CULVER CITY ROCK AND MINERAL CLUB P.O. BOX 3324 Culver City, Ca NOV 2006

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1 CULVER CITY ROCK AND MINERAL CLUB P.O. BOX 3324 Culver City, Ca NOV 2006 Monday, Nov 13, 6:30 pm...exec Committee: Multi-Purpose Room in the Vererans Bldg. Monday, Nov 13, 7:30 pm...exec Committee: Multi-Purpose Room in the Vererans Bldg. Program for the Meeting: SILENT AUCTION NOVEMBER PROGRAM PRESIDENT S MESSAGE The season of elections is here both civic and club. The competiton has been fierce for the most coveted club positions. As a result the Nominating Committee will again issue its tentative edict that all current officers are assumed to be volunteering again to serve in their present capacities. Thank you very much. However, the slightest indication on your part to participate as a co-chair (or chair) will be met withenthusiasm. Do you know people who would be interesting presenters for our meetings? Let Edgar know. Do you have ideas or the sort of thing that would make an interesting presentation. Again, let me know. Edgar, the Prez November is the month of the SILENT AUCTION. Slabs, cabs, rough, the inevitable bolo tie or two as well as finished jewelery and white elephants like solar hot dog cookers, show up at these grab bag events. Itʼs called silent only because the bids are marked on a piece of paper adjacent to each of the auction lots. (Not all are single items) Otherwise it is not at all silent. Members are welcome to bring and donate stuff to the auction. It all goes to help the treasury and therefore, the club. Guests are welcome. Of course you have to tell them and give directions. See Ya There. Ed Montgomery, Program Co-Chair P.S. Lots of Good Specimens, slabs, etc, from the rock shop..so come and bid... Refreshments Members whose last names begin with A through D are requested to bring light desserts such as cookies to the next meeting. PAGE 1 NOV 2006 THE NUGGET

2 MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE MTG OCT 9, 2006 The meeting was called to order at 6:45pm by Edgar Montgomery. Present: BruceMensinger, Edgar Montgomery, Lynne Lukert, Dolores Dace and Anthony Ferrari. November Elections: For the Slate of Offecers for 2007: the club needs active club member to participate. Website: Brad Smithʼs computer is down at the moment. and the club site needs to be updated. Shunshine: Sue Acosta recovering from hip surgery. Education: the Culver City Education Foundation Membership for 2007 has been acknowledged. Shop: the boy scouts are verbally aware of the CCR&MCʼs future contributon for the repair of the roof. The scouts are to check into the requrement of city codes and permits Clubʼs Library Books: will be available for members to check out - though we need Legal - size file cabinet hopefully for someone to donate to the club.. Membership: orientation pamphlet was suggested to be created. Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm. Dolores Dace, Secretary Protem PROGRAM REPORT Dr. Nate Onderdonk came to our October meeting from the Geology Department of CalStateLA. His specialty is high-pressure-formed worldʼs oldest rocks. This specialty takes him on field trips to Norway, Greenland and the island of Spitsbergen. A big part of Nateʼs presentation concerned the logistical particulars of these cold country trips -- even though they take place in the Summer. They carried rifles in case of Polar Bear attacks; used helicopters, to get to remote spots; got caught in mud flats when the tide went out. Some terminology I had heard before and some I had not. One of his pictures showed a classic example of a U shaped glacier valley. The pictures also conveyed the quality of the light in the North Country. It looks kind of thin, probably because of the lack of color on the ground. I always like to look at pictures, and, overall enjoyed this presentation from a working geologist. Ed Montgomery, Program Co-Chair MINUTES OF THE GENERAL MTG OCT 9, 2006 the meeting was called to order at 7:45pm by President Ed Montgomery who led the Pledge of Allegiance. A quorum was not established. Treasurer: will report next month. Shop: Need is a donation of a file cabinet for books Library: will begin soon in the shop. Field Trips: there are no field trips planned by the club for October, but one in November - Check with Ellen Moe and /or on page 6 of this issue. Membership: Naomi J. Tratar was welcomed to the club. Meeting adjourned at 8:00pm and followed our break,trading Post and guest speaker. Dolores B. Dace, Secretary Protem THE NUGGET NOV 2006 PAGE 2

3 List of Chairs and additional roles to be filled/confirmed for 2007 MEMBERSHIP Dear Members, Please take a moment to think about the chair role you would like to partake for this coming 2007 year. By the next November meeting, we will have a list of available chairs ready to review with you; this will help us all in coordinating and filling the roles. So, please, think of what youʼd like to do best! If I may suggest, for a start, you can take a look at the Nugget and see the list of the actual officers & chairpersons not to mention, the Membership cochair is available, since I am already involved with our gem show as a Dealer Chair! We will contact you shortly! Welcome to Naomi Tratar! Naomi joined last October and has already enjoyed the lapidary shop making her first cabochon! She is also attending jewelry classes at the Santa Monica College! Your Membership co-chairs, Anthony Ferrari and Lucia Pasquinelli PRESIDENT...Ed Montgomery VICE-PRESIDENT...Gary Mitchell TREASURER...Mary Ellen Shaffer RECORDING SECRETARY...Sue Acosta CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.. Leda Rogers- FEDERATION DIRECTOR......Brad Smith FIELD TRIPS... HISTORIAN...Rosalie Peschel LIBRARIAN...Ted Hanf MEMBERSHIP..Anthony Ferrari MINERALS... Lorraine Murphy PARLAMENTARIAN PHOTOGRAPH... Silvia Binkley & Leda Rogers PROGRAM. Ed Montgomery PUBLICATIONS... Lynne Lukert PUBLICITY... Brad Smith SHOW.. Richard Shaffer SHOW (DEALERS)... Lucia Pasquinelli SHOP Bruce Mensinger SOCIAL... Sue Acosta SUNSHINE. Lili Gelberg TRADING POST... Steve Dover WEBMASTER... Anthony Ferrari BIRTHDAYS Angele Ryan 8-Nov Jamie Martin 6-Nov Gary Mitchell 14-Nov John Kepke 24-Nov Beth Rosengard 25-Nov Chris Nocerino 7-Nov PAGE 3 NOV 2006 THE NUGGET

4 SHOP REPORT Under Construction The long delayed rebuilding of all five grinding and sanding stations is now underway. The need was obvious: corroded and leaking drip pans, peeling and flaking paint from the arbors stopping-up the already restricted drains, pools of water collecting in the drip pans due to out-of-alignment pedestals caused by rust and broken floor anchor bolts, a stream of water running across the middle of the floor. These workstations have served us well since the early 1990ʼs overhaul. Rebuilding (not replacement) of the arbors, motors and pedestals is well begun as I write this (October 18th). Planning this project began more than a year ago. Ideas for what to do ranged from patching the existing setup to replacing and relocating the whole shop in a shipping container or to a commercial store open to all where we would, in addition to club lapidary, give lessons to walk-in customers and sell rocks, jewelry, and supplies for a profit. Cost and a realistic assessment of the clubʼs human resources led to the decision to do a thorough rebuild in the same location and configuration but with improvements, primarily to drainage and more corrosion resistant materials. Next was scheduling and logistics. Shall we shut down the shop to facilitate the work or do the project a piece at a time, allowing reduced shop use, over an extended time? Due to the unknowns of how much fabrication verses refurbishment would occur and other imponderables, I decided to begin with two workstations and to keep the shop open and usable during all of its normally scheduled times. So, I am pleased to say that, in keeping with time honored and universally condemned world-wide practice, this long needed, well begun project started late, has already experienced further delays and looks like it could even involve significant cost overruns. Nevertheless, we expect to complete it before the 405 freeway widening is done; and remember, they had a head start on us. In closing, I want to remind you that we have an election coming and, as an incumbent I say, donʼt change horses in mid-stream. Oh, yes; and think about what I heard said in 1950ʼs Chicago where I was growing up: Vote early, vote often. Bruce Mensinger, Shop Chair CFMS tibids CALIFORNIAʼS OFFICIAL EMBLEMS Gold-the state mineral: Gold was chosen for the state mineral because the discovery of gold in 1849 and the Gold Rush that followed, played such an important role in the history of California. The Golden Bear Nugget : was found about 1857 at the Georgia Hill Mine in Yankee Jim, CA. It weighs 1 oz 19.2g troy. It is on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Serpentine-state rock:. Serpentine was chosen as the state rock because it is the dominant rock in the coast Ranges of California. There is also a great deal of serpentine in the Sierra Nevada Range, especially in the Mother Lode. Some serpentine is very compact and makes a good decorative stone. Benitoite-state gemstone: Benitoite was adopted as the state gemstone in It was chosen because it was first discovered in San Benito County in It has only been found in California in gem quality. The CFMS emblem contains both the shapes of the benitoite crystal and natural Golden Bear nugget as it was found. Smilodon-state fossil: Smilodon was a very large cat of the middle to late Pleistocene Era ITom 1,800,000 to 11,000 years ago. The fossil was found at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Excerpts from CFMS Poster (no longer available) via: CFMS Newsletter, 11/06 THE NUGGET NOV 2006 PAGE 4

5 MINERAL REPORT A FELDSPAR SEMI PRECIOUS GEM SUNSTONE AND OREGON SUNSTONE There are two varieties of sunstone of the plagioclase feldspar, oligoclase (Sodium calcium aluminum silicate.) They are called sunstone and Oregon sunstone. The difference is that regular sunstone contains inclusions of hematite or goethite and Oregon sunstone contains inclusions of copper. These inclusions are in the form of very small scales or platelets that lie parallel to the cleavage plane and reflect light back with a bright spangled appearance. The inclusions are so many that they are a factor in the stones appearance, giving it an orange/ brown background color. These inclusions give the stone an appearance something like that of adventurine and so sunstone is known also as aventurine-feldspar. The effect is referred to in the mineral world as aventurescence (sometimes called aventurization. Other names are aventurine feldspar, aventurine orthoclase, heliolite. Sunstone crystal structure is triclinic. In varied geographical areas, it is commonly colorless or strawyellow, but some crystals have areas of red and or green coloration. They may be pale or intensely colored and can contain areas that are red or green or a combination. The sparkle can also be a schiller effect from the reflective platelets. Inside the crystal they appear pink but on the surface have a white, metallic reflection. The following is a quotation from wikipedia. The words aventurine and aventurescence derive from the Italian a ventura, meaning by chance. This is an allusion to the chance discovery of aventurine glass or goldstone at some point in the 18th century. Goldstone is still manufactured today as an artificial imitation of later discoveries of aventurine quartz and aventurine feldspar (sunstone). Goldstone is sometimes tinted blue, creating bluestone. Sunstone is not common, the best-known locality being south Norway, where sunstone occurs in a quartz vein in gneiss. It is also found in Siberia. Orthoclase can sometimes show aventurescence and has been found in New York state, Amelia County, Virginia, Statesville, North Carolina and Delaware County, Pennsylvania. A rare variety of green sunstone is found in Media, Pennsylvania. Sunstone is also found in Pleistocene basalt flows at Sunstone Knoll in Millard County, Utah. The variety known as Oregon sunstone is found in the soil and the underlying basalt lava flows near the Rabbit Hills in Lake County and Harney County, Oregon. Sunstone has been made the Oregon State Gemstone. Oregon sunstones are unusual in their composition with their copper inclusions, clarity, and colors. Crystals as large as 3 inches are OLIGOCLASE (VARIETY: SUNSTONE) found. Colors are clear, yellow, pink, and red. Blue and green are also found. Some stones have bands of color or appear to show two colors when rotated. Others look clear but show the pink to red schiller affect from the copper when viewed from the right direction. The darker stones have greater amounts of copper scales. The scales or platelets can vary in size, large and small as well as quantity. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has established a free, public collecting area. Lorraine Murphy, PAGE 5 NOV 2006 THE NUGGET

6 FEDERARION FIELD TRIP California Federation of Mineralogical Societies Annual Thanksgiving Rockhounding Field Trip to Wiley Well Area by Bob Fitzpatrick, This trip is open to all rockhounds that agree to abide by the AFMS Code of Ethics the directions of the field trip leader, and practice safe rockhounding. A Consent and Assumption of Risk Waiver of Liability form must be signed upon arriving at the campsite. TRIP LOCATION: The Wiley Well District is 10 miles southwest of Blythe, CA and is one of the most popular collecting areas on the Colorado Desert. WHEN: Thanksgiving weekend, November 22-26, 2006 SPONSOR: CFMS Field Trip, South MATERIAL TO COLLECT: All types and colors of agate & jasper, crystal filled geodes, botryoidal psilomelane, fire agate, chalcedony roses, zeolite crystal fill amygdules, calcite rhombs, petrified wood and much more. LEADER: Bob Fitzpatrick. Please notify me by 11/15/06, Feel free to call or me if you have any questions or need more infonnation: Phone:(951) RURockv2@aol.com DIRECTIONS TO CAMPSITE: Exit Interstate 10 at Wiley Well Rd., approximately 10 miles west of Blythe and 31 miles east of Desert Center. Follow Wiley Well Rd. south for 12.5 miles to campsite (on the west side of the road) at the Riverside/Imperial County line. Watch for the Club and CFMS signs to the camping area. GENERAL INFORMATION: Come and join us for the day or camp out with us. Bring food, lots of water, cell-phone, walkie-talkies, GPS, first aide kit, camera, flashlight, camp chair and lots of firewood for the campfires at night. Donʼt forget, we are having a potluck on Thanksgiving Day, so bring 2 dishes to share and your own place setting. We also need a few people to bring turkeys please. We were a little short on turkey last year. If you are planning on bringing turkey, please call me. Each night after dark we will have a campfire where we can all join together and have a good time roasting marshmallows, telling jokes or just talking about the good ole times. I should be arriving at the campsite around 11 :00 a.m. on Wed., the 22st MONTHLY SHOW DATES NOV SANTA MONICA,CA: Contemporary Crafts Market; Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St.; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. 4-5 CONCORD, CA: Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society Centre Concord; 5298 Clayton Road; Hrs: 10-5 each day 4-5 LANCASTER, CA: Palmdale Gem & Mineral Club Rock & Gem Roundup Antelope Valley Fairgrounds 2551 West Avenue H Hrs: 9-5 both days 4-5 RIDGECREST,CA: Indian Wells Gem & Mineral Society; Desert Empire Fairgrounds; Hrs: 9-5 both days 4-5 SAN DIEGO, CA: San Diego Mineral & Gem Society; Al Bahr Shrine Center (behind Hampton Inn); 5440 Kearny Mesa Road; Hrs: Sat. 9:30-5; Sun SACRAMENTO, CA: Sacramento Mineral Society; 64th. Annual Harvest of Gems Scottish Rite Center; 6151 H Street; Hrs: Fri. 9-5; Sat. 10-6; Sun COSTA MESA, CA: West Coast Gem & Mineral Show. Holiday Inn/Costa Mesa, 3131 S. Bristol St. 10th-11th, 10-6; 12th, ANAHEIM, CA : American Opal Society; Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort; 616 Convention Way; Hrs: Sat. 10-6; Sun YUBA CITY, CA: Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral; Yuba Sutter Fairgrounds (Franklin Hall); 442 Franklin Avenue Hrs: 9-4 both days LIVERMORE, CA: Livermore Valley Lithophiles The Barn; 3131 Pacific Avenue Hours: Sat. 10-6; Sun OXNARD, CA; Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society; Oxnard Performing Arts Center; 800 Hobson Way; Hrs: Sat. 9-5; Sun VALLEY CENTER, CA: Palomar Gem & Mineral Club,Tailgate Gem and Mineral Event; Bates Nut Farm, Woods Valley Rd.; Hrs: 9 a.m.-5 p.m VICTORVILLE, CA: Victor Valley Gem & Mineral Club; San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, th Street; Hrs: Sat. 9-5; Sun BARSTOW, CA: Mojave Desert Gem & Mineral Society; Barstow Community Center; 841 Barstow Road; Hrs: 10-5 both days Excerpts VIA: CFMS NEWSLETTER11/06 PAGE 6 NOV 2006 THE NUGGET

7 The purpose of the CULVER CITY ROCK & MINERAL CLUB is to bring together persons interested in the earth sciences, to engage in research and study in this realm, and to assist members in the collection and preservation of rocks and minerals and in the study of lapidary and related arts... OFFICERS & CHAIRPERSONS 2006 PRESIDENT...Ed Montgomery VICE-PRESIDENT...Gary Mitchell TREASURER...Mary Ellen Shaffer RECORDING SECRETARY... Sue Acosta CORRESPONDING SECRETARY...Leda Rogers FEDERATION DIRECTOR...Brad Smith FIELD TRIPS...OPEN HISTORIAN...Rosalie Peschel LIBRARIAN...Ted Hanf MEMBERSHIP-Co-Chairs...Anthony Ferrari Lucia Pasquinelli MINERALS...Lorraine Murphy PARLIAMENTARIAN... OPEN PHOTOGRAPHY - Co- Chair...Sylvia Binkley Leda Rogers PROGRAM Co-Chair......Ed Montgomery PUBLICATIONS...Lynne Lukert PUBLICITY... Brad Smith SHOW...Richard Shaffer SHOP...Bruce Mensinger SOCIAL...Sue Acosta SUNSHINE....Lili Gelbert TRADING POST...Steve Dover WEBMASTER...Anthony Ferrari BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bruce Mensinger (2006) Lynne Lukert (2006) Sue Acosta (2007) Lorraine Murphy (2007 Woody Shaffer(2008) Gary Mitchell (2008) MEETING SCHEDULES General Meetings are held the second Monday of every month* at 7:30 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Veterans Bldg., 413 Overland Ave. Enter from the rear door. Guests are always welcome. Executive Committee Meetings are held the second Monday of every month*in the Multi-Purpose Room in the Veterans Bldg Veterans Auditorium. All club members are welcome. *Meeting days occasionally change due to Monday holidays or, in July, because of the Fiesta Of Gems show (July 2007). DUES & FEES One time Initiation Fees: Individuals $ Persons/Same Address $25.00 Juniors $15.00 Yearly Membership Dues: Individuals $ Persons/Same Address $35.00 Juniors $10.00 (After July 1, dues are $15.00, $25.00 and $5.00 respectively.) SHOP INFORMATION The shop is open to all members in good standing over the age of 13 (13-18 have certain restrictions) who sign an indemnification form. Instruction is available at all sessions. Practice slabs are available. Location: Culver Blvd. in Culver City (behind the Boy Scout clubhouse and next to the paddle tennis courts) Shop Phone: (310) Hours: Tuesday 7:30pm - 9:30pm Gary Mitchell Wednesday 10:00am - 2:00pm Bruce Mensinger (open by appointment) Thurdsay 10:00am - 2:00pm Woody Shaffer Saturday 11:00am - 3:00pm Lynne Lukert Sunday 1:00pm - 4:00pm Bruce Mensinger If no one shows, the shop may close early. If you plan to arrive at the shop more than a half hour after the opening time, phone the instructor The Nugget The deadline for all submissions is generally the 15th of every month. All articles or notes without a byline are written by the Editor. Permission to copy is freely given as long as proper credit is noted. The Nugget accepts paid advertisements by club members and non-members. The cost for an eight of a page (approx.. 2 high x 3.5 wide) is $7 per insertion, payable in advance. Ad location is at the discretion of the Editor. Ad layouts, copy, or business cards must be received by the 10th of the month. Send materials directly to Lynne Lukert, Editor, 513 1/2 N. Norton Ave., Los Angeles, CA THE NUGGET NOV 2006 PAGE 6

8 SPONSORED BY THE CULVER CITY HUMAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT the NUGGET VOLUME 47 ISSUE 11 NOV, 2006 CULVER CITY ROCK & MINERAL CLUB, INC. CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, USA Frances Aldrich CULVER CITY ROCK & MINERAL CLUB the Nugget Lynne Lukert, editor 513 1/2 N. Norton Ave. Los Angeles, CA FIRST CLASS