Thursday, September 24, 2015

October 2015 Del Air Calendar of Events

Oct 2015 
01: General Meeting: 7:30 pm in our regular meeting room. 
10: Granada Hills Street Fair: We need volunteers! 
15: Board Meeting: 7:30 pm at the Ridenours home.
16: NASA Night Vintage Magnate: Our Education Outreach at its best  
31: Halloween: Spooky Spooky
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Del Air General Meeting: Thursday Oct 01, 2015 
The meeting begins at 7:30 pm in our regular meeting room at:
Northridge United Methodist Church - 9650 Reseda Blvd, Northridge, CA 91324 Guests Are Always Welcome At Our Meetings & Events.
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Oct 2015 Program: "Rockhounding Central California: From the Desert to the Sea"        

First-time EverPresentation & Bonus Field Trip!

This month, we are honored to have Kris Rowe, the owner/administer of Rockhound Field Trip Fanatics and a partner in Hand-2-Mouth Mining. With 35 years’ experience in rockhounding, Kris has mined gemstones throughout California and led field trips with hundreds of rockhounds from all over the world. His special focus is the Panoche Hills of Fresno & San Benito Counties where he has led many field trips to Area 54 and the Big Pile sites.
"Rockhounding Central California: From the Desert to the Sea" is an interactive presentation on the fantastic rockhounding to be enjoyed today throughout Central California, with a special focus on the Cady Mountains of Kern County.  You will see over 100 slides of pretty rocks and vistas from all over Central California. 
Q&A session will be available after the presentation.’

Following the Thursday night presentation, on October 2-4 (Friday to Sunday), Kris will lead all of us on an incredible “Santa Monica Mountains Mini-Odyssey, aka “The Del-Air Rockhound Mini-Odyssey.
Each morning, we will meet at the Jack in the Box at 5033 Kanan Road, at 8:30 am and leave at 9 am sharp.

October 2 (Friday) – Road cuts on Kanan Road, the Lewis Road site, Ladyface # 2, Ladyface Mountain # 1, Ladyface # 3 and the Lobo Canyon site.  Prospecting for rare cubic quartz melanophlogite, marcasite agate, etc.

October 3 (Saturday) - Head west up on Kanan Road to the Mulholland Hwy, then south to Piuma Road. Going south on winding Piuma Road, and stop at the Backbone Trail to search for fossil scallop shells and other treasures.

October 4 (Sunday) - Head north on Kanan Road and beyond. First, head into the wilds of Oak Park, and search for petrified wood at Deerhill Park. The hills surrounding the park are known to have petrified wood. Park at the tennis courts off of Deerbrook Road, and search the hill across the street. Then, head up to the shadows of the Reagan Library, and search for common opal.

You do not want to miss this once-in-a-life time mini-odyssey experience with Kris Rowe.
You may visit the details of the mini-odyssey at http://rockhound-field-trips.ning.com/profiles/blogs/itinerary-2015-rftf-santa-monica-mountains-rockhound-mini-odyssey.
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SUPPORT OUR HOBBY....ATTEND A LOCAL SAHOW
 
October 3 - 4: BORON, CA
Mojave Mineralogical Society
Boron Park
12000 Boron Avenue
Hours: 9 - 4 daily
Contact: Steve Breckenridge, (760) 559-0872

October 3 - 4: VISTA, CA
Vista Gem & Mineral Society
Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
2040 North Santa Fe Avenue
Hours: Sat 10 - 5; Sun 10 - 4
Contact: Ray Pearce, (760) 535-5524

October 10: MARIPOSA, CA
Mariposa Gem & Mineral Club
Rock Swap
Mariposa County Fairgrounds
Hours: 10 – 5
Contact: Nikki West, (209) 742-4234
Email: mgmc@sti.net

October 10 - 11: ANDERSON, CA
Shasta Gem & Mineral Society
Shasta District Fairgrounds
1890 Briggs Street
Hours: Sat. 9 - 5; Sun. 10 - 4
Contact: Kelley O'Leary, (530) 772-7133

October 10 - 11: GRASS VALLEY, CA
Nevada County Gem & Mineral Society
Nevada County Fairgrounds (Main Building)
11228 McCourtney Road
Hours: 10 - 5 daily
Contact: Anita Wald-Tuttle, (530) 277-6195

October 10 - 11: TRONA, CA
Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society
SLG&MS Show Building
13337 Main Street
Hours: Sat 7 -  5; Sun 7 - 4
Contacts: Jim & Bonnie Fairchild, (760) 372-5356

October 11: FALLBROOK, CA
Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Facility
123 West Alvarado Street
Hours: 9 - 4
Contact: (760) 728-1130
Website: www.fgms.org

October 17: WEST HILLS, CA
Woodland Hills Rock Chippers
First United Methodist Church
22700 Sherman Way
Hours: 10 - 5
Contact: Anita Niles, (818) 349-2943

 
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Oct 2015: Arizona State Gemstone of the Month: “Turquoise”
Turquoise was designated the official gemstone of Arizona in 1974. Probably one of the oldest gemstones known, turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral. Chemically, turquoise is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminum. The majority of the world's finest-quality turquoise comes from western and southwestern United States, the largest producer of turquoise in the world.

Turquoise has been used extensively by both southwestern U.S. Native Americans and by many of the Indian tribes in Mexico since about 200 B.C. to make solid turquoise beads, carvings, and inlaid mosaics. Nearly all important deposits of turquoise are located near copper deposits in arid desert regions of the world. The quality of Arizona turquoise is world-famous.

Arizona is currently the most important producer of turquoise by value. Several mines exist in the state, two of them famous for their unique color and quality and considered the best in the industry: the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe ceased turquoise mining in August of 2012. The mine chose to send all ore to the crusher and to concentrate on copper production due to the rising price of copper on the world market. The price of natural untreated Sleeping Beauty turquoise has risen dramatically since the mine's closing. The Kingman Mine, as of 2015, still operates alongside a copper mine outside of the city. Other mines include the Blue Bird mine, Castle Dome, and Ithaca Peak. All turquoise from Bisbee, AZ was considered "lunch pail" mined because it came out of the copper ore mine in the miner’s lunch pails.
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