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”

APRIL 2005

This issue edited by Paul McKnight

_________________________________________________________________

April Meeting and Field Trip

Our next meeting will be Monday, April 11 at 7 pm. We will discussing the proposed revised Constitution for the Club, which is included herein.

The business meeting will be followed by a public meeting that the Club is co-sponsoring with The Amerind Foundation. Tell all your friends about this. Here’s what local newspapers are printing about this meeting:

Historians believe that Apaches came to this area in the late 1600s. But recent archaeological work in the Dragoon Mountains has uncovered what may be an ancestral Chiricahua Apache habitation site dated to the 1400s.

The Amerind Foundation and the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club will co-sponsor a program by the researcher that explored this site, Dr. Deni J. Seymour, at 8 pm on Monday, April 11 at the Sunsites Senior Center.

Dr. Seymour will explain her findings, the techniques used to date the site and the artifacts that allowed her to infer that the site was used by ancestral Chiricahua Apaches. She has previously done work on an ancestral Mescalero Apache site further east and will explain the similarities and differences between the two sites.

The public is invited to hear the results of her new investigations.

There is a great field trip planned for Sunday, April 24. We’ll see dinosaur tracks! See enclosed field trip notice.

March Field Trip Report

On March 19, fifteen Club members in six vehicles under the leadership of Don Hammer hit the jackpot at the Fire Agate Site east of Safford and again at the Apache Tear site at Mule Creek, New Mexico. The winter rains had uncovered more Fire Agate than any of us could remember. Apache Tears were so plentiful that a person could fill a container of them without leaving sight of their vehicle.

Always check the web site for breaking news on planned field trips.

Lapidary Classes!

A report from Don Hammer on his first class:

Last Wednesday evening at 6 pm four novice but eager and one experienced lapidarist assembled at the lapidary shop behind the fire department. Our enthusiastic instructor, Larry Strout, explained what lapidary is, some of the procedures and how to properly use the slab saw, trim saws, grinders and polishers.

We then selected a slab from the supply in one of the cabinets and Larry explained that the templates were standardized so that we could purchase mountings to fit our stones if we used one of the templates. This was followed by learning how to mark the outline of our cabochon on the slab and how to mark our cutting lines being careful to use right angles so the trim saw blade wouldn’t bend.

Then everyone started cutting with two of us using trim saws, one on the slab saw and others using the grinding/ polishing stones. Each in turn received close supervision and excellent advice on the proper and improper techniques with each piece of equipment. And we all produced slabs, rough cabochons and trimmed cabochons ready for dopping. I was quite amazed at how quickly the saw blades cut through hard stones.

Eventually Larry whistled and announced it was time to clean up the place. When I looked at my watch it was 8:45 pm. It’s been a long time since I’ve had three hours pass that quickly.

Anyone who would like to get started with lapidary training should contact Don Hammer at 384-3105 or Larry Strout at 826-3991

Upcoming regional events

Tombstone Gem and Mineral Show 3

June 17^th – 19^th, 2005

Tombstone Holiday Inn Express

1001 N. Highway 80 in Tombstone

www.tombstonegemshow.info

List of Club Officers for 2005

President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054 paulmc@vtc.net

Vice-President Curt Kelly 520 826-1136

Secretary Don Hammer 520 384-3105 dahammer@vtc.net

Treasurer Larry Edgett

Board Member at large Marie Sherman 520 826-4004

Club Calendar

April

9 Board meeting

11 Regular Meeting followed by Public Meeting on early Chiricahua Apaches (as early as the 1400s), co-sponsored by The Amerind Foundation

24 Sunday Field Trip – Dinosaur tracks and Jasper led by Ed Fenn

May

7 Board Meeting

9 Regular Meeting – demo of ??

14 Field Trip – Johnson Camp Mine by Clive Bailey?

June

Picnic or field trip

July

Field Trip or picnic

August

Field Trip

September

10 Board Meeting

12 Regular Meeting – public meeting on

17 Field Trip

October

8 Board Meeting

10 Regular meeting - demo

15 Field Trip

November

12 Board Meeting

14 Regular Meeting – elections, no speaker

19 Field Trip

December

5 or 12 Christmas Party – potluck

If your PC hasn't been acting quite up to snuff lately, maybe you should try changing the rocks you've got sitting on top of it.

Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club

P.O. Box 87

Pearce, Arizona 85625

General Meeting Minutes March 14, 2005

Attendees: Paul and Beth McKnight, Jeannine Paterson, Richard & Barbara Yeager, Keith McRobert, Larry Strout, Jack & Cindy Weller, Ken LaFayette, Irvin and Carol Pontius, Don Wells, Richard and Barbara Yeager, Maja Peters, Connie Morrison, Larry and Ilse-Rose Edgett, Wanda Arnoldi, Curt and Susan Kelly, Don and Joan Hammer, Retha Brouhard and Marie Sherman.

President Paul McKnight called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm and asked if there weren’t any changes to the minutes of the previous meeting as published in the newsletter that they be approved as published. Approved. Larry Edgett reported we started the month with $5954.20 in the bank account and he has written checks for: $250 to Amerind, $50 Garden Club, $250 Cochise County Library, $10 Arizona Corporation Commission, $19.49 Strout lapidary supplies, Hammer $55.37 new lock, keys & aprons, $27.62 McKnight stamps, etc, $116.86 McKnight Web site for a total of $779.34. The bank charged us $63 for the new checks and account leaving a balance of $5204.38. Approved. Don Hammer discussed the field trip on Saturday March 19 to the Black Hills Rockhound Area for fire agate and west of Mule Creek, NM for Apache tears. Meet at the Willcox Safeway parking lot at 7:45 to depart at 8:00. He had a handout with suggestions and a map and passed around a sign-up sheet. Don Hammer discussed his contact with Keith Price, Treasurer, Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Dues are $1.50 per member and insurance is $3.00 per family or household coming to a total of $163.50 for the Club. Approved. Larry Strout explained the lapidary classes on Wednesday night and Saturday afternoon were full and having fun and proposed a fee of $2 per person per session to cover consumables for lapidary classes. Approved. Don Hammer explained that the Board had drafted a new Constitution, the purpose for a Constitution and asked each member to take a copy home and read it carefully. Copies will be mailed to absent members. We plan to vote on adoption at the April meeting. Larry Strout pointed out that the only location for lacy agate was Six Mile Hill, that Cartmells had 6 active mining claims on the hill but there were several inactive claims. Filing a claim costs $150 per year and the claimant is required to show $1,000 of improvements each year that could be member in-kind work. We approved Larry continuing to research the possibility of filing a claim on Six Mile Hill.

Paul McKnight gave the Board report including the program for the April 11 meeting will feature a U of A archeologist presenting evidence that the Chiricahua Apache were in the Stronghold in the 15^th century. The Amerind Foundation will co-sponsor and we have begun publicity on it. Ed Fenn will lead us to Tehran Canyon for dinosaur tracks and jasper on the April 24 field trip. The picnic will be held in June at Randy Stewart’s gold mine in the Dragoons. Larry Strout has volunteered to be Club Librarian and we can check videos and books out from him. Paul asked for volunteers to do the program at the May meeting. He then introduced the topic of donations to other groups, explained how and why the Club’s funds were raised and proposed the following resolution in a handout:

Whereas the Club Constitution states "The Objectives of the Club shall be:

1.1_ To collect and study rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, and other related

geological subjects of all kinds, types, and formations and disseminate

to the members of the Club and the public, a general knowledge of subjects;

1.2 To provide an opportunity for the members and for other people of the area

to exhibit and exchange gems and minerals;

1.3 To encourage the social relations of the members and of the general public."

Whereas the funds in the treasury of the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club were

raised starting in 1962 from donors, contributors and purchasers to enable the Club

to carry out its objectives as laid out in the Constitution of the Club.

Whereas the Constitution of the Club does not make any provision for the expenditure

of funds for purposes unrelated to the objectives outlined in the Constitution.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club shall not

expend funds for purposes unrelated to those established by its Constitution.

Therefore, be it further resolved that the policy of the Club shall be to conserve

its financial resources for current and future use in furtherance of the purposes

of the Club rather than dissipate these resources.

Discussion ensued including the Club might want it’s own Club house some day, we might want mining claims, we might want a field trip vehicle, the addition to the Center may include a lapidary room. Resolution passed unanimously.

The meeting adjourned at 8:15.

Respectfully submitted,

Donald A. Hammer, Secretary

Field Trip Notice for Sunday, April 24, 2005:

Meet at Benson Feed and Supply at 9:45 am. We will leave at 10. We will go north along the San Pedro River to Tehran Wash and turn east. There are dinosaur tracks and jasper up the wash. Cars can travel up the wash as long as there is no danger of rain.

Stuff to bring:

Clothing enough to protect you from extended sun exposure

A bucket

Lunch

Water

Camera

A portable chair if desired

How to find the fire in Fire Agate

Fire Agate is a quartz-based rock with layers of iron oxide in chalcedony which results in iridescence. It occurs in nodules of milky or grayish translucent chalcedony. Sometimes it is found in botryoidal growths in geodes and in chalcedony roses.

Fire Agate appears as a dull, reddish brown layer, but when the surface layers are removed, the rainbow colors or iridescence are exposed. The fire is brought out by tumbling, trimming, and grinding off the outer layers to expose the iridescence. Polishing magnifies the fire.

To find the fire, remove the matrix, then tumble polish the stones. Tumbling removes the excess chalcedony. When polished, remove excess stone around the edges, then polish and set. Allow the stone to retain its irregular shape and polish slowly, so you don’t go through the fire layers. The graceful natural shapes are superior to those cut to calibrated sizes, as the best fire doesn’t always fit a mold. To set it off, mount the fire agate in a custom-made gold or silver setting. Fire Agates are most often found in Arizona, California, Idaho, and Mexico.

From The Tumbler January 2003

CONSTITUTION DRAFT

SUNSITES GEM AND MINERAL CLUB

Proposed March 2005 Adopted ________

ARTICLE I: NAME AND ADDRESS

Section 1.0. The name of the Corporation shall be the Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club hereinafter referred to as the Club.

1.1 The principle office of the Club shall be: Post Office Box 87, Pearce, Arizona 85625.

1.2 The Club is a non-profit corporation incorporated under the Arizona Revised Statues and the regulations of the Arizona Corporation Commission.

1.3 Should a situation arise that is not addressed by the Club’s Constitution or By-Laws then the Arizona Revised Statues and the regulations of Arizona Corporation Commission shall prevail.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES

Section 1.0 The objectives of the Club shall be:

1.1 To collect, study, exchange and process geological and archeological subjects including but not limited to rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, and artifacts and to promote understanding of these areas among the Club members and the general public;

1.2 To provide a framework for fellowship among Club members in meetings, classes, field trips, and other organized activities;

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.0 Membership in the Club shall consist of active members.

1.1 Active members shall consist of members who take an active part in the work of the Club. They shall have the rights and privileges conferred by the Constitution and By-Laws, including the right to vote and hold office.

1.2 Membership shall be open to any person who has an interest in geology, archeology, paleontology, rocks, minerals, fossils, lapidary, jewelry making, flint-knapping and/or gem stones. Membership shall be contingent upon payment of the required dues, supporting the Club objectives, signing the acknowledgment of risk and release and shall be subject to the approval by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Section 1.0 The Executive Officers of the Club shall be the President, Vice-President Secretary, and Treasurer.

1.1 The Board of Directors of the Club shall consist of the Executive Officers, the Delegate-At-Large, and the immediate past President, ex-officio for a period of one year.

ARTICLE V: ELECTIONS

Section 1.0 The Executive Officers and the Delegate-At-Large shall be elected for a period of one year at the Regular Meeting in November.

1.1 The newly elected Officers shall assume their positions on January 1.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section 1.0 The Annual Meeting of the Club shall be held at a designated meeting place at 7:00 pm on the second Monday of January of each year for the purpose of installing newly elected officers and for transacting such other business as may properly come before the assembly.

1.1 The Regular Meetings of the Club shall be held on the second Monday of each month at a time and place designated by the Board of Directors and announced at a previous meeting or by written notification to the members.

1.2 Special Meetings of the Club may be called at any time by the President, or by a majority of the Board, or upon written request of 20 (twenty) per cent of the members of the Club in good standing, to transact only the specific agenda of the Special Meeting.

ARTICLE VII: DISSOLUTION

Section 1.0 Any member in good standing may propose to the Board of Directors that the Club be dissolved. Upon approval of the Board of Directors, the Secretary shall notify all members in good standing, in writing, of the proposal to dissolve the Club at least 30 (thirty) days prior to the next Annual Meeting. The notice shall include the time and place of the Annual Meeting.

1.1 At the next Annual Meeting the Board of Directors shall present the proposal to dissolve the Club, allow for discussion and call for a motion to dissolve the Club. Approval of the motion to dissolve shall require at least a 3/4 (three-fourths) majority of the members in good standing.

1.2 In the event of approval, The Board of Directors shall satisfy any outstanding debts and arrange for transfer of the Club’s assets to another gem & mineral club in: 1) Cochise County; 2) Arizona; or 3) another club in the Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies except as in Article VII, Section 1.3.

1.3 Should the corporation be dissolved or the charter be allowed to lapse without membership approval to dissolve, such remaining assets may be transferred to a legitimately re-organized and re-named corporation.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

Section 1.0 The President shall appoint a committee of not less than 5 (five) members in good standing to prepare and present to the Board any Amendment to the Club’s Constitution. Upon approval of the Board, the Secretary shall distribute the proposed Amendment to all members in good standing including a notification of the time and place of the Annual Meeting where the Amendment will be presented to the membership for approval.

1.1 Approval of the Amendment shall require a ¾ majority of the members in good standing.

Did Ancestral Chiricahua Apaches Watch from

the Stronghold as Coronado’s Army

Marched through Southeast Arizona in 1540?

Deni J. Seymour, Ph.D., will discuss

"Archaeological Evidence of Ancestral Chiricahua Apache in the Dragoon Mountains."

A site found in the Dragoon Mountains is attributed to the ancestral Chiricahua Apache. Radiocarbon and thermoluminesence dates confirm a late prehistoric or protohistoric occupation. The site is clearly not protohistoric Sobaípuri or prehistoric Hohokam or Mogollon, and recent research on the archaeological correlates of other protohistoric groups known for the area indicates that it is not Jocome, Jano, Suma, or Manso.

The assemblage is consistent with, but stylistically different from an assemblage defined farther east attributed to the ancestral Mescalero (Seymour 2002a, 2004a, 2004b). On these bases, this site is inferred to be an ancestral Chiricahua Apache site. This group is known to have frequented the Dragoon Mountains in the protohistoric and historic periods. Comparison of assemblages between this Dragoon Mountain site and other sites with early dates in the Mogollon and Datil mountains confirms that sites in both areas are of the newly defined Gileño Complex.

This presentation briefly presents this complex, summarizes evidence for its affiliation with the ancestral Chiricahua Apache, and discusses the implications of the fifteenth-century dates, which make this the earliest known Athabascan site in the Southwest.

8 pm Monday, April 11, 2005 At the Sunsites Senior Center

A Public Meeting Co-sponsored by

The Amerind Foundation

and

Sunsites Gem and Mineral Club

(The talk will be preceded by a 7 pm business meeting of the Club.)