry my toolbox and equipment because the plane was to leave shortly.  I got my stuff AND altitude sickness.  My head was pounding, I was sick to my stomach—really sick—and could not eat for 3 or 4 days.    The people there have adapted to the high altitude over generations.  They all have tremendous chests (you should see the women).  

  Many of you will not be in as good condition as I was, and you probably will not be going as high, but you may go 7 or 8,000 feet or more.  If you do, take it easy.  You can get used to the altitude but it takes time; a couple of days to two weeks.  If you start feeling faint, light headed, like you can’t catch your breath, sit down, relax and BREATHE DEEP!  Especially if you know your breathing is impaired, take it easy.  I have a friend who rode the Snow Train to Reno with me last year.  He had been using an oxygen bottle for quite a while.  Even though the train only goes abut 6,000 feet up, he got sick without any extra exertion.  So know yourself and your condition.  Take it easy.  Remember to breathe deep.  That sounds natural; it is, but you have to give Mother Nature a hand 

All the above is about a slight case of altitude sickness.  

BUT IT CAN BE DANGEROUS!

  Severe altitude sickness is a lot worse.  High altitude pulmonary edema and high altitude cerebral edema are caused when bodily fluids begin to leak into the lungs and brain, respectively.  Left un-treated, either one of these conditions can be fatal.  Most of our field trips aren’t that dramatic.  

  If you experience shortness of breath, don’t fight it.  It is just your body’s adaptive process to make you breathe harder and faster to accumulate more oxygen so there is less chance of becoming sick.  To repeat, the solution is to avoid high levels of exertion, breathe deep, walk, don’t run, and do so at a moderate pace.  Drink plenty of fluids—we always say drink a lot of water.  And be careful of your alcoholic intake.  Its effects increase with altitude.  If  you’ve tried everything and you still are feeling ill, then the best thing to do is get to a lower altitude immediately.

Resource:  Breathe Easy in April 2002 Highways by Russ & Tina De Mari.

CFMS Newsletter, May 2002

M

Northern California Mineralogical Association Meeting

By Bob White

   The NCMA annual meeting is June 21, 22 and 23 in Pollock Pines.  As SCMM and NCMA share so many members in common, it’s almost like our own meeting.

   The agenda provides lots of time for the giveaway tables.  Friday evening Sugar does “What’s New in Minerals” to kick things off.  

   Saturday morning Mike Skebo, the President of the Canadian MicroMineral Association, speaks on “The Minerals of the Eifel District, Germany and the sulfosalts of Lengenbach, Switzerland.

   A mystery speaker is hinted at for Saturday afternoon.  It is a secret, but bet on the “Phos-phates of the Black Hills”.  

   A catered dinner follows, with a live auction in the evening.

   Sunday morning Dr. Bill Wise continues with “Vanadium Minerals Part II.  A Survey of Vanadium Minerals”.  

   For registration and location details, go to:

http://www.geocities.com/yedlinite/index.htm

Let’s raise our glasses 

In a toast to Dads, Grads, and

Brides everywhere

Been there, done that…..

A report by Bob White

The Canadian Micro Mineral Association Symposium

The CMMA holds its annual Symposium in early May at Brock University in Saint Catherines, Ontario.  It is approximately a one-hour drive from the Buffalo, New York Airport to the campus.  It’s a very pleasant location in Canada’s wine country.  The University provides sleeping rooms and food for the weekend, which means that pre-registration is essential.

The Geology Department provides rooms for microscope setup, giveaway tables and lectures.  They have micromineral dealers who do a brisk business.  The Saturday evening banquet is a coat and tie affair.

This year’s agenda was typical.  Friday evening was wine and cheese with showing of members’ slides.  Saturday morning was microscope time and a silent auction.  Saturday afternoon featured a talk by Quintin Wight on “Smaller Localities World-Wide”.  Saturday evening was cocktails, a banquet, a live auction, and Sugar’s talk on “Collecting in Cactus Country”.  Sunday morning was more microscope time, followed by a lecture by Dr. Andre’ Lalond of Ottawa University on “Minerals and Health”.  Those of you who have heard Dr. Bill Wise speak to the asbestos panic fiasco heard re-enforcement from Dr. Lalond.  Dr. Lalond gave mini-lessons on the petrographic microscope all during the weekend.  

We departed after the buffet lunch, as Custom’s gets crowded at the border on Sundays.  It took an extra 45 minutes.  We were at home in Redlands by midnight.  It was a great weekend, and we plan to return.  You should consider it.  œ

Announcements

From the International Micromounter’s Journal, March 2002

  The Micromineral Society of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has scheduled their annual symposium for the evening of November 1 to the afternoon of the 3rd, 2002.  Dr. William A. (Bill) Henderson, Jr. of Madison, CT will be the featured speaker.  Bill is well known to micro-mounters the world over for his excellent columns on micromounting in The Mineral Record, and his presentation in Cleveland will be well worth attending.  Ï

Volume 1, No. 1, January 2002 of The Western Micromounter, a news sheet prepared and distributed by the members of The Western Australian Micromount Society (WAMS) has been received from John Reeve, President.  This four-page first effort promises to be a necessary addition to the library of everyone who is interested in Australian microminerals.  The Society is the smallest in terms of membership in the Inter-national Federation of Micromount Societies (IFMS) with just five enthusiasts.

In this connection, John has solicited Horst Windisch, President of the IFMS, for support for the concept of a “Sister” Society arrangement between groups with the large American and European societies adopting a small foreign society to promote friendship and moral support.  The big sister could tape some of their speakers and forward a copy of the tape or maybe help little sister members acquire some sought after materials.  As John notes, the traffic need not be one way.  Little sister members could send material for the swap table or provide a guest lecture using slides and a CD or a video.  Utilizing this sort of technology the potential for inter-national speakers at society meetings suddenly becomes enormous.  Your Editor [Dick Thomssen] will suggest that NCMA participates with the loan of some videos of lectures presented to the grouping past years—nearly all of the lectures have been captured on tape!  Comment is invited from all micromounters about this exciting suggestion.  Ï

A Tribute to John Sinkankas

By Roger Merk

The following article appeared in the March 2002 issue of the International Micromounter’s Journal, quarterly newsletter of the International Federation of Micromount Societies, and was shared by Dick Thomssen, Editor.

ARTHUR ROE MICROMOUNT SYMPOSIUM - 2002

  The Arthur Roe Micromount Symposium was held in conjunction with the 48^th Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show in February of this year.  Speakers included Quintin Wight, who presented a program on what constitutes a micromount relative to other techniques for storing specimens with microcrystals.  He stressed that one of the principal factors distinguishing micromounts, per se, is its being glued to a pedestal which then is permanently glued in a box.  This requirement obviously sets micromounts apart from microspecimens stuck in a box with some sort of tack or putty.  Although there was little public comment offered after Quintin’s talk, it has become obvious that a number of attendees took exception to this requirement.

  The IMJ is the forum for discussion of all views pertaining to micromounting, so I would like to take this opportunity to offer space in a future issue of the IMJ to anyone who wishes to offer comment on the use of tack for mounting microspecimens along with a discussion on the use and applicabilityof the term “micromount” for such mounts.

CLINOCLASE 
FROM THE MAJUBA HILL MINE,
PERSHING COUNTY, NEVADA

Paul M. Adams

The Majuba Hill mine in Pershing County, Nevada is well known for a diverse suit of uncommon to rare secondary copper arsenate minerals [1,2].  These minerals are primarily found in the copper and tin stopes of the middle adit.  Clinoclase -Cu₃(AsO₄)(OH)₃  is one of the more sought after minerals by collectors.  It usually is found as very dark blue to black lustrous crystals that occur in a number of different habits depending on the location from which they are collected.  The perfection of some of the crystals is such that they were used as part of a study to update the crystallography of clinoclase [3,4]. Clinoclase is a monoclinic mineral that commonly forms elongated [010] and tabular {001} crystals, or may be elongated on [001] with {100} faces prominent [5].  Rhombohedral shaped crystals also occur.  The crystal depicted in Reference 5 from the tin stope is elongated on [010] with {100} and {110} faces prominent.

It is often difficult to truly appreciate the perfection of these crystals because of their very dark color, to the point where they appear opaque, and the fact that they also often occur on a dark colored matrix.   For this reason I decided to examine the crystals in the scanning electron microscope (SEM).  At the base of the copper stope sharp well-formed single crystals of clinoclase are found in the ceiling of a short adit where they occur on a very dark brown iridescent matrix.  Optically all one can see is that there is some-thing dark and shiny on the matrix so it is very difficult to determine the form of the crystals.  In the SEM one can see that they actually are sharp tabular groups of crystals (Figure 1).  At the very top of the copper stope clinoclase can be found in several areas.  Minute (0.2 mm) transparent blue plates occur with acicular olivenite on fracture surfaces of an open face of bleached white rhyolite.  In the SEM it can be seen that they are blocky crystals which occasionally are impaled on olivenite (Figure 2).   In several of the small rooms at the top of the copper stope druses of dark opaque looking clinoclase also occur on a dark brown stained rhyolite matrix.    Clinoclase often occurs in the copper stope as dark blue-black crystals on a matrix of emerald green cornubite or cornwallite.  The color combination makes particularly desirable specimens.  These crystals usually appear curved and actually consist of slightly rotated aggregates of crystals (Figure 3).  

In material recovered from inside the G-raise ore chute, dark almost black looking clinoclase crystals also occur on a bleached white rhyolite matrix.  It is assumed that this material actually came from somewhere in the 153 stope.    The morphology of the clinoclase crystals found in the tin stope is con-siderably different from that in the copper stope.  In the   tin stope they form very sharp transparent blue blades (to 2 mm) that can exist as individuals lying flat on a light brown matrix or as radiating groups of blades on emerald green cornubite or cornwallite (Figure 4).  The later are some of the most appealing specimens found at Majuba Hill.  These crystals from the tin stopes were the ones that were used by Palache, et al. (1946) in their crystallographic studies.  

REFERENCES

1.      M. Jensen, “ The Majuba Hill Mine Pershing County, Nevada”, The Mineralogical Record, 16, 57-72, (1985).

2.      M. Jensen, “ Update on the Mineralogy of the Majuba Hill Mine Pershing County, Nevada”, The Mineralogical Record, 24, 171-180, (1993).

3.      V. P. Gianella, “Clinoclasite from Majuba Hill, Nevada”, American Mineralogist, 31, 259-260 (1946).

4.      C. Palache and L. Berry, “Clinoclasite”, American Mineralogist, 31, 243-248 (1946).

5.      C. Palache, H. Berman and C. Frondel, The System of Mineralogy, Vol. 2 (1951).

Figure 1.  SEM image of clinoclase crystals from the bottom of the copper stope 

Figure 2.  SEM image of clinoclase and olivenite from the top of the copper stope.

Figure 3.  SEM image of clinoclase on cornubite from the middle of the copper stope.

Figure 4.  SEM image of clinoclase crystals from the tin stope.

“ON THE NOMENCLATURE OF ROCKS” - Quotes From a paper read to the Wellington Philosophical Society on September 17, 1871 by E.H. Davis, F.C.S., F.G.S.

By Jocelyn Thornton

Edward Heydelbach Davis was a young geologist who is remembered as the only member of the Geo-logical survey to have died in the course of duty.  He was drowned in the Ten Mile Creek, near Kaniere while investigating the nearby coal mines, in 1871 at the age of 25.  His father was a mining engineer in England, with an interest in iron mining, and he had two older brothers already in New Zealand—one of whom was my great-grandfather.  So I had a reason for looking up his papers in the Transactions of the N.Z. Institute, Vol. 3, and found the following somewhat relevant.

“The nomenclature of rocks is a subject which is involved in considerable confusion, and I regret to ob-serve that geologists, instead of working together and helping to clear it up, are doing their best to make the confusion more confounded, by each one following a different system as far as possible, and thus not only making scientific intercourse difficult, but giving rise to no end of quibbles about words….”

“In all cases this difference is highly objectionable, but especially so here in New Zealand, where so little is known of the true structure of the country, and many parts are seldom visited by white men, it is of the highest importance that everyone should call the same thing by the same name.”

He then discussed the differences between the English and European definitions of syenite and concluded “The English school, or rather the American branch of it, has many claims to preference over all others, chiefly on account of its simplicity, and this simplicity is insured for some time to come, as Americans have so much room for real practical science, and cannot afford to waste time and talents in multiplying names and then finding some compound to suit them, the old proverb about a certain personage finding mischief for idle hands, applies to the natural sciences as well as anything else, for when a certain point has been reached, many  men seem to get tired of good healthy work, and instead of exploring fresh fields go over the old, and keep magnifying minor differences into groups of families, to the complete confusion of everything, forgetting that the great aim of all science is simplicity, and the more simple a science the grander and nobler it is.”

From Micro-Scope, Newsletter for the micro-mineral collectors of New Zealand 11/01

“Well, you did say it was a ROCK show…”

This article came from the May 2002 Calgary Lapidary Journal, bulletin of the Calgary Rock and Lapidary Club in Canada:

So how did you like the music?  Hippy-Dippy and Hokey-Pokey from Nowhere, Arizona arrived strumming their guitars to some very loud music on a ghetto-blaster.  They had heard about our 

Rock Show and drove all the way to Calgary to check out who was playing and to offer a tune or 

two themselves.  Other members of the Show Committee helped out to explain to them this was a different kind of Rock Show – but told them they were certainly welcome to stay.  Their perform-ance was enjoyed by all.

Hey! There’s a Rockhound in That Vehicle - Dick Pankey, CFMS Field Trip North

Over the years, I have seen a need for some kind of easily recognizable way for rockhounds to identify themselves to other rockhounds and to the general public, especially on field trips or on some back country road.  I could also be very useful in campgrounds and other gatherings.  In the summer of 2000 I discussed my idea with friends for some sort of sticker that a rockhound could put on his vehicle, much like the scuba diver’s red ad white sticker.  It would say to the world, “There’s a rockhound in this vehicle”.

I designed a prototype sticker and presented the idea to the CFMS Public Relations Committee in June of 2001.  The concept was enthusiastically accepted, and for the past several months we have developed and are refining the artwork on several alternative designs.  The Public Relations Committee and the Executive Board of CFMS sees the need and supports the concept of a rockhound sticker/ symbol, but would like to know what over Federations are societies of the AFMS think about the idea.

A Rockhound Sticker would be an easy way to identify yourself to others as a rockhound.  It provides an easy way to recognize other rockhounds.  The sticker not only promotes and publicizes rockhounding, it is a service to rockhounds to facilitate meeting one another.  The sticker is a universal identifier for club members as well as unaffiliated rockhounds.  It lets everyone know you are interested in collecting rocks, minerals, or fossils and you are willing to discuss collecting, to share rockhounding experiences and to help other rockhounds.  It’s an invitation to others to ask questions and seek your help.  It tells others that you are a rockhound friend.  

While working on this project I discovered that a “Universal Rockhound Emblem” had been promoted in the past.  In the early 1970’s, a Universal Rockhound Emblem pin and sticker was developed and distributed widely in Australia.  It was also offered in the United States but for some reason did not gain acceptance.  I have seen a few pins but have never seen a sticker on a vehicle.

The rationale and need for such a symbol to help identify rockhounds to others still exists.  I am ready and anxious to help make it a reality.  I would like to hear what other federations and societies think about this idea.  Contact me at dickpankey#juno.com or at 4310 Kingsly Dr., Pittsburg, CA 94565.  It is our plan and hope to finalize artwork this spring and present the concept at the AFMS meeting in July.

Beverly Moreau, Editor
bcmoreau@4dnet.com

MICROBITS                                                                                                                       

June-July 2002

Meeting 10 a.m., Saturday, June 15
Jurupa Mountains Cultural Center, Riverside

Back to Main Page