Mariposa Gem & Mineral Club Hosts Special Guest Speaker

The Mariposa Gem & Mineral Club will be hosting a special presentation Friday, February 17^th, 2012 by Michael T. Evans, G.G. of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

Michael will speak about tourmaline mining in the Pala District of San Diego County. Specifically he will discuss the Oceanview and Pala Chief mines on Chief Mountain. The ongoing mining at these two mines have produced amazing specimens of tourmaline, spodumene var. kunzite and more recently triphane, also aquamarine, morganite and some huge quartz crystals. We will learn about current mine activity as well as see some of the finds from 2010 and prior.

Michael currently serves as Assistant Curator of the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society's Gem and Mineral Museum in Fallbrook, California. He also has had a 36 year long career in the jewelry industry and has been an on-campus Instructor of Gemology for 18 years at the Gemological Institute of America's Robert Mouawad Campus in Carlsbad, California teaching students from the four corners of the world.

The presentation is free of charge and open to the public. It will be held at the California State Mining and Mineral Museum at the Mariposa Fairgrounds on Friday, February 17th at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served.