The Cochise County Rock
Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
http://sites.google.com/site/cochisecountyrock/
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“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1965”
April 2013
This issue edited by Cherie Robb
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The next General Meeting of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club is on Monday April 8, 2013 at 7:00pm at the Sunsites Community Center. Mr. Rolf Luetcke will show and discuss the amazing micro crystals that he photographs. His microphotographs vividly demonstrate the wondrous beauty of these tiny crystals. The public is invited to see some of the fascinating minerals
he has found in Arizona.
Taking the photos of minerals under the microscope is a process that takes a computer, microscope and microscope camera.
The system takes the images he sees under the microscope and transfers them to the lap-top computer where he can adjust the light intensity, angle and shot he wants to get.
Each photograph is made and then the microscope is refocused to make the next level sharp. This can take anywhere from a dozen to over 30 photos at different levels of one crystal or crystal pocket. The stacking program now comes in and combines the images into one that is in focus from top to bottom. There are several things involved with the lighting. The most ideal lighting is with natural sunlight but he uses a high intensity light for the ease of adjustment. He has a fiber optic light but the adjustments of the lighting is too much trouble for not doing the photos professionally. There are a variety of methods one can use to get better photos but it is a trade off between ease of
photographing and quality.
The one advantage he finds with micro mineral collecting is that one can still find great micro minerals at many of the old mine dumps in southeast Arizona.
Mr. Luetcke has an AA degree in biology from Santa Monica College in California. When he moved to Bisbee in 1971, he was introduced to the Geologist Richard Graeme who worked for the Phelps Dodge mine in Bisbee.
Graeme gave him a couple of bags of minerals to give to kids in a nature program he was doing and he was hooked.
A year later he started a mineral business in which he manufactured sample mineral collections with glued in specimens and sold those over the Western US. He spent years and miles collecting in several states of the Southwest and went to hundreds of mines over that time. His vast knowledge of rocks and minerals was acquired by
self teaching.
In 1986 he started a mineral shop with his wife Mary in Saint David. They ran their store for 22 years and started a serious reference collection which now numbers nearly 2000 species.
They still collect at many local Arizona mines.
About three years ago a dream came true with the first "stacking" programs for microphotography. Perfecting the process is still a work in progress.
Now retired they spend their time collecting and photographing minerals.
Club Dues
Club Dues are due for 2013. Dues are $15 for individuals and $25 for a family. Walter Sigel will be collecting them at the April meeting or you can mail your check to Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club, PO Box 87, Pearce, AZ 85625.
Field Trips:
April Field Trip
On Saturday April 20 we will visit the Asarco copper mine in green Valley.
The tour starts at 11.00am, please be there at 10.30am. ( duration about 1hr, 15min.)
There is a lot to see in and around the visitor center.
Tour fee is $8.00 for Adults, $5.00 for kids, $6.00 for seniors (62+).
Directions:
Take I 10 to Tucson
…take Interstate 19 south to Exit 80, Pima Mine Road. Go west (turn right from the exit ramp) and get into the center-left-turn lane.
Our main entrance gate is only a few hundred feet from the freeway on the south side of Pima Mine Road (on your left)
Web: http://www.mineraldiscovery.com
If anyone has ideas for future trips, please contact Henri Van den Bos.
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 Lab
Our lapidary (cutting and polishing rocks for jewelry), silver soldering and wire wrapping classes are available. For lapidary call Don Hammer on 520-384-3105. For silver soldering and wire wrapping call Larry Strout at 520-826-3991.
The Club Library
The Club has an impressive collection of rock and mineral books including field identification guides, guides to collecting areas, lapidary manuals and related topics. If you are interested in checking out any of the books, please call Don Hammer at (520) 384-3105.
Club Calendar:
April
8 General Membership Meeting
20 Field Trip to Green Valley
25 Board Meeting
May
13 General Membership Meeting
Upcoming Regional Events
April 5-6, 2013 Phoenix
21st Annual Minerals of Arizona Symposium
Sponsored by the Flagg Mineral Foundation
Clarion Hotel at Phoenix Tech Center
5121 E. La Puente Av., Phoenix
http://flaggmineralfoundation.org/
May 4-5, 2013 Rock + Gem Show in Kingman
by the Mohave County Gemstoners
Kingman Academy of Learning High School Gym
3420 N. Burbank Av., Kingman
May 25-26, 2013 Pinetop
White Mountain Gem & Mineral Club
Jewelry, Gem & Mineral Show
HON-DAH Resort Casino Convention Center
777 Hwy 260, Pinetop
Sat. 9:00am - 6:00pm Sun. 10:00am - 4:00pm
Adults $2.00
16 & under Free, accompanied by adult
www.whitemountain-azrockclub.org
Tucson's Hidden Gem 10% off
4699 E. Pima St., Tucson
NW cor of Pima & Swan 520-399-6641
like us on FACEBOOK
Officers for 2013
President: Jack Light - 520-824-4774
Vice-President: Jim Robb - 805-660-0074
Secretary: Zoe Schnabel - 520-826-0100
Treasurer: Walter Sigel - 520-826-1009
Delegate-at-Large: Carl Schnabel - 520-826-0100
Newsletter Editor: Cherie Robb - 805-231-2143
Hospitality Coordinator: Gail Renell - 520-507-1896
Field Trip Cdr: Henri Van den Bos - 520-384-0288
Speaker Coordinator: Don Hammer - 520-384-3105
For Approval:
SUNSITES GEM & MINERAL CLUB
GENERAL MEETING MINUTES, MARCH 11, 2013
Call to Order: President Jack Light opened the meeting at 7:05 PM and welcomed members and guests. Ursel Arias from Palmdale, CA. was a visitor and is the Mother of Cherie Robb.
Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the previous General Meeting held on 3/11/2013 was met by a motion to approve with a second. Carried.
Announcements: Refreshments for the evening were provided by Diane Brower and Zoe Schnabel. Thank You!
Old Business:
Treasurers Report: Walter Sigel, treasurer, reported that after all expenses were met and all income received, the balance as of 3/11/2013 is $6335.73. Walter filed the Arizona Corporation Commission form in a timely manner as well as electronically filing the annual IRS 990-N form. Note: It is permissible to e-file if gross receipts for the reporting year are under $50,000.00. A move was made to accept Walters report with a second. Carried.
Field Trip Report: Jim Robb announced that the next field trip will be to the Ash Creek area, NE of Willcox. The scenic area is in the Galiuro Mts off of Sunset Loop in the vicinity of the Coronado Nat'l Forrest. We will be looking for Rose Chalcedony, Geodes and Grey Jasper. Meet at Willcox Safeway at 8:30 am on Saturday March 16. We will be leaving promptly at 8:45. High clearance vehicles are necessary IF you want to travel further up & cross the wash. Bring the usual equipment, including light hammers, chisels, etc. The area has lots of shade trees where you can enjoy your picnic lunch.
New Business:
1) Lapidary Lab: Cletus Frei, Treasurer of the Sunsites-Pearce Fire District, was upset with a $600.00 utility bill for January and demanded that we install a separate water meter, separate sewer line, as well as a separate electric meter. He failed to recognize that the ceramics group also uses the same building. We did not use the building in January. The Gem & Mineral Club built the addition onto the existing building in 1973 and there are no legitimate grounds to “kick us out.” It is interesting to note that the three people on the Fire Board who are trying to evict us have resigned! We will continue to occupy the building as the entire situation seems to be up in the air.
Note: If anyone is interested in joining the three students who are learning how to cut and polish stones, please call Don Hammer and he will give you the times and dates of availability.
BREAK - Since Henri van den Bos was unable to attend the meeting, Jack asked Joan Hammer to conduct the raffle. Thank You Joan!
PROGRAM - An interesting video presentation was given entitled “Kinds of Rocks” by Prof. John Renton of West Virginia University.
As no further business was had, Jack adjourned the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Zoe Schnabel
Zoe Schnabel, Secretary
March 15, 2013