nlnov2006

The Cochise County Rock

Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club

www.cochisecountyrock.org

“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1962”

November 2006

This issue edited by Paul McKnight

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November Meeting is Monday the 13^th at 7 pm

Meeting at 7, water talk at 8. Here’s the news release:

Investigation of the Hydrologic Monitoring Network of the Willcox and Douglas Basins

In the Willcox and Douglas Basins, ground water is the main source of water. These Basins are the primary areas of agriculture in Cochise County and 90 percent of the ground-water pumpage is for agriculture. Ground-water pumping commonly causes declines in ground-water levels. When declines become widespread and persistent, further negative consequences such as increased pumping lift, land subsidence, and deterioration in water quality can occur. Ground-water levels have declined more than 150 feet in some wells in the past 50 years in the Willcox and Douglas Basins.

In 2005, the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Arizona Department of Water Resources began an investigation of the hydrogeology of the Willcox and Douglas Basins as part of the Rural Watershed Initiative. The purpose of the investigation is to enhance the existing hydrologic monitoring network and create a data base of hydrogeologic information for the area.

Alice Konieczki and Kurt Schonauer of the U.S. Geological Survey will present an overview of the study at the monthly meeting of the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club on November 13 at 8:00 P.M at the Sunsites Senior Center on Treasure Road. The topics that will be covered include inventory of agriculture, gravity monitoring, airborne geophysical survey, and ground-water level monitoring. The public is invited.

A fact sheet describing the study will be available at the meeting or can be accessed at http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2006/3055/.

November Field Trip

Meet at the Senior Center at 8:30 and plan to leave promptly at 8:45 so we can arrive at the Bisbee Mining Museum at 9:45 on Saturday, November 18 for a 10:00 tour. Car pooling is strongly encouraged. Our President has negotiated a $6 per person Group rate.

Arizona Daily Star

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.16.2006

BISBEE — For 95 years, the purpose and prosperity of this town in the Mule Mountains of Southeastern Arizona could be smelted down to a single word: copper.

The community's copper-mining heyday — from 1880 to 1975 — is the focus of a new permanent exhibit at the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum.

Called "Digging In: Bisbee's Mineral Heritage," the exhibit was created by designers and artists from the prestigious Smithsonian Institution...

The 2,000-square-foot exhibit includes a re-creation of a crystal cave, life-size dioramas depicting miners at work underground, a display of open-pit-mining techniques and an interactive section focusing on the many uses of copper in everyday life. Text panels provide details of mining technology and the life of miners…

One attention-grabbing part of the exhibit lets visitors step into a scene featuring an operator at work in an enormous, full-scale shovel cab.

A mineral display of malachites, azurites and calcites was designed by Bob Gaethje, a mineral consultant and museum board member who did the work on a volunteer basis.

October Field Trip Report

Seven cars gathered at the Sunsites Senior Center on the morning of Sunday September 22 and drove up over Middlemarch Pass. We hung a left at the first opportunity and drove up to a couple of mine dumps near Black Diamond Peak. For a couple of hours we picked through the rubble, finding a lot of Pyrite in rocks with traces of Malachite and Bornite. Jack Light was kind enough to spend a lot of time identifying minerals in the rocks found by members.

Dues are due. $10 for individual and $20 for family. Please mail your check to Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 87, Pearce, AZ 85625.

Club Officers for 2006

President Don Hammer 520 384-3105

Vice-President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054

Secretary Jeannine Paterson 520 826-1649

Treasurer Larry Edgett

Delegate at Large Sue Bishop 520-586-2312

Club Calendar

November

5 Board Meeting

13 Regular Meeting

18 Field Trip

December

3 Board Meeting

18 Christmas Party

Minutes of the October 9, 2006 General Meeting of the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club

The meeting was called to order at 7:02 pm by Vice-President Paul McKnight with 19 people in attendance.

The minutes of the September meeting were approved as published.

Larry Edgett gave the Treasurer’s report. Current Bank Balance was $4861.57 with $26 undeposited. The report was approved.

There was a motion to hold monthly raffles of nice rocks to replace or supplement the hat collection for rent. Tickets 50 cents or 3 for a dollar. Bob and Barbara volunteered to donate some initial rocks. The motion was approved.

Report from the Board was given by Paul McKnight. The October Field Trip will meet Sunday, October 22 at 9 am for a trip to the top of Middlemarch Pass. A nominations committee consisting of Don Hammer and Jeannine Paterson was proposed and approved. Members were urged to attend the Huachuca Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show October 14-15 in Sierra Vista. Paul reported that Irvin has agreed to organize our lapidary sessions.

Pat Guarrera joined the Club.

After announcements and intermission, Barbara Fenner gave a presentation of fluorescent minerals and Bill Jaeger presented information on lights that can be used to trigger fluorescence.

Your lapidary schedule choice

It looks like we may be having Thursday night and Saturday afternoon lapidary sessions. These groups are forming right now. Please call Irvin Pontious at 824-0110 and specify which time you want to reserve

Silversmithing Class