Feb 2012 - Sedona Gem and Mineral Club

Sedona Gem and Mineral Club
P.O. Box 3284, Sedona, AZ 86340
www.sedonagemandmineral.org
General Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the
month at 7:00 PM at the Sedona Library off of Dry Creek
Road in West Sedona. The Board of Directors meets at
5:00 PM the week before the General Meeting, also at the library.
Members and guests are always welcome to attend.
FEBRUARY, 2012
Volume 58, Issue 2
MEMBER AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES
MEMBER ROCKY MOUNTAIN FEDERATION OF
MINERALOGICAL SOCIETIES
Newsletter Editor: Patti Polk
Email: rockhound_86326@yahoo.com
Start planning now for our annual Sedona Gem and Mineral Show in October, 2012!
FEBRUARY PROGRAM
“New Grand Canyon Formations”
Presented by Stan Beus
WE HAVE AN INTERESTING PRESENTATION COMING
UP THIS MONTH, BUT ALAS, NOT THE ONE THAT WAS
ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED.
IN PLACE OF SUE AND STAN CELESTIAN, DR. STAN
BEUS HAS GRACIOUSLY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE TO
OFFER WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC;
EXPLORATION OF A NEW FORMATION (AND NOT TOO LONG
AGO), DISCOVERED IN THE GRAND CANYON.
THOUGH GROWING UP ON A DAIRY FARM IN IDAHO, IT
SEEMS GEOLOGY HAS BEEN A FOREVER LOVE OF HIS;
CULMINATING IN A B.S AND M.S. IN GEOLOGY FROM UTAH
UNIVERSITY AND A P.HD IN GEOLOGY FROM UCLA.
.
EARLY ON, HE MOVED TO ARIZONA AND BEGAN
TEACHING AT NAU, RETIRING AFTER 32 YRS. AS REGENTS
PROFESSOR.
CURRENTLY HE IS PROFESSOR EMERITUS AT NAU AND
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HIS INTERESTS AND
RESEARCH, LOOK FOR AUTHORED BOOKS AND ARTICLES
THAT INCLUDE: THE CENTENNIAL FIELD GUIDE, VOLUME
2, ROCKY MOUNTAIN SECTION,GEOLOGICAL SOCIETYOF
AMERICA AND GRAND CANYON GEOLOGY, OXFORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS, JUST TO MENTION A FEW.
FEBRUARY Field Trip
Coalition Trip Hosted by The Mingus Gem &
Mineral Club
Date: Saturday, February 18th
Siderite at the Copper Chief Mine.
Meeting time: 10:00am.
Meeting Place: Dirt Lot across from the Maverick
Gas Station located on the corner of Hwy 89 W
and W Mingus Ave in Cottonwood, AZ.
Vehicle Requirements: High Clearance.
Parking – Very limited – PLEASE carpool.
Reference: Minerals, Fossils, and Fluorescents
of Arizona; A Field Guide for Collectors by Neil
Bearce – Site 25.
We will be visiting the old mine dump for
root beer colored Siderite and various interesting
examples of other minerals. Please arrive on
time.
SO PLEASE COME OUT TO HEAR A SPEAKER WHO HAS A
DEEP COMMITMENT TO GEOLOGY AND THE WILLINGNESS
TO SHARE HIS VAST KNOWLEDGE.
It is a 20-25 minute drive from meeting location
on dirt road to collecting site.
THE ROCK AND MINERAL CLUB MEETING WILL BE FEB. 21,
2012, AT THE SEDONA LIBRARY, AT 7:00 PM.
Trip leader – Sarah Knowles.
~ by Laura Castree
h h h h h h h h
Please call 928-282-0074 (home) or 928-2036250 (cell phone on before and during trip only)
PLEASE RSVP!
Sedona Gem & Mineral Club
Annual Club Dues Are Due!
Just a gentle reminder - our annual club
membership dues were due in January, so
please be sure to bring your checkbook with
you to the February meeting if you have not yet
paid.
Page 2
FEBRUARY BIRTHSTONES
Traditional Birthstone
Amethyst - Modern Birthstone and Traditional Birthstone.
Also, ancient Arabic, Hebrew, Polish, Italian, Roman, and
Russian February Birthstone.
Planetary Stones
Membership dues for one year are as follows:
Individual membership: $15.00
Family membership: $25.00
Junior (9-18 yrs old) membership: $5.00
If you would like a club badge, please include $6.00
(per badge) with your application.
Club membership entitles you to all the benefits
of belonging to the Sedona Gem & Mineral Club,
including meetings with educational programs and
speakers, raffles, special classes, club functions
such as the summer picnic and Christams party, field
trips, our newsletter, and our fantastic annual gem
and mineral show. And also, just as importantly - the
opportunity to get to know a bunch of friendly (and a
little crazy) rockhounds for fun and adventure!
Turquoise for Aqaurius and Aquamarine for Pisces.
Talismatic Birthstone
Ruby for Pisces and Jasper for Aquarius.
Mystical Birthstone
Bloodstone - A green and red Jasper that is used as good
luck stones. It is thought to increase vitality, stamina, and
endurance and to promote emotional balance and charity
while relieving melancholy, fever, gallstones, and eye
problems.
Ayurvedic Birthstone
Sun Sign (Star Sign) - Aquarius: Opal, Garnet ,and Agate.
Sun Sign (Star Sign) - Pisces: Sapphire, Garnet, and Rock
Crystal.
Don’t forget Valentine’s Day – Red gemstones are never a
bad idea. See you soon!
By Marge Schwartz – Remembrance, Sunshine and Cookies
Don’t forget President’s Day!
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln
was a February baby, born Feb. 12,
1809 and was the first president to
wear a beard? Lincoln was also fond
of pets and owned horses, cats,
dogs, and a turkey.
Sedona Gem & Mineral Club
Field Trip Information
The field trip up to Rodeo Flats was quite a success. We
had a blend of new members, first timers, and veterans of
field trips. All came away with intersting pieces of agate,
jasper and druzy to make an enjoyable trip. Eight of us in
all.
We left McDonalds and their FREE coffee and proceeded
up to the Flats. Along the way we were joined by two Black
Angus calves who seemed to be looking for a hand out as
they galloped along beside us......no herd in site. As we
approached the parking area a deer jumped across the
road.
We soon broke into groups. Some taking the pipeline
others the road. One woman headed out on her own up the
mountain. I stayed in radio contact with her. She did real
well with the collecting and managed to carry two 5 gal.
buckets full, back with her. She also found a rusty old knife
up there.......our imaginations were stirred.
We spent only 2.5 hours at the site as the weather turned
cold and blustery so we voiced our desire to do it again in
Febuary. I also mentioned that we could do the Salt Mine
area at any time....just give me a call.
In March I would like to take a group up to the Obsidian/
Fossil deposit west of Flagstaff.
April will be our coalition trip......no decision has been made
as to where yet.
May will be to the Dobell ranch near Holbrook for petrifird
wood.
Anybody planning on going to Southern California in the
summertime I can give them information on the gem mines
of Northern San Diego County.
Happy rockhounding,
Darryl Berghorn, Intrepid Field Trip Leader
Page 3
Fieldtrip Report- Bouse Coalition Trip
Dec 31, 2011 & Jan 1, 2012
There were 32 rockhounds that showed up at Midway
for this New Years fieldtrip. They represented at least 8
different clubs from around Arizona including Rick Olson
from the White Mtn club in Show Low. Rock collecting
was divided between both days of the weekend where
we visited 3 sites on Saturday and 3 more on Sunday,
New Years Day. Most of the collecting was for various
rocks and minerals common to the old mines in the
area as well as a really good lapidary material at the
end of the second day. Rocks collected included augite,
gneiss, epidote, marble, rhyolite and granite. Minerals
collected included chrysocolla, dioptase, brochantite,
barite, calcite, jasper, jarosite, fluorite, hematite,
magnetite, willemite, malachite and cummingtonite.
The highlight of the rock collecting came at the 3rd site
we visited. I was hoping that rockhounds would be able
to come away with the two hardest-to-find minerals in
the area- cummingtonite and magnetite. The results far
exceeded our expectations. Ed Sullivan had already
found one specimen of cummingtonite at an earlier site
we visited, but everyone found nice specimans almost
immediately upon arriving at this site. Cool. Especially
considering that cummingtonite is one of the rarest
minerals in Arizona. It is not especially showy so it takes
some practice to discern the tan, fibrous material on
almost equally-colored host rock. The most pleasing
highlight of collecting at this site was our frantic search
for the equally non-descript magnetite crystals. At first
we were finding a few at the bottom of the hill below
some old mine workings. But the real hero of the day
was 8-year-old Chloe Massey from Scottsdale who
came with her Mom Julie. Chloe was searching the
slope near the top of the hill and began finding fistfuls of
neat magnetite crystals. She was really excited and the
rest of us were just pleased with her success. Good job,
Chloe!
Saturday night, New Years Eve, was a special part of
this fieldtrip. After rockhounding all day, we all gathered
together back at camp for a group Potluck. What
wonderful food, drink and camaraderie under the stars
out in the beautiful Arizona desert! To top it off, as we
all sat around a nice warm campfire, a huge meteor
streaked across the sky off to the southeast. Later on
we were entertained to the soothing sound of wooden
flute music by Dan Willems of Wenden, Arizona. What
a lovely treat. We all did a toast to the New Year around
8:30.
Jim Van Wert, Coalition Trip Leader
Ted Schultz speaking about his collection at the January club
meeting. Photo courtesy of Bob Yee.
Sedona Gem & Mineral Club
CLASSIFIED SECTION
This is a brand new section for club members to share information
about items or services that they would like to buy, trade, or sell.
If you would like to submit information to be included in the
classified section, please email Patti P. with your complete
announcement at:rockhound_86326@yahoo.com before the end
of the month to be included in the next month’s newsletter.
Wire Wrapping Classes
Learn to make wire wrapped jewelry. A 3 hour class is
$40.00 (non members) or $25.00 for Sedona Gem and
Mineral club members. Limit of 4 students per class.
You can see my work at www.akobaart.com. My work is
also for sale. If you would like to purchase jewelry or sign
up for a class, contact Amy at paintrocks@hotmail.com, or
call 928-451-6339.
PMC Classes
If you would like to learn the art of using Precious Metal
Clay, Patti P. is offering individual classes at her home
covering all the techniques necessary to complete a Fine
Silver or Copper patinaed pendant ready for hanging on
your favorite chain. Classes are two 1 1/2 hour sessions,
and materials are included. Email Patti for details at
rockhound_86326@yahoo.com.
Lapidary Equipment For Sale
For sale. Raytech 4 inch Jem Saw in good condition with
ten brand new 4” Pro-Slicer diamond blades- $300.00 for
all. Also have 15 brand new Pro-Slicer 6” diamond blades
for sale- buy the lot for $200.00, or individually for $15.00
each. These four and six inch blades sell for over $20.00
each. Also for sale: Brand new Raytech Yellow Blazer
12 inch diameter saw blade- $50.00, and a brand new
Raytech Red Blazer 14 inch diameter saw blade- $65.00.
Contact Greg Capatch at (928)554-4615.
Happy Valentines Day!
Did You Know?
That the club has a member’s corner at every meeting?
What is a member’s corner, you ask? It is an area where
members can bring different items to display, give away,
or sell - rocks, jewelry, magazines, whatever. And, if you
bring something to sell that doesn’t sell, and you don’t want
to haul it home, you can always donate it to the club to be
used as a raffle prize or as a prize for the kid’s table at our
annual rock show. We can also use small rocks, beads, &
jewelry making supplies for the kid’s table too.
Page 4
New Club Merchandise Info
The Sedona Gem & Mineral Club now has hats and
embroidered patches for sale.
Hats are $12.00 and Patches are $4.00.
Support your club and show your enthusiasm for our hobby!
Also, if you are a club member and would like to purchase a
membership badge, the cost for a badge is $6.00.
Sedona Gem and Mineral Club Februar y Newsletter, 2012
18-19 MESA, AZ: 46th Annual Gem, Jewelry, & Rock Show
Apache Junction Rock & Gem Club.
Sat. 9AM-5PM, Sun. 10AM-4PM. Adult donation $3.00,
Students $1.00 with student card, children under 12 free
accompanied by an adult. Skyline High School, 845 S. Crismon,
Mesa, AZ.
MARCH 2012
FEBRUARY 2012
For a list of all the Tucson Gem & Mineral Shows:
http://tucsongemandmineralshows.net/2012-tucson-gem-show.
htm
9-12 TUCSON, AZ: 58th Annual Tucson Gem & Mineral Show
“Minerals of Arizona” Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church
St., Tucson, 85701, (520) 322-5773
Hours: February 9-11th 10 AM-6PM, February 12th 10AM -5PM.
Website: www.tgms.org/2012show.htm
Sedona Gem & Mineral Club
P.O. Box 3284
Sedona, AZ 86340
17-18 COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA: Jewelry, Gem & Mineral
Show. Sat. 10AM-5PM & Sun. 10AM-4PM. Adult admission
$3.00, children under 12 free with paying adult. Jewelry, gems,
beads, rocks, fossils, lapidary supplies & machinery, plus
wire wrapping on the premises. Food & much more. Mingus
Union High School, 1801 E. Fir St., Cottonwood, AZ. Call
928-649-4455 for directions. Contact Sharon Szymanski at
goldcanyon2@yahoo.com for more information.
24-25 YUMA, ARIZONA: Jewelry, Gem & Mineral Show. Sat.
10AM-5PM & Sun. 10AM-4PM. Adult admission $3.00, children
under 12 free with paying adult. Jewelry, gems, beads, rocks,
fossils, lapidary supplies & machinery. Yuma Civic Center, Yuma,
AZ. Contact Sharon Szymanski at goldcanyon2@yahoo.com for
more information.