www.cochisecountyrock.org
“Finding and
Grinding Rocks in
May 2007
This issue edited by Don
Hammer
_________________________________________________________________
Dr. John Ware will speak
on “Indigenous Agriculture in the Southwest” at the May meeting of the Sunsites
Gem & Mineral Club. Dr. Ware is a
Southwestern archaeologist whose research and publications focus on prehistoric
archeology, ethnography, and ethnohistory.
He is currently completing a book on Pueblo Indian social history that
summarizes recent research on the Colorado Plateau and
April
Field Trip
Twenty three members and
one guest assembled at Bent Spur Cafe at 8:00 am on a cool Saturday April 14
and headed for
We
will go to the mountains south of
April 9,2007
President Paul McKnight called the meeting
to order. Visitors, guests, and new members were introduced. Butch Kohler was a visitor, and Roxene
Nicolaus was a new member.
The minutes to the March meeting were
published in the newsletter. With no additions or corrections, Bob Fenner made
a motion to accept the minutes. Irvin
Pontious seconded the motion, motion carried.
New nametags printed by Don Hammer were handed out. They will be turned in at the end of the
meeting, and reissued each meeting.
Walter Sigel gave the treasurer’s report. The only change was a deposit from membership
dues for $20.
Paul
told us that the annual membership to the Sunsites Community Assoc. went up
from $20 to $25. Since this is a
budgeted expense, the membership needs to vote on the change. Irvin made a motion to adjust this
expense. Don seconded the motion, motion
carried.
Don told us about the upcoming Field Trip
planned for Sat April 14. We will meet
at the intersection of Rt. 191 and Rt. 181 at the old Bent Spur Café at 8am. We will leave at 8:15, and then travel to the
intersection of
Paul announced the schedule for the
remainder of this season’s activities.
Jane Swartz will be our speaker at the May meeting. The summer picnic is being planned for June
16. It will start with a tour of
Eurofresh in Willcox, and then to a local picnic area. Hanni Sigel will finalize plans by the May
meeting.
Don gave us an update on the saw he
purchased for possible club use. He has
been unable to clean it well enough to be used in the lapidary classroom. He will keep it for his own use, and continue
the search for one for the club.
Lapidary classes have moved to Monday afternoon.
Robert Miller has a display of rocks and
minerals for us to view during intermission.
Bob Fenner also brought samples of what can be found on the May field
trip to
We welcome new members
George and Roxene Nicolaus.
Wanted: Rocks.
Bring one or more of your favorite rocks to the meeting to be included
in the rock raffle. We thank the
Fenners, Blandins, Henri vandenBos, the Edgetts, Paul McKnight and Garnett
Rogers for our highly successful raffles.
Anyone
with suggestions for speakers or program topics or field trip sites please
contact one of the officers.
Please bring your name
tags to the meetings and wear them. We
will re-institute the procedure of keeping name tags in our locker, bringing
them out before each meeting and storing them in the locker after each
meeting. We have many new members and
we need to facilitate getting to know each other.
Interested in
lapidary? We have a 12 noon on Monday
and a Saturday afternoon session – call Irvin Pontious – 824-0110. Silver smithing meets at 3 pm Monday – call
Keith McRobert 826-3745. Irvin will have
a signup sheet for lapidary during the summer at the May meeting. If you miss the meeting call Irvin.
14 Regular Meeting – Host – Cindy Weller – Program: John Ware on Indigenous Agriculture in the SW
20 Field Trip
31 Board Meeting
16 Eurofresh Tour and Picnic
Field Trip
Field Trip
30 Board Meeting
10 Regular Meeting – Host Ilse-Rose Edgett
15 Field Trip
27 Board Meeting
8 Regular Meeting
14 Field Trip
1 Board Meeting
12 Regular Meeting
17 Field Trip
29 Board Meeting
17 Christmas Party
Upcoming
Regional Events
May 5-7, 2007. Mohave County Gemstoner’s
Annual Show,
June 7-10, 2007. Rocky Mountain Federation
Annual Convention & Show.
August 25-September 3 Agate 2007,
October 6-7, 2007 Phepps Dodge Annual Turquoise Hunt, Bisbee Mining and
October 11-13, 2007 21st Annual Quartz Crystal Dig,
October 13-14, 2007 Huachuca Gem
& Mineral Show, Elks Lodge,
President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054
Vice-President Jack Weller 520-826-0625
Secretary Carol Pontious 520 824-0110
Treasurer Walt Sigel 520-826-1009
Delegate at Large Jack Light 520-384-4774
Hospitality
Coordinator Hanni Sigel 520-826-1009
Dues are due. $10 for individual and $20 for family. Please mail your check to Sunsites Gem &
Mineral Club,
A frequently asked question, yet requires different answers under varying conditions
One part of the answer is that “All mineral things that occur in the earth cannot be designated as being in one of the three classes of rock”. For example, mineral veins and crystals in them are really neither. They are simply “Hydrothermal Mineral Deposits”. (Hydrothermal meaning from hot water), and they crystallize from mineral bearing water in fractures and other open spaces that can exist in any type of rock.
Following up on this concept, it can be said that more crystals have probably formed in SEDIMENTARY rocks than other types. Sedimentary rocks, being nearer the surface (thus under less pressure) and quite often more porus and soluble in water are the kind to have open spaces or cavities in which crystals can grow.
Many of the most common well crystallized minerals such as calcite, gypsum, dolomite, quartz or halite have formed in sedimentary rocks. IGNEOUS rocks can also host crystals of many minerals such as quartz in geodes. Gem minerals such as topaz, beryl, tourmaline and smoky quartz are formed in pegmatites. Not to be overlooked are crystals formed in METAMORPHIC rock such as garnet, kyanite and staurolite. Probably fewer because of the high pressure making the rock more dense with fewer cavities.
Many minerals can develop in all kinds of host rock; for example, Quartz from
A user friendly site for
printable topographic maps at whatever scale you’d like is www.topozone.com Two rock related association sites include www.rmfms.org and www.amfed.org