The Steward Collection contains mineral samples, including turquoise fragments and beads used for decoration. The turquoise is from an unknown source but is probably “local” from the Stansberry Range to the southwest or from one of several sources in eastern and central Nevada. Also found is a large “brick” of sacred red ocher. Several of the grinding stones, grinding palettes, bone fragments and moccasins have been discolored with red ocher.   Finding a variety of other colors in small fragments is not unusual at archaeological sites. Ocher powders and small fragments are extracted from a variety of sources, especially hot springs and nodules found in metamorphic and sedimentary rock. The Steward Collection brick is a rare find in its size and purity and probably originated from a well documented source in the Grand Canyon. Obsidian, of which most of the projectile points are made from, is considered a mineral. Each source of obsidian contains micro trace elements making each source as unique as a human fingerprint.   The variety of obsidian in the collection has the potential of providing detailed data concerning regional trade and trade routes. Obsidian can also be “hydration dated” a method of dating the relative age of an artifact. Steatite is a platted schist-like mineral found locally. Its relative soft texture allows it to be used for spindle whorls, grinding pallets and shallow bowls. Steatite spindle whorls and grinding pallets are found in the collection. __________________________________________________________________________________