03-31-99

Volume 8, Number 2 Spring, 1999

Who put these Rocks in my Head?

by Steve Decker

My Grandfather and Grandmother were Rockhounds. They lived in Bagdad Arizona, then moved to Wenden, Arizona. They liked to garden, and they raised fruit trees, and everywhere you looked around their place you would find rocks. They liked desert roses, especially if they had a little red iron stain in them, so they could be called "fire agate". They liked rocks with green stains on them, which were "malachite" , and blue stains, " Turquoise or sumthin" they were. They loved to buy the rights to old mining buildings, which they would salvage for bricks, building materials, and artifacts. The many old mayonnaise jars full of Mercury that were in their house were trophies from these deals. Boy, could they make a dime shine, and chasing the little globes of silver around the living room floor was a blast, too. Bless my poor mercury saturated liver. Everywhere I went, I filled my pockets with rocks, and brought them home to be lost, rattling around the washing machine.

I always wanted to be able to make rings and jewelry from my finds, but the financial facts of being a pre-adolescent in the sixties prevented me from getting far in that pursuit. Anyway, I was much more interested in Science, and spent my disposable income buying stuff like Dried Paramecium flakes from Edmund Scientific Company.

After twenty years or so, I got a job that took me out in the boonies of Arizona about 25 weeks a year. The old mines and ghost towns that fascinated me were now my after work playground, and I had a few bucks to blow on silver and findings. I wandered into Arrow Gem and Mineral one Friday afternoon, and met my buddies Darrel Dodd and Ken Dunham. I said to Darrel, "How can I get under the earth and out again alive?" and Darrel said, " Talk to Ken, there." Ken asked me if I had a history of heart trouble, and explained that it was a real drag having to carry a collecting buddy back to the hospital. I reckoned that that would be a bit trying, but I didn't expect to fall out anytime soon, so we decided to go to the 79 Mine.

Away we went one Saturday morning, but got there only to find a chained gate, and " No Trespassing " signs in plain sight. Ken, being the kind of guy he is, didn't believe in trespassing, but fortunately did believe in having " Plan B" ready for this kind of emergency. Just a little way down the road, we found the Finch mine. Ken told me the story of the Barking Spiders, and so forewarned , we went in, carefully sampling for Bad Air. We busted some hard rock, found some Wulfenite with Quartz coating, a little Vanadinite, Endlichite, and coated Smithsonite, tiny balls of Descloisite, and I was hooked!

Ken is the kind of collecting buddy all new rock nuts need. He believes in safety (except for the chances he took with his own not so scrawny neck). He believes in respecting posted private property, Honesty, sharing his enjoyment and best collecting spots with others, and having a good time out in Arizona's hidden backroad beauty. He took me to the Rowley, the Abe Lincoln, Amethyst Hill, Grand Reef, and together we searched for the Wulfenite locality that turned out to be the Purple Passion Prospect. We found a vein of Gem Silica above the Finch that I was able to use to make that dream of mine come true, you know, the one where you find the stone, cut it, polish it, set it in the handmade silver ring that you design and fabricate from plain old silver. I have several cabs saved away for future gifts for the most special people in my life. Ken already has his, but I can make more if it gets lost. I hope that the following pages of our newsletter hold some memories of your old collecting buddies. If not, maybe next month, eh?

Meet the Foundation Member.
MARC WATSON, Life Member, Board of Trustees Member
By Genie Howell

Many of us who are mineral collectors have been fortunate enough to have had a special mentor-- someone who shared knowledge, specimens, field trips, time, or encouragement. Having grown up where there were only two people in the county who shared my interest in rocks and minerals, I never cease to appreciate the potential of those who attend the Foundation meetings. I know what an inspiration and influence one hobbyist can have on many others. Marc Watson is a wonderful example of such a mentor. Marc started collecting minerals and rock hunting in the early 1950s. She first collected calcite, impressed with its many crystal forms and colors. Marc has been a 4-H leader since the early 1960s, at which time she started the first 4-H club in geology in Phoenix. Marc claims that her 4-H kids (among them were Les Presmyk and Wayne Thompson) were smarter than she about minerals so she joined the Mineralogical Society of Arizona (MSA) "to keep up with the kids!" Another impetus was the interest in minerals of her older daughter.

In the ensuing years, Marc has exhibited thumbnails, micromounts, and educational exhibits at the State Fair and in mineral shows all over the country. Marc's speciality is quartz, a mineral she has found to be the most interesting with "never-ending" shapes, varieties, and inclusions. At one national show in Salt Lake City where she had displayed micromounts, she received good grades on all of her exhibit except the criticism that her display lacked some types of specimens including the rare c-face. A leading authority told her that c-faces only occurred on microscopic specimens. Later, at a Flagg Foundation show, she found a dealer selling Four Peaks amethyst with crystals exhibiting what c-faces should look like according to her understanding of such a crystal face across the c-axis. Marc went to Ray Grant, Ph.D., of Mesa Community College with what she had found. She is credited with discovering c-faces on the quartz crystals from Four Peaks, the highest mountain peak visible from the Phoenix metropolitan area. Marc had discovered c-faces on large quartz specimens

As an outgrowth of Marc's activities with the MSA, she became involved with the Flagg Foundation in its early years. She became a member about the time the Woolery Collection was purchased in Bisbee and was being transported to Phoenix. She recalls that the first Flagg tailgate show was held at the Don's Camp in the Superstition Mountains. The Flagg Show is a tradition in its 25th year now held at Mesa Community College by Board Member and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees Ray Grant. Marc encouraged Les Presmyk, current Chairman, to join the Foundation and get on the Board of Trustees. At eighty years of age, Marc still conducts 4-H meetings and is very active in both the MSA and the Foundation. She also teaches leathercrafting and collecting and mounting insects. Marc Watson is an inspiration to all of us.

The 1999 Flagg Show

by Ray Grant

This year's Flagg Gem and Mineral Show was a great sucess. We had over 70 dealers from all over the U.S. (We are still down from our high point of dealers because of time conflicts with Quartzite.)

Attendance was very good, thanks to a good promotion in the Arizona Republic. Three of the local clubs were set up at the show. The Scottsdale Gem and Mineral Culb was selling material, the Mineralogical Society of Arizona had grab bags and their wheel, and the Leaverites were selling their egg carton sets. The Leaverites have a wonderful idea in that kids can pick from a very large variety of minerals, fossils, rocks, and lapidary materials to fill an egg carton for $1.00. They get a label with every speciman. This was a record year and over 230 egg cartons were sold. The Leaverites also donate all the money raised to the Museum.

It is great that clubs come to the Flagg Show and get to raise money and hand out membership information. We need to support all of the groups which are part of our hobby.

How I got from there to here

(Wondering where I \lquote m Going to put the next rock.) By Lavone Archer

I'm sure it is in the genes, the appreciation of and quest for rocks coupled with the necessity to haul them home. My family has risked broken limbs and sutured skin hauling overweight rocks down treacherous slopes. In my front yard now is a gnarly piece passed on from my grandmother. I managed to avoid the ailment for many years but eventually, when I wasn't looking , the addiction overcame me. But I am ahead of the story. It started innocently enough about 1990. Would you like to go out to Saddle Mountain and look for some fire agate and quartz? How about that onyx near Mayer? I remembered the excitement of finding Arizona diamonds in a river bed decades before and took them up on the offer. I was still in control. I met A.J. Lombard, geology teacher at Mesa Community College. No harm there. I picked up a National Geographic. It was telling about making rubies. What makes a ruby a ruby, I wondered. Looking back, that curiosity was the warning sign. I ignored it. Fall of 1993, I sat down next to Greg (I have forgotten his last name).

"Where have you been?", I said.

"I've been across the street at MCC taking a Mineralogy Class.

"That sounds like something I'd like to do."

"Class has already started. I don't think you can get in..

I talked to A.J. Lombard. "I don't know Lavone, classes have already started. Call my friend Ray Grant."

I left Ray a voice mail. I went over to MCC.

"It's too late to register, school has already started."

"I know" I responded, " but I'd like to take the class."

You would have to get the professor's signature.

Okay, where do I find him?

Ray Grant was not in the designated room . No signature. I went to registration anyway and was surprised to see an acquaintance of mine, Dave. "What are you doing here" he asked.

"Trying to get into Mineralogy class."

"Well, the semester has already started, I don't think you can get in. You would have to have the professor' s signature"

"Okay, I'll go see if by chance he has returned. Sure enough, Ray was walking in as I got there.

I asked him, "Will you sign so that I can get into mineralogy class?"

"Well, I don't know" he said. The semester has already started" Ray reluctantly signed to give me permission.With signature in hand, I scurried back to registration. My heart fell. Dave was gone. The guy who was sitting next to him said. " Are you Dave's friend?" I said "yes". He took the paper, stamped it twice and "You're in" he said. With two words a life changed, as a door opened on quartz and wulfenite, barite and porphyry coppers, crystal systems and granite intrusions. Who would believe that granite is composed quartz, mica and feldspar? Who cares? I did. I found out what makes a ruby a ruby. I sat next to K. D. Smith, who brought marvelous little crystals for me to see and take home. I put them on a mirrored tray and showed them to everyone. I would soon be at a point of no return.

"You should join The Arizona Mining and Mineral Foundation, Lavone. There's this wonderful Mineral Symposium in March", Ray said. I might have been able to kick the habit at this time, but Darrel Dodd, Steve Decker, Jan and Gene Walls and Sarah Foster saw to it that I kept interested . So here I am today, with additional friendships and stories to tell of sledge hammers, chisels, and incredible beauty. It is a worthwhile addiction.

ADMMR Welcomes New Director

Diane Bain, Editor, Arizona Mineral Resource

The Arizona Department of Mines & Mineral Resources is pleased to announce the selection by the Board of Governors of Willis D. (Doug) Sawyer as Director. Sawyer assumed duties as Director on January 19, 1999. He brings a blend of experience to the position from both the public and private sectors. Sawyer is a native of Arizona and has spent the majority of his 20 years of professional experience working in Arizona and New Mexico. He grew up on the west side of Phoenix. He attended the University of Arizona College of Mines, where he earned several academic scholarships including the following: Jackling, Phelps Dodge Corporation, and Cyprus Amax. During the summer, he worked for Phelps Dodge Corporation and for a local mining consultant. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering, he began his professional career in Silver City, New Mexico, working for Kennecott Copper at their Chino Mines Company. After two years, low copper prices provided the "push" for him to return to graduate school, where he earned a Master Degree in Geological Engineering with an emphasis in geotechnical engineering. After graduate school he began work for Dames & Moore in their Earth Structures Design Group in the Phoenix office. Projects included concrete and earth fill dams, building foundation analysis, site investigations, solid waste landfills, and other mine-related projects. Between 1988 and 1994 he worked for Waste Management Inc. on a number of "greenfield" landfill projects, a large waste transfer station, a medical waste incinerator, environmental compliance, construction projects, and business acquisitions. He was responsible for over $50,000,000 in capital improvements and was the project engineer for the Butterfield Station and Gray Wolf Landfills located in Maricopa and Yavapai Counties respectively. In 1994 he was hired as the Director of Engineering for EMCON, where he managed solid and hazardous waste projects and developed business. His client base included Browning Ferris Industries (BFI), Sanifill, City of Phoenix, City of Tucson, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Greenlee, and Yavapai Counties, as well as several Indian Tribes. Since May of 1997 he has served as the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Ombudsman and manager of the Compliance Assistance Section. In this role he acted as a resource for ADEQ customers and provided assistance to resolve problems and complaints. Sawyer looks forward to working with both the professional mining community and also the recreational miner and rockhound. He said, "I am very interested in promoting mining in Arizona and making it easier for economic mineral deposits to be developed into working mines." He plans to work closely with State and Federal agencies to better coordinate permitting of new and existing mines. A top priority will also be the completion of the Department facilities that need a number of capital improvements. The Museum is the key component of the educational and outreach opportunities afforded the mining industry. ADMMR is pleased with the diversity of experience that Sawyer will bring to the Department; his background in, and understanding of, Arizona's industries; and the enthusiasm he has for his new duties.

Reprinted from the January 1999 "Arizona Mineral Resource," the newsletter of the Arizona Department of Mines & Mineral Resources, Diane Bain, Editor