Rockhound ramblings NOVEMBER 1, 2 011 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PASADENA LAPIDARY SOCIETY - PASADENA, CALIFORNIA INSIDE THIS ISSUE President’s 2 Message Club News & 2 Information Ed’s Corner, 3 Workshop, More Club News Feature Articles: 4 Unakite, Boulder Opal Opal, Fossils, 5 Member –To - Member Field Trips, 6 Federation News Articles, Shows 7 & Local Events Calendar of 8 Monthly Events UNAKITE. An attractive stone that is easily available to both beginning and advanced jewelry and lapidary hobbyists - Unakite adds striking beauty to any creation. Discovered in 1874 by Professor Frank H. Bradley, a geologist at East Tennes- see University, it was named for the location where it was first discovered - the Unakas mountains of North Carolina. Subsequently, it has been found in the river valleys of Virginia (where it is washed down from the Blue Ridge Mountains) and as pebbles and cobbles on the shores of Lake Superior where it was deposited from ancient glacial drift. It is prized for its contrasting green and pink colors. Unakite deposits are not limited to the United States, and the stone is also found in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Brazil, and China. Unakite is usually found with a mottled appearance - with various shades of green and pink with little translucent patches, as the photo on this page depicts. Its hardness of 6 to 7 on the Mohs scale comes from its typical composition as an altered granite containing pink orthoclase feldspar (6), green epidote (6 to 7), and generally colorless quartz (7). Unakite is consid- ered a semiprecious stone and will take a good polish. It is often used in jewelry as beads and in rings and pendants. Other Continued on page 4 Page 2 ROCKHOUND RAMBLINGS November 2011 President’s Message meeting. We will have a great pres- always have a great time. Don‟t forget entation by Francis Lau on pearls to get your dues for next year in to Happy Thanksgiving and there will be high quality pearls Marlene Kyte or Mark Nelson. to one and all. Please for sale at great prices. come to the workshop Our general meeting in December will this month. Vern and We will also be voting on the new be the annual pot luck dinner and it Sylvia will be demon- club officers for the next two years will be the last opportunity to turn in strating how to make and everyone‟s vote is important! your dues to avoid any penalties. I silver rings and every- look forward to seeing everyone at one will be able to The field trip for November will be the meetings. There may even be purchase the supplies and make over Thanksgiving weekend to Afton special prizes and handouts at the nice rings for Christmas gifts. Canyon and it‟s one you don‟t want general meeting. I can say no more. to miss. There are great minerals Please also come to the general and crystals to be collected and we … Chris Kyte, President Meeting and General Club Information Officers October Board Meeting October Meeting November Meeting by Cheryl Lopez, Secretary Chris Kyte, President Annual Elections will be held (626) 794-0519 Officers present: Chris Kyte, Cheryl Nominations for our 2012 officers at this meeting! Please attend [email protected] Lopez were presented. Further nomina- and vote for our leaders for Chairs/Members present: Vern the coming two year term. Cheryl Lopez, Secretary tions and elections will be held at Cliffe, Sylvia Cliffe, Drew Wilson, (626) 351-6283 Marlene Kyte, D. Kelty and Ed Im- the November meeting. Our program features Mr. [email protected] lay. C. Kyte, C. Lopez. Bill O‟Connor, from Farrin O‟Con- Francis Lau who will share Mark Nelson, Treasurer The membership of Ferdie and nor Design, presented a slideshow his love of pearls. He is a well (909) 996-1784 Paolo Sanchez was approved. It of the classes they offer and of the known expert on pearls and was approved to order workshop store where they sell lapidary tools jade. He has a pearl farm in FAIR USE NOTICE. This project kits for Junior Members. and supplies. He handed out dis- China and will be bringing publication may contain copyrighted Cheryl Lopez gave Oriental Traders material the use of which has not count coupons and invited every- some of his products for sale. web site to Drew for workshop been specifically authorized by the one to come and visit. copyright owner. supplies. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance Membership Information and Meeting Locations the educational understanding of the amateur jewelry fabrication and rock Membership per calendar year General Meetings: 7:00 PM are mandatory for all participants. collecting hobbies. is $20, $15 for a second adult each month on the third Call a board member for the member in the same house. Jun- Wednesday at the Pasadena workshop address We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted ior members and third or more Central Library at 285 E. Walnut material as provided for in section members at the same house are Street. Guests are welcome! Workshops and field trips are for 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. $10. Initiation fee is $2.50 per adult members and children with person and membership badges Field Trips are scheduled each direct parental supervision. If you wish to use material from this publication for commercial or are $7.50. Renewals are due month. Refer to the bulletin for purposes of your own that go by the October General Meeting date, location and information. The Annual Club Show is held beyond 'fair use', you must obtain and delinquent after December the second weekend of March at permission from the copyright 31st. Mail membership checks to Workshops and instructions the Masonic Hall, 3130 Hunting- owner. P.O. Box 5025, Pasadena CA are offered in our well-equipped ton Drive, San Marino. 91117-0025. shop in Pasadena to all club Newsletter Articles, ads or members - normally on the 2nd Advertising - a business card corrections should be sent to the Board Meetings: 7:00pm on the Sunday of each month. Refer size ad is available for $99 per editor: Mark Nelson, 1475 Paseo first Wednesday of the month at to the bulletin for hours and the year or $10 per edition. Submit Maravilla, San Dimas, CA, 91773. (909) 996-1784 or by the One West Bank, 1 E. Foothill calendar for date changes. Eye text, logos, business card or other email to mnelsonair @aol.com in Arcadia. All PLS members are protection, closed-toe shoes copy to the editor at the address welcome to attend. and machinery safe practices or email listed on this page. THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PASADENA LAPIDARY SOCIETY November 2011 Page 3 Ed’s Corner EDUCATIONAL OUTEACH Welcome By Ed Imlay Chair, Education Committee New Members !! Like the Disney Diggers elementary school Please join us in welcoming Ferdie program reported on in our October bulle- Sanchez and his son, Paolo, to the Society! tin, your child‟s class can get the assistance Ferdie and Paolo live in Burbank. Paolo, age 11, joins our of the Pasadena Lapidary Society. Bring growing rank of Junior Members. This month will give them Ed Imlay at a local school an interesting short program to students or many opportunities to attend local rock and gem shows and get help in building a local monument to our annual Thanksgiving Field Trip! Share the lapidary and learning like the garden of the Disney Diggers. For information on speak- jewelry hobby. Invite your friends and neighbors to become ers or programs, contact the club president or the Editor. members of the Pasadena Lapidary Society! Ed Imlay reports that this is a perfect time to schedule school visits and 2012 Membership Renewals are due! Mem- reminds members to bring items to the November meeting: members can bership per calendar year is $20, $15 for a display any items of general interest or for identification, workshop second adult member in the same house. A projects, material from locations of recent or upcoming field trips, and the third adult member and Junior members are birthstone of the month: Topaz. $10. Membership badges are $7.50. Mail membership checks to P.O. Box 5025, Pasa- dena CA 91117-0025. WORKSHOP The workshop is continuing its new schedule of the 2nd Sunday of OUR MISSION each month. Be sure to refer to the club calendar on page 8 to confirm the date. At 10am, before the workshop, there will be a meeting to The Pasadena Lapidary Society serves to educate its discuss plans for next year‟s Show. All are welcome! members and the community in mineralogy, earth sciences, and training in the lapidary and jewelry arts – while Sylvia Cliffe will teach how to make a basic silver ring for you or a promoting sound mineral resource stewardship based on special person. She will have all of the materials you need and you environmental awareness and ethical behavior. can buy them from her. If the ring is not for you - make sure you have the size or another ring to measure. Bring a fine file and a small torch if The Society fulfills its mission year-round which may include you have one. field trips, lapidary workshops, outreach presentations, public mineral displays, an annual show, and monthly The Laura Glenn Rock Specimen collections continues to grow as informational meetings open to the public. Carolyn Duncan brings new rocks to the workshop. Check the rock storage racks and the “Free Rocks” pile for new additions. Come and Sunshine: select a couple for your project! Members are available to help you Did you know that our member - Ralph Fregoso is with ideas and techniques.