DMC January 2007 field trip

An Official Field Trip of The COBB COUNTY GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY (HOST)
An Official Field Trip of the GEORGIA MINERAL SOCIETY

9:00 AM, Sunday, January 14, 2007
Ladd's Mountain, Cartersville, GA.

This mountain is "THE PLACE" in the state of Georgia and the southeast to collect Cave Onyx (flow stone). In the process of mining this mountain for limestone, caves were exposed that contained beautifully banded calcite ranging in colors of orange-red to creamy white and yellow. This type of calcite formation is called "Cave Onyx." The material is very beautiful and can be cut and polished with ease. It also brightly fluoresces white in short-wave ultraviolet light and phosphoresces blue when you turn off your UV light.

At the mountain we will all need to sign a release form at the Bartow County Maintenance shop before being allowed to enter. We are also required to sign-out before we leave so that they will not lock the gate until everyone is accounted for.

Dogs are allowed if necessary, but must stay on a leash. Children are welcome under adult supervision.

COLLECTING: Cave Onyx, Calcite, Aragonite, and Dolomite. Cave formations and onyx can be found loose in the dirt as well as in pockets in the rock.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS: The high walls are dangerous and covered with poison ivy. The ivy will not be readily identifiable without the leaves, so do not handle any vines or vine roots with your bare hands. Please do not enter the caves in the walls due to bat inhabitation and the diseases they carry. The pit is being used as an inert landfill and usually has about 15 feet of water in it so we should not enter that area. There will be construction work in progress on top of the mountain. It is possible that we may not be allowed in that area either.

BRING: You will need to bring a rock hammer and chisel, Ziploc bags, and a scratching tool to work the dumps. If you want to work a little harder, bring a sledge hammer and a smaller crack hammer for the larger boulders. You may also want to bring a pick and shovel to try and dig out any buried Onyx slabs that have come off the face of the cliffs. As always, bring gloves, sturdy shoes, newspaper, 5 gallon buckets, bug spray and plenty of water, both to drink and to wash down any skin areas exposed to poison ivy. Wear layered clothing so you can be comfortable if it warms up in the afternoon.

"Field trips are open to all members of associated clubs of the DMC program of the SFMS Field Trip Committee and to all members of SFMS member clubs who have provided their membership with SFMS liability insurance. Because of insurance requirements, members of the GENERAL PUBLIC are NOT invited on this or any DMC program field trips!"