MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007
Monthly Bulletin of the Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley
October 2007 General Meeting: October 10, 7:30 P.M. at Mt. Eden Presbyterian Church, In This Issue: (See map on back cover)
26236 Adrian Ave, Hayward (Next to Chabot College, President’s Message behind Burger King) Sept. General Meeting Program: Finding Dino Bone Our speaker for the Oct. 10th general meeting is Rock Rumbles Dennis Freiburger, who will speak on The Karakoram It Ain’t Easy Highway, a geography, gem and mineral trip from Gem of the Month Pakistan to Central Asia..He spoke to us about the Cutting Stones Brazilian mines last year and was enthusiastic, Trip Report;Sheldon, informative and very well received. Virgin and Plush, Part 2
October Refreshments: G-P Rock Flour – The Positive Rock Dust – The Negative New Members: Unless otherwise stated, General Upcoming Events Meetings are on the second Wednesday of the month at New/Renewal Member the church at 7:30pm. You are invited and encouraged to Information attend! There is a silent action and door prizes at every meeting. Next Board Meeting: October 8th @ 7pm at the shop
Shop Clean Up:
To be announced! The shop really needs it, but the scheduled clean-up was pre-empted by the big Joe Hunt donation sale. Stay tuned for an announcement of the new date.
Potluck/Tailgating:
To be announced! It will be the day after the cleanup.
- 1 - MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007 MINERAL AND GEM SOCIETY OF CASTRO VALLEY, INC. PETROGRAPH This is the bulletin of the Mineral and Gem Society of Castro Valley, Inc., a member of the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc., the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies and the North Bay Field Trip Association. Bulletin Policy Submission deadline is the Sunday following the general meeting (normally the second Wednesday of the month.) Anonymous contributions will not be considered for publication in the Petrograph; however, if requested, the contributor’s name will be withheld from the published material. Members are encouraged to submit articles of various types that may be of interest to the general membership. The editor reserves the right to omit submissions from publication. Proper credit must be cited for material from any other source. Permission to reprint Petrograph articles is hereby granted provided all credit is given. 2007 Officers Elected President – Jane Panico Vice President – Ron Miller .……………………………… ……..……. (650) 669-2236 Secretary – Chris PaVel-Ligon …………………………………….……. Treasurer – Betty Milam …………………………………………. [email protected] …………….. (510) 732-6717 1st Year Director – Vijaya Sethuraman ……………………………………………………………………… 2nd Year Director – Judy Wong ……………………………………………………………..……………… 3rd Year Director – Bill Jeans ………………………………………………………………………..………… (510) 483-7357 Federation Director - Ron Hasemeyer …….……….……[email protected].….………..…..…… (510) 886-1747 Shop Manager – Beth Farmer ………………………………[email protected]……………………… (510) 538-3092 2007 Show Chairman – Larry Ham ………………………….. (510) 547-5906 Membership – Bonnie Andrade …………..……[email protected]……..………….. (925) 625-4393 Editor – Mike Tice …………………………..4ticetice@comcast .net………………………… (510) 791-2785 Past President – Doc Buschke …………………………………………………………………………………………. (510) 797-0744
Appointed Shop Steering Committee Chair – Larry Ham ……………………………………………………………………. (510) 547-5906 Scholarship Chair – Mary Howell …………………………………………………………………………………….. (510) 537-3702 Librarian – Fern Brown ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. (510) 357-1326 Historian – Jamie McDonald ………………………………...… [email protected] ………..……………. (510) 889-7808 Purchasing Agent – Horace Robertson ………………………………………………………………………………. (510) 278-1085 Education Coordinator – Shirley Buschke ………………………………………………………………………….. (510) 797-0744 Field Trip Coordinator–Ron Hasemeyer …….……….……[email protected].….………..…..…… (510) 886-1747 Parliamentarian – Doc Buschke …………………………………………………………………………………………….. (510) 797-0744 Reception/Hostess – Dolores Barnes ………………………………………………………………………………….. (510) 635-2481 Sunshine Reporter – All members Door Prizes – Judy Wong ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. Web Master – Jane Panico ………………………………….. …………………………...... [email protected] Publication Staff Typists,: Mike Tice, Shirley Buschke, Rock Rumbles,: Shirley BuschkeLabels, Assembly and Mailing: Eloise Murata-Rudiger & Candy Jones
- 2 - MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE September General Meeting On Saturday and Sunday September 21 and 22 the The September General meeting was called to club sold the donated rock from Joe Hunt. Thank order at 7:35 pm, Wednesday, September 12, you Joe Hunt for this generous donation! This rock 2007, by President Jane Panico. belonged to Johnson's Rock Shop. All of the A few members did not receive the recent material was good - well worth the trip out in the Petrograph, and Jane asked them to re-confirm rain. Saturday sales totaled over 2K. We hope to their email addresses. make a little more on Sunday. This is something the club really needed! The was one correction to the September Petrograph; Mary Howell received a Certificate of I want to thank everyone who came out and helped Life Membership, not Appreciation. get and put out the estate and collect it. Larry, Beth, Jim, Ken M, Ken P, Wilburt, Mike & Jenifer T, Norm, Program: Mary Howell moderated this evening’s Mark M and of course Joe Hunt for giving the club program: ”My Favorite Rock”. the rock! We had a lot of new people and clubs attending because Beth placed the sale on Mary led off by showing a small rock (which may or Craigslist. The turn out was great and the donations may not be a fossil) that she collected while visiting to our club are much appreciated. the 4000 year old Great Orme Copper Mines in North Wales, England. This item has great Other than early birds, the sale went great and a lot sentimental value to her as a remembrance of the of people got some really great rock! We made over trip. Mary also displayed a bronze spear point 2K in donations and moved over 2 tons or more of (replica) and a piece of native copper. She said it rock. was a fantastic trip and left some literature about the mine on the front table. Our shop clean up will be scheduled sometime in October so keep your ears open for the new date. Beth Farmer showed off some gorgeous Indian The shop had way too much rock for a clean up on Jewelry, including a Petrified Wood pendant the normal set date. Also, don't forget the Holiday handed down from her grandmother that was made Party at the Moose Lodge December 11, Tuesday. in the 40’s. This pendant was personally significant Its a pot luck so check the website for what to bring. to Beth not only because it belonged to her Grandmother, but also because it started her
Jane fascination with American Indian Jewelry. Mark Montgomery entitled his presentation “Serendipitous Mistakes”. Mark has been an artist for years and enjoys the “found objects” that he September Board Meeting discovers in the cabs that he creates. Mark There was no quorum for the September 2007 displayed two items, a round Petrified Wood Board Meeting, therefore the meeting was not held. cabochon that he considered of perfect composition and a Sunset Agate cabochon that revealed the features of a dog peering over a bush, which reminded him of his late Golden Retriever. Nell Klas presented a pendant that she named “Romancing the Stone”. Made from a piece of rough that she found in the free bin at the shop, she has no difficulty in seeing an emerald within it. Bill Howell displayed a piece of Jett from Dover, England. Very rare, particularly in the large size of the piece that he held, this stone looked like a piece of coal, but was highly prized by the Victorians for making Mourning Jewelry. Found mainly in the white cliffs of Dover, this material takes a beautiful polish. It is still considered wood, however, but sure looked petrified to this observer. It comes from the Monkeypuzzle Tree, of the middle Jurassic Period and is actually brown, but looks black. Originating in
the Sherwood Forest area, it is favored by Indians
for making jewelry.
- 3 - MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007 September General Meeting (Continued) Junior Mentor: Mark Montgomery. Mark reported that he has two juniors, both of whom are currently Bill noted that this material will hold an electrostatic faceting. One is looking for a used faceting charge, and to perform a test to determine machine, please contact Mark. authenticity, it is scaped on the unglazed bottom of a piece of China. If the streak is brown it is Jett, if it Education: Shirley Buschke. Shirley reported is black it is coal. that the recent Fabrication class was very successful, and that another will be held in October. Marie Brown showed a piece of Dumortierite that The price will be going up a bit, due to increases in she collected in Arizona. This stone is called ‘The the price of raw materials. Another Enamel class is Stone of Patience”. coming soon and she is still having drop-in students Shirley Buschke presented a Sand Opal that she in the Lost Wax classes. Phil Karls has built a obtained from Arland Stokes. It was not clear if cabinet for the Juniors to display their work. Shirley Arland was aware that he had “lost” this item to asks that students be mindful when taking classes; Shirley. please follow the instructors directions. We should honor our instructors, as they are volunteers. Doc Buschke displayed a large carved turquoise item that consisted of 5 eyes. I guess you never New Business know where the stone will take you. The Holiday Dinner will be held on Tuesday, Mark Isaacs displayed a beautiful large Virgin December 11th at the Moose Lodge in Castro Valley Opal in a dome that he collected at the Valley, Jewel Hague has once again negotiated a Rainbow Ridge Mine. terrific deal for the club and we look forward to another festive gathering with our fellow club Paul Williams, a noted science fiction writer, members. displayed an Ammonite pendant made from a slab that he bought in Ashland, Oregon. He described Doc Buschke presented the show raffle prize, a one of his novels and the relation of the Ammonite beautiful carved blue Chalcedony pendant, set in to the story line. 8.25 grams of 14k Gold, with an appraised value of $1000.00. This stunning work of art was created by Mike Tice showed a large piece of Fluorite, Ed Rigor and modeled for the members by Marge purchased at the Pow Wow. Green and purple, Spector. Tickets are available now, for a donation of weighing 5 pounds and standing 12 inches tall, it $1.00 each. had been washed in acid to give it a soft, lustrous look. He finds it not only attractive but restful, and it Jane announced that there has been a generous occupies a special place in his home. donation of rough from Joe Hunt and that the club will hold a two day sale on September 22nd and Old Business: 23rd, open to members at 10:00 and the general Shop Manager: Beth Farmer. Beth reported that public at 11:00. Beth Farmer will be advertising on the large flat lap has been fixed. New laps have Craigslist. Jane reminds the membership that to been purchased for the Faceting Room. Mike Tice maintain order and in the interest of fairness to all, thanked Beth for repairing the 14” saw. the 10:00 opening is absolutely firm and there will be no earlybirds allowed. Show Chairman: Larry Ham. Larry was not present but Jane announced that show meetings Doc Buschke presented the names of the nominees have begun with the next meeting scheduled for the for next years Officers and Board of Directors: th 20 , at 7:00 p.m. President: Ron Miller
Vice President: Jim Ewing Librarian: Fern Brown. Mary Howell announced that a box of books has been donated by Lenore Secretary: Chris Pavel-Ligon Brest. Mike Tice announced that he has put the Treasurer: Betty Milam library card catalog file into an excel file and that the 1st Year Director: Tony Waiss electronic file is available from Jane Panico, who 2nd Year Director: Vijaya Sethuraman said that distribution will be discussed at the next 3rd Year Director: Judy Wong board meeting. There are over 600 books and Federation Director: Ron Hasemeyer maps (not including periodicals) in the library, some dating back to the 1890’s. Shop Manager: Beth Farmer 2008 Show Chairman: Larry Ham Membership: Bonnie Andrade Editor: Mike Tice Past President: Jane Panico - 4 - MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007 September General Meeting (Continued) Rock Shirley Buschke asked for assistance from the Rumbles telephone tree to notify members without email of –Shirley Buschke the 2 day sale and the postponement of the Shop October 2007 Cleanup and Potluck. Once again, the call was answered and all of the telephone lists were quickly handed out. A big thank you to those who answered the call for the telephone Mark Isaacs, who is also President of the tree when we needed to put it back into action. The Fluorescent Mineral Society, announced that he last time we needed you was for the change of date was looking forward to the two clubs combining of the Christmas party (and the date is different this efforts in future endeavors. year, so pay attention). Because of the generous donation of rocks by Joe Hunt, the clean up and
picnic were postponed. The clean up will take Drawing Winners: place at a later date. We need the money so we Annemarie Kochendorfer hope you bought lots of rocks. Joe had been a long Marie Brown time member and dealer. While at our old shop he Walt Klas did the casting. He is moving out of the area. Bill Howell Horace Robertson donated a large box of slabs for George Kozakura Judy Wong to use for meeting door prizes. Thank Mary Howell you, Horace. Nell Klas We got to meet Lucinda Price's husband. She
picked him up at the airport and returned to pick up The meeting was adjourned at 8:32 p.m. son Sam so we got to meet him. He had just Submitted by Mike Tice, sitting in for Chris Pavel- returned from Israel on business and will return in a Ligon few weeks. Lucinda and Sam come to the shop from Tracy on Wednesday mornings. She says traffic gets worse each week. Lenore Brest dropped by. She does most of our award certificates. She also was Petrograph Editor for years. She says she will be teaching ceramics again soon and is trying hard to find time to paint, her real passion, and maybe visit the shop to use up some of her rocks. Our President Jane is off to Denver to visit their big show, the Midwest's answer to Tucson. While there she will visit with Rita Frazier. Rita was our editor before moving to the Denver area. I would like to put in a plea to members to please How Can I Find Dinosaur Bone? remember that our teachers are volunteers. THEY DO NOT GET PAID. They volunteer to share their In recent experiments to find fossils, Geiger knowledge. So please be respectful of their time counters have been used, since uranium is and effort. And please bring the materials sometimes concentrated in dinosaur bones and that requested‚ so you do not waste the teacher's or causes a tick on the counter since it is a radioactive other student's time. If you insist on special mineral. Shotguns have been blasted into the treatment, take a class from professionals who will ground, and then hydrophones are used, (like charge a much higher tuition. From time to time we microphones) to listen to the echo and to figure out have information on the bulletin board about these if a fossil changed the pattern of the soundwaves. classes. They cost in the hundreds of dollars. You Ultraviolet cameras have been used, since some can also check the Internet or our magazines and dinosaur bones glow under ultraviolet light. Radar journals in the office that often list schools and and other techniques have been tried, but none of classes. Good to see Judy and Phil Karls. They them have worked well. The best way to find a come from Discovery Bay. Missed Karl and Nicki dinosaur is still to walk around and look and find Churchill. They usually spend the meeting day at just a tip sticking out of the ground- beneath it may the shop and then the meeting. She is probably be a whole dinosaur not yet eroded away by being traveling again. on the surface of the ground.
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It Ain’t Easy Shirley Buschke Gem of the Month Shirley Buschke Identifying natural stone, synthetics and simulants Every once in awhile you can hear that southern is not easy. That is why my advice is to know your accent. Who? Why this Month’s gem, of course. jeweler. Natural, synthetic and even simulants look This month’s gem is a nurse and has worked as a alike and can be beautiful, but you need to know cardiac nurse. She has also been a writer for a what you are paying for. As the skill of the magazine dealing with health issues. Right now manufacturer improves, more complicated tools are she is a stay-at-home mom to her two children. needed for identification. The Gemological Institute And she has lots of hobbies such as working with of America is working on many tests. On glass, spinning wool and now working with stones. Wednesday morning a group of club members work She has mastered wire wrap and is doing pretty on rock identification. Their simple tools are well with lost wax. experience, a magnifying glass and books giving descriptions and location sources. Sometimes they Our gem is from Knoxville, Tennessee and came to use a flashlight. Join them. Mark Montgomery, California for her Husband’s job. He is an engineer Fern Brown, Mary Howell and Bill Huberick are with the Stanford Linear Accelerator. They live in becoming very knowledgeable on the subject. Tracy and the trip to the shop seems to be taking longer each week. She says they miss the meetings Many times, the best the amateur can do is because the night time trek is just too much. eliminate some possibilities. If your job is identification, there are many aids. One of the When asked how they found us, she said she was simplest is a polariscope, which sends a beam of taking a class from Tom Miller in the Stoneridge light through the gem and the beam does not split area and he told her she should join. She said they or diverge into two beams. This optical property is had done quite a bit of mining and and began to called single refraction (SR) or double refraction wonder what one could do with all those rocks. She (DR). Another tool using the same principle is the has found some opals in the Virgin Valley, among dichroscope. It makes differences in the color of other things. She checked the club out and joined, light transmitted when one sees two planes. These especially for her son. But she found she likes it instruments can separate many of the red stones. too. Although she hasn’t been a member very long, A refractometer measures the degree of bending of she worked in the kitchen at the show. light. Remember, this is why you can’t catch the goldfish in the fish tank. Recently she finished a piece of dichromic glass for John Gullak, combining a faceted cubic zirconium A specific gravity test is done by lowering the with the glass. The cubic zirconium is one of the unknown gem into heavy liquids of precisely known few stones that can withstand the high temperature specific gravities (SG) to see if the gem floats. necessary for the glass to fuse. And how did she Continue until the right SG is determined. These get to know John? Her thirteen year old son Sam is tests do not separate the natural from the man- one of John’s students. Jim Ewing has had to lie made. Using a magnifying glass may show about the ages of Sam and Bill West because John inclusions in the natural stone. However, didn’t think teenagers were disciplined enough to manufacturers are even including some of these. take the class. These two are. Sam comes over Because of the enhancment of natural stones, the the hill on Wednesdays because his mother home gem can be made to appear to be something else. schools him and his sister, Chelsea. When asked about her favorite stone she said If the price of your gem seems too good to be true, probably opal but since learning about so many it probably is a synthetic. Or heaven help us, a others the list is getting longer. She is impressed simulant. And some of those simulants look pretty with the friendliness of our members and the good. Identification of many stones is much more willingness to share information and techniques. challenging than using some of these simple tools. And all this for the cost of membership. Who is a our gem? Lucinda Price. Often one cannot identify a stone but one can eliminate several possibilities.
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Cutting Stones by Shirley Buschke Trip Report We welcome our many new members and hope this Sheldon, Virgin and Plush, Part 2 Mike Tice information may help them. Continued from the September issue of the Petrograph. When cutting and polishing a stone you have never As always, the constantly running warm shower in worked with before, first try your usual successful the WPA era bath house of the Virgin Valley method. And of course, ask an expert for his/her campground was a welcome respite. Lounging in advice if you are uncertain how to proceed. If no the tepid hot springs pool at noon in the middle of one is around who knows more than you, try some July was not as refreshing as my first time here, of these ideas three years before. On that occasion it was mid- If you decide to work on ivory, which is very soft, March, midnight, a brisk 40 degrees, the stars were you may want to work with hand tools for cutting, electrically intense and the water felt HOT. No and polish with pumice, tripoli or tin oxide. The matter, I made the best of it and struck up a same advice goes for amber. A friend of ours used conversation with the other bathers, a collection of emery boards and polished with tooth paste. This salt-of-the-earth, middle America, distinctly (sniff) is all he had. He collected his amber in Denmark middle class Opal miners. I don’t know about you, and decided to finish it before coming home. but the day my wife shows up with a barbed wire tattoo around her upper arm will be the day that I Most of the time agate, jasper and quartz are easy throw off my apron and head for the hills. Inquiring to work with, but jasper sometimes has soft spots. discreetly about the success at the mines, I was Look for them by soaking in water and watch which surprised to hear that these folks were up here for area soaks up the water the fastest. This tells you the fishing. Fishing? Absolutely, was the response, to reshape or choose another stone. The soft spot great fishing at Onion Valley, Blue Lake, Big that soaked up the water will undercut. Springs and Catnip Reservoirs. No kidding, I Lapis is actually composed of lazurite, calcite and replied. The conversation then turned to the pyrite. These are not all the same hardness so festivities of the night before and at that point it was undercutting is common. The stone is about 5 1/2 time to get a drink of my own. in harness. Grind carefully or you will have a Pitching a tent to hold my spot and anchoring it lopsided stone. Polish with Linde A or chrome down with 10 gallons of gas and a spare tire, I oxide. If you want a flat surface, try diamond for moseyed on over to the nearest (38 miles away) polishing. outpost of civilization, Denio Junction. “Which way Petrified wood is a monocot (remember biology) to the Oregon sunstone mines?” asked the young and has meristamatic bundles. These are the man of the waitress in the restaurant. I had seen his circulatory system of the plant with the pipes van parked outside, Arkansas plates and a canoe traveling up the stem of the living plant. You may on top. His wife, who I had pegged as either decide on a cross cut which will show circular Mennonite or Amish, judging by her outfit, struggled bundles at random. Or you may choose a with three squirming children. longitudinal cut which will show the tubes. If you I had heard of, but not seen, the Travel Channel want an elliptical bundle, cut diagonally. special that was filmed at the Spectrum Sunstone Other petrified wood can show interesting patterns Mine the year before. In it, the hostess had depending on how the stem or trunk is cut. Most magically plucked a huge sunstone from the pit (or wood is treated like agate. If your wood is opalized, perhaps off the conveyor belt) and after cutting and follow instructions for opal. auction, it had sold for some large amount of If you have clear quartz, you may decide to facet. money. Jessica Schenk, who works the mine with Orient the rutiles for a lovely design. These Chris Rose, had told me at the Pow Wow that they needles can pull out easily so cut or polish with had been inundated with calls ever since. One care. You really need to pay attention with these fellow from Texas had called and told her that he stones.Rhodonite is composed of pink manganese was selling everything he had and was coming to silicate. It often has inclusions of pyrolusite, the mine to make his living digging sunstones. manganese dioxide, or psilomelane. The last is I had not planned to go to Plush for Sunstones on very dirty. Considerable undercutting is common in this trip; my plan was to head north to Fields, catch the black areas, so go slowly and deliberately. The a burger and shake at the Fields store, and wander stone can be sensitive to heat because there is around the Alvord Desert, spending a night or two water in it. The combination of water and heat can at the Willow Creek (Whitehorse) Hot Springs. But lead to crazing and cracking. Wash frequently. the more I thought of it, this sounded too good to Polish with cerium. Remember we have many miss and that I better check it out. Who knows, members willing to help you. Ask for help. maybe I could buy some big reds from Chris to facet.
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Trip Report (Continued) I returned to the campground and prepared for the The trip west on Route 140 toward Adel was evening. By this time the real Opal miners were stunning, with the play of light and dark on hills and returning to their camps and the general consensus valleys interspersed with drizzle and brilliant was that the mines were running out of bank. Not sunlight. Coming over a small rise I was stunned to much at all. I don’t know about that, but I’m not an see a large badger gnawing on something in the expert. Next year, some paint salesman from center of the road. Since I was in a mindful state Winnemucca will probably pull out a two pound log. (and a slow VW) I was able to slow enough to avoid disaster and even caught a picture of the rascal as The weather was definitely turning as I sat by the he scurried off the road. It occurred to me that if this fire that evening, and as I turned in I set my alarm th had been the prior year, when I was roaring down for 3:30 a.m. After all, it was July 16 and the next this same stretch of road at 80 m.p.h. in a rental morning at 4:17 a.m., thousands of people all Nissan Pathfinder, I would have mowed him down. around the world were going to collectively meditate I’ve spent a lot of time in the out of doors, and this to “Fire The Grid”, and I was going to do it on my was my first badger, up close. back in the hot springs. Slowed somewhat by a cattle drive near Adel, I I snapped awake and looked at the clock: 3:45. The made the turn towards Plush and the sunstone alarm hadn’t gone off, but no matter, I had plenty of mines by 9 a.m. As I was admiring Hart Mountain time. I slid open the door to the bus, stepped onto and speculating on the going rate of sunstone the ground and was dumbstruck. Far to the south rough, a red fox burst from the side of the road on the horizon was a huge black cloud with dark directly in my path. This one was trouble. I slammed arms extending out from either side in the distinct on my brakes and went into a 4 wheel skid. shape of a bulls head. Lightning crackled from the Everything in the bus flew forward off the seats. The center and struck the ground, bolt after bolt. A fierce fox darted left, right and then left, as I leaned wind blew in my face as I watched this approaching forward over the steering wheel,I saw his rear end storm. pivot around my left front tire before he dove into Years ago I had read Wilbur Smith’s book about the the bushes at the side of the road. Gold Rush and settlers in South Africa, “When The As I was putting the bus back together, it was not Lion Feeds”. I was mesmerized by his description of lost on me that had this been a year ago, I would the manner in which the great Zulu warlord have flattened two rare creatures within a single Cetewayo would deploy his armies in the shape of morning. After one more cattle drive, this one down a bulls head, with thousands of warriors gathered in the middle of Plush, I pulled into the veritable bee the center, stamping their feet and beating on their hive of activity called the Spectrum Sunstone Mine. shields, while thousands more stretched out on either side like horns to ensnare the enemy. I had Next Month – Tough Work in the Hot Sun (not me) and Hayden Hill. not thought of this book in years but the memory came back in an instant. The storm was racing toward me and raindrops Rock Flour – The Positive Wikipedia splattered my tent and pinged against the bus. No Rock flour, or glacial flour, consists of clay-sized time for lounging in a hot springs now, I needed to particles of rock, generated by glacial erosion or by batten down the hatches. I felt that I should rouse artificial grinding to a similar size. Because the my neighbors, but sometimes it’s every man for material is very small, it is suspended in river water himself, particularly at 4:00 in the morning. I cleared making the water appear cloudy. If the river flows the table of anything not water resistant, pulled on a into a glacial lake, the lake may appear turquoise in rain parka and plopped down in a folding chair to do color as a result. Examples of this are Lake Louise, my part of the global meditation. I gave it my best Canada and Gjende lake in Norway. shot, and I hope it did some good. The rain never Natural rock flour is typically formed during glacial did come down in buckets, but the lightning was migration, where the glacier grinds against rock magnificent as it passed by, and by dawn there was beneath it, but is also produced by freeze thaw, nothing left but gorgeous clouds. where the act of water freezing and expanding in I attempted to catch the best of it on my new digital cracks helps break up rock formations. camera, but fell far short. It didn’t take long to get Although clay-sized, its particles are not clay rolling since I had essentially packed up earlier and minerals but typically ground up quartz and I pulled out before any of my neighbors had a feldspar. Rock flour is carried out from the system chance to wake up and chase down their camps. via meltwater streams, where the particles travel in suspension.
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Rock Flour – The Positive Continued Rock flour particles can travel great distances either suspended in water or by the wind, in the latter case forming deposits called loess. Some agronomists believe that rock flour has a powerful effect in restoring trace minerals to soil. An early experimeter was the German miller Julius Hensel, author of Bread from Stones, who reported successful results with steinmehl (stonemeal) in the 1890s. His ideas were not taken up through technical limitations and, according to proponents of his method, opposition from the champions of conventional fertilisers. John D. Hamaker argues that widespread Rock Dust – The Negative Continued remineralization of soils with rock dust is required to What follows is a sad story from a fellow rockhound, reverse soil depletion by current agriculture and taken from an old message board, name withheld. forestry practice. “About a year ago our fossil club went to Ontario to While this was originally an alternative concept, collect trilobites, and we took along a diamond rock increasing mainstream research has been devoted saw. I only sawed out a few trilobites for fellow to soil amendment and other benefits of rock flour members (without wearing a mask; I forgot to bring application: for instance, a pilot project on the use one) and I tried to not inhale the dust. However, of glacial rock, granite and basaltic fines by the U.S. large clouds of it were kicked up each time, and it Department of Agriculture at the Henry A. Wallace was impossible to avoid inhaling quite a bit of it. Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. The SEER Centre in Scotland is a leading source of By the next morning I had significant lung irritation, information on the use of rock dusts and mineral and have had it ever since -- some days worse than fines. others. I have frequent coughing and an uncomfortable sensation in my upper chest. After Rock Dust – The Negative this went on for a few weeks, I went to a doctor, not knowing if I had contracted a bacteria, fungus, or In the August '97 issue of Lapidary Journal, June other microbe at the quarry, or just had Culp Zeitner's "Shop Helps" column points out that accumulated too much dust in my lungs. the longest word in the third edition of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary describes the condition An x-ray was clear, but that is not unusual in such caused by breathing fine silica or quartz dust. I'd cases (it sometimes takes years for fibrosis, TB, think people would avoid doing so simply because, cancer, and other diseases to develop). Apparently at some future time, someone might ask them the the rock dust itself is the cause of the current lung name of their illness and they'd have to say: irritation, and it may never get better. In fact, it may worsen into other conditions, as explained below. "pneumonoultramioropicsilicovolcanoniosis." Many people assume years of exposure to rock While it's a fairly minor danger, gem hobbyists who dust is needed to cause serious problems, and this go on to learn to cast their own lost-wax settings is generally true when dealing with wind-blown, low should avoid breathing casting investment (plaster) concentration dust, which usually has already been both when mixing it and when boiling it out of hot weathered to some degree. But not so with freshly casting flasks in cold water. Investment is made of cut rock. cristobalite, which is dangerous when large After I started having my problems, I began talking quantities are breathed. It's mostly a danger in big to doctors and doing lots of reading. I also talked to production shops and the occasional caster an uncle who used to work in a quarry, and who is shouldn't be paranoid about it, but since there are now dying of pulmonary fibrosis at the age of 55. people who have lung ailments who might be I'm now going to his doctor. affected by light exposure, a good mask can't hurt. It turns out that not only do rock particles of any composition tend to stay and accumulate in the lungs, but FRESHLY CUT rock is the worst, and extremely pernicious.
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Rock Dust – The Negative Continued Upcoming Events ----- Even one or a few incidents of significant inhalation October 3-7, Joshua Tree, Ca. of such dust can cause lung irritation and start the The 32nd Annual Gem, Mineral and Crafts Show. process of increasingly serious lung damage. The 6225 Sunburst Ave., Joshua Tree. Mon-Sat 8-5, microscopic particles are like millions of razor- Sun. 8-3. Over 50 dealers of gems, rocks, minerals, edged shards that damage lung tissue directly, as crafts, lapidary and rock polishing equipment. well as create conditions promoting the (760) 366-2915 development of TB, microplasms, fibrosis, and cancer. October 13-14, Grass Valley, Ca. Experiments with rats and other animals have Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society’s “Earth shown that inhalation of fresh cut rock dust is far Treasures”. Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 more damaging than worn rock dust of any McCourtney Rd. 10-5, both days. Cliff Swenson. composition, and leads to far greater rates of (530) 272-3752 several diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. (But even accumulations of worn rock dust in the lungs greatly increased chances of lung October 13-14, Trona, Ca. th diseases). Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society’s “66 Annual Gem-O-Rama”. Searles Lake Gem & Mineral I've also made many fossil molds and casts over Society, 13337 Main St. Sat. 7:30 – 5, Sun. 7:30– 4. the years, and although I often wore a mask while Bonnie Fairchild, (760) 372-5356. working with plaster, sometimes did not. I may well have accumulated plaster in my lungs as well, which may have contributed to or aggravated my October 20-21, Placerville, Ca. lung condition. Plaster hardens when in contact with El Dorado County Mineral & Gem Society. El moisture, wherever it occurs, including one's lungs. Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Dr. But I did not have the constant lung irritation until Both days:10-5. Jackie Cerrato (530) 677-2975 after the Ontario trip using the rock saw (on hard shales and siltstones), and have had it ever since. October 20-21, Anderson, Ca. I have another appointment with a pulmonary Shasta Gem & Mineral Society. Shasta District doctor on Thursday, but from what I have learned Fairgrounds. Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4. Bill Steward such damage is generally irreversible, the best I (530) 365-8641 may hope for is to have my condition not get worse. I may have to live with lung irritation and chronic October 20-21, Santa Rosa, Ca. cough for the rest of my life, plus increased Santa Rosa Mineral & Gem Society. Veterans chances for the serious conditions I listed above. Memorial Auditorium, 1351 Maple Ave. Sat. 10-6. So PLEASE, whenever you are cutting or grinding Sun. 10-5. Shirley Mattson (707) 564-4537 rock of any kind, ALWAYS wear a respirator (not just a cheap dust mask). If working indoors, use a November 3-4, Concord, Ca. dust collecting hood, or don't do it. Your health is not worth any rock or fossil. Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society. Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Rd. Clayton Fair Shopping There are serious inhalation dangers in the lab also, Center, Both days 10-5. Sam Woolsey including solvents, urethanes, glues, and other (925) 837-3287 chemicals used on prep work. These too can have accumulative effects, and lead to a variety of health November 9-11, Sacramento, Ca. problems. Work with such chemicals only with very th good ventilation, or under a hood, or don't do it. Sacramento Mineral Society’s “65 Annual Golden Again, a rock or fossil is not worth your health. Harvest of Gems, Jewelry and Minerals Show”. Scottish Rite Temple, 6151 H. Street, Sacramento. If I scared anyone, I can't feel too bad, because I wish someone had scared me before I did what I did, and may have to pay the price the rest of my November 10-11. Yuba City, Ca life.” Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral Society’s “Festival of We certainly wish this fellow well and hope that Gems”. Grace Franklin Hall, 442 Franklin Ave. Sat. those who read this may avoid a similar misfortune. 9-5, Sun. 9-4. Cliff Swenson (530) 272-3752 Editor.
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New/Renewal Member Information Please fill out the membership form below, include a check for the proper amount (Payable to: MGSCV), and enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and mail to me at the following address: Bonnie Andrade, Membership Chair, 15608 Cranbrook St., San Leandro, CA 94579
Upon receipt of your check and this application, you are agreeing with the Societies Rules and Bylaws. Once your name is recorded on the club’s roster you are an active member. Your application will be processed and membership cards will be mailed to you within 4 weeks of receipt. Upon processing, your name will be entered into our membership database, added to the roster and mailing list for the Petrograph (our newsletter) and entered into the drawing for cash prizes for attendance at general meetings. Please submit an email address so you can receive the Petrograph via email. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 925-625-4393. Please note that this membership is good through December 31st. If you are joining after July 1, dues are half rate.
IF YOU ARE A NEW MEMBER, please contact Beth Farmer (510-538-3092) to sign up for your orientation session. All members must have an orientation and cut a calibrated cabochon. Instruction will occur at that time or at a later scheduled date with the clubs instructor. Working at our annual show is a requirement of membership. All members are expected to keep the 1st full weekend of March available and to work a minimum of 4 hours. The show is fun to work and the reason we have the best shop & club. Membership dues do not cover our annual operating costs. It is our show that funds the club, shop and any activities. Shop services such as rock sawing, casting; special classes including faceting (etc.) will not be available to members who do not work at the show. We are a non-profit club whose sole purpose is education. We exist to further the lapidary arts and geological sciences for all who are interested. All members should own and be familiar with the MGSCV Handbook. A stationary copy is available for review in the club’s lobby and one will be emailed to you. If you wish to have a copy emailed to you email [email protected] to request one. Products made in the shop cannot be sold for profit.
Bonnie Andrade, Membership Chairperson ______Membership Application Type of Membership: (choose one) ____ Single, January 1 to December 31st ($35) ____ Couple, January 1 to December31st ($60) ____ Juniors with parents as members ($1) ____ Junior with out an adult ($5) ____ Associate - (Former member living more than 100 miles away) ($17.50) ____ Life Members (Voted in by the Board)
Name(s) (Please print all names couples/juniors):______
Address:______City: ______Zip Code:______Phone Number:______Email Address:______(Where we will email the monthly Petrograph to members - If you do not have email check here ____ ) Occupational Skills:______(In case we are in need of electrical, plumbing, mechanical, machinist, clerical or some other skill, we would like to have this on file.)
X(Signature)______I agree with the MGSCV’s Rules and Bylaws
PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING IF YOU WOULD LIKE CONFIDENTIALITY: _____ I do not want my address printed in the roster _____ I do not want my telephone number printed in the roster _____ I do not want my e-mail address printed in the roster (All information provided is not shared with any third party - privacy is respected) Send to: Bonnie Andrade, Membership Chair, 15608 Cranbrook St., San Leandro, CA 94579 - 11 - MGSCV Petrograph - October 2007
Shop Schedule (For members only) MGSCV Monday 10AM to 1PM, Lapidary 20948A 7PM to 9PM, Beginners only
in lapidary Corsair Tuesday -Need Daytime Supervisor! 7PM to 9PM, Lapidary, Hesperian Blvd. lost wax & beading. Wednesday –9AM to 1:30PM, Lapidary, intarsia & beading. Air Port Deli Sign Library open 10AM to noon. 6PM to 9PM, Lapidary Thursday -10AM to 1PM, Lapidary 4PM to 9PM, Lapidary West Winton To 880 -> Friday Need Daytime and Night Supervisors! Clawlter Sakian Temporarily closed. Our shop: 20948 A Corsair Blvd Hayward, CA 94545 (510) 887-9007 Saturday 9AM to 5PM, Juniors, adults w/supervisor’s approval Library open 10AM to noon. Sunday Need Daytime Supervisor 5PM to 9PM, Lapidary
We are in need of Shop Supervisors for Tuesday day, Friday night and day and Sunday day. If interested, please see Beth!
Website: www.mgscv.org Mt. Eden Presbyterian Church Email us at [email protected] 26236 Adrian Ave, Hayward General meetings held here every month at 7:30pm, except in July & August.
PETROGRAPH Bulletin of the Mineral and Gem Society of Castro Valley, Inc. Editor P.O. Box 2145 Castro Valley, CA 94546
POSTMASTER: DATED MATERIAL – TIME VALUE
Please deliver promptly, thank you.
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