Things in the world may have changed a lot since the Dallas Gem and Mineral Society (DGMS) formed in 1956, but many things certainly have stayed the same, such as the passion for geology and community shared by the Society’s members.

Looking back at how the group has evolved in that time and pondering what the founding members would think about the group’s presence and efforts today, DMGS leadership shared this mindful perspective, “They would be proud of the growth of the club over the years. (We) think they would enjoy the fact that so many people have tried to keep the hobby alive and still relevant in today’s technology-heavy culture,” reported DMGS Co-Show Chair John Taylor.

During a year that has been anything but conventional, DGMS has taken an exceedingly careful, strategic, and mindful approach to plan and develop what is the “backbone of the club’s existence,” it’s gem and mineral show. The show, with safety protocols and measures, will take place Nov. 21-22, 2020.

Speaking about the club’s show, which is now in its 63rd year, Taylor representing the DGMS leadership, said, “It provides us with the ability to maintain a working rock shop rear-round. For the community, it provides a place for (sometimes thousands) of people to gather and share their love of rocks, gems, and minerals with other like minded people.”

Among the measures taken by the group to provide a safe and pleasant experience include, creating a floor plan wherein tables are appropriately distanced, relocating the dining offering from the main floor to an area away from fellow attendees, and as provided and arranged with the convention center, there will be multiple sanitizer stations positioned throughout the show floor, plus, masks are mandatory.

Dallas Gem and Mineral Society’s 63rd Annual Gem and Mineral Show 
Date: Nov. 21-22, 2020
Location: Mesquite Rodeo Exhibition Hall, 1800 Rodeo Drive, Mesquite, Texas
Admission: Adults $8, Veterans, Seniors, and Children Under 12 $5, Free Admission for scouts in uniform
Visit www.dallasgemandmineral.org for more information.

In addition to the show, DGMS fosters a community of experiences, education, collaboration, inspiration, and fun. The group does this through field trips, a fully equipped workshop within the clubhouse, and a wide variety of presentations and demonstrations during regular meetings. Although some of these activites are temporarily on hold, in response to the pandemic, memories of past experiences and hope for the return of such opportunities in the future keep members going.

In terms of field trips, DGMS regularly hosts dig trips to Colorado, West Texas, New

Mexico, Arkansas, and, of course, other local destinations within Texas, Taylor reported. In addition, the group hosts small rock shops about three times a year, held at the clubhouse/shop, and DGMS members represent the group at the InterGem Show.

Education and inspiration are a big part of what goes on in the club workshop, Taylor explained.

“We train new members on how to take a rock from rough to jewelry-quality cabochon,” he explained. “We also host classes that teach silversmithing, wire wrapping, faceting, as well as other skills that members want to share with others.”

The attitude of sharing knowledge and a passion for rocks, gems, and minerals is not only part of the foundation, but it’s part of the club’s mission for the future.

“Much of the change (in the last 10 years) has been adding to our web presence through our website and Facebook, encouraging younger (people) to join and volunteer, and trying to get more people interested in the craft, even better if they want to come to teach what they do from our shop.”

With 2020 quickly drawing to a close, and a new year rapidly approaching, when asked what three things DGMS is working on as a group (membership is approximately 150) and most excited about, DGMS leadership said: The upcoming show, expanding teaching opportunities by encouraging more members to teach classes, an planning field trips for 2021 and “hoping the world gets itself together, so we can go on them.”

For More Information

Email: dgms.sec@gmail.com
Telephone: 214-349-2022
Website: www.dallasgemandmineral.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DallasGemandMineralSociety
Clubhouse Address: 10205 Plano Rd., Suite 105, Dallas, TX
Monthly meetings: General society meeting is the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

The post Club Spotlight: Dallas Gem and Mineral Society first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

• Zoisite: A Massive Mineral Marked by Christmas-Like Color and Appeal. By Bob Jones

• Rock Shop of Distinction: Nevada Mineral & Book Company (Part II): Delivering the Details. By Jim Brace-Thompson

• Uncommon Giants: Southern Continents Reveal Fossils of Unexpected Dinosaur Species. By Steve Voynick

• Pleasing Pyrope: Variety of Garnet Helps Put Italy on the Geologic Map. By Matteo Oberto

• SPECIAL SECTION: Tools of the Trade — Covington Engineering

• Popular Pseudomorph Minerals (Part I): More Than What They Seem. By Bob Jones

• Field Trip Finds in Joplin: Exploring the “Town That Jack Built”. By Bill Reynolds

• Oregon Thundereggs: One Collector’s New View. By Antoinette Rahn

In addition, you’ll find the following regular R&G columns: Bench Tips with Bob Rush, Rock Science with Steve Voynick, What to Cut with Russ Kaniuth, On the Rocks with Bob Jones, Rock & Gem Kids and Earth Science In the News with Jim Brace-Thompson, Sneak Peek: Opals, The Road Report with Helen Serras-Herman, Just Off the Wheels with Erin Dana Balzrette, Show Dates, and the always popular Parting Shot.

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The post Issue Highlights: December 2020 first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

• Covellite: A Rare and Mysterious Contributor to Advancement. By Mark Leatherman

• The Ancient World of Beads (Part I): From Marine Shells to Millefori. By Steve Voynick

• Club Corner: Inspiring Vistas and Adventures. By Antoinette Rahn

• Special Section: Tools of the Trade

• Early Mining in England’s Cornwall: A History of Hard Work and Innovation. By Bob Jones

• Arizona’s Kartchner Caverns: Delights Found Deep Underground. By Bob Jones

• Dinosaur Bone Agate: Uncommon Display of Agate Phenomenon in Miniature. By Joseph Dehmer

In addition, you’ll find the following regular R&G columns: Bench Tips with Bob Rush, Rock Science with Steve Voynick, What to Cut with Russ Kaniuth, On the Rocks with Bob Jones, Rock & Gem Kids with Jim Brace-Thompson, Community Outlook-Question of the Week, Picks & Pans, as well as an extensive Show Dates section, and the always popular Parting Shot.

We invite you to consider subscribing to Rock & Gem magazine, to enjoy columns by noted experts in the field and exclusive features about rockhounding adventures, lapidary work, geological phenomenons, and a wide variety of inspiring and informative reports.

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The post Issue Highlights: November 2019 Issue first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

In early June, my wife Pat and I attended the second annual Monterey Bay Jade Festival, which was held at the Custom House Plaza in the Monterey State Historic Park, Monterey, California. The plaza is an open area with views of Fisherman’s Wharf and boats tied to the dock. The dealers’ booths were arranged within the plaza and old mission-era buildings surrounded the space.

It was an ideal location to celebrate jade in all of its splendor.

The idea for hosting a show in this location came out of Mother Nature’s vagarious acts 65 miles further south. The Big Sur Jade Festival on the coast below Gorda, California, has been held every October, for more than 25 years.

Working With Nature

It is a very popular show that specializes in the local jade that was found underwater and in local hillsides. Unfortunately, in 2016 a local forest fire caused the festival to be canceled. The next year, flooding further north washed out a bridge on Highway 1, the only road traversing the coast and the main access to the festival. The final blow was a massive mud slide in 2018 that destroyed a significant part of the same highway. This slide was so massive that it created an additional six acres of new coastline. It took many months for crews to build a path for the coast highway.

As a result of these events, members of the jade collecting community decided to develop another jade festival, in a different location, as a complement to the original Big Sur Jade Festival. It was decided the new festival would be held at a different time of the year, to not conflict with the original show in October.

Georg Schmerholz, Rudy Estrada and Kenny Comello were the driving force behind establishing a jade festival in the Monterey location in June. The trio formed a non-profit organization so show proceeds could be donated to the adjacent State Historical Park, for upgrading facilities and exhibits.

The Monterey show featured 50 dealers, including some jade mine owners, who came from various places in North and South America.

Connecting With Fans of Jade

During the show, I met dealers Jesus and Anne Ruiz, owners of Bright Treasures. Their booth display included two small carvings, both of which won awards during one of China’s most prestigious jade carving exhibitions, Zi Gang Bei. The exhibition was held in Suzhou, China, and thousands of people attended. The competition has been open to jade carvers outside of China since 2014. In 2017, the couple traveled to Suzhou to enter the competition. As longtime carvers, they felt this would be a great opportunity to evaluate their carving skills. Jesus entered his frog carving made from Wyoming olive nephrite. It won a bronze medal. Anne entered her Möbius heart carving made from Yukon nephrite. It also won a bronze medal. Each award was commemorated with a plaque engraved in Chinese.

In 2018, they went back to the exhibition to enter a bowl carving done by Jesus. The bowl is made of nephrite from Yemen and features three Mayan images carved on the perimeter. While carving the bowl, Jesus had to utilize larger machining equipment to core drill the center and remove significant material from the interior.

He used a variety of tools including diamond burs, silicon carbide sticks, diamond paste, and felt wheels. In many situations, he’s had to create the tools needed to do the work. He has been carving jade for about 15 years. Also, he was a member of the Contra Costa Mineral and Gem Society for many years before joining the nearby Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society in 2004.

A Life Changed By Jade

Another very interesting dealer I encountered was Andrew Shaw. He was selling several items, including the book he published recently. It was my first book purchase of the show. I chatted with him about the book and his interest in jade and decided to read the book that evening and return the next day for more discussion.

Shaw is a former reporter for the British Broadcasting Company who needed a break from the stress of the job, so he traveled to Thailand in 2002 for a four-month sabbatical. During that sabbatical, he came across a small jade shop where he spied a lavender jade-carved Buddha. He became enthralled with the piece and the soft beauty of the jade sang to him, so he bought it on the spot, he said. Shaw fell in love with jade at that moment and carving jade became his new passion or possibly even an obsession.

After the sabbatical ended, he returned home and contemplated a future that would encompass an involvement with jade. He started reading about jade but found that most of the books were about ancient jade, which was not exactly the focus of his interest. He was much more interested in modern quality carvings and felt that he must go to the source of these carvings – China. It helped that he also had the urge to carve his own.

Finding Happiness In Jade

Fast forward to 2006. Shaw was reevaluating his life, following the death of his mother, and concluded that he would be happier carving jade. He got his life in order and chose to go to Suzhou, China. From this point on, learning about jade carving became a series of hurdles. When he arrived in China his first hurdle was explaining to immigration officials why a former BBC reporter wanted to go to Suzhou.

By taking a job teaching English, he was able to get his visa. Concurrently, he enrolled in a local university to learn Chinese.

The next and most exasperating hurdle was finding someone to teach him how to carve jade. Seven months later, he came upon a tiny little carving workshop among the multitude of shops. It took another year and multiple conversations to ingratiate his way into being a student of jade carving. Most people he met dismissed him because the typical Chinese carver stops at age 50 and Shaw was 52 at that time. Finally, he found a carver who was willing to let him use a carving spindle in his workshop. He went there every afternoon for two years.

After learning the basic skills of carving, Shaw set up his workshop where he works weekdays, and on weekends he sells his pieces at a local market. He is believed to be one of the only foreigners to have learned to carve jade in China. Over the years, he became so highly skilled that in 2013 he too entered the Zi Gang Bey jade carving competition, and, to many people’s surprise, won a medal.

His book, Jade Life: An Englishman’s Love Affair with China’s National Treasure, was published in 2019 by Earnshaw Books. It details not only his story but significant information about the industry in China. It can be found on Amazon.com.

Dealing In Jade

Throughout the show, I found discussions with the jade mine owners to be very educational and enlightening. One of those owners was Roger Krichbaum, who discovered and filed a claim in 1979 on the Yukon jade site. His nephrite jade mine is perched high atop a rugged mountain in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Located at such a high latitude and altitude means that the jade is not easily accessible most of the year. Normally, he’s only able to mine a couple of months a year. The rest of the year is spent preparing the large jade blocks for sale and going to various shows to present the product in the best manner possible.

Krichbaum specializes in working with jade-carving and sculpture-making artists who need a special stone to create the art of their dreams. He has many jade blocks of different sizes, shapes, and colors that will align with the various artists’ visions. Several examples of finished art pieces, with more to come, featuring Krichbaum’s jade pieces can be seen at his website, www.yukonjade.com.

While I was chatting with Krichbaum, I noticed an unusual and striking pattern within a block of jade on one of his tables. It caught my eye rather quickly and when I lifted it, I was startled by its weight. Even though I knew nephrite was quite dense and thus could be heavy, I hadn’t expected it to be that heavy. I asked Krichbaum how much it weighed, and he said 10 pounds! I put it back down and continued to visit with other dealers. As I wandered about that hefty piece of jade kept popping into my mind. Shortly after, I made my way back to Krichbaum’s booth as I had to have that piece.

I asked him the price, and he said $50 a pound. Gulp! With some bargaining, I was able to make it mine. I asked Krichbaum if he would hold the piece while I took a photo. This event is one I will cherish for a long time.

Specializing in Nephrite Jade

For me, the most prominent dealer at the show was Kirk Makepeace. He is the owner of the company Jade West, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of nephrite jade. The company operates four mines in Northern British Columbia, about 100 miles east of the Alaskan border. Makepeace bought his first mining claim in 1971 and continued onward, eventually purchasing three more mines. Today he controls much of the world’s nephrite market and annually mines as much as 500 tons, which primarily is for the Chinese jade market.

The four mines under Jade West ownership and operation include Kucho, the largest producer, the Ogden Mountain, the King Mountain, and the Polar. Many feel that the Polar jade material is the best quality of all the mines. Due to the locations of the mines, the mining season is very limited, usually only a couple of months in the summer. During the winter months, many millions of dollars of winterized equipment sit at the mine sites and survive the very harsh northern climate.

At the end of the very short mining season, a nearly frantic swarm of buyers arrive at the Jade West fields and climb over large boulders of jade, marking the piece they want. As mentioned earlier, many buyers prefer the Polar material due to its superior hardness, deep green color, and translucency. Due to the rapid expansion of the current Chinese jade carving industry, the price for jade has significantly increased. This is supported by research conducted by Shaw in writing his book, which reveals at present there are at least 1 million Chinese jade carvers.

Digging Into Jade Mining

Exploring the jade mining process is a fascinating review. The operation includes four distinct steps. First, is the exploration, where miners drill into the mountainside with water-cooled and diamond-tipped core drills. The cores are extracted and examined to confirm that the material meets the high-quality standards of the company. With such a short mining season, it is critical to focus on only the best material.

The second step is to examine the face of the material for any cleavage points. Because nephrite jade is so strong and difficult to separate, mine workers must seek out any weak points when beginning to separate. Additional core drilling along these cleavage points allows the mining crews to use heavy hydraulic spreaders to push the jade apart. After the pieces are separated, crew members again use heavy machinery to pull them out.

Cutting the pieces into more manageable sizes is the third step in the process and involves using huge circular diamond saws with a lot of water to keep the process cool. The saws are also used to cut a window to expose the beauty contained within the boulders.

The final step involves transporting the boulders to the nearest settlement, Dease Lake, which is a full day’s drive. At the end of the mining season, all of the assembled boulders are trucked down to Jade West’s Vancouver warehouse.

Community Driven By Connections

Though I didn’t have much time to talk to Kirk Makepeace at the show, he was very gracious and willing to share his knowledge about business and the jade-carving industry. At the Jade West website, www.jademine.com, you’ll find information about the mining process, finished products made from Jade West material, and pieces of rough for sale.

As I made my way around the show, booth by booth, I spied a third edition copy of the renowned Fred Ward Gem Series reference, Jade. I have the first edition, but not this revised edition, so I figured it was time to update my knowledge about jade from one of the most informative books around. Also, I spotted a couple of samples of raw amber mined in Chiapas, Mexico.

From the exterior, there was no indication of what was inside either piece offered by a dealer. The pieces had a similar shape and size, but the outer surfaces differed. Yet, when the dealer shined ultraviolet light on a chipped area on each specimen, they fluoresced a shade of blue. The dealer also had a phenomenal necklace made of 13-mm beads of the featured amber and Guatemalan jadeite. While it was very impressive, it was probably quite expensive, so I didn’t dare ask the price.

Inspired by Jade

Another inspiring dealer is the co-organizer of the show, Georg Schmerholz, a multi-talented, award-winning jade carver. He shared a booth with co-organizer Rudy Estrada, where he displayed fantastic carvings. The first thing I encountered at the booth was a smiling Schmerholz with a copy of his book, Jade: a sculptural medium.

I quickly acquired a copy, my third book purchase during the show. I was torn between flipping through the pages of the book or devouring the beauty of his phenomenal jade carvings that were spaced around the display tables. The carvings took precedence! One carving was a baby’s face carved in Siberian nephrite and encased by a carved wood surrounding. The piece had won a gold award during the 2014 Zi Gang Bei annual jade competition.

As I walked around this booth, I kept encountering one fabulous carving after another. Everything was amazing in its perfection, creativity, and soul-searching aura. As I gazed into the depths of each item, my mind wandered away from the present hustle and bustle of the show to what was transpiring in the mind of the creator during the creative process. I came out of my trance as our 8-year-old granddaughter’s voice beckoned me to hurry up. We had promised her she could go swimming that afternoon in the motel’s pool.

That evening I had the opportunity to read Schmerholz book, both the “front” section and the “back” section. It is organized in an unusual manner where the front half of the book transitions through his life as a carver of jade, with descriptions of each piece illustrated in professional photographs. The back of the book is accessed by flipping it over where the new “front” of the book is a picture of a soaring eagle cast in bronze.

Embracing Inspiration Of Jade Experts

The back section tells more about Schmerholz’ evolution as a jade carver that includes realizing at an early age that, contrary to his parents’ wishes, he didn’t want to become a classical violinist. When he came of age, he left home to seek his way in life with a lingering urge to create with his hands.

One of the many pieces featured in Schmerholz’ book that held me in awe is his carving of “Baby Draco,” a torque, or solid neck ornament. It is made from nephrite mined from Makepeace’s Kutcho mine. Before he carved the piece, Schmerholz researched the subject of dragons to inspire his interpretation.

For further information on his work and photography visit his website, www.schmerholz.com.

There were many other outstanding jade artists and vendors at the show, but, unfortunately, I ran out of time before I could visit with more. I plan on attending next year’s show, slated to take place June 12-14, 2020, in the same location, the Custom House Plaza, Monterey State Historic Park in Monterey, California. For more information about the show, visit www.montereybayjadefestival.org.

However, we don’t have to wait until next year to enjoy a top-notch jade show. October 11-13 marks the 26th Annual Big Sur Jade Festival. Many of the same dealers who attended the Monterey event will be at this festival, which will be held at the Los Padres National Forest, across from Sand Dollar Beach, along Highway 1.

For more information, visit the event website, www.bigsurjadefestival.com.

The post Driven by Jade Appreciation first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

I really like the word ‘jubilee’. According to Merriam-Webster, one of its definitions is “a season of celebration.”

Given that definition, a couple of weekends a year spent interacting with fellow fans of geological treasures, learning more about geology, and enjoying the opportunity to purchase rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, and lapidary creations certainly sound like a wonderful example of the word.

Evolution of the Jubilee

The organizers of the twice-yearly Gem Miner’s Jubilee, a Rock & Gem advertising partner, believe so, and it’s the reason they formed the event and continue to enhance the jubilee with each year and each season. I connected with Teresa Schwab, co-organizer of the event, along with her husband, Marvin to learn more about this ‘season of celebration.’

The first Gem Miner’s Jubilee took place in August of 1998, and the addition of a Holiday Jubilee (every year in November) occurred in 2008. This year the Gem Miner’s Holiday Jubilee is scheduled for Nov. 16-17 and will take place at the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Pennsylvania.

In asking Teresa about the origins of the Gem Miner’s Jubilee, and the sponsoring organization the Mid-Atlantic Gem and Mineral Association, her response brought to mind an insightful quote by the inspiring young writer, Mattie Stepanek, “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”

Driven By Quality

“The Mid-Atlantic Gem and Mineral Association LLC (MAGMA) dba Gem Miners Shows was founded in 1997 by a group of vendors who wanted to raise the level of gem and mineral shows by providing quality merchandise from quality vendors,” Schwab explained. “No one knows what works at a show better than the vendors who exhibit! The founders had experience at all levels, from gemology to conference management.

“The result is a premier quality show that draws vendors and attendees from all over the country.”

The Holiday Jubilee offers visitors the traditional specimens, displays, and demonstrations of a rock show, as well as specialty items perfect for holiday gift-giving, such as craft items including textiles, honey, artisanal products, and offerings of a regional winery, Schwab explained. Among the rockhounding treasures people can expect to find at the show are minerals, micromounts, precious stones, and gemstone jewelry, beads, cabochons, and a master wire-wrapper working on site.

The post Preparing for Gem Miner’s Holiday Jubilee first appeared on Rock & Gem Magazine.

The town of Quartzsite is located near the western border of Arizona. It’s at the crossroads of the east-west corridor between Phoenix and Los Angeles, and the north-south passage, which follows the Colorado River, towards Lake Havasu City to the north and Yuma to the south.

During the hot summer months, Quartzsite is a quiet place with about 4,000 year-round residents. That population explodes in the winter months, to over one million; making Quartzsite a spirited oasis in the desert and the destination for many rockhounds and lapidaries from every corner of the world. Some winter visitors- the snowbirds as the locals call them, come with their motorhomes and stay for 4-6 months, while others rush through the town for a few days. My husband and I fall into the latter category, as we usually visit Quartzsite for two to three days.

Winter Destination for Rockhounds

Quartzsite takes center stage in January, a couple weeks before the big gem and mineral shows in Tucson. During the months of January and February, Arizona become a spotlight for all rockhounds, mineral collectors, gem enthusiasts, and jewelry lovers. Visitors come mainly for the gem and mineral shows, but they also enjoy side trips to museums, guided tours of copper mines, and explorations of the rugged landscapes that made the West famous.

The mild winter climate fosters this annual trek for many visitors. Although some years we have been surprised by nature’s fury with intense rainstorms in Quartzsite and Tucson that flood the tents and almost paralyze the shows. However, usually, we enjoy the traditional desert weather- sunny and warm days and clear and crisp nights. Sometimes the night temperature drops below freezing, and the water in the tubs with slabs becomes ice-cold.

This makes it almost impossible to put your hands in and sort. As many attendees have limited time, they are anxious to start their show routes early in the morning but soon find out that cold nights command a slow start in the morning for the outdoor vendors.

However, when the sun is shining, it fuels a laid-back, no-pressure atmosphere that everyone enjoys. Dealers sit under their tents waiting for customers, and shoppers stroll along the aisles, some walking leisurely, others briskly; often with their pets straddling along with them or inside unique strollers.

Miner, Dealer, Buyer Annual Reunion

My husband, Andrew, and I have attended the Quartzsite shows since 1997. Some vendors will go on to the subsequent Tucson shows to sell, but several of them will never go to the “big city.” There are miners and dealers that only come to Quartzsite, and buyers come back annually to see them. We, like so many other visitors, enjoy the free admission to all shows, the free no-hassle parking, and no need for trade registration.

About 2,000 vendors go to Quartzsite every year to sell rocks, minerals, gems, fossils, and jewelry. Setting up outside is not easy for the dealers. Besides the unpredictable weather, dust covers everything and it is a daily, never-ending chore to keep the bins and displays clean. Vendors also have to secure their merchandise, tables, and tents every night, not only against theft but primarily against potential rain or wind damage.

Years ago we shared an outside booth with a friend, and almost every night we had to pack everything away. One year, the storms were so bad that the only thing we did was sit inside the cafeteria, chat and watch the wind and rain. Also, upon our return home, we had to wipe every rock, clean every bin, and replace every label that faded in the sunlight, all results of the “fun” of exhibiting outside.

Altogether there are about 10 shows in Quartzsite from late December to late February. But the main event that brings the most visitors into town is the Annual QIA Pow-Wow (the Quartzsite Improvement Association- the equivalent of a gem & mineral society — http://www.qiaarizona.org/PowWow.html).

Taking In the QIA Pow-Wow

The 53rd Annual Pow-Wow will take place Wednesday, January 16 through Sunday, January 20, 2019, at the QIA’s year-round building and property on 235 E. Ironwood Street. Besides the many vendors at this show (some are indoors but the vast majority is outside) visitors can expect to see at least 50 exhibit showcases, always filled with wonderful private collections. The specimens are often with very unique, and some of which are available for sale. A visit to the QIA Pow-Wow will be unforgettable. Even the short ride from the parking lot to the show is done in a unique carriage: a tractor-pulled wagon, courtesy of QIA If you have time, field trip attire and tools, you can join the club for special rockhounding trips.

Every time we are in Quartzsite I look forward to the surprise of treasures that fall anywhere between the new and remarkable, the unusual and rare, and the intriguing and the bizarre. It may be a small slab with an unusual pattern or a large rock with great slabbing potential. It also may be one strand of gemstone beads that I don’t have or a whole bag of tumbled rock. One specimen from a new find, or a whole tray, which becomes ours either because we tried to bring the average price down, or we simply couldn’t resist. And the hunt continues….

I also love looking at the stacks of rock boulders, huge carvings, whole logs of petrified wood, and heaps of reconstituted turquoise. I enjoy sorting through piles of lapidary rough materials, and slabs, slabs, slabs of all types. The quantity of these items, resting on the ground or on tables buckling under their weight, is mind-boggling! Finished jewelry, beads, and cabochons of every quality and style are everywhere. New and used lapidary equipment and tools are also offered by several dealers.

Community Gathering

In addition, I love talking to dealers about their new materials and photographing some of their outstanding specimens. But, what makes me most eager to attend the Quartzsite event, is the opportunity to visit with friends, dealers, and fellow artists, especially the ones I only see there.

We talk about our experiences and adventures of the past year, swap stories and exchange tips and techniques. A great socializing spot is the all-volunteer run cafeteria at the QIA Pow-Wow, where we rest between shopping and enjoy home-style cooked meals served every day for lunch and dinner. Furthermore, if you are looking for something to grab and go there is a quick service window offering sandwiches, delicious chili, and pie. This is probably the best place to grab a bite in Quartzsite. Sitting in this area for a spell gives us the opportunity to catch up with our friends, make new ones, and talk about our finds.

Just ahead of the QIA Pow-Wow is another exciting event in the Desert Gardens Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show. Now in its 20th year, there is always a considerable number of lapidary rough and slabs offered.(http://desertgardensrvpark.net/DGShowRGMShow.html).

Show Attendance Tips

It is always a good idea to plan your itinerary ahead of your travel. For a complete listing of the shows in Quartzsite, visit www.xpopress.com and download a free copy of the Quartzsite EZ-Guide. Or, pick up a printed copy at any show or the Chamber of Commerce in Quartzsite.

Think about what you want to buy, the shows you want to attend, and plan your days

accordingly. As the vast majority of the Quartzsite shows are outdoors, I cannot stress enough how important it is to wear comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen, carry water, and take breaks. Be prepared for cool, cold, colder or warm weather. That’s the desert in the winter. Be prepared to walk a lot of miles in the dusty aisles of the shows.

Also remember to keep detailed notes of what you are looking at or buying- which show, what item, what price, which dealer, what booth number, what day. At the end of the day or after a few days, it all becomes a blur, and if you want to go back and visit a dealer or order from them at a later date, those notes will be your life-savers.

Having a camera or your cell phone is smart, but always check the show’s policy and ask for permission before you take photos of booths, merchandise, and dealers.

Even though the shows in Quartzsite do not require a trade license to get in, if you own a business, it is always a good practice to bring your Business License or Tax ID Certificate. Not to mention, it helps to have many business cards, money in different forms – credit cards, cash, and business checks, as you may encounter different demands and deals.

Finally, have patience. If you are coming in at peak time, traffic on the Interstate exit ramps can be a gridlock, as there are only stop signs on the bridges. Lots of patience is also required when waiting about an hour in line for dinner at the few restaurants in town.

Quartzsite Landmarks

Coming into the town of Quartzsite from all entrances visitors are welcomed by the recently erected artistic town signs that offer a glimpse of the town’s history. The pyramid and camels have become iconic symbols for the town, reflecting the story of a camel driver that brought camels into the American desert.

Every year we take a short break from shopping and visit a landmark or a museum. If you have not seen the “Hi Jolly” monument in the middle of town, dedicated by the Governor of Arizona in 1835, make sure you do. It is a unique pyramid monument with a copper camel on the top that marks the gravesite of a camel driver for the U.S Army Corps named Philip Tedro, or Hadji Ali, known by his anglicized name Hi Jolly. After the camel experiment was abandoned in 1861, he became a prospector, and moved to Quartzsite where he married, and died penniless in 1902 at the age of 75.

Although Quartzsite itself was not a mining town, it was surrounded by many mining camps. In search of placer gold, hundreds of individual prospectors swamped the areas around Quartzsite in the 1860’s and later.

At the time, water was a precious commodity and was being hauled and delivered to the mines for a hefty price of $1 to $5 per barrel. Miners prospected mostly for gold, but also for silver, kyanite, copper, and lead. The 1864 census, the first one in the territory of Arizona, showed one out of every four residents reported their profession as miner or prospector.

Exploring Arizona’s Early Gold Mining

If you want to learn more about Arizona’s early gold mining history, and how gold’s $35 fixed price per ounce after WWII made many of the mines unprofitable, head to the Tyson’s Well Stage Station Museum. The museum is located at 161 Main Street, steps away from the QIA Pow-Wow show.

The Tyson’s Well Stage Station Museum is housed in the original adobe stagecoach station built in 1866 by Charles Tyson. The station served as an important watering stop for the stagecoaches and freighters carrying mining equipment and supplies to the mines and the army from the river port at Ehrenberg on the Colorado River. Miners came up the Colorado River in steamboats and either stayed in Arizona or crossed over into California heading to the gold fields. The stop provided good water and “crude” passenger accommodations.

The Station even housed the post office from 1893 until 1895. For several years it was the town’s grocery store, and lodging and food source for the local saloons. Around 1900 it became the Oasis Hotel, but over the years it was neglected. That is until 1972 when the Rice family donated the lot with the Stage Station for a museum to be built. After extensive building restoration, the museum opened in 1980. It is operated by the Quartzsite Historical Society, and the wonderful volunteers are eager to share their knowledge.

A wealth of information is available at a new exhibit about all the mines of the area. The Cinnabar Mine, 10 miles south of Quartzsite produced quicksilver ore, which is valuable because gold and silver would adhere to it. The Copper Bottom Mine was 10 miles southwest of Quartzsite in the Cunningham Mountains. The Farrar Gulch Mine, 10 miles west of Quartzsite, was allegedly one of the richest placer gold mines. One nugget found there weighed 47 ½ pounds. Over $4 million in metal was dug out from the King of Arizona Mine (KOFA), operating from 1896-1910. The mine was so rich, that the mill had to be stopped every few hours to remove the gold from the plates.

Celebrating Heritage and History

More photos and information are exhibited about the Goodenough Mine, Mariquita, Moon Mountain, Gold Nugget mines, Bonanza Mine, Castle Dome Mining District, and the Cienega District. An area map of historical mines shows 29 mines around Quartzsite. The extensive photographic record of the mines draws the visitor into the area’s history of sweat, tears, successes, and failures of mining gold, lead, and mercury.

Photographic portraits of Quartzsite’s famous citizens are also on display. I particularly

liked the early photo of Hi-Jolly and his bride, as well as the humorous print of the “Rules of Stagecoach Etiquette”, that gives a glimpse of what stagecoach passengers could or could not do, regarding smoking, chewing tobacco, spitting, abstinence from liquor, rough language and firearms.

We were truly impressed with this little museum brimming with mining history, and the quality of the displays and the treasure-trove of information about old mining camps. There is a great display of mining equipment inside and outside the museum, among them the Assay Office from the Mariquita Mine, containing assay and mining equipment from local mines.

There is no admission fee to the Tyson’s Well Stage Station Museum, although donations are always appreciated. The museum is open from November through March 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

So, let’s pack our gear and get ready for the hunt for rocks and history in Quartzsite.

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