Tuesday, October 30, 2012

November 2012 CFMS Field Trip



Wiley’s Well Annual Thanksgiving Rockhound Round-up November 22-25, 2012

This trip is open to all CFMS Affiliated Society Members and their guests 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 22-25, 2011. There will be folks camping all week.
LEADERS: Robert Sankovich and Adam Dean and  Please notify us, if you plan on attending.
Feel free to email or call us if you have any questions or need more information:  Robert Sankovich (805) 494-734, rmsorca@adelphia.net
Adam Dean: (909) 489-4899, theagatehunter@verizon.net       
DIRECTIONS TO CAMPSITE: From the 10 Freeway, exit on Wiley Well Road and turn south from the freeway, 14 miles to camp. Around a mile or two down the road, the pavement will turn towards the right. Don’t follow that road; stay straight onto the dirt road. Stay on this dirt road past Fire Agate Mine and the Coon Hollow Rd. You will see CFMS Posts along the way to the campground. 
COLLECTING TRIPS: Open to all CFMS affiliated society members and their guests. Each day we will leave camp at 8:00am and return in the late afternoon. Thanksgiving Day when we will be back in time for our Potluck Dinner at 4:00 pm. Be sure to carry your lunch and water when we go to the collecting sites, we will not come back to camp during the day.
22nd – Petrified Bay Laurel-Iron Wood by Colorado River, AZ. we will meet at Ehrenberg 8:30am.                                    23rd – Pebble Terrace,  Fire agate, Psilomelane.                                                                                                                          24th – Geode and Nodules Beds, Straw Beds, Black Agate Beds, Saddle Beds
VEHICLES: On the 23rd, a 4-wheel drive vehicle “is” necessary to get to Fire Agate. We will make arrangements for those without a 4-wheel drive to ride with those who do. On the 24th trip, a 4-wheel drive vehicle is not a “must” for this trip, but is highly recommended. No low-clearance vehicles advised. These sites are remote, so bring food, water and all required supplies. The nearest stores are in Blythe, California.
CAMPGROUNDS & FACILITIES: This is a dry camping area, no water, no services, no hookups, no toilets. There is a dump station at the rest stop at the Wiley Well exit off I-10; however, there is no potable water. Blythe has a free dump station and good water 2-blocks south of I-10 at the Lovkin Ave. exit. Blythe is also good place to get food, supplies, ice and gasoline. It is approximately 25 miles from Blythe to the campsite. There are numerous good motels in Blythe with a wide range of rates. The closest town to the campsite is Palo Verde, approximately 16 miles through Coon Hollow and over the Mule Mtns. There is a convenience store (food, etc.), gasoline, a couple of restaurants and rock shop in Palo Verde, the road is okay for 4-wheel drive vehicles but not 2-wheel drive vehicle.
CLIMATE & WEATHER: We are planning on nice weather—sunny days; cool, clear, star filled nights. But remember it can rain and be windy this time of year so be prepared and plan ahead.                                                                              MATERIAL TO COLLECT: Fire agate, geodes and a large variety of miscellaneous fossils, limestone, jasper, petrified wood, agates and very old Stromatolites, Psilomelane, Black Agates, geodes and nodules.
COLLECTING MATERIALS/TOOLS: There will be surface collecting and the use of sturdy bags will be all you need. However, if you plan on digging fire agates, you need hard rock tools, safety glasses, hat, hand sledge, gloves, buckets and chisels. It may be wise to carry a first aid kit. If you plan on digging for geodes, you need hard rock tools, as well as, picks, shovels, and I recommend a dust mask, as the volcanic ash may irritate your lungs. Sturdy bags, hard rock tools, safety glasses and gloves. It may be wise to carry a first-aid kit and sun tan lotion.
CLOTHING: Wear clothing in layers as it can be very warm during the day and extremely cold at night. Bring extra jackets and blankets.

DINNER: 4:00 pm. Thanksgiving potluck dinner for all those willing to contribute. Please bring your own plates, utensils, drinks and chair. We welcome everyone. If you plan to join us for dinner bring a food dish, salad, not to many desserts, we want to make sure we have food.

REMINDER: Please help preserve our deserts and pack out what you pack in. Let’s leave it clean for future Rockhounds. All those attending the collecting trips will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver form.

Please let me know if you are going to go on the field trip, weather changes. If I don't know you’re going on the field trip, I won’t be able to contact you if the field trip is canceled. Even if you might not go, still contact me for the information and maps. Don't wait until the day before, sometimes I leave days before the field trip and I won't be able to reply to you. I have a White Ford F-250 Crew Cab 4x4 truck, with CFMS signs on it.

E-mail for maps.

For more info contact CAMS-South Co-chairs:
Robert Sankovich rmsorca@adelphia.net
(805) 494-7734

Adam Dean: theagatehunter@verizon.net
(909) 489-4899

November 2012 Program

 
A GREAT SILENT AUCTION
Now is the time to bring some of that neat rock you probably found on your vacation
travels here and there. We will have a GREAT SILENT AUCTION at our Nov. Meeting and your contributions will make it even better. Anyone can bring something to put on the auction tables. If you think it is really special, mark it for the EXTENDED AUCTION table and tell the set up crew what the bid should start at. Our auction is really many auctions until everything gets a bid and someone takes it home. Bidding starts at 25 cents on each item and goes up by 25 cents or more. When the timer rings, the last name on the list gets the item and pays the club treasurer. Yes, we still have a ‘KIDS ONLY’ table. Not only rocks are on the tables. There can be many items used in our hobby, baked goods, homemade items. ALL VERY NICE ITEMS YOU WILL WANT TO BID ON! This is always a lot of fun, for everyone and remember - KEEP YOUR PENCIL HANDY, BECAUSE SOMEONE WILL PUT A BID ON TOP OF YOURS!           Emmy Silverman, Program Chairperson 
REGULAR MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE 1ST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7:30 PM AT:
NORTHRIDGE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH-9650 RESEDA BL. NORTHRIDGE, CA 91324

Guests are always welcome at our meetings and events

November 2012 Rock of the Month

Marble


 
Marble is a rock resulting from metamorphism of sedimentary carbonate rocks, most commonly limestone or dolomite rock. Metamorphism causes variable recrystallization of the original carbonate mineral grains.

The resulting marble rock is typically composed of an interlocking mosaic of carbonate crystals. Primary sedimentary textures and structures of the original carbonate rock have typically been modified or destroyed.

Pure white marble is the result of metamorphism of a very pure limestone or dolomite. The characteristic swirls and veins of many colored marble varieties are usually due to various mineral impurities such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxides, or chert which were originally present in the limestone.

Green coloration is often due to serpentine resulting from high magnesium limestone or dolostone with silica impurities. These various impurities have been mobilized and recrystallized by the intense pressure and heat of the metamorphism.

As the favorite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects, marble has become a cultural symbol of tradition and refined taste. It’s extremely varied and colorful patterns make it a favorite decorative material, and it is often imitated in background patterns for computer displays.



Wednesday, October 3, 2012

October 2012 Program




Justin Zzyzx will be our special guest speaker in October. He will be giving a presentation entitled "Southern California-Mineral Collecting Mecca", which includes a general overview of various collecting areas, along with photos & maps. Justin will tell us why Southern California is one of the greatest places to live as a mineral collector. Justin is the owner of The-Vug.com, the fifth most visited mineral information website on the internet. With his wife Brandy, he owns Forty Seven Press, a company devoted to publishing mineral information and mineral themed software for cell phones. Justin has been the show chairman for several large mineral shows, as well as put in time at mineral clubs all over Southern California, leading field trips and researching data to find forgotten mineral locations. Justin goes to every large mineral show in the world including Denver, Tucson, Springfield and Munich, Germany to promote the hobby to as many people as possible.

Emmy Silverman, Program Chairperson


REGULAR MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE 1ST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7:30 PM AT:
NORTHRIDGE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH-9650 RESEDA BL. NORTHRIDGE, CA 91324

Guests are always welcome at our meetings and events

October 2012 Rock of the Month

 ONYX
 





Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color except shades of purple and blue. Commonly, specimens of onyx contain bands of black and/or white. 

It is cryptocrystalline in form, consisting of fine intergrowths of the silica minerals quartz and moganite. Its bands are parallel to one another; as opposed to the more chaotic banding that often occurs in agates. 

Sardonyx is a variant in which the colored bands are sard (shades of red) rather than black. Black onyx is perhaps the most famous variety, but is not as common as onyx with colored bands.

Onyx has a long history of use for hard stone carving and jewelry, where it is usually cut as a cabochon or into beads. It has also been used for intaglio and hard stone cameo engraved gems where the bands make the image contrast with the background. 

Onyx was used in Egypt as early as the Second Dynasty to make bowls and other pottery items.  Onyx is also mentioned at various points in the Bible.

Onyx is a member of the silicon dioxide family of minerals and registers as a 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.