Bill Beiriger's Sands Page


Bill with his sand collection


 

I live in Livermore, California where I retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. I spent most of my time at the lab doing analytical work with the use of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopes, electron micro-probes and petrographic microscopes.

I have been collecting sand for trading since 2000, but I started my collection in 1955. In 1999 I spoke to Rex Elliott, an ISCS member, from Grants Pass, Oregon and was informed about both the ISCS and SCI sand collecting groups. Since that conversation on the phone I joined both groups and my house has been sinking into the earth and I have no idea when it will stop. As of 2015 I have over 4500 samples. I have put sand discovery kits together for 12 schools to use as part of their geology studies, when the samples are looked at under a microscope the students see a new world emerge from the sand.

When I drive to collecting sites I collect about one quart of sand and when I fly, the sample amount is about two or three cups.






My Educational Sand Terminology Case
with Trophies from the
California Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CFMS) - 2006
and
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) - 2007

 

I am very proud of the above display. I competed in 2005 at the CFMS show where I received a second place. I again competed at the CFMS show in 2006 and received a first place and the CFMS trophy. From there the competition moved to the AFMS show in Roswell, New Mexico where I took first place and the AFMS trophy. The CFMS competition is open to individuals from all mineral clubs in California and Nevada, while the AFMS show is open to individuals from all the clubs in the United States


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