Welcome to the
Victor Valley Gem and Mineral Club
Please Help Save the Mojave for Rockhounding
The Mojave Trails National Monument encompasses all of the Cady Mountains and Lavic Siding, Siam Siding, the Marble Mountains, and the list goes on and on. Most National Monuments do not allow any collecting.
The BLM, which moves at a glacial pace, is actually having a final set of meetings prior to creating the management plan that we will have to live with. In the document associated with these planning meetings, they do mention that they need to address all the recreational activities which currently occur in the monument area. However, the list of recreational activities they published did not include rock collecting.
What can you do
If you are able to, attend one of the in-person meetings:
May 30, 2023, Tuesday 6:00 pm Comfort Suites (Conference Room)
2571 Fisher Blvd
Barstow, CA 92311
May 31, 2023, Wednesday 6 pm Twentynine Palms Historic Society
Founders Hall
6760 National Park Dr
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
June 1, 2023, Thursday 6:00 pm El Garces Harvey House
950 Front St
Needles, CA 92363
Finally, Email comments are also being accepted until June 20th. Every club member should send an email. The email address is BLM_CA_NFO_MTNM_PLAN@blm.gov. Emailed comments should be more detailed than the meeting comments. The Mineralogical Society of Southern California put together some concise thoughts on how to comment effectively, which I have copied below.
Ideas for effective MTNM Public Scoping period comments
You may submit as many comments as you would like.
The BLM is asking for comments that will help identify planning issues, such as allowing collecting in the MTNM, and comments that provide data and information such as where you want to collect. The BLM can not make decisions without justifications. Think of your comment as a tool for the BLM to give you what you are asking for: Rock Collecting to be allowed in the MTNM. Your substantive, detailed comment can help the BLM justify Rock Collecting in the MTNM. Help the BLM help you.
The BLM is asking for "substantive" comments. Substantive detailed comments will justify your requests for collecting to be allowed.
Teach the BLM that your localities and roads are not just lines and dots on a map.
Teach the BLM of the educational, scientific, and recreational values of family, club, recreational, amateur, and scientific rock and mineral collecting. Personalize them to the BLM with detailed comments.
The most important thing you can do is to make your comment substantive and detailed. This is not a vote. They will not just count comments for and against rock collecting in the MTNM.
In addition to commenting on whether rock collecting should be allowed in the MTNM, and where, consider commenting on the how: whether you want normal BLM casual collecting rules, permitting, weight or volume limitations, etc. Explain our low-impact and responsible recreation in the desert.
Comment on your access roads and consider a comment on the difference between Rockhounding and mining.
You will be more familiar with your activities, location, and roads than the BLM. Establish the history of sites, roads, and collecting activities. Add as much data, information, and details as possible, including the history of personal and club collecting within the MTNM, photos of rock specimens, Rockhound codes of conduct, pertinent club newsletters and field trip reports, field guide references, and use screenshots or scans if needed, maps, collectible rock, and mineral data, articles from magazines such as Rock & Gem, etc. Add the geology or< science.
Make sure to add who you are. Do you collect with your family or club? Describe what clubs or organizations you
belong to, your history of collecting, your qualifications, and your expertise.
Please do what you can.
We are here to help you learn about gems and
minerals and jewelry making.
Please join us for our monthly meeting the 3rd
Saturday of every month at Noon
Members enjoy use of all equipment with
instruction.
minerals and jewelry making.
Please join us for our monthly meeting the 3rd
Saturday of every month at Noon
Members enjoy use of all equipment with
instruction.
Other member benefits:
- Members Lapidary shop open Saturdays noon to 5
- Field Trips to find special rocks in our local area
- Lending library
- Petrified Pups Kids program
- Free raffle ticket for rock prizes at each meeting
- Silversmithing and jewelry workshops as scheduled
Dues are $35 per individual, $45 per couple and $15 per junior member under the age of 18.
Many of you have asked for weekday and evening shop hours.
We've heard you!
Thursday hours:
10AM to 2PM Silver and quiet work (jewelry projects). Silver Room open with instruction (Silver instructors on hand to help). No Lapidary.
$10 if you use the Silver room.
2PM to 8PM Lapidary shop. $5. No additional charge if you already paid the Silver shop fee. Silver room open if you are fully certified.
We look forward to seeing you there.