Delvers Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. - mailing address: 3833 San Anseline, Long Beach, CA 90808

DELVINGS The Newsletter of the Delvers Gem & Mineral Society

Volume 73 Number 1 January 2020

Indian Paint Stone/Rock, Navajo Blanket

Stone, Indian Blanket Stone, or Death Valley

Paint are names given to colorful jasperized

sedimentary rocks, the best from near Death

Valley but some similar material found

elsewhere (CA, Nevada and Utah). The colors

are due to traces of iron and manganese.

Suiseki and lapidary enthusiasts once

collected this material in the Saddle Peak

Hills near Dumont Dunes, but that area is

now part of Death Valley National Park and

collecting there is forbidden.

Photos by Andrew Hoekstra

Biseki (beautiful stone) shaped and polished by Cliff Johnson, collected by Melba Tucker at the Saddle Peak Hills area. Collection of the American Viewing Stones Resource Center, displayed in 2019

Suiseki (natural unshaped and unpolished stone) collected by Phil Hogan in the California desert. Displayed at the California Aiseki Kai club’s annual show at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, December 2019

DELVINGS January 2020 Page 2

Taps From the Gavel Our club concluded the year with a wonderful Christmas Party at the

Pierce Home. Those in attendance had a wonderful time enjoying each

other’s company with laughter and merriment, especially a few

quiet members who were holding it back all year for the big

evening; a big thank you to Chuck and Casey for opening your home

and creating such a great meal and atmosphere for all. As a bonus in

keeping with the spirit of Rockhounding, the group was given the

opportunity to increase our collections from the treasures of a late

Delvers member. Chuck travelled all the way to Crescent City, OR to

obtain and transport rocks that had belonged to long time member,

Norberto Elicker who unfortunately has since passed on. In addition to

the rocks for purchase, more beautiful rocks were wrapped and waiting

under the tree for our gift exchange. Santa even made an appearance

and gave us the rules for the gift exchange to increase the fun. The gifts

were subject to be “stolen” by another unless the bearer paid $1 to the club to lock it from getting taken.

Well, it turned out to be well received as there was no hesitation and the bills were flying into the

pile. Everyone must have really loved their gift, but why not, it was a rock. Chuck provided additional

entertainment in the back yard in the form of pyrotechnics, and this is in addition to the bar-b-cue

earlier in the evening. Finally, the new officers were sworn in for the upcoming year 2020. Looking

forward to have a great year ahead and get in a few rock trips hopefully. See you all soon.

Keep on Hunting,

Marvin Belcher, Delvers G&MS President

Reports from the Delvers 2019 Holiday Party

Wonderful Christmas Party - We are blessed that Chuck & Casey have us year after year for a fabulous

meal & party. To top it off this year there was all the rocks so many of us got from Norbert via Chuck

driving to Crescent City. I want to say I missed Angie, and also the Fults were missing this year. Here's

to a full recovery for Lois Jean. And we also missed the Bozarths. Here's to a Blessed New Year. - Nancy

A dozen members (Marvin, Judy, Emmalee, Dianna, Karen, Kathy, Guynell, Nancy, Dale, Fred, Albertus,

and I) were joined by four guests (one a former member) at Chuck and Casey’s home for our holiday

feast and celebration. We missed Pete and Teresa who couldn’t attend because Teresa had injured her

knee. We missed Jon and Lois Jean Fults who had other parties to attend - we are glad to hear that Lois

Jean is up to partying. Other members were also missed and we hope that all of them are well.

Slabs and bookends given to Chuck by Norberto Elicker were sold, all the proceeds going to the club

(thank you Chuck), and surplus gifts (that Chuck had provided) were auctioned off (Fred and I also

donated our exchange gifts to be auctioned). The club raised several hundred dollars. - Andrew

TIME TO PAY YOUR DUES. Individual member $15, or two adults at same address $25

Pay at the meeting or mail a check to our treasurer: Emmalee Fowler, 8129 San Juan Ave, South Gate, CA 90280

2020 Board

President – Marvin Belcher marvsbar@verizon.net

VP – Charles Pierce charliepierce48@hotmail.com

Treasurer – Emmalee Fowler emmaleefowler@gmail.com

Secretary – Judy Belcher leongjudy@verizon.net

Director – Guynell Miller guynellallen@sbcglobal.net

Director – Dale Harwood 310-217-0551

Director - Peter German peter.german@lacity.org

DELVINGS January 2020 Page 3

QIA POW WOW FIELD TRIPS WITH THE QUARTZITE ROADRUNNERS GEM & MINERAL CLUB

All trips are subject to cancellation or revision

Any questions you have that aren’t answered here can be answered by QRGMC members at their Pow Wow

booths numbered 325, 344 and 345.

There are two daily trips, each to a different location. There is a $2.00 temporary membership charge for non

members to go on field trips. Please bring the supplies you will need for rockhounding as the club does not

provide them for you. You will want to take a bucket, rock hammer, water and anything else that you may

want. It is also a wise idea to take food and a first aid kit.

The trips leave promptly at 9:00 am. You will want to be early to sign in with the wagon master and see

samples of what you will be looking for upon arrival at the hunt destination. Pets are allowed on the trip but

you must have them under control at all times. Keep in mind that there are many hazards for animals in the

desert.

The BLM regulates the amount of rock that a person can remove from a site. Daily limit is 25 lbs per site.

Yearly limit is 250 lbs. Please be respectful of these regulations. It is your responsibility to remove all trash that

you generate. The QRGMC has additional trips scheduled before and after the QIA show, on January 7th, 14th,

21st and 28th. See their newsletter for information.

With many thanks to Quartzsite Roadrunners Gem & Mineral Club. They have been a show sponsor for many,

many years now. Please check out their booths located at 325, 344, and 345. For more information check out

their website http://www.qrgmc.org/

QUARTZITE 2020 events schedule QIA Pow Wow Show January 15 - January 19, 2020

Desert Gardens Rock, Gem & Mineral Show Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama January 01 - February 28, 2020 January 17 - January 26, 2020

Prospectors Panorama Tyson Wells Arts and Crafts Fair January 01 - February 29, 2020 January 31 - February 9, 2020

Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show Gold, Treasure & Craft Show January 03 - January 12, 2020 February 7 - 9, 2020, QIA Building

DELVINGS January 2020 Page 4

John Vincent (1921-2019)

By Jon Fults

John is remembered in Downey as a

civic leader and Downey historian. He

is remembered in the Delvers Gem and

Mineral Society as a past president,

long-time member and overall good

guy. Although John was not a charter

member, he didn’t miss it by much.

John was a WWII veteran serving in

the Pacific with the Second Army

Eleventh Corp. He did his Basic

Training at Fort Leonard Wood

Missouri (which is where I also did my

Basic Training). Passing away at the

age of 98, he had a lot of time to do what he wanted to do. He always carried a small notebook and

took notes or wrote poetry. He easily wrote articles for the “Delvings” and when I was editor I really

encouraged him to do so.

John loved to collect minerals and Indian artifacts. He always put a showcase in the Show. One year he

suggested to me we display the work of Delvers who had passed away and wondered if I could help. It

was a lot of fun and gave our members an opportunity to see what those who were early members of

the club created.

His wife, Ruth, predeceased him by about thirty years. I think they might have been original owners in

the Orange Estates in Downey. When Ruth passed away he just stayed there with his memories.

John was a member of the Downey Historical Society for 37 years. He served as President for 27 years.

John taught Science in Santa Fe Springs before retiring many years ago. He had quite an impact on his

students. One of them was Bruce Colyer. He introduced the Colyer’s to the Delvers and Ed Colyer

became President and when Bruce grew up he also became President of the Delvers.

John could play the bugle, but his little guitar was his favorite. He would bring it to Delver Christmas

parties and he would sing the high part and Lois Jean Fults would sing the low part and lead us in

Christmas carols.

We had many talented people in the Delvers – faceters, rock polishers, jewelry artisans, painters. One

of our talented painters was Zelma Thieme. One day Helen Miller told Steve to take a painting Zelma

had done to Jon. A few minutes later he was back home. Helen wanted to know how he got to

Huntington Beach and back so fast. His reply – I took the painting to John Vincent. She told me the

story and eventually John learned of the error. In the meantime, when you drove past his house, you

could see through the front window and see Zelma’s beautiful desert painting on the living room wall.

One day he called me and wanted to know when I would be arriving at the Delver meeting. When I

pulled in the parking lot, he was waiting. He took the painting out of his car and handed it to me and

said, “Helen is watching.” We all loved John. I have no doubt John is watching over us.

Downey Patriot articles: John Vincent, civic leader and Downey historian, has died; A salute to John Vincent

DELVINGS January 2020 Page 5

Bright orange and green unakite is actually a

metamorphic rock. It is metamorphosed granite where

plagioclase feldspars have been altered to pistachio

green epidote by the intrusion of calcium and iron

bearing hydrothermal fluids. This occurred after the

primary Adirondack metamorphic event during the

uplift of the region that brought the rocks to the

surface.

The pink or orange color is potassium feldspar

(orthoclase) which was present in the granite, but has

been re-crystallized into larger and probably more

colorful patches. There is locally also a small amount of

clear quartz,, but it is the combination of the

orange/pink orthoclase and the green epidote that

brings unakite its appeal as a lapidary stone.

Unakite (pronounced you-na-kite) is not unique to the

Adirondacks. In fact, it owes its name to an occurrence

in the Unaka Mountains, north of Asheville, NC near

the Tennessee border. The region is now part of the

Cherokee National Forest where the colorful stone can

be found today. The Pompton Pink Granite of north

central New Jersey is also unakite, the coarseness and

color of which led to it being prized as a building

stone. The south entrance to the

Smithsonian Natural Museum in Washington

D.C. was constructed using unakite from the

Pompton Pink Granite as well as many New York

and New Jersey early 19th century buildings.

Epidote and potassium feldspar both have a

hardness of 6 on the Moh’s scale. Given a

similar hardness, the two primary minerals in

unakite polish evenly. Although not as hard

as quartz in all its wonderful forms, the

wondrous color and the friendly properties

have won unakite a favorable position as a

lapidary stone. Abundant and inexpensive, it

is also a popular material for a rock tumbler

and for cabbing. I’m sure you can find some if

you would like to give this stone a try: maybe

a sphere like the one in the title box or

perhaps a cabochon like one of these?

References:

Geology.com, Unakite: The Pink and Pistachio-green granitic gem material

Voikert, R., 2007, The History of the Pompton Pink Granite, New Jersey Geological Information Circular

From the Wayne County Gem and Mineral Club News , August 2017

Delvers Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. - mailing address: 3833 San Anseline, Long Beach, CA 90808

DELVINGS

16643 Chicago Ave.

Bellflower, CA 90706

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Website: http://delversgemclub.wordpress.com/

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Editor: Andrew Hoekstra. Email: delvings@yahoo.com

Regular Meeting of the Delvers Gem and Mineral Society

January 10 t h , 2020, at 7 PM at the Holy Redeemer Church,

14515 Blaine Ave., Bellflower, CA

Program – Ugly Minerals and Why to Collect Them

Visitors are always welcome!

Board Meeting (all members invited) at 6 PM