President s Message: Thank you again for our active members and all their hard work.

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Mercy Walters
5 years ago
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As a rockhounder myself, I am tickled pink with so much water this year and what it has unearthed and exposed for us to find. Happy rock hunting!

1 Newsletter - May 2017 Shasta Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. P.O. Box Redding, CA shastagemandmineral@gmail.com The RocToc Hello Rockhounders!! President s Message: Looks like the May flowers will be in full bloom this year with all of the rain we have had. As a rockhounder myself, I am tickled pink with so much water this year and what it has unearthed and exposed for us to find. Happy rock hunting!! I hope everyone is revving up for the gem show this year! I see a lot of people working on projects and gathering their wares for the show so it is a good time to take note and do the same if you are selling this year. If you are not selling, there is usually an opportunity to buddy with another dealer and split a table so ask around. I have been enjoying all the great feedback from the shop and the club meetings as of late. It is a blessing to see everyone enjoying themselves as club members and watching all the talent blossom and new ideas take shape. I would like to remind all you Facebookers and Instagramers that we all love to see your work and love to share ideas, designs, and projects. Please tag and share with the club and friends!! It is also a great place to upload items for sale or pics of trips you might take etc. Thank you again for our active members and all their hard work. Your Prez. Alan Leedy The Club Meeting for May will be held Friday, May 12. Setup starts at 6 pm Potluck starts at 6:30 pm Meeting starts at 7:00 pm Anderson Grange Hall

The RocToc Minutes of the club meeting April 14, 2017. Meeting called to order at 7:15.

2 The RocToc Minutes of the club meeting April 14, Meeting called to order at 7:15. Hugh Watson previewed the April 22, field trip to Patterson Mtn/Hallelujah Junction, north of Reno, by showing examples of the kind of quartz crystals one might find on the ridge. Hugh hopes to schedule another rock swap/sale for May. Alan received good reports about the tour of a Boy Scout troop during the Juniors day April 15th. The troop members were very happy with their experiences grinding and polishing cabochons, and thanked Rochelle Ohlson, her staff and the club members who helped coach the Scouts. May of 10 Shasta Gem and Mineral Society Treasurer s Report Balance on accounts for March 31, 2017 General Fund Workshop Fund Raffle Acct Junior Acct Total checking accounts General Savings Workshop CD $ 6, $ 5, $11, $ $24, $ 3, $ 6, Submitted by Mary Colbert, Treasurer Alan thanked all the volunteer members who have taken and active interest in promoting the various teaching, clean up, and maintenance needs that keep our Society alive and growing. Marianne Sweetwood displayed a winning display of Herkimer diamonds, quartz crystals from Herkimer, New York, mines. She and Eric were able to buy a complete collection from a dealer at Quartzsite, and have some great examples to treasure. SGMS Board of Directors meeting minutes April 25, Photo by Glen Miller Placerville gold prospector; success in a sand pile? Alan got positive feedback about the introduction to lapidary for 8 Boy Scouts, hosted April 8, by Rochelle Ohlson and the Juniors program. Steve P., Christian, McKenna, and her mother, and Jim Williamson helped at the machines. Alan Leedy called meeting to order at 6:25 PM. Board members present: Colbert, Evans, Foster, Gutkowski. Club members present: Glen Miller, Steve Puderbaugh, Aaron Steve P. reminds us that the $5 daily workshop fee can be Willoughby, Pat Foster, Jim Williamson, and Cindy paid by the day, monthly, or by an annual payment. Williamson. Alan is working on the posters and fliers for the SGMS Alan proposed offering an advanced silversmith class. October rock show. Member students will be referred to an outside shop that has the equipment and tools for this class. Steve Puderbaugh will present a talk for the May club meeting on the Bull Canyon agate mining near Cedarville in The club logo T-shirts will be available at the May general the 1970s. He will narrate slides from former SGMS member meeting. Cost will be $15 for all sizes. Profits of $2-$3 each Bud Rogers, showing the mining and the results. will fund future shirt orders. We will pay sales tax on the shirts. The tax will be included in the $15 cost. The meeting was adjourned at 8 PM.

3 The RocToc May of 10 Color Of Minerals I woke up the other morning to the sound of rain. I got up out of bed and gazed out of my window only to see a sky full of gray clouds. With it being a rainy day, I decided to put off all of my outside honey-do s and just clean and admire my many polished rocks and minerals that I have on display in our house. You know, a little Spring cleaning! I have always been impressed and amazed at all of the many various and vibrant colors that I see in these rocks and minerals. I m guessing that this is at least one of the reasons why my wife, Trisha and I got into collecting rocks in the first place. This made me think about what is color anyway? After doing a little research, I discovered that the ability to see color starts of course within our eyes. Our eyes are very amazing and somewhat complicated organs. Eyes detect various wavelengths of light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons which then sends messages to our brains, telling us what colors we are seeing. Colors that we see in rocks and minerals is caused by the absorption, or reflection of various wavelengths of light. These wavelengths of light very because of the atomic and chemical make-up of these many different minerals. Scientists believe that there are as many as 4,000 different types of minerals within the make-up of our planet Earth. That being said, it is not the best of ideas to judge a rock simply by its color to try to determine its identity. There are defined ways to identify a rock or mineral, only one is by color. Idiochromatic minerals due to their molecular composition are considered to be self-colored. Meaning that the color is constant and a predictable component of the mineral. Examples would be blue azurite, red cinnabar, and green malachite. Allochromatic minerals are considered to be other colored due to trace impurities within their composition or due to defects within their molecular structure. Examples would be the blue in amazonite, yellow in heliodor, and the rose color in rose quartz. Pseudochromatic minerals due to tricks in light diffraction, are considered to be false colored. In these cases, color is variable but also a unique property of the mineral. Good examples would be the shiller reflections of labradorite, and the amazing colors found within precious opal. Back in the late 1600s, Isaac Newton did a series of experiments of light and color and was considered to be the first experimenter to understand what makes a rainbow. He refracted white light with a prism which in turn resolved the light into its component colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Then in the late 1800s, an experimenter with the name of Ewald Hering theorized that the opponent nature of green/red and blue/yellow and brightness determined the relative mixtures of all color attributes. This in turn is considered to be the first accurate theory of color vision. Basically, what we see as color is determined by the amount of each reflected wavelength of light that our amazing eyes pickup and sort out. Then messages are sent to our brains telling us what colors we are seeing. Now I m not really sure if my eyes and brain are capable of determining the same color of a stone that my wife sees? Often, I find myself disagreeing with my wife about the exact color of a certain rock. But then again I find it to be smart to agree with her! Now, I got some of my spring cleaning done and my colorful rock collection is looking better than ever and I even got this article almost finished. I own five acres and live on a small hill in Cottonwood and claim to have a million-dollar view of Mt. Lassen. Well, I just looked out of my window and the rain has stopped. The gray clouds are going away, the sun is beginning to shine and what do I see? Yes, you guessed it! A beautiful, and colorful Rainbow!!! Now I wonder where is that pot of Gold? Mel Clair

The RocToc May May 2017 2017 4 of of 10 10 Emerald, the birthstone of May, carries the rich green color of Spring and radiates a beautiful vivid tone.

4 The RocToc May May of of Emerald, the birthstone of May, carries the rich green color of Spring and radiates a beautiful vivid tone. They are considered to be a symbol of rebirth and love. Emeralds are the rarest gemstones and are typically mined in Colombia, Brazil, Afghanistan and Zambia. The Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra had a deep admiration and fascination for the emerald and it was her most adored gemstones. She in fact claimed ownership of all the emerald mines in Egypt during her reign. Venus, the Roman goddess of Love was associated with this gemstone since ancient Romans believed that the Emerald embodied all the qualities of Venus; beauty, fertility and goodness. Similarly, ancient Greeks wore this green gem in honor of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess who represents fertility, love and beauty. Emeralds were used by Egyptian monarchs and these gemstones were buried with the dead in their tombs too. There is evidence of emerald mines in Egypt dating back to 1300 BC, much before the birth of Cleopatra! The Muzo Indians of Columbia had well-hidden emerald mines since 500 AD and the Spanish Conquistadors took close to twenty years to locate them. The healing power of emerald was thought to ward off epileptic fits, cure fever and stomach ailments and put a stop to bleeding. Moreover, this stone is said to guard the one who wears it from panic. Mythical powers of stones have been written about for thousands of years, with no real connection to the actual physical objects. Stones do not have magical powers, but they do have physical and chemical properties that can affect humans. The May birthstone consists primarily of the mineral beryl and is made up of beryllium, aluminum, Oxygen and silicon. This is known in chemical terms as beryllium aluminum silicate. The beautiful green hues of the emerald are attributed to chromium and vanadium, present in trace amounts during the formation of this stone. The emerald structure is a little fragile and chips easily while carving facets. Over the years, a special cut known as the Emerald Cut was developed to maintain the integrity of the Emerald crystal and reduce any kind of stress that may cause chipping. This cut has a typical rectangular shape with facets to bring out the true beauty of this gemstone. Texture of Igneous Rocks Mafic: relating to, denoting, or containing a group of dark-colored, mainly ferromagnesian minerals such as pyroxene and olivine. Felsic: relating to or denoting a group of light-colored minerals including feldspar, quartz, and muscovite.

5 The RocToc May of 10 Club Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Steve Lay Jim & Cimdy Cinco de Mayo Club Meeting 5:30-8:30 pm Anderson Grange 10am-2pm John & Jennifer Potluck 6:30pm Rochelle Ohlson Meeting 7pm S.P n apprentice Michelle Stein Tuledad field trip Kip Fatout Rochelle Ohlson Mother's Day Steve Laiy Jim & Cindy Board Meeting 6:00 pm Workshop Notes: '- Days - Ticket Purchase Required. '- Kids Free Day: 1st Saturday after Club General Meeting 'Club Notes: - Club General Meeting: 2nd Friday of each Month. Field Trip: May 20, Tuledad agate Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday am-2pm Jim & Cindy Club Meeting 5:30-8:30 pm Anderson Grange 10am-2pm John & Jennifer PotLuck 6:30 pm Rochelle Ohlson Meeting 7:00 pm S.P & apprentice Michelle Stein Flag Day Sunstone field trip Kip Fatout Rochelle Ohlson Board Meeting 6pm Father's Day :30-8:30 pm Steve Lay Workshop Notes: - Days - Ticket Purchase Required. - Kids Free Day: 1st Saturday after Club General Meeting Club Notes: - Club General Meeting: 2nd Friday of each Month. Field Trip: June 17- tentative; Plush sunstones May-2017 June-2017

6 The RocToc May of 10 Hello Spring, It s Library Awareness Month It s a good time of year for the club librarian to give members a quick update of improvements to our collection of magazines, books and articles. June of 2017, will be the second year since Jim Williamson and I joined SGMS, thanks to the efforts of our son, Tim Williamson. No regrets. Oh, yes, some mumbling and cursing and shaking our heads, but no regrets. Thankfully, there are no more critter droppings and such in the Gilman Lapidary School; quite a pretentious name for such a humble building. The hard work inside isn t humble though. The cleaning has been a success. Many thanks to the handful of club members who helped make that happen; especially Steve, Hugh, Kip, Tim, Jim W, and Jim Foster. The SGMS library is now located in the former wire wrap room at the south end of the building. All of the magazines are arranged and shelved; easier to get to and to find that article on whatever, you ve been looking for. Books that have been donated are easy to find and have many travel stories and information about geology, gemology, lapidary and jewelry making. With a little help from my friends, we should have the library in good shape in about 2 years. What I need is volunteers to cut out, staple, date, and file magazine articles so they can be organized into folders or binders. I m usually at the workshop; Lapidary School, every Tuesday and Saturday. So, give me a heads up if you are willing to help. You have option of taking some magazines home, or doing what you can at the workshop. Either way, I d appreciate your help. Cindy Williamson SGMS Librarian (530) Kokoweef Caverns & the Lost River of Gold The legend of Earl P. Door and Kokoweef Mountain goes back to the 1930 s when Earl went where few other gold prospectors have ever gone; into the dark cave in a mountain in San Bernardino County, California. Door learned about the cave s existence from local Native American brothers working at his father s ranch in They told him how they explored the caves and allegedly found gold valued at $57,000. During one visit to the caves, one of the Native American brothers lost his life while diving into the river. Earl located the small crack in the side of the hill, squeezing through it. He spent 4 days exploring the cave with a friend. He descended 2,000 feet from the cave entrance and found a tidal river at the bottom of the cavern. When the tide was out, black sand was exposed that was rich with placer gold. Rumor has it that Earl s companion was injured, and when he was transported to town some of the gold dust fell out of Earl s pocket. Concerned that others may find the entrance, Door returned to the cave and dynamited the entrance. Legend says the two miners were trapped in the cave never to be seen again. Years later, several prospectors have entered the cave looking for the lost river of gold. We (Mike & Debbie Mobley) went to the cave in the mid 1970 s. Men were working for shares exploring the caves selling the popcorn stalactites and stalagmites off the walls of the cavern to fund their operation. Mike entered the cave with one of the men and carried out beautiful stalactites on his back, crossing a primitive rope bridge over a seemingly bottomless pit. The popcorn stalactites are really beautiful when cut into slabs and polished. It is now illegal to take any stalactites out of caves in the U.S. This very rare find is even more interesting after discovering the mysterious story myth of Earl Door and the lost river of gold. Mike and Debbie Mobley Credits to TopSecretWriters.com

The RocToc May 2017 7 of 10 Slabs of Kokoweef cave calcite stalactites Congratulations to May and June graduates! Classified Ads are a good way to interact with other club members.

Want to sell equipment, rocks, beads, jewelry? The Roc Toc is available as a community bulletin board that can be used along with posts to the SGMS Facebook pages.

Michelle Stein or Lavena Setnor is offering lessons on how to make lampwork beads every Tuesday evening, and on Saturdays at the SGMS Gilman School workshop.

7 The RocToc May of 10 Slabs of Kokoweef cave calcite stalactites Congratulations to May and June graduates! Classified Ads are a good way to interact with other club members. Are you looking for a piece of equipment? Do you need some silversmithing tools or supplies that you suspect another member may have that they no longer need? Want to sell equipment, rocks, beads, jewelry? The Roc Toc is available as a community bulletin board that can be used along with posts to the SGMS Facebook pages. Price varies by size and length of run, but are negotiable. Classes Available in Lampwork Bead Making. Michelle Stein or Lavena Setnor is offering lessons on how to make lampwork beads every Tuesday evening, and on Saturdays at the SGMS Gilman School workshop. All skill levels are welcome for the class; hours are 5:30-8:30, Tuesdays, and Students will sign up at the club workshop. Costs will be $5 for each class. Prospective students with questions may call Michelle Stein; ; or Lavena Setnor at They may also reach Lavena by ; my7blessings@gmail.com, please include in the subject line: Glass beading SGMS.

8 The RocToc May of 10 MAY 2017 Rock and Gem Shows 6-7 RENO, NEVADA: Annual show; Reno Gem and Mineral Society, Livestock Event Center; 1350 N. Wells Ave; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; Adults $6, Seniors/Students $4, Children free; This is the 52nd annual Jackpot of Gems Show. This year where there will be over 50 gem and mineral displays. A busy Silent Auction, a Wheel of Fortune, gold panning, raffles and hourly drawings for prizes. demonstrations: carving, beading, wire wrap and lapidary.; contact Steve Norman, 1653 Topeka Circle, Sparks, NV 89434, (775) ; snorm11@hotmail.com; Web site: LAKEVIEW, OREGON: Annual show; Tallman Rock Chippers, Lake Co. Fairgrounds; 1900 N 4th; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; Free Admission; Weather permitting, one leaves for the Oregon Sunstone area and the other takes in several of other local places to collect. Sunday they leave at 8 am again. The club sponsors several activities for the kids, a silent auction, club showcases, and a kitchen with menus for lunch and dinner. ; contact LeRoy Johnson, 39 N L St., Lakeview, OR 97630, (541) ; lostmymarblesor@yahoo.com June MADRAS, OREGON: Annual show; All Rockhounds Pow Wow Club of America, Madras, Oregon; Jefferson County Fairgrounds; Thu. 9-6, Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-6, Sun. 9-2; Free Admission; Daily Field-trips, Swap Tables, Kids Rock Toss, Auction, and more; contact Sandy Vess, st Avenue, Gig Harbor, WA 98329, ; Madraspowwow@hotmail.com; Web site: allrockhoundspowwowclubofamerica.com SGMS Field Trips The schedule is tentative and subject to change. For further details about field trips please check with the Shasta Gem and Mineral Society Facebook page, or contact Hugh Watson at ; him at, Hughbwat@gmail.comm. Members should like our Facebook page and spread the word about the page. Also check the Rock and Gems magazine show listings online and in the magazine. Shasta Gem and Mineral Society 2017 Field Trip Schedule* May 20 -Tuledad Agate May?? -Rock swap at SGMS workshop June 17 -Oregon Sunstone; tentative July 15 -Rose Quartz, Ballard Peak August 12 -Pulga Jade August 19 -Rock Swap September 16 -Davis Cr. Obsidian & Hayden Hill Picture Jasper October 21 -Rock Swap *Tentative; is subject to change California Federation of Mineralogical Societies Show and Convention June 9, 10 & 11, VENTURA, CA VENTURA ROCKS THE NATION! Hosted by Ventura County Gem & Mineral Society, Ventura County Fairgrounds 10 West Harbor Blvd. Hours: Fri & Sat 10-5; Sun 10-4 Contact: Diane Cook, (805) info@vgms.org Website: 2017CFMS-AFMSShow.com

The RocToc May 2017 9 of 10 Officers and Committees Shasta Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. Roc Toc 2017 Blog Site: www.shastagemandmineral.com email: shastagemandmineral@gmail.

347-1819 & Assistant Sherrie Papowich 917-4398 Jan Gutkowski 2 nd yr 605-4471 Alan Pence 3 st yr 244-7385 Appointed Committees Programs: Steve Puderbaugh 604-2951 Scholarship: Kelly O Leary 722-7133

9 The RocToc May of 10 Officers and Committees Shasta Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. Roc Toc 2017 Blog Site: shastagemandmineral@gmail.com Elected Officers President: Alan Leedy Treasurer: Mary Colbert Vice President: Marianne Sweetwood Board of Directors: Secretary Billie Evans Jim Foster 1 rd yr & Assistant Sherrie Papowich Jan Gutkowski 2 nd yr Alan Pence 3 st yr Appointed Committees Programs: Steve Puderbaugh Scholarship: Kelly O Leary Field Trips: Hugh Watson Hospitality: Pat Foster Jim Foster Roc Toc Editor: Glen Miller Publicity: Kelly O Leary Librarian: Cindy Williamson Show Chair: Steve Puderbaugh Club Historian: Cindy Costa Dealer Chair: Alan Leedy CFMS Director: Glen Miller Properties, annual inventory: Alan Leedy Kitchen: All Members Steve Puderbaugh, Sandy Park Education/School Event Coordinators: Kelly O Leary Ruby Runyon Community Event Coordinator: Vacant Workshop Coordinators: Steve Puderbaugh, Operations Sandra Park, Finance Special Events Food Coordinator: Workshop Equipment Manager: Kip Fatout Peggy Herndon Workshop Interior Maintenance: Sunshine: Carol Reginatto Jim & Cindy Williamson Raffle: Gabby Costa Workshop Cleanup Foreman, quarterly: Eileen Bassle Hugh Watson Cindy Costa Membership: Eileen Bassle Mail membership forms or renewals to: Eileen Bassle Forest Hills Dr. Redding, CA Workshop Steering Committee: All attendees & teachers Juniors Leaders: Rochelle Ohlson Gabby Costa

10 Shasta Gem And Mineral Society, Inc. P.O. Box Redding, CA SHASTA GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. P.O. Box Redding, CA GILMAN LAPIDARY SCHOOL 6471 Airport Road Anderson, CA (No Mail Delivery) Hours: Tue: 5:30pm 8:30pm Sat: 10:00am 2:00pm MONTHLY MEETING Second Friday each month ANDERSON GRANGE HALL 8085 Airport Road Redding, CA Potluck Set up 6:00pm Potluck 6;30pm Meeting: 7pm Raffle: 8pm ***************** We re on the Web! Our blog is: Like us on FACEBOOK Shasta Gem and Mineral Society The RocToc May 2017 Page 10 of 10 About Our Organization Shasta Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. is a member of the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies. SGMS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the knowledge of gems, minerals, fossils, and the lapidary arts through programs, reading, classes, and field trips to promote the friendship of fellow rock hounds. Mail new and renewal membership applications to: Eileen Bassle 3244 Forest Hills Dr. Redding, CA 96002

President s Message: The high elevation snows have largely receded, and roads and trails are open for our exploration.

President s Message: The high elevation snows have largely receded, and roads and trails are open for our exploration. Newsletter - July 2017 Shasta Gem and Mineral Society, Inc. P.O. Box 990424 Redding, CA 96099-0424 Email:shastagemandmineral@gmail.com The RocToc Hello Rockhounds! President s Message: Our annual picnic