Agatizer - WordPress.com · 2016. 2. 2. · The Agatizer 2 Feb 2017, Vol. LXII No. 2 OFFICERS FOR...

The Agatizer Feb 2017, Vol. LXII No. 2

AgatizerSouth Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society, Inc.

P.O. Box 1606 Torrance, Ca. 90505Affiliated with The California Federation ofMineralogical Societies and The American

Federation of Mineralogical Societies

SOUTH BAY

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Pacific Ocean

SOUTH BAY

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Pacific Ocean

The award winning

Pictured above. The “Elephant Knees” above the Mud Hills, Fish Creek, Carrizo Badlands, Anza BorregoState Park. Behind (around to the south) and atop the ridge are beds of oyster fossils. Photo: A. Hoekstra.

– Continued on page 7

Fossils from the “Imperial Sea” by Andrew Hoekstra

South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society

The Agatizer 2 Feb 2017, Vol. LXII No. 2

OFFICERS FOR 2017President Nancy Pekarek 310 257-8152 [email protected] President Steve Karno 310 251-5323 [email protected] Jamie Erickson 310 956-7467

[email protected] Leslie Neff & 310 318-2170 [email protected]

Lynette Vandeveer 310 379-5852 [email protected] Director Terry Vasseur 310 644-2029 [email protected]

STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRFOLKSDisplays & Mary Sharp & 310 326-5939 [email protected]

Donates Kitty Lake 310 377-9882 [email protected] Leslie Neff 310 318-2170 [email protected]

WorkshopEditor Terry Vasseur 310 644-2029 [email protected] Ford Larry Hoskinson 310 318-2170 [email protected]

Scholarship FundField Trip Craig Polliard 310-533-4931 [email protected]

Coordinators Chris Curtin 310-480-4378 [email protected] Craig Polliard 310-533-4931 [email protected]

know-youHistorian Gale Fussello 310 702-3633 [email protected] Jim Erickson 310 640-6199 [email protected] Gale Fussello 310 702-3633 [email protected] Steve Pekarek 310 257-8152 [email protected] Kathy Polliard 310 533-4931 [email protected] Al Richards 310 675-6606 [email protected] Show Lead Nancy Pekarek 310 257-8152 [email protected]

Show Chairs Megan Fox 310 433-3230 [email protected] Neff 310 318-2170 [email protected]

Lynette Vandeveer 310 379-5852 [email protected]

CLUB EXPERTSChris Curtin - Fossil PreparationBurt Dobratz - Fused GlassLarry Hoskinson - Opal CuttingPeggy Hill - Lapidary & BeadsFrances McArthur - Rock & Wire TalismansKen Oullette - Cuttle Bone Casting & Silver FabricationChris LeMaster - TumblingCraig Polliard - Lost Wax Casting, Jade Cove CollectorToy Sato - Suiseki (Stone Appreciation)Terry Vasseur - Silver FabricationTeresita Vasseur - Pearl StringingLynette Vandeveer - Wirewrap Jewelry

MISSION STATEMENTThis society was formed to collect and study minerals; to teach lapidary arts,to disseminate knowledge of mineralogy, lapidary work, and relatedactivities; to exhibit specimens for public education; and to exchangeinformation related to the earth sciences.MONTHLY MEETINGSMeetings are scheduled on the First Tuesday of the month, 6:30 p.m., in themeeting room of the Torrance Public Library, 3301, Torrance Blvd.. Visitorsand guests are always welcomed at all club events.MEMBERSHIPAnnual dues for a single member is $15 and $20 for a family payable by the1st of the year. An annual 12 month subscription to the Agatizer comes withmembership. A subscription to the Agatizer alone is $20.WEBSITE Webmaster Jamie EricksonSouthbaylapidaryandmineralsociety.comPDF READER LINKhttp://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.htmlAGATIZER CIRCULATIONJune 2016 - Dec 2016 90SBL&MS TAX STATUSThe South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society is a nonprofit501 ( c ) 3 organization, Tax ID # 95-350730

Display & Donate and Refreshments

Drinks: Carol Kron

Munches: Lynette Vandeveer, Chris Curtain

March Tuesday 7, 2017

February Tuesday 7, 2017

Display: What I have found at Quartzsite (orotherwise)

Drinks: Ken Ouelette

Munches: Teresita Vasseur, Jamie Erickson

The Good Ol’ Days?

Deprived of rockhounding locations and cease to keeppossessions of found, may make you long for the goodol’days. Maybe not. Change is unstoppable.

1) “Don’t fight change. Embrace it.”2) “Be proactive in initiating change.”

3) “Be willing to let go of present attitudes thatsabotage you, no matter how comfortable you arewith them.”

4) “Include fun, leisure, and quality of life as part ofyour changes.”

5) “Expect to succeed, be positive.”



From The Editor’s Desk

The Vasseur’s, KittyLake, and her daughterMaureen Whitefire

rolled in on January 18. The Poliard’s came in the daybefore. We all had reservations at the Quartzsite YachtClub Motel.

The Vasseur’s had over slept and arrived at the Pow Wowaround noon for lunch. The club’s eatery had ran out ofroast chicken so we had to settle for beef stew and a pieceof pie.

The first thing that caughtmy eye was a miniatureSquash Blossom Necklace. Ihad never seen a one sosmall and made totally withsilver. The silversmith wasFreddie Lucero, a Navajo inSanta Fe, New Mexico. Hehad a lot of beautiful silver jewelry for sale and he wasvery easy to chat with. Tessie just had to buy a nice set ofhis earrings.

This picture, takenthrough a glasscover, does notshow how creativethese beadedhumming birdsand butterflies.They were justfantastic. It takesa young set of eyesand steady hands

to make something like these. I voted for this case.

Another one-and-a-half millionBLM acres are becoming moremonuments with more rules andregulations, and rockhoundsmay be shut out. Maybe it istime for us to stop advertising,‘We are rockhoundingcollectors’. I think we shouldpeal off those yellowROCKHOUND stickers on our

cars and trucks and replace them with asticker that says, ‘Hey, I’m a HIKERand an environmentalist!’ Why? Someyears ago we went on a field trip withProfessor Joe Holiday. We parked in LaCrescenta as a place to congregate. Agroup of one of 100 or more of

California’s environmentalist organizations just happenedto also come to congregate for a hike in the AngelesNational Forest. One of them overheard we were membersof a rock club and he gave us a prissy sigh.

Another example of disdain of rock hounds came from anengineer I worked with in GM Hughes. He was a goodguy, in the Sierra Club and did a lot of hiking. One Fall hecame back from a hike in the Ruby Mountains in Nevada.He told me about a wall of large red crystals. I told himthey were probably garnets and I asked him if he broughtany home and where exactly did he find them. His answerwas no and no. He didn’t want me to know where theywere because the crevice was pristine.

There you have it, environmentalist don’t want anyoneother than themselves in BLM lands, especiallyrockhounds! Don’t get me wrong, I am fully pleased withall the national parks and monuments that have been setaside over the last 100 years but just give us a few hundredacres for collecting sites outside the million square milesof parks and monuments.

____________________

What Have WeBeen Up to atQuartzsite?


Now Here’s Something to Take a Man’s Mind Off Of…Rocks, Lunch, and Women



ON MARCH 30, 2009, the Paleontological Resources

Preservation Act (PRPA) became law on lands managedby various agencies of the federal government. The lawhad been through numerous drafts before approval by theU.S. Congress and subsequent signing by PresidentObama. Although in 1999 the Senate InteriorAppropriations Subcommittee asked federal agencies toprepare a report on fossil resource management, mostrockhounds and many professional paleontologistsbelieved that any new regulations would be written toprotect vertebrate fossils (in my opinion). However,unbeknownst to most amateur fossil collectors, theUnited States Forest Service (USFS) published (May 23,2013) draft regulations concerning the collection ofinvertebrate fossils and plant remains on land managedby the Agency. The comment period was 60 days and theAgency received few legitimate (non-form letters)concerns. Candidly, the proposal caught mostrockhounds “off guard” and it was tough for rock andmineral clubs to organize informative responses. In myopinion, rockhounds lost many, many collectingprivileges associated with invertebrate fossils as theproposed rules are now codified as 80 FR 21588.However, in defense of the USFS, the Agency wassimply interpreting tenets of the PRPA, and that is themagic word, at least for me – interpretation.

In December 2016, proposed regulations for landsmanaged by the Department of Interior’s Bureau ofLand Management (BLM); National Park Service[NPS]; Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS); and Bureauof Reclamation (BR) were published in theFederal Register and became available for comments(received no later than February 6, 2017).

The proposed rule [of Interior would address themanagement, collection, and curation ofpaleontological resources from federal lands using

Collecting invertebrate fossils on public lands

by Mike Nelson

Public Lands Advisory Committee ChairRocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies

[email protected]*

scientific principles and expertise, includingcollection in accordance with permits;curation in an approved repository; andmaintenance of confidentiality of specific localitydata.

Most of the proposed regulations (formally known as“A Proposed Rule” by the Land Management Bureau

and the Fish and Wildlife Service, posted on12/7/2016), (1) but specifically subparts A through H,applies to all four bureaus – BLM, FWS, BR, NPS.Parts A through H are also very similar, perhaps mostlyidentical, to current USFS regulations (80 FR 21588).However, Part I of the proposed rules notes somedifferences between Interior (BLM and BR) and theUSFS regulations regarding actual field collecting ofcommon fossil plants and invertebrates. I should alsonote that PRPA does not allow casual collecting inareas administered by NPS or FWS.

“The Rule”

So, what are some of the proposed items in Interior’s newrules and regulations – hereafter known as the Rule? Iwill only hit on a few sections as the proposed Rule, aspublished in the Federal Register, is tens of pages long.

Mining claims

The Rule does not impose additional requirementsregarding fossil collecting activities on permitted lands

associated with general mining or mineral laws. Itappears that if you have a permitted mining claim thefossil plants and invertebrates are fair game for anycollecting (§49.15 ...states that the proposed rule doesnot impose additional requirements on activities permittedunder the general mining or mineral laws). Does thismean that if you are mining sedimentary rocks forminerals (such as barite or uranium) that any and allinvertebrates may be collected? I don’t know; however,

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________1.) “The Proposed Rule” permalink: https: // www.federalregister.gov / documents / 2016 / 12 / 07 / 2016-29244 /

paleontological-resources-preservation or short document url: https: // www.federalregister.gov / d / 2016-29244;see Land Management Bureau at: https: // www.federalregister.gov / agencies / land-management-bureau; Fish andWildlife Service at: https: // www.federalregister.gov / agencies / fish-and-wildlife-service.

* If your club would like to reproduce this article, please contact the author for permission.




The Bulletin Board

NEXT MEETING: February 7, 2017

BOARD MEETING:

PROGRAM: What I have found at Quartzsite(or otherwise)

FIELD TRIPS:

FEEDBACKLetters to the Editor

ON THE

ROCKs with TV

Tips–Ideas–Questions &Answers, on AnythingRelating to the Hobby(submissions welcomed)

Crawfordite (Na3Sr(PO4)(CO3),…Where?

I find interesting things reading the old Agatizernewsletters. One late night, I came across a field triparticle in a 1968 issue. A fellow named Wilbur Moore wasleading the club’s members to the Oatman, Arizona fireagate mine. On the way back, he was going to stop “at analgae and a Crawfordite location”. That caught myattention.

Crawfordite is a rare mineral and if there happens to besome place in the Mojavi Desert where I could collectsome, I wanted to know where.

So I looked up crawfordite to find out what it’s physicalproperties are like and their occurrences. It’s crystal data ismonoclinic and it is irregular anhedral (a rock that iscomposed of mineral grains that have no well-formedcrystal faces or cross-section shape in thin section).

Crawfordite glows green under shortwave ultra violate andit is a hydrothermal mineral in ultra-agpaitic pegmatics(Agpaites are unusually rich in rare and obscure minerals)in an alkalic soup of potassium oxide and sodium oxide.

Where it is found: theMt. Koashva, Khibinymassif, Kola Peninsula,Russia massif.

(In geology, a massif isa section of a planet'scrust that isdemarcated by faults orflexures. In themovement of the crust,a massif tends to retainits internal structure while being displaced as a whole. Theterm is also used to refer to a group of mountains formedby such a structure.)

Obviously, there was something not right here. The nextAgatize issue had a write up of the field trip. What Wilburcalled crawfordite was chapinite, a brecciated jasp-agateidentified by angular pieces of jasper interspersed in theagate, a very colorful material, and good for polishing.

Now, the mystery is; how did crawfordite becomechapinite?

___________________

Hi Terry,

Your mention of fossil collecting rules was timely. Newregulations are proposed for BLM land with a commentperiod until Feb 6th.

The Southern California Paleontological Society ispreparing a formal comment letter that other CFMSclubs may want to sign.

Mike Nelson of the Rocky Mountain Federation hasalready published an article on the new regs (that youmight want to use).

The Sand Diego club and CFMS asked me to write anarticle (which is being reviewed by Lisbet Thoresen atthe moment).

You will no doubt hear more about this, or ask me forinfo. You may want to feature the new regs in yourJanuary newsletter.

Regards,

Andrew Hoekstraeditor, Delvers G&MS

https://delversgemclub.wordpress.com/__________

Let's take the opportunity this coming New Yearto repair and rebuild our magnificent clubs.

Good advice. There is a surprisingly active Club here inBaton Rouge. Since Louisiana doesn't have as igneous ahistory as does California, Field trips require much moremileage but the enthusiasm is genuine. Merry Christmasand Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all ofyou at South Bay!

Jimmy Lapham__________

Crawfordite



2017 Show Calendar

GEMS, MINERALS, FOSSILS & JEWELRYJanuary 25 - February 13, TUCSON, ARIZONA45 Shows & Exhibitors !!! 50,000 Visitors !!!

SAN GORGONIO MINERAL GEM SOCIETYFebruary 17 - 26: INDIO, CARiverside Co Fair & National Date Festival82-503 Highway 111Hours: 10 - 10 dailyContact: Bert Grisham, (915) 849-1674Email: [email protected]

The rest of the afternoon we perused the bazaar. Nothingmuch else enticed me except a couple Johnson BrothersResin Bond Diamond wheels (2 for $94 for my DiamondPacific Genie). It was time to check in at our Bungalowand maybe take a little snooze before dinner.__________________

We gathered together right on time at the Yacht Club’srestaurant and proceeded to meet the The Dust DevilMining Co people.

Last year the Vasseur’s and the Polliard’s joined the YachtClub for $20. When you join you get a hat, a T-shirt, andan ID card. This year dinner was half off, IF YOU HADYOUR ID CARD. I didn’t. Next year I will make sure Ibring my ID card.

The sun sets early and the temperature drops like a rock inQuartzsite. That normally means hit the sack early but,Kathy Polliard suggested we should play some cards and

sip a littlewine. Itsoundedgood tome. Sinceboth of ourtrailersonly had abath andbed, weaskedKitty andMaureen ifwe could

get-to-together in their trailer which had a kitchen & table.As you cansee, adrearynightturned intoa wildWest groupintended tohave somefun andlaughter.

Honestly, itwasn’t asbad as itlooks. The pictures are nothing more than a Hollywoodstaged booze-aholic group of senior citizens out for a goodtime.____________________

Thursday morning was cool and gray. After breakfast atMcDonald’s it was off to Tyson Wells. Tyson Wells has alittle of everything but first I had to find that new agatefrom Africa that Craig told me about. I found a barrel of

Continued from page 3 – Quartzsite

the agates and picked out one shaped like a flat fish. Itwas broken in half which allowed me to see what was

inside. To mysurprise, I wasable to findthe other half.They weigheda pound and ahalf that costme $30. Itmay soundhigh but thereare a lot ofagatescollectors outthere. Last

year I was shocked that Laguna Mexico agates were weregoing for $300 a pound!____________________

The next stop was at Desert Gardens where it mostly hasrough rocks and slabs, except for a Diamond Pacificbuilding. I needed a new 10 inch saw blade and rain wasstarting to spit so we sheltered in the building. This wasthe first rain I have been in at Quartzsite in 27 years. Itdidn't last long, just enough for the vendors to cover uptheir tables for the day.

We stopped by tosee Karen Britton,Owner & Operatorof the ApacheTurquoise mine, 7miles North ofAustin, Nevada.She said this willprobably be her lastyear of mining andselling at

Sidi Rahai Agate

$100 Spiderweb Turquoise




After 5 million years ago, the Colorado River began todump increasing amounts of silt, scoured from cutting theGrand Canyon. Corals and most other animals are absentfrom the mudstone and siltstone badlands left behind asthe lowermost Deguynos Formation. The later, upperportions of the Deguynos are silty sandstones with layersof shells, deposited by storms or in channels of theancient delta. Among the marine mammal remains

ABOUT 6 MILLION YEARS AGO, the Golf of

California extended northward through the CoachellaValley, and even reached Whitewater, north of Interstate-10. The water was warmer than that along our presentcoastline, as evidenced by fossils of animals now living inthe southern Gulf of California or on Mexico’s Pacific coast. We know the water was clear from the nine speciesof colonial corals found as fossils. The giant megalodonshark roamed the sea. Left behind is sandstone withlimestone layers – the Latrania Formation of the ImperialGroup.

Fossils of this warmer “coral sea” can be found in theCoyote Mountains, south of Anza Borrego State Park,including at the suggestively-named Fossil Canyon.Besides many corals, there are tropical marine snails suchas cones, conchs and helmet shells. Also common aretropical sand dollars and “sea biscuits.” Many of thespecies have close relatives in the Caribbean Sea. At thetime there was no Isthmus at Panama: the Pacific and Atlantic oceans were joined, allowing animals to migrate ineither direction. Most of these fossils are poorly preservedand the shell has dissolved, leaving only molds and casts(casts of shell interiors are called “steinkerns” and cansometimes be identified to species). Certain fossils retain shell material, including scallops and sand dollars, becausetheir shells are made of the mineral calcite (more resistantto acidity than the aragonite of which most mollusk shellsare made) or because of a higher magnesium content in theshell. Calcite and aragonite are both calcium carbonate, butdifferent molecular structures result in different physicalproperties.

Continued from page 1 – Fossils

Left. Fossil Cone Shell from the Imperial Sea.

Top right. Fossil corals from the Coyote Hills, LatraniaFormation, Imperial County.

Below. Fossil “sea biscuit” and sand dollars from theLatrania Formation.

Collection of the Invertebrate PaleontologyDepartment, Natural History Museum of Los AngelesCounty. Photos: A. Hoekstra.




Continued from page 7 – Fossils

found are bones of walrus, which also lived along theSouthern California coast at that time (walrus weretemperate or subtropical before one variety evolvedto become an arctic specialist).

Badlands left by the silting delta can be seen atplaces both inside and outside the state park. Althoughfossils are generally scarce in the badlands, oyster shellcoquinas are locally abundant. At the Yuha Buttes(south of Interstate-8) fossils to look for include a large,thick and heavy oyster (Pycnodonte heermanni);these and the smaller oysters, scallops, jingle shells,and barnacles are all preserved with a dark gray color.Their shells are all calcitic – aragonitic shells arerarely found here. It is important to note possiblepreservational bias lest erroneous conclusions bemade regarding ancient animal communities (studyof the process of fossilization – what happens to theremains of an organism after death until its fossil isretrieved – is called “taphonomy”).

_________________________________

Collecting Restrictions

Vertebrate (bone, teeth) fossils cannot be collected onfederal lands without a permit. No collecting of rocks orfossils is allowed (except by permit) within Anza BorregoState Park. Fossil Canyon, the Coyote Mountains, and theYuha Desert are BLM lands; the Coyote Mountains areinside the Coyote Mountain Fossil Site Area of CriticalEnvironmental Concern or the wilderness area andcollecting there may be restricted. Collecting is notnecessarily prohibited in an ACEC or a wilderness area.Inquire at the El Centro office of the BLM. Collecting limited quantities (5 gal per person) of invertebrate fossilsfrom the Yuha Desert ACEC is currently allowed.

Andrew Hoekstra is a member of Delvers Gem & MineralSociety and the Southern California PaleontologicalSociety. This article is reproduced by permission. Itoriginally appeared in the newsletter of the Delvers Gem& Mineral Society, Delvings Vol. 69, No. 12, December2016. If your club would like to reproduce this article,please contact the author for permission [email protected].

Learn more about fossils left by the “Imperial Sea”

http://www.sdnhm.org/archive/research/paleontology/FossilTreasuresABDCh2.pdf

http://www.sdnhm.org/archive/research/paleontology/FossilTreasuresABDCh3.pdf

http://nsm.fullerton.edu/dsc/images/DSCdocs/2014Notadroplefttodrink.pdf, pages 130-143.

https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/pdfs/elcentro_pdfs.Par.0f9ac3ce.File.dat/yuha_blm.pdf

https://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/elcentro/maps.Par.46703.File.dat/blmlands_yuha.pdf

http://www.desertusa.com/desert-california/photos/yuha-map.jpg

Feb Anniversaries

None

Megan Fox Feb 4Terry Vasseur Feb 16Ken Quellette Feb 22Ian Walker Feb 22

Feb Birthdays

For Sale

Two slant display cases are up for sale.They come with lights & inside felt panel walls.

Call Frances McArthur 310 798-8109Redondo Beach, California



that seems to be a reasonable assumption to me. Butremember, my interpretation of various regulations andcodifications found in the Federal Register may be subjectto suspect. I do know, however, that a mining claim willnot be approved by an Agency simply to allow a person/company to collect fossils. Any approved mining claimmust include some sort of a commodity and fossils arenot such.

The mining claim section of the Rule is an interestingone. Around this part of the country one permittedmining claim would create more surface disturbance,and could destroy more fossils, than all the Coloradorockhounds added together. BLM and USFS managemulti-purpose lands; however, some activities aremuch higher on the pecking order than rockhounding.

Archaeological resources

Fossils found in an archaeological context arearchaeological resources, and are not consideredpaleontological resources. It is always best to not disturbarchaeological resources.

“Other resources”

An authorized federal officer at BLM or USFS (theperson in charge) may decide that specific rocksminerals, such as coal, chalk beds, diatomites, etc. are notsubject to PRPA rules as paleontological resources.However, there are a myriad of other federal regulationsthat may protect them.

Petrified Wood

The Department of Interior has specific Agencyregulations concerning the collection of petrified wood ontheir managed lands:

Petrified wood is managed as a paleontologicalresource when on or from lands administered byNPS, Reclamation, and FWS. On landsadministered by BLM, petrified wood (defined bythe Petrified Wood Act of 1962, Pub. L. 87-713,76 Stat. 652, Sept. 28, 1962 as agatized, opalized,petrified, or silicified wood, or any materialformed by the replacement of wood by silica orother matter, and identified as a mineral materialunder the Materials Act of 1947) is subject tocommercial sale at 43 CFR part 3600 and freeuse regulations at 43 CFR part 3622. Therefore,

Continued from page 4 – Collecting Invertebrates…


on BLM lands, petrified wood may be managedas a paleontological resource, but the savings

provisions in PRPA (16 U.S.C. 470aaa-10)prevent the imposition of additional restrictionson the sale or free use of petrified wood. Whenit is not subject to sale or free use, petrifiedwood on BLM-administered lands may bemanaged as a paleontological resource and/orunder the authority of the FLPMA. (2)

My old and used mind fails to understand this latterstatement! Why would not all petrified wood collectedon BLM-managed land be free use?

Indian Lands

PRPA rules do not apply to “Indian lands.” However,lands managed by Native Americans always havecollecting rules so avoid trespassing.

What’s “casual” and what’s “common”?

A federal authorized officer may restrict access or close acollecting area at any time. Therefore, fossil collecting onfederal lands will now essentially involve a visit or call toan agency office.

Microfossils, such as foraminifera and radiolarians, arepaleontological resources and are subject to collectingrules – except if you are drilling a permitted energy well.The drilling bit may then grind up as many microfossils

as the driller pleases. Yes, that last sentence was cynical.

Most individual rockhound collecting of invertebrateand plant fossils (excluding petrified wood) falls underthe definition of “casual collecting”; therefore, suchindividuals may collect on BLM lands that are notrestricted or closed – lands such as BLM-administerednational monuments would be closed. The Rule notescasual collectors may collect common invertebrate andcommon plant paleontological resources...casually.Common invertebrate and common plant paleontologicalresources are invertebrate or plant fossils that have beenestablished by the bureaus, based on available scientificinformation and current professional standards, as havingordinary occurrence and wide-spread distribution. But,and there are many “buts” in the Rule, not all invertebrateor plant paleontological resources are common. When indoubt, collectors should err on the side of caution andcollect only the resources that they know are common.In other words, pay a visit to an Agency to find

out what fossils an officer has decided are “common.”

2.) In the Code of Federal Regulation, Part 3600 – Mineral Materials Disposal, see 43 CFR part 3600 at:https: // www.gpo.gov / fdsys / pkg / CFR-2015-title43-vol2 / xml/CFR-2015-title43-vol2-part3600.xml or short url:https: // goo.gl / GSqHqF; see CFR part 3622 at short url: https: // goo.gl / 301UP9; FLPMA is the Federal LandPolicy and Management Act of 1976.



“Casual collecting” at odds with research”

Casually collected fossils may only be used in a personalcollection and may not be sold, bartered, used for financialgain, or research! I presume this section also means thatclub members may not use the collected common plantsand animals in their club silent auctions. What aboutgifting a common plant or invertebrate during a club giftexchange? Does bartering mean that fossil interest groupsmay not trade collected fossil specimens? I don’t havethose answers.

But to me the interesting aspect of this tenet is that thecasual collector may not use his/her collected fossils forresearch! The federal agencies want the collector to get apermit if any of the fossils are used in a research project. Ipresume the point behind this requirement is to makecertain that fossils in the research project are documentedas to provenance and placed in an accredited repository.However, I would like to suggest that any casuallycollected fossils could be turned over voluntarily to arepository before results of the research are reported. Acase in point – our rock club-sponsored Pebble Pups andJunior Scientists collect fossils and actually write upreports (sometimes published) and present results atmeetings where abstracts are refereed. How can an agencyexpect a group of Pebble Pubs to submit a permitapplication (see below)?

Another set of questions, then, involves the definition ofresearch. If a collector completes a study on a casuallycollected fossils and later presents information on suchorganisms at a rock/mineral club meeting – is thisresearch? What if the collector “publishes” results oftheir study in a club or federation newsletter, or on a Blog –is this research? Questions to be answered. I do not wantsome of these restrictive clauses in the Rule to stifle theinterest of our children and young adults.

As with the USFS regulations, the Rule requires that onlyhand tools may be used in collecting fossils. Theseexcavation tools may not be motorized and must be lightand small enough to be hand-carried by one person. Doesthis mean that my geological hammer may not be carried inmy backpack, or must it be hand-carried? Does it meanthat I cannot bring along a two-wheel cart to pack a 25-pound specimen back to the vehicle (my knees will notallow carrying 25 pounds plus equipment)? Luckily,Interior listened to criticism directed at USFS over theirregulation about size of collecting tools – but not largetools such as full-sized shovels or pick axes. I don’t haveany trouble carrying a full-size shovel in my hand!

Unfortunately, Interior chose not to rid the regulations ofthe permitting process for small groups of rockhounds. Iargued against this rule implemented by the USFS withoutsuccess. As I read the rules, and perhaps they are beyond



Defining “Casual collecting”

So, what is a casual collector as defined by theRule? Casual collecting means the collecting without apermit of a reasonable amount of common invertebrateor plant paleontological resources for non-commercialpersonal use, either by surface collection or the use ofnon-powered hand tools, resulting in only negligibledisturbance to the Earth’s surface or paleontological orother resources.

Although this seems a restrictive definition, it ismuch better than the USFS definition: casual collecting isgenerally happenstance without intentional planning orpreparation..., the view of casual collecting as an activitythat generally occurs by chance without planning orpreparation. The “good thing” about the Rule and theUSFS regulations is that they clarify the allowance ofcollecting certain fossils from their managed lands.

But here are additional “buts” of the Rule. The casualcollector may only collect 25 pounds per day, not toexceed 100 pounds per year – and this weight includesmatrix. This part of the Rule was modified after thecodified collecting rules long established for petrifiedwood; however, there is a big difference betweenspecimens of petrified wood and invertebrate fossils.Petrified wood is usually collected without matrix, whilemany invertebrate fossils are collected with matrix.

Rockhounds do not want to take a chance of breaking thespecimen by chipping away the matrix in the field.Collectors also may not pool a total weight with theirbuddy in order to collect larger specimens. What doesthis mean for the collection of larger fossils weighingover 25 pounds? I don’t know. Perhaps it indicates apermit is required? However, a permit requires that acollector give up his/her specimen to a museum orrepository!

Collectors also may not disturb over 1 square yard of thelandscape, and your digging buddy must be at least tenfeet away from your land disturbance. I am uncertain if acollector may have several disturbances per day? At anyrate, like all good rockhounds, collectors must fill in theirdisturbance holes.

This restrictive regulation on land disturbance continuesto be a problem for me. If the BLM really wants to stopmajor land disturbance, then I suggest examiningextensive disturbance by domestic livestock, off-trailATV and OHV riders, and even off-trail mountain bikersand hikers (among others). I support these multi-use landactivities, in moderation, but simply want to point out thatland disturbance by rockhounds is minimal compared tothese other large-scale activities.



my comprehension, it is my understanding that groups ofrockhounds heading out to collect some invertebrate fossilsmust have a permit. I can understand permitting a group ofprofessionals going out to quarry a marine limestonelooking for specific ammonites. I cannot understandrequiring a permit in order for a club’s fossil interest group,or a group of Pebble Pups, heading out on a beautiful fallafternoon to do some prospecting for fossils!

If a group of Pebble Pups, some as young as six years old,go fossil hunting at a locality where both common anduncommon invertebrate fossils may be found, then a permitis required (as I try to understand the Rule). For example,I can envision local localities, actually a number of oldquarries, where there is a mixture of common anduncommon lower Paleozoic fossils represented. Thesequarries have been prospected for years and rockhoundshave almost always submitted their interesting specimens tomuseums and repositories. However, the permittingprocess is a very onerous experience for “ordinary”rockhounds. So, what happens? Collection without apermit continues, with loss of interesting specimensheading to a museum due to a fear of prosecution, orcollecting stops and children and adult rockhoundssimply drop out.

Assume that a permitted fossil prospecting activity couldbe pulled off, please note that all prospectors must deposittheir fossil finds in a designated repository. Can youimagine taking kids on a fossil hunt and then taking awaytheir finds? In addition, the rules and regulationsconcerning report writing are onerous (for mostrockhounds) and would require additional time.

As a former classroom instructor, I could not imagineapplying for a permit every time I took my students fossilhunting. Certainly, a permit was required whenever astudent researcher was out collecting fossils and describingstratigraphy – these collected fossils were deposited in arepository. In fact, during my early days of writingenvironmental impact statements (fossils) for projectscrossing federal lands I devised my own permits (withapproval from the agencies) from items like loggingpermits. I am not against permits; however, I simply wantto allow for some slack with non-professional collectors.

In addition, mandating that all permitees must deposit theirfossils in an approved repository creates other concernssince the requirements for establishing a repository arepretty stiff. Most colleges and universities with a scientificstaff have something, a museum or curated collection, thatcould qualify as a repository. But what about the poor oldgroup of rockhounds – would nearby repositories curatetheir specimens without monetary assistance (Permittee isresponsible for the costs, monetary and otherwise, of the

permitted activity, including fieldwork, data analysis,report preparation, curation of the collection and itsassociated records consistent with subpart C of this part)?I don’t know. Once fossils are collected under a permitthey remain the property of the Agency in perpetuity. Evenif a federal authorized officer removes the collected fossilsfrom the research collection the specimens still remain inrepository collection “somewhere.”

My comments pertain to only a small part of the Rule butare, in my opinion, most directly related to fossil collectingby rockhounds and other amateurs. I want members of ourrock and mineral clubs, including Pebble Pups and JuniorScientists, to have an opportunity to collect fossils withoutfear of “breaking the law.” I want these members to havean opportunity to study and photograph and learn aboutspecimens without fear their work is research and requiresa permit. I want members, especially younger members, tohave an opportunity to present information at professionalmeetings about their fossils finds without fear their studyrequires a permit. But, I would also expect the mentors ofthe collector to require fossil specimens be offered to amuseum and/or repository along with appropriateprovenance information. I believe there must be somemiddle ground in this entire permitting and landdisturbance issue. If not, we may begin to lose generationsof future STEM graduates that our nation badly needs.

With that said, please note that I have several friends andacquaintances working in the federal agencies. In fact, Itake pride in the fact that some Agency paleontologistswere my students and we have remained friends fordecades---they do excellent work. In visiting with thesepaleontologists, I have found they are, in their opinion,constrained by federal law found in the PRPA. Perhapsthey are; however, I still believe in compromise and middleground and “working things out.” Is this possible with therules in the PRPA? I don’t know. Could interpretation ofPRPA regulations be less “strict.” I don’t know. What Ido know is that these new laws (USFS) and the proposedRule (Interior) are almost impossible to enforce – I am notadvocating breaking the law but simply stating my strongopinion that collecting of invertebrate fossils on federallands will go underground. Unlike vertebrate fossils,wherepoachers are interested in selling their unlawfully collectedspecimens, rockhounds collecting invertebrate fossils areinterested in building up a personal collection, tradingspecimens with club members, and perhaps mostimportantly helping young children and their schools buildcollections. Also unlike the somewhat easily identifiedvertebrate fossils (yep, that is a dinosaur skull, so leave italone), invertebrate fossils are much more difficult toidentify. I am guessing that most rockhound amateurs willhave great difficulty identifying uncommon fossils (need apermit) from common fossils (casual collecting).





What You Can Do

So, what advice can I offer? Take the time to read, orattempt to read, the Proposed Rule at the Federal Register(short url: goo.gl/idd1nz). After this little chore,rockhounds should submit personal comments, or evenpooled comments by several members of the club;however, it is best to not use form letters. Also, rememberas you comment:

Provide first and last name, city, state, & country. Allother fields of information are optional. Keep in mindthat much of this information is publicly viewable.

Comments may be typed in the box provided or theymay be uploaded as attachments (Word docs or PDFsonly).

Comments may be brief or in-depth/well-researched.Comments with facts to support them are much moreuseful (e.g., examples of overlooked scenarios). Keepcomments civil and straightforward. Comments usingoffensive terms, threats, or other inappropriatelanguage will be disregarded.

Comments on the proposed rule must be receivedby February 6, 2017.

And finally, stop in Agency offices (especially BLM andUSFS) and visit with the geologists—they are a nice groupof people. The paleontologists in both the USFS and theBLM are stationed few and far between. But again, if youare in their area stop in and converse with them.

Perhaps I am just a crusty old guy remembering “the goodold days” of collecting. But perhaps I am just an old guyseriously worried about the impact of the Rule (and USGSregulations) on school children, Pebble Pups, rockhounds,and interested amateurs. I want to find a common groundwith the USFS and Interior in the permitting processes, theland disturbance issues and the collecting limits. Will ithappen? Another question that I cannot answer.


Mike Nelson is a member of the Colorado Springs MineralogicalSociety and PLAC Chair of the Rocky MountainFederation of Mineralogical Societies. This article was firstpublished on his blog and is reproduced by permission.M. Nelson. 26 December 2016. Collectiong Invertebrate Fossils onPublic (BLM) Land. CSMS Geology Post. Available online at:https://csmsgeologypost.blogspot.com/.If your club would like to reproduce this article, please contact theauthor for permission at: [email protected]

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Quartzsite. She had an accident at the mine that willrequire surgery on her back when she gets back home.And, she is going to need at least $20,000 before thedoctors will touch her.

Her price for her turquoise per pound went up $100 fromlast year, $350 to $450. That was probably partly due toinflation but I was told by one of the vendors that themayor of Quartzsite upped the vendor’s taxes. And tomake it worse, Karen said she lost her Canadian buyersbecause the Canadian dollar was 33% weaker than the USDollar.

I remember the first time we met Lee and Karen Britton inQuartzsite back in 1997. They had a pickup truck chuckfull with turquoise. I have never seen anything like itagain. Back then their turquoise was selling for $70 apound! Maybe there are some things to long for…thegood ol’ days.

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Continued from page 6 – Quartzsite

The South Bay Lapidary & Mineral SocietyPresents Our Annual Gem and Mineral Show

“Nature’s Treasures”

Featuring Special Guest Exhibitorsand Demonstrators & the Best

Fluorescent Mineral Show in TownSaturday, April 1, 2017 from 10 to 5

Sunday, April 2, 2017 from 10 to 4

Ken Miller Recreation Center3341 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA

For more info contact Nancy at (310) 257-8152or via email at [email protected]

www.southbaylapidaryandmineralsociety.com

Free Admission * Free Parking* Free Door Prizes

Like us on FacebookFacebook.com/sblapidaryandmineralsociety



“Come dig with us!”The Dust Devil Mining Co.

Oregon Sunstone

The owners of the Dust Devil Mining Co. joined us (Craig& Kathy Polliard, Terry & Teresita Vasseur, and KittyLake & Maureen Whitefire) for dinner at the QuartzsiteYacht Club. Don & Patsy kindly donated two pairs ofearrings and a trio of faceted sunstones ready to set.

The total value is $300. This package should be our TopOne Drawing Item for our March/April Show.

The Bufored’s have also invited us to “Come Dig WithUs”. There is camping, RV, or hotel. Fee-digging pricesare based on the wholesale rates that we charge dealers.There is no fee for digging.

TIPS FROM A

JEWELER’S BENCH

Brad Smith [email protected][BenchTips]

ROUND FILES

Round files come in two general shapes, tapered andparallel. The tapered-round type is more common andusually the only one needed, but in some cases you willwant identical sized round grooves that are challenging tomake with a tapered file. This is when a parallel round fileis the best choice.

A good local hardware store is likely to have the parallel-round file in two sizes, 3/16 inch and 5/32 inch, used forsharpening chain saw blades. Smaller diameters are madeby Grobet on Contenti.com. Look for part number 230-244-1/0. Five diameters are available from 1/16 inch to5/32 inch.

See all Brad's jewelry books atAmazon.com/author/bradfordsmith

_______________

Adonis & Don in the Desert Garden (and Patsy at Tyson Wells)

You will be charged 50% of the wholesale value of bettercolored stones and clear stones that will cut over 8 carats.We deduct for any unusable portions of stones. Because wedo not charge for clear unless it will cut over 8 carats or forvery light schiller, most people will take many nice stonesfor FREE.

When you are finished digging, we will grade and sort yourstones, charging you for the higher grade material. You areNOT obligated to purchase any stones that you do not wantto take.

P.O. Box 55, BLM 6155Plush, OR 97637ph: (503) 559-2495alt: (503) 881-0850



South Bay Lapidary & Mineral Society, Inc.P.O. Box 1606Torrance, California 90505

What Ya BeenUp to Lately?

Place your bet!

Whether it’s thecasino spinning

wheel of fortune, a silent auction table, ora bingo bird cage filled with tickets;EVERYONE is going to be entitled tohave some fun at our upcoming Marchshow.

We THANK Frances McArthur’s initiativeand time for the designs and manufacture oftrinkets for our upcoming 2017 Show. Ourclub will have several dozen of homemadetrinkets for prizes this year.

Club members have been making crafts forshows since the beginning of the rock club.And besides it puts cash in the till; it’s animportant seed that may grow a newmember,… years beyond.

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