- The Cochise County Rock
- Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
- http://sites.google.com/site/cochisecountyrock/
- http://picasaweb.google.com/cochisecountyrock/
- "Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1965"
- January 2012
- This issue edited by Don Hammer
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- The next General Meeting of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club is on Monday January 9, 2012 at 7:00 pm at the Sunsites Community Center. The program will be Hall Stewart, V. P. for Exploration for Commonwealth Silver explaining their progress and plans at the Commonwealth Mine in Pearce.
- Commonwealth Silver is a private Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on acquiring gold and silver properties in the historic Pearce mining district in Cochise County, Arizona and advancing them towards production.
- The mineral resources for the Commonwealth silver-gold deposit have been estimated by SRK at 17.598 million tonnes grading an average of 0.51 g/t gold and 43.75 g/t silver classified as Indicated mineral resources with an additional 1.089 million tonnes grading an average of 0.31 g/t gold and 35.74 g/t silver classified as Inferred mineral resources. The resource is stated above a 26.0 g/t silver equivalent cut-off and confined to a pit shell defined by US$19.50/t mining, processing and G&A cost.
- The Company has commenced a 5,000 meter diamond drilling exploration program in November 2011. This next phase of drilling builds on a 2,000 meter, 16 hole drilling program completed during the second quarter of 2011. Including these 16 holes, the Company has data for 172 holes (23 core and 149 reverse-circulation) which was used in calculating the initial mineral resource estimate.
- Approximately 35 new core holes will be drilled this winter.
- Hall Stewart, Founder, Vice President, Exploration and Director. Mr. Stewart has more than 25 years of international experience in specialized cartography, mineral exploration and resource development. From 1996 to 2002, Mr. Stewart was Project Geologist for a number of exploration companies in the Ocampo district of Chihuahua State, including 4 years as Chief Geologist for Gammon Lake Resources Inc. (now AuRico Gold Inc.). In 2003, Mr. Stewart identified and helped acquire the Palmarejo project in Chihuahua, Mexico, subsequently working through the discovery and development phases. Palmarejo is now Coeur D'Alene Mines' flagship silver and gold mine. Mr. Stewart received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in 1983 and is a Registered Geologist in the State of Arizona.
- January Field Trip
- On Saturday January 21 we will go to the San Pedro Valley north of Benson for unusual, massive epidote and red/yellow and chocolate brown jasper. Meet at Ed Fenn's store - Benson Feed & Supply - at 8:15 am to leave at 8:30 am. Take the 306 exit off I-10, turn left to the stop sign; turn right on 4th and watch for the Self Storage Warehouse on the right. At the warehouse turn right onto the frontage road and then left past Nancy Leverenz vet clinic to the feed store. High clearance is not needed. Bring water, lunch, lawn chairs, sun protection, your camera, bags or pails, light digging and rock breaking tools. We will eat lunch before or after a tour of Gammon's Gulch - a reconstructed 1880's town/movie set - depending on when we arrive there and the weather. They have a picnic area or the saloon to protect us from the elements.
- Christmas Party
- On Monday December 12, 26 members gathered to kick off the holiday season at the Club's annual Christmas Party. The Club furnished the turkey and members brought a variety of delicious side dishes. Joan Brown with the Center did a great job of cooking the turkeys. After overeating as usual, we summoned the energy to participate in a humorous gift exchange exercise led by Diane Brower that soon had all in a happy, holiday spirit.
- A BIG THANK YOU to all those club members who attended our annual Christmas Party on Dec. 12, 2011 and for providing all the delicious goodies that made for a wonderful Holiday Dinner.
- Don & Joan Hammer made sure that we had enough turkey to go around at least 2 times. Joan also provided the co-ordinating placemats. Much appreciated!
- Diane Brower deserves special recognition for her wonderful story telling abilities while we participated in a fun gift exchange. Thank You Diane!
- Note: It was fun being the Hospitality Chair for the past several years and Kudo's to Cherie Robb who consented to be the new Chair for the forthcoming year.
- Zoe Schnabel
- Club Website
- The address of the Club Website is on the masthead of this newsletter. The Website has past newsletters, photos from almost all of our field trips and other Club information.
- Lapidary and Silversmith Classes
- Our lapidary class meets at 9 am on Tuesday and silver soldering class meets at 6 pm on Tuesday; both in the lapidary lab behind the fire station. If you're interested call Larry Strout at 826-3991.
- Lapidary Equipment For Sale
- 6" trim saw - $125, 2- 8" grinders $125 ea, 1 lb vibrator/tumbler - $15, 10 lb tumbler - $170, combination unit with 6" trim saw and 3-4 6" wheels - $350, electric kiln 2' X 2' X 1' - $75, 1 lb vibrator/tumbler - $15, 6" flat lap - $175, faceting machine and supplies - $300. Call Wally Hozjan at 520-384-4582.
- Dues are due.
- Dues are $15 for individuals and $25 for a family. Bring your dues to the next meeting or mail your check to Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 87, Pearce, Arizona 85625. Unpaid members will be dropped.
- Club Calendar:
- January
- 9 General Meeting
- 21 Field Trip
- February
- 2 Board Meeting
- 13 General Meeting
- 18 Field Trip
- March
- 1 Board Meeting
- 12 General Meeting
- 17 Field Trip
- 29 Board Meeting
- April
- 9 General Meeting
- 14 Field Trip
- May
- 3 Board Meeting
- 14 General Meeting
- 19 Field Trip
- June
- 2 Picnic
- Upcoming Regional Events
- January
- 18-22 46th Annual Quartzsite Pow Wow, Free Admission, Free parking. Daily field trips & Demonstrations. 235 E. Ironwood St., Quartzsite. 928.927.6325. powwow@qiaaz.org or www.qiaaz.org.
- 26- February 12. The Tucson Show. This is actually many shows - most of the Tucson motels have a show. The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show runs from February 9-12 in the Tucson Convention Center. http://tucsongemandmineralshows.net/2012-tucson-gem-show.htm lists all of the shows with dates, locations and contact information. The Electric Park Show (renamed the Rock Show), January 28- February 12, has something for everyone from tools and equipment to rough and finished gems, rocks, fossils, jewelry, beads, clothing and arts and crafts. A Morroco vendor brings many kinds of fossils including complete crocodiles and turtles and one from Brazil has many huge amethyst cathedrals. Access is easy: exit I-10 at 263, turn right on E. Ajo Way, turn right just before the hospital, turn right just before the parking lot, turn left at the stop sign and follow that street around behind all the booths and park back where the vendors park. You can also park in the main parking lot but it gets busy. There is another adjacent RV show where vendors sell alongside their RVs but I've usually played out before I got to that show. Wear comfortable walking shoes and sun protection.
- Officers for 2012
- President: Diane Dunn 520.826.0278
- V-President: Jack Light
- Secretary: Zoe Schnable
- Treasurer: Walter Sigel
- Deleg-at-Large: Carl Schnabel
- Hospit Coord: Cherie Robb
- Field Trip Crd: Henri van den Bos
- Past Pres: Paul McKnight
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