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Jasper
Jasper is a highly sought after commodity that usually contains some streaks of yellow running through it. Jasper breaks into fractures forming a conic, or cone section. Jasper can be formed from massive fine-grained quartz which is one of the main minerals found in sedimentary rocks. Jasper usually breaks on curved surfaces and has a chemical type texture. Jasper is very closely related to agate, chert, and flint. A possible environment that many of these minerals could be deposited would be in fields and river beds.
Most jaspers are red, green, tan, gray, white, pink, or even purple in their color tint ranging from a very bright to dullness. Even despite the fact that there are many different varieties of jaspers out there which don't contain any of those bright color bands? There is also a fine-grained opaque that is a dense variety found within the mineral chert.
However, there are some other colors of jasper which make great specimens such as black. Black Jasper makes a good touchstone because the streak on it made from many gold ores can be determined with better accuracy. Black jasper is widely used as ornamental objects like amulets, pendants, and decorative jewelry. In many cases black jasper can bring in higher profits and prices than other jasper specimens.
Stone in picture
The stone in the picture is a triangular shaped or cone shaped black jasper stone with very rough sides that don't break as the top surface has a little notch cutting through the widest side. The top and bottom surfaces are smooth, whereas the sides are very rough. There are conglomerate fractures that are broken irregularly and there are no sharp edges. The edges of this specimen are mostly smooth. There is also a bulb of percussion extending towards the tip of the stone. There is a flake scar at the end where the tip was removed during its shaping before being tossed in to the throw out.
Sapphire
Sapphire refers to the gemstones variety of the mineral corundum. Diamonds are harder than sapphire, although sapphire is still a harder mineral than topaz.
Rubies are also known as red sapphires considering that they are of the same family. Most of their properties are very identical except for their tints and color. They can also be found in deposits left by a source of running water. Many of them are found, discovered, and mined from alluvial sediments.
Sapphires are formed from igneous rock that can also be found in the form of large crystals. Sapphires usually are a part of a rock host that usually has jagged edges and form an asterism on their shiny gemlike surface when polished. They also can be found in streams by passersby. This stone is very beautiful and has a hardness and durability for its luster making it a desirable gemstone for jewelry.
Sapphire was most likely the most precious stone of her collection which leaves little remains, and that's why it's number two as the foundations in Revelations. The blue color of the sapphire made it the stone of the skies and heavens and is also considered a type of diamond. According to the times of Ancient Biblical beliefs the earth was entrapped within a huge sapphire making the heavenly skies blue. Even careful panning can turn worthy of these fine specimens. Sapphire is as well breathtaking and eye turning to wear when trying to appeal to a loved one.
Stone in picture
This photograph is of an uneven arrowhead specimen missing most of its crystal structure which was left from the cluster or asterism shaped remains. This stone is very rugged and rough all around forming an asterism shape with jagged edges. This type of stone usually has brighter light reflections that are better than any other gemstone specimens. It has the dullish color shade similar to tourmaline.
Chalcedony
Chalcedony is similar to jasper considering that it is made up from massive fine-grained quartz which is one of the main minerals found in sedimentary rocks. Chalcedony seems to break on curved surfaces. If chalcedony contains any color bands, it's because chalcedony can be considered a type of agate. In some ways it is similar to agate, chert, and flint as well as jasper.
There are some other varieties of chalcedony as well. Many variations of chalcedony are reddish in color making them similar to fire agate. Another type of chalcedony can be formed when the crust of the host rock contains some green tints known as moss agate.
Chalcedony has a very wax like structure with an egg shell type of crust that is very rough and molded over. It has a large spectrum within a variety of colors, mostly blue, cloudy white, buff, light tan, brown, gray, and yellow. Although most varieties are of a brown molded over white crystals of the variation. These crusts are rounded because chalcedony is also another form of chert. Some specimens have rinds or stalactite shaped points that are a part of the mineral that's suspended within the rock host crust. It has an extremely compacted fibrous structure and a fine splintery type of structure within its cleavage.
It has also been said that chalcedony was a sacred stone used by the Native Americans to promote stability within their ceremonial practices.
Stone in picture
This stone is arrowhead shaped with a dull crust covering a bulb of percussion next to the white crystal structure. It is fine-grained and porphyritic as the crystals make their way through fractures and cracks forming a pointed end. It is a brittle stone which seems to have no planes of cleavage. Like quartz this stone will scratch glass very easily. This specimen has green splotches making it a kind of moss agate.
Emerald (Bixbite)
The mineral bixbite is a rare mineral that is also known as red beryl. Red beryl is found in a few areas within the states of Utah and New Mexico. The mineral is similar to quartz, topaz, and many other minerals. Bixbite obtains its color in the beryl structure by replacing aluminum with the mineral manganese.
Of course, everybody who catches up on the mineral bixbite reads about how the mineral was first discovered by a mineral specialist around 1904. He first discovered the luminous red beryllium aluminum stones in certain places of Utah. These gemstones can also be known as red emerald which is similar to the green emerald.
Most of the bixbite pieces that are found aren't good enough specimens to be made into jewelry, or ornamental pieces. Many of the finds are too poor to be used even as museum specimens. And it’s a fact that nobody has ever discovered bixbite anywhere else than within the United States. In fact most of the specimens shown for sale are from Utah. So that's why this mineral specimen is so extremely rare. It is also known as red beryllium aluminum.
Bixbite is an igneous gemstone which is the color of lava considering that it is mostly formed in Utah's highly eruptive volcanic plate boundaries. There are lots of explosive areas north of Page and Glen Canyon Dam which forms Lake Powell. Also there are areas in lower Utah that have produced very rich specimens of bixbite, and some of those samples are from around the area of the Delicate Arch.
Stone in picture
This rare bixbite specimen is unique considering it isn't part of a host rock. Obviously this stone was part of a larger cortex. This piece is a flake taken from another core piece which must have been larger. There is an errailure that was formed upon the striking force which was applied. This stone specimen indicates that the Ancient Hohokam were travelers. For any stone found only in Utah to end up in the Badger Springs area tells us that maybe these people traveled long distances to see the four corners of the state. They may have traveled through Utah around the Delicate Arch area after visiting Canyon De Chelly which could be older than we may ever know.
Sardonyx
Sardonyx is a sedimentary rock mineral that has the same properties as that of massive fine-grained quartz that makes it similar to jasper, and flint, as well as agate. Sardonyx is also a type of marble stone formed from sediments of limestone that form the original rock that makes it comparable to dolomite.
The mineral sardonyx is a chemical composition which is made up of sard and onyx just as the name of the mineral is pronounced when spoken. The Sardonyx stone is very closely related to bloodstone and its properties are the same as that of quartz. These stones are also created from calcite dripping from stalactites within caverns which lead to underground water tables.
Sardonyx is a mineral made up of tiny quartz fibers packed in many tiny layers giving it a banded appearance. The red and white bands work together in harmony giving the stone its illustrious charm. Even though the sardonyx stone can't bring any higher prices than other gemstone varieties it has become a very popular stone used in making ornamental jewelry such as ear rings, necklaces, and pendants.
Stone in picture
The sardonyx stone in this picture is half an arrowhead section that is reddish in color and contains one white band extending through on one side. The top sides are smooth while the banded sides are rough with little pits. The bands are formed in parallel lines. This stone has a smooth cortex considering that it is the main piece of the core. Weathering hasn't affected the outer layer of the stone. There are also little hairline ripples which can be observed from the pulsation of cracks from shock when the striking force was first applied.
Sardius
Sard stones are very closely related to agate, flint, jasper, and chalcedony making the stone massive fine-grained quartz. This stone is also very similar to carnelian which is another form of chalcedony except that it isn't crusted with a brownish color tint or shade. The mineral sard appears in the Book of Revelation with much regard to being one of the precious stones within the High Priests' Breastplate.
However, Sardius stone is a sedimentary rock that is part of the group of sard stones just like the mineral sardonyx. It is made up of semi-precious materials. Its appearance is usually that of having been made containing a red stripe which is the color of dull red resembling that of an appearance of blood. The Bible refers to sardius stone as relating to the "Blood of Christ."
This stone was an important stone to be used in the ceremony within the Book of Revelation to create the vessel of a potter. The bluish area of stone was used to libate the entire inside of the vessel, while the red sardius stone stripe was used to paint the inside of the vessel as a libation with a web like design which resembles that of a wing portion which could be the image of a raven used in the ceremony.
Stone in picture
This sardius or sard stone is grayish in color containing a red stripe swinging around from one side to the other. This red stripe is textured around the host rock. There are also some black lines within its blood red coloring. It has a sharply edged shape in which the bottom has been completely flake scarred from the primary striking force. This rock has the appearance of a stone that has been used to exhaustion in its removal of debitage for Tribal Ceremonial uses.
Chrysolite
Chrysolite is an igneous rock mineral that is similar to gemmy olivine, but isn't always referred to as light yellowish olivine.
Bowen's reaction theory shows olivine as a high-temperature next to pyroxene, amphiobole, and biotite, which is closer to being a lower temperature mineral. Olivine forms light-colored and dark colored rocks that are bumpy and granular bearing no cleavage. Light colored olivine can vary from light green to dark green to black, while darker colored olivine can vary from pale green to dark green to black.
Another mineral mistaken for chrysolite is chrysoberyl. The bible calls for chrysolite. However, this stone could have been mistaken for chrysolite, although it's chrysoberyl.
Chrysoberyl is a mineral that's very tough, strong, and durable with great hardness. Only diamonds, rubies, and sapphires are stronger when it comes to placing them on the scale of hardness. The mineral Chrysoberyl even comes in many varieties of colors as well. Some are clear or transparent while others are mostly yellowish-green and greenish-yellow olivine. There are even varieties that have tints of pale brown.
Blue shades of chrysoberyl specimens are very extremely rare and can demand higher prices than normal shades. Aquamarine is a very popular being used with necklaces, buttons, rings, and as cabochons.
Stone in picture
The stone specimen in the picture is of the rare blue color spectrum. Even with its slight hairline cracks and the color starts on light, although the colors penetrate deeper in to the stone. Lighter colors illuminate the outer portion of the stone. Considering the fact that there is no pegmatite intact; this particular stone was most likely formed in a hydrothermal deposit before it began to take an orthorhombic shape. The color blue shade of chrysoberyl is similar to darker shades of aquamarine.
Beryl
Beryl is a mineral that is similar to emeralds in the way of how they usually grow from the pegmatite's black ore formed in layers. These layers eventually allow accumulation of the mineral to build up or grow becoming larger. The pegmatite is formed from granite which gives beryl their illustrious tinted bands within the color spectrum.
The mineral beryl comes in many different varieties. The white to bluish shades are aquamarine and the yellowish shades are heliodor. Heliodor is made from iron impurities when forming within the granitic batholiths. There are even many etched heliodor specimens where the etched areas of the heliodor specimen are clearer. There are other forms of beryl as well. Emerald is a green variety of beryl whereas goshenite are a clearer form and morganite is a pinkish form.
Beryl is an igneous rock mineral that is very widely used as jewelry and ornamental pieces such as beaded chips, rings, ear rings, and pendants. Beryl can also form rough nugget size pieces which are great for display as museum specimens.
Stone in picture
The stone model shown above is part of a pegmatite which has some areas of clearer beryl which is molded in to the granite host. This stone is coarse grained because it is a felsic material. An inclusion is widely visible on one side of the stone while the top portion tends to be fairly smooth. The shade of this specimen is aquamarine with a whitish color tint. Some areas tend to have a yellowish heliodor reflection.
Topaz
Topaz is a silicate mineral that is a hydrous aluminum and fluorine material. Topaz stones occur in formations of granite pegmatites and quartz veins, and are deposited in granites and rhyolites.
According to the classifications rhyolite would be formed by a fine-grained microline and quartz. This would be one way topaz inherits its lighter color making it felsic in mineral composition and color. Lighter colored felsic rocks get their color from higher amounts of sodium, potassium, and silica.
Topaz is also a mineral that is listed above quartz and below corundum on the scale of hardness. That makes topaz the third hardest mineral. One area that is common for rhyolite is the Superstition Mountains east of Apache Junction.
Now that we know topaz is one of the hardest minerals, we can assume that the host rock containing the crystals are extremely brittle and can fall apart when handled. Just the slightest blow or applying the wrong amount of pressure can split one of these specimens into two pieces. Sometimes just handling one of these specimens can cause little grains to break away little by little. However, these crystals can reach enormous sizes yielding more for the showing than their alleged price for jewelry, or ornamental value.
Stone in picture
This topaz specimen contains some mica. Mica minerals usually exist from granite and are usually found in sedimentary rocks. Topaz containing any mica content is a great indicator of the physical weathering of this stone within the arid climate it was originally found in. This topaz stone seems to be hosted within a type of granite rhyolite. Topaz with mica is very hard to find, except with a few specimens with brown crystals. Mica also gives the stone a much deeper look making it more illustrious with a slight reflection.
Chrysoprasus
The mineral chrysoprasus is actually a mineral that is a green variation of chalcedony without a brown crust. Chrysoprasus as a mineral comes in shades of green similar to a few vegetables. The mineral chrysoprasus is also a variety of a massive fine-grained quartz which is a prized high quality rivaling the green mineral variety of jade.
Because chrysoprasus is a green variation of chalcedony it can be formed from microcrystalline quartz. Chalcedony is also related to chert, which is related to jasper, flint, and agate.
The mineral chrysoprasus is a sedimentary rock that has a dull flinty like luster giving it the appearance of flint stone with a deeper shade of green. The crystals that form the mineral chrysoprasus are so fine that they can't be seen by the naked eye.
Chrysoprasus is a highly desired and sought after commodity. The mineral usually ends up for sale or sold for higher prices as jewelry or ornamental pieces. Australian specimens of its sort seem to generate the highest demands. It is commonly cut into cabochons and inlayed in to designer types of jewelry. Chrysoprasus makes some of the glitteriest stones with the illustrious light green shades it has to offer.
Stone in picture
The Chrysoprasus stone specimen is a fine grained rock that has a darker apple green color. It is a conglomerate that produces regular fracturing. Though the fracturing never left any rough edges, this particular stone is very rough indeed in the center with smooth edges on the sides. This stone is slightly mixed throughout. The apple green colors are blended in with a tiny mixture which seems to give it a whitish color. One side is flattened evenly with a very smooth look. The other side has sort of a roughened end which seems to add a slight bulb of percussion.
Jacinth
Jacinth is a mineral that is known as an orange or reddish-brown variety of zircon that is also referred to as hyacinth. The colors of hyacinth can range from bluish, brownish, or to a goldenness shade. Reddish-brown to blue hyacinth is a stone that is a mixed stone.
This variety of zircon, jacinth, or hyacinth is mostly used as a classic antiquity. The hyacinth stone in the following picture has a brownish or bronzed core covered by fine-grained to coarse-grained layers of colored zircon fibers which are attached. This hyacinth stone illustrated is partly rounded with smooth edges.
Alluvial rocks are partly rounded and poorly sorted. One example of a sedimentary rock from an alluvial non-marine environment would be breccias. Considering hyacinth has a fine-grained to coarse-grained texture, it possibly may be found in a metamorphic environment as well as a sedimentary environment making the mineral metasedimentary.
This also could mean that hyacinth is also similar to biotite, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite, and garnet crystals. And because the topaz specimen contains some mica, we can say that the topaz and mica specimens were discovered in closely related environments.
Stone in picture
This stone is a jacinth form of zircon crystals which in this stone are coarse grained and roughly formed that were made in to a spear-head with a bronze tip. The bronze tip represents the hyacinth, or jacinth. The brown bronzed color mineral at the tip of the spear head represents the breastplate, whereas the other zircon crystals represent the precious stones within the squares which are set in rows on a High Priest's Breastplate. Her power of being a High Priestess comes from this stone.
Amethyst
The mineral amethyst is definitely a variety of quartz. Amethyst is similar to quartz by the way it is formed. Amethyst in its better form is usually found in geodes. Many times amethyst stones are partly mixed with colorless quartz around the inside of the host crust and amethyst in the middle, which is better known as amethyst quartz.
In other words amethyst is related to quartz, which means like some of the previous stones, it's made of cryptocrystalline (microcrystalline) quartz. This form of quartz silica can form agate, chalcedony, chert, jasper, and flint as well. Quartz is also similar to quartz amethyst by the way it has a fractured mechanics.
Round geode rocks the size of soft balls can sometimes bore this mineral when split open. In many cases amethyst can be found around rivers and streams which are called river amethyst. Old day practitioners believed that amethyst can sometimes fade becoming a lighter color of purple. Many old day practitioners believed that amethyst held the power to absorb the light of the sun. This is why amethyst is the twelve stone on the list. This stone was used to absorb the light of the whole collection. Amethyst gives the other stones the power to absorb the light of heaven.
There are many varieties of amethyst products on the market today. There's a huge selection of amethyst ornamental jewelry and decorative artwork. Jewelry can range anywhere from rings, ear rings, bracelets, necklaces, and pendants.
Stone in picture
This stone specimen is missing the amethyst portion. The rock was formed from a soft ball sized river amethyst stone. The remains which were purple have faded away. The remains which were once left when it was first found or split apart have faded apart from the stone through time and oxidation. However they seem to recharge their illustrious purple color when left out in the sunlight. River amethyst can also be found around the Fountain Hills area.
Unglazed Pottery
This pottery specimen is unglazed considering that for a reason it wasn't fired up in a kiln. The specimen was a very ceremonial piece to the first day of a three day ceremony. This piece was left unglazed due to special care in preparing the vessel of a potter. There is a thumb impression at the very top of the pottery specimen. It has the appearance of hardened mud which was carefully dried for ceremonial purposes. This piece is very sacred for the reason that next to the thumb impression there is an appearance of Jesus' image imbedded from his crucifixion on the cross. The piece is made up of hard clay which was apparently left out in the open to dry in the sun.
Libated Pottery
The pottery specimen in the following picture has been semi-glazed. It is painted with a black paint probably containing sardius stone. The black paint has been painted over some grey paint which could represent the power of animism to the sky, thus, upon ceremonial practice having the power to bring the spirit to the sky. The piece shown here is a perfect specimen for the second day ceremony.
Vessel of a Potter
The pottery specimen shown below is very unique. It has been carefully and fully glazed giving it the color of the sun. The inside of the pottery specimen has been libated with grey paint. A webbing of sardius stone representing the blood of Jesus has been painted over before this piece was prepared and glazed inside a kiln. This is one of the only pottery specimens of this sort which remain containing no weathered paint. The piece of polychrome makes a great vessel of a potter specimen to change the event of the morning star using the power of sympathetic magic and animism.
Snowflake Pottery
The pottery specimen here is very special indeed. It helps signify how their Oral Indigenous ways of Traditional Religion are very ceremonial with myth. Snowflake represents the way she prepares herself for the ceremony. First, she must drink from the vessel in order to cool herself from her ceremonial rite. Also this pottery is normally significant within the Flagstaff, Arizona area which is succumbed by wilderness. The snowflake Indian pottery makes a great specimen being found in this part of the region.
B.C. Pottery
Here's a pottery specimen which is probably the second to oldest found in this area. This piece was discovered higher up the tell mound from the Agua Fria River. It tells us that the Indians built over and over on top of the tell mound. The human debris have accumulated over time leaving even very old piles of trash, or debitage which is basically waste or garbage. This specimen has very hard edges which have begun to mineralize from limestone deposits and has accumulated crusting over the outer portion. The piece tells us that the Hohokam have long settled and farmed this vast region because of its relative easy access to water within the Agua Fria River.
Petrified Pottery
The pottery specimen in this picture is petrified. The word petrified is a word derived from the Greek Language meaning "petro" which stands for rock, or stone. Generally the term petrify is meant by how wood turns to stone, although pottery can petrify as well when deposited in an iron rich sedimentary environment for long periods. The organic clay material is then replaced with minerals. The silicate materials allow the "original structure" to retain its shape within the slow and timely process. In addition the word petrifies represents the way a character seems to be planted in his position with lots of dread within. Still when the Conquistador should be running the other way, he looks back with petrified fear of her "precious stones."
Hohokam Pottery
The most common kinds of relics that have been left behind from the Hohokam are their basic shards of pottery. They discovered ways of using nearby clays in concentrate with mixtures of sand and crushed rock and other means of tempering the clay in order to make their essential living ware last much longer. They obviously had a need for containers which were water tight to carry their water from the Agua Fria River which was down below to their farming area which was located on the plains above. Their upper land settlements were separated from the deeper canyons of the river plains, although this pottery specimen was found on the tell mound located on the plains above.
Shell Tempered Pottery Fragment
Another common type of relic left from the echoes of time was this shell-tempered pottery fragment. There are five steps needed in the groundwork of making pottery. The first step is finding the raw clay material. The second step is preparing and cleaning these raw materials. The third step is to make or build the form of the pottery vessel. The fourth step is the drying of the pottery vessel. And the fifth step is the firing or cooking of the raw materials which is normally performed The firing of the vessel is where the discoloration takes place from heat tempering the harde ned outside surface.within a kiln.
Marble Pottery
The pottery piece in the picture above is significant to the Prescott area where granite is very prevalent. Granite is calcium rich plagioclase feldspar which is commonly used in sculpturing statues and other artwork depicting the life within the world of religious deities and gods. This mineral is felsic because it is a light colored material. As an igneous rock it is created by the cooling of magma deep below the Earth's surface. Granite is an igneous rock made of four basic minerals, quartz, feldspar, mica, and hornblende. Granite is a wonderful building material because it can withstand lots of pressure. This piece would have cooled slowly after being glazed and prepared and there isn't any writing or engravings on this particular specimen, although writings on granite can last several hundreds of years.
Basalt Arrowhead
Basalt is a mafic rock because it is dark in color. The chemical composition of this material is made up of a plagioclase along with a pyroxene. The texture of this rock is also that which is considered fine-grained. The basal area has been lightly flaked along with a number of striking areas that have given this specimen its sharper edges. These smaller and harder tips were primarily used for local surface hunting for smaller animals. These arrowheads of basalt are also very hard to find indeed, and that is the reason this specimen was the only one found.
Chryscolla
The mineral chryscolla is a mineral that gets its brownish color of crust from the copper ore mineral. This stone is even enhanced with some tints of blue, or greenish like patches giving it a speckled appearance. The stone has a fractured cleavage and is easily confused with malachite which happens to be an easy green mineral to identify. There are many beautiful specimens that have been discovered in Arizona. Many of these stones are present containing malachite. The mineral azurite can form as well from these copper ores giving a beautiful pattern of swirls along with malachite.
Jacinth Spear Tip
Here's another example of an hyacinth spear tip displaying the jacinth stone colors within a thin array representing the zircon colors of the third row of a High Priest's Breastplate. The sample above is only about half of the original size since the time of its being flaked. The bottom part of the portion starts off with a small lip which then leads in to a slight bulge forming a notch so that it can be fastened to a stick or wooden shaft much easier. It's very rare to find two jacinth specimens in the same location of this geographical area. The previous copy is shorter, although it contains a better quality of bronzing. Additionally this piece was most likely discarded after being used for a short time with hunting. The thinner spear tips tend to break more easily being fragile.
Opal Arrowhead
This specific arrowhead is too precious to classify. It has a very special graciousness about it. This stone contains blue opal and obsidian side by side giving the stone an illustrious look about it. The blue opal almost looks like that of an amazonite and its turquoise coloring. This stone would beautifully inlay in to some jewelry, although it's an artifact specimen which could have possibly been a type of jewelry pendant as well.
Schist Arrowhead
In this picture is a specimen which is a type of metamorphic rock that usually forms from the granitization within an extreme case of metasomatism during its change through metamorphism. This helps the grains to be more visible to the naked eye because heat gives the grains the ability to separate with density. Then the grains start to reach a stage of crystal growth. At first schist forms after the slow cooling of magma where it then forms in to granite. There are many varieties of schist, garnet schist, muscovite schist, biotite schist, kyanite schist, and folded schist which is layered over in appearance. Schist has a coarse grain appearance because the cleavage surface is indeed very rough.
Agua Fria National Monument
Here's a photograph of the Agua Fria Monument. There's a sign which has maps of the area which show the hiking trails in the area. The map shows where the different sites are located at. The podium like stand has an information guide which was provided by the Bureau of Land Management giving additional information to visitors who decided to stop and visit the area. The area isn't paved all of the way through though. Many truckers stop here to rest for a while. There's a dirt road which leads to a camping spot down further which also has a public restroom provided. There's also another podium by the camping area that has a book to record any emergencies that happen. There is a pen provided.
The Agua Fria River Valley
This shot is from the top of the summit peak. Below are the rocks forming the Agua Fria River Valley. The river always flows in some sort of fashion. The bed load is also mixed with a suspended load of sand, mud, and clay that allows water to flow underneath. The river was flowing with a steady flow from potential rains at the time of this picture. The river is also a home to many different varieties of fish. Trout, minnows, and tadpoles can be seen occasionally. There are also water moccasins or water snakes inhabiting the river and streams as well.
Badger Springs
In this picture Walter Soroka is standing next to his sluice box trying to decide if the dam he built needs any improvements. The only way to use a sluice box is to build a dam to divert the water in to the sluice box in order to wash through the placed sediments which are washed through and screened.
Badger Springs
In this picture Walter Soroka is standing above some boulders looking down to one of his first sluice boxes he made himself out of sheet metal.
Badger Springs
In this picture Walter Soroka is building a dam by blocking the Agua Fria River with rocks in order to channel the water through the sluice box.
Badger Springs
Here's a picture with Walter Soroka panning for gold in the Agua Fria River because there isn't enough water flowing at the time to set the sluice box in to place.
Badger Springs
In this picture the author Rodney Soroka is at the top of the peninsula looking around wearing a blue t-shirt.
Badger Springs
This is a picture of the sluice box running at full speed, although the water is pretty muddy with Rodney Soroka barely visible at the top.
Badger Springs
Here's a picture of a hydraulic water pump used to pump water up to the top of the hill for washing dirt and debris in to the sluice box by using a fire hose.
Badger Springs
Here's a picture of Walter Soroka eating at camp during the early evening in Badger Springs.
Badger Springs Trail
The picture above features Walter Soroka and Rodney Soroka camping for the day on the Badger Springs Trail with friends (Author).
Below is a link to "Mysterious Mineral Collection" subpage 6.
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