Content copyright . Huachuca Mineral and Gem Club. All rights reserved.
THE HUACHUCA DIGGERS
The Newsletter of the Huachuca Mineral & Gem Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 1596, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636-1596
Web Site: http://huachucamineralandgemclub.info
January 2019
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Business meeting first Monday each month, Sierra Vista Public Library Conference Room,
5:00 p.m. Members welcome.
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General Membership meeting third Wednesday each month, 7:00 p.m., Conference Room, Cochise College Library, Sierra Vista
Club field trips generally the Saturday after the club meeting, to be announced
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CLUB OFFICERS 2019
President………….… Ron Brooks …………. 378-2592
1st Vice-President ..... Jennifer Lavelle ..… 719-660-6094
2nd Vice-President .… Dave Dechant ……….. 458-8088
Secretary …………... Ingrid Baillie ………… 459-3718
Treasurer ………..…. Maudie Bailey ……..… 378-6291
Member-at-Large ….. Marty Keller …….....… 803-0667
COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS 2018
Library ………..… Tom & Myra Rogers ….... 803-6547
Newsletter …….… Ingrid Baillie …………… 459-3718
Education/History.. Maudie Bailey ………….. 378-6291
Ingrid Baillie ………..…. 459-3718
Marty Keller ………….... 803-0667
Programs ………....
Membership …..…. Ingrid Baillie..………….. 459-3718
Show …………….. Maudie Bailey …………. 378-6291
Trips ……………... Greg Radzykewycz .. 520-221-0111
Social ……………. Jen & Mat Lavelle .…719-660-6094
Scholarships …..…. Dave Dechant ……......… 458-8088
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome all to 2019.
So far, the year is starting out on the rough side with the cold and snow. Snow that has not been seen in my neck of the woods for around 40 years. Makes one want to hibernate next to the fireplace.
We have the first two field trips of the year lined up and if any of you are wanting to go to a certain area or collect certain minerals please let us know.
Also, as we try to line up speakers for the year, if there is a subject you would like to hear about, or if you know anyone that you think we should contact to come speak to us, please let us know. Even if you want to get up and speak about your favorite mineral or gem or tool, let us know.
I’ll go first, I would like to hunt down and have someone come in and talk about mines, the finding, day to day running and finally how they close them down after they have played out.
Don’t forget, dues are due and we will need you to sign another waiver; they are good for the calendar year you sign them in. I will bring a stack with me to the meeting.
Hope to see you all on the 16th.
Ron Brooks, HMGC President
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2019 DUES ARE DUE
For those who have not yet paid your 2019 dues, they are due at the January meeting. If they are not paid by the March meeting, you will not receive any communication from the club – newsletters field trip notices, etc.
Individual dues are still $20 per member, and family dues are still $30. You can pay at the meeting, or send a check made out to HMGC to the club’s post office box – PO Box 1596, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636-1596.The club cannot handle plastic.
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CLUB BYLAWS
The club’s new bylaws are ready for distribution. They will be sent out by e-mail, but will wait until February, at least, until renewals are in.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
January 20: Field Trip to Patagonia, meet at 10:00 a.m. at the post office in Patagonia. Looking for jasper, calcite, zeolites, geodes, etc.
January 26: Cave Fest at Kartchner Caverns. Does anyone want to help the club participate?
January 17: Mineral Madness at the AZ-Sonora Desert Museum
January 18: Various shows of the Tucson Gem & Mineral Shows starts, runs until February 17 at different locations. Check with http://tucsongemshows.net/2019.
January 19 & 20: Mineral Madness open to the public at the AZ-Sonora Desert Museum.
February 14-17: 65th Annual Tucson Gem & Mineral Show at the Tucson Convention Center. Featured is Wulfenite.
February 24: Club field trip, details to come.
March: Rockhound Roundup in Deming, NM
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BENCH TIPS FROM BRAD
from brad@greenheart.com
STIFFENING EARRING POSTS: Soldering an earring post will always soften the wire a bit. The easiest way I’ve found to harden it is to grip it with pliers and twist it a couple half turns. This work hardens the wire and also tests your soldered joint.
SOLVENT DISPENSER: Frequently I need to fill a small bottle with alcohol, like the bottle of an alcohol lamp or a nail polish bottle that I use for the yellow ochre anti-flux. Often I can’t find a small funnel and end up spilling almost as much as I get into the bottle. It’s wasteful, and the fumes aren’t too good for you either.
A neat and inexpensive solution is to use a lab dispensing bottle to store small quantities of the solvents most frequently used. The bottles have a wide mouth for filling and a fine tip for dispensing. You can get a small stream or just a drop or two. With the bottle‘s fine tip I don’t spill a drop.
A Google search will turn up any suppliers. One I’ve used is Carolina Biological Supply Company at www.carolina.com(http://www.carolina.com). The bottle is catalog #716580 Unitary Wash Bottle, Low-Density Polyethylene, 125 ml, US $5. They have several sizes and other bottles labeled for specific solvents.
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JANUARY BIRTHDAYS
A very happy birthday to all members who turn another year older this month: Hunter Akerman, Carol Evans, Michelle Hanna, and anyone else who did not let their birthdays be known.
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NOTES FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING
The executive board met Monday, January 7 at the SV Library at 5:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order at 5:00 by President Ron Brooks. Others present were Mat Lavelle, Greg Radzkewycz, Second Vice President Dave Dechant, Secretary Ingrid Baillie, Treasurer Maudie Bailey.
Maudie said there has been very little activity in December in the club account.
Maudie showed a rock and mineral placemat; Ingrid asked if 200 could be ordered for students at the Math & Science Experience in April. The cost will be $60.
Scholarships: Dave said that no one has applied for scholarships. Discussion was held about how to spend our scholarship funds. We will wait one more year to see if we have any applications, then will decide on several possible routes to take.
Refreshments: Mat said that no one has volunteered to provide treats. Jennifer will have a sign-up sheet at the January meeting. Mat said they would take treats, Ron said he could, and Ingrid said she could.
No program for this month yet. In February Anna Domitrovic will present a program.
Field trip: Patagonia, January 20. Greg will lead the trip, meet at Patagonia post office at 10:00 a.m. Club members will be looking for zeolites, jasper, calcite, etc.
Field trip: Carlisle Mine, February 24. Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Family Dollar in Duncan.
Field trip: March 24 at Courtland mining area to look for chrysocolla and other turquoise-related minerals.
Junior rockhounds: Ron said he has Dakota Lavell’s Showmanship badge.
Outreach:
Meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Ingrid Baillie, HMGC Secretary
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PROGRAM COMMITTEE NEEDED
Do you like to have interesting programs for our meetings? If so, how would you like to be on a committee to guarantee we have good programs each month? It would be easier to have multiple minds on the organizing of speakers because it gets difficult for one person to continue in this endeavor.
Would you be willing to talk to the club about some special interest of yours – in the earth sciences fields, that is?
Contact Ron Brooks if you would like to fulfill this committee.
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