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45-554: Similkameen may refer to: Similkameen , a former community in British Columbia, Canada Similkameen City, British Columbia , a former community in British Columbia, Canada Similkameen Country or Similkameen District, or "the Similkameen", a historical georegion in British Columbia, Canada Similkameen River , a river that runs through southern British Columbia, discharging into

90-466: A Roman Catholic (RC) church was built at Chopaka. In 1878, Gilbert Malcolm Sproat set aside the land for the reserves, which were amended and increased by his successor Peter O’Reilly in the 1880s. The border ones are called Chopaka 7 and 8. In 1890, a new RC church was built. The reserves were surveyed in 1889 and listed in 1902. The Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway (VV&E) expropriated 47 hectares (117 acres) across several reserves for

135-619: A church boarding school in Washington State. In 1923, a cement foundation, sacristy , and priest accommodation were added to the church. By the 1960s, a locked gated blocked the former cross-border road beside the railway track. Formerly, locals had moved freely both ways across the border without encountering any bureaucracy. In 1995, the Lower Similkameen Band submitted that the VV&;E had paid inadequate compensation and that

180-622: A miniature soapstone obelisk with metal studs called "the staff of Oranmiyan ". Soapstone mining in Tabaka, Kenya occurs in relatively shallow and accessible quarries in the surrounding areas of Sameta, Nyabigege and Bomware. These were at the time open to all to access provided they had the labor resources to do so. This mostly meant the men did the mining as they were custodian to the community land, meaning ancestral lands in Riamosioma, Itumbe, Nyatike etc. Native Americans have used soapstone since

225-451: A minimum number of pupils or a teacher. However, an assumption that the school finally closed in 1916, when the Cawston school was established, is incorrect, because 12 pupils were still enrolled in 1918–19. To not have contravened government policy at the time, the few First Nations children who attended may have been mixed race. Similkameen was also one of the earliest border outposts in

270-568: A practice that continues today. The soapstone's low heat conduction allows for prolonged smoking without the pipe heating up uncomfortably. Indigenous peoples of the Arctic have traditionally used soapstone for carvings of both practical objects and art. The qulliq , a type of oil lamp, is carved out of soapstone and used by the Inuit and Dorset peoples. The soapstone oil lamps indicate these people had easy access to oils derived from marine mammals. In

315-660: A regional district in British Columbia Okanagan—Similkameen , a defunct federal electoral district in British Columbia Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt , a defunct Canadian federal electoral district in British Columbia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Similkameen . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

360-416: A right-of-way in 1905. The next year, the band chief complained the expropriation assessment grossly undervalued the land. Local rancher R.C. Armstrong supported the complaint. However, a review did not change the original compensation package. The railway construction included moving the church from the right-of-way. The absence of an indigenous school suggests generations were never schooled or attended

405-595: Is also commonly used as a carving material. However, this mineral typically does not have such a soapy feel as soapstone. Soapstone is relatively soft because of its high talc content—talc has a definitional value of 1 on the Mohs hardness scale . Softer grades may feel similar to soap when touched, hence the name. No fixed hardness is given for soapstone because the amount of talc it contains varies widely, from as little as 30% for architectural grades such as those used on countertops, to as much as 80% for carving grades. Soapstone

450-430: Is also used for countertops and bathroom tiling because of the ease of working the material and its property as the "quiet stone". A weathered or aged appearance occurs naturally over time as the patina is enhanced. Soapstone can be used to create molds for casting objects from soft metals, such as pewter or silver . The soft stone is easily carved and is not degraded by heating. The slick surface of soapstone allows

495-727: Is an unincorporated community in the Similkameen region of south central British Columbia . Immediately north of the Canada–United States border , the population centre is on the west shore of the Similkameen River . The Nighthawk–Chopaka Border Crossing lies to the east. Off BC Highway 3 , the locality is by road about 96 kilometres (60 mi) southeast of Princeton and 75 kilometres (47 mi) south of Penticton . "Chopaka" (pronounced like tobacco) signifies "lofty" or "grand" and refers to Chopaka Mountain , which dominates

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540-529: Is easy to carve; it is also durable and heat-resistant and has a high heat storage capacity. It has therefore been used for cooking and heating equipment for thousands of years. Soapstone is often used as an insulator for housing and electrical components, due to its durability and electrical characteristics and because it can be pressed into complex shapes before firing. Soapstone undergoes transformations when heated to temperatures of 1,000–1,200 °C (1,830–2,190 °F) into enstatite and cristobalite ; on

585-774: Is mined in Canada, Brazil, India, and Finland and imported into the United States. Active North American mines include one south of Quebec City with products marketed by Canadian Soapstone, the Treasure and Regal mines in Beaverhead County , Montana mined by the Barretts Minerals Company, and another in central Virginia operated by the Alberene Soapstone Company. Mining to meet worldwide demand for soapstone

630-415: Is most commonly used for architectural applications, such as counter tops, floor tiles, showerbases, and interior surfacing. Soapstone is sometimes used for construction of fireplace surrounds, cladding on wood-burning stoves , and as the preferred material for woodburning masonry heaters because it can absorb, store, and evenly radiate heat due to its high density and magnesite (MgCO 3 ) content. It

675-418: Is threatening the habitat of India's tigers. Soapstones can be put in a freezer and later used in place of ice cubes to chill alcoholic beverages without diluting. Sometimes called whiskey stones, these were first introduced around 2007. Most whiskey stones feature a semipolished finish, retaining the soft look of natural soapstone, while others are highly polished. People can be exposed to soapstone dust in

720-407: Is used primarily for its dielectric and thermally-insulating properties in applications such as tile, substrates, washers, bushings, beads, and pigments. It is also used for high-voltage insulators, which have to stand large mechanical loads, such as insulators of mast radiators . Soapstone continues to be used for carvings and sculptures by artists and indigenous peoples. In Brazil, especially in

765-410: The metasomatism of siliceous dolomites . By mass, "pure" steatite is roughly 63.37% silica , 31.88% magnesia , and 4.74% water. It commonly contains minor quantities of other oxides such as CaO or Al 2 O 3 . Pyrophyllite , a mineral very similar to talc, is sometimes called soapstone in the generic sense, since its physical characteristics and industrial uses are similar, and because it

810-460: The Armstrong family operated a ferry for many years. In 1931, the present Chopaka Road bridge was planned. Unclear is whether pedestrians had used the rail bridge up to this time or the public Chopaka bridge, known to exist at least during the 1910s, was in the vicinity. To address the predicament when high water made crossing the river impractical, a road was constructed in 1911 on the west shore to

855-572: The Late Archaic period. During the Archaic archaeological period (8000–1000 BC), bowls, cooking slabs, and other objects were made from soapstone. The use of soapstone cooking vessels during this period has been attributed to the rock's thermal qualities; compared to clay or metal containers, soapstone retains heat more effectively. Use of soapstone in native American cultures continue to the modern day. Later, other cultures carved soapstone smoking pipes ,

900-515: The Mohs scale, this corresponds to an increase in hardness to 5.5–6.5. The resulting material, harder than glass, is sometimes called "lava". Ancient Egyptian scarab signets and amulets were most commonly made from glazed steatite. The Yoruba people of West Nigeria used soapstone for several statues, most notably at Esie , where archaeologists have uncovered hundreds of male and female statues about half of life size. The Yoruba of Ife also produced

945-697: The Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington, United States Similkameen people, or Similkameens, a branch of the Salishan-speaking Okanagan people Lower Similkameen Indian Band , a First Nations government Upper Similkameen Indian Band Similkameen (electoral district) , a defunct provincial electoral district in British Columbia, Canada Boundary-Similkameen , a defunct provincial electoral district in British Columbia Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen ,

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990-459: The Similkameen school district. By 1897, a sawmill existed. Daniel McCurdy was the inaugural postmaster 1906–1919. The Similkameen post office was about 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) south of Cawston . The Chopaka post office operated March–October 1908. After the Keremeos school opened, Similkameen student numbers dwindled. For lengthy periods, the school was not open, either unable to attract

1035-684: The South Similkameen during the early 1700s. The Okanagan-speaking peoples progressively replaced the Stuwix and Thompson peoples during the later part of that century. The establishment of the international border in 1846 created a barrier within a traditional territory. The Similkameen River mouth (in the US) was an important winter village site for the Okanagans (living in Canada). In late 1870s or early 1880s,

1080-530: The abandoned right-of-way should revert to reserve status. The next year, the claim was rejected. In 2003, an enquiry into this rejection began. In 2008, the Commission determined the assessment per acre was grossly disproportionate to non-reserve lands and recommended adequate compensation be negotiated. Since the VV&E easement terminated no later than 1985, the Commission recommended that this strip be legally restored to being fully reserve land. In 2009, when

1125-403: The area. The word is the anglicized version of "c̓up̓áq̓", which can mean "sticking out mountain". According to legend, Coyote turned an indigenous hunter by this name into stone or the mountain represents a transformed maiden. Another translation is soapstone , which was used in making pipes and the word may also refer to the pipe itself. Incidents of genocidal tribal warfare occurred in

1170-475: The border, which provided the Armstong family and other residents with an outlet. The reconstruction and paving of BC Highway 3A north from Keremeos, which was completed in 1948, largely diverted traffic away from Similkameen. The wooden howe truss that underwent extensive repairs in 1956–57 was assumedly the present bridge. In 1964–65, the highway was paved. Through traffic to Osoyoos was restored in 1965 with

1215-483: The completion of the highway over Richter Pass . Bob Stevenson, a miner arrived in 1860 but soon moved on. He turned over his land to Daniel McCurdy and his family, who came about 1885. That year, R.C. Armstrong settled on lands directly abutting the Lower Similkameen reserves. If not already more narrowly defined as a location, government funding for the Similkameen school construction made it more precise by

1260-454: The early 1890s. The one room 7-by-11-metre (24 by 36 ft) school was built about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) north of the settlement on the southern boundary of the McCurdy ranch. School was held in the McCurdy cabin for three months from September 1892, because the schoolhouse was not finished. R.C. Armstrong's ranch, 19 kilometres (12 mi) south of Keremeos, formed the southern boundary of

1305-568: The finished object to be easily removed. Welders and fabricators use soapstone as a marker due to its resistance to heat; it remains visible when heat is applied. It has also been used for many years by seamstresses, carpenters, and other craftspeople as a marking tool, because its marks are visible but not permanent. Resistance to heat made steatite suitable for manufacturing gas burner tips , spark plugs , and electrical switchboards. Steatite ceramics are low-cost biaxial porcelains of nominal composition (MgO) 3 (SiO 2 ) 4 . Steatite

1350-459: The first Lower Similkameen school, is now considered to be within the Chopaka area. Soapstone The definitions of the terms "steatite" and "soapstone" vary with the field of study. In geology, steatite is a rock that is, to a very large extent, composed of talc. The mining industry defines steatite as a high-purity talc rock that is suitable for the manufacturing of, for example, insulators ;

1395-424: The future. If the ground steatite is pressed together into blocks, these are called "synthetic block steatite", "artificial block steatite", or "artificial lava talc". In industrial applications soapstone refers to dimension stone that consists of either amphibole-chlorite-carbonate-talc rock, talc-carbonate rock, or simply talc rock and is sold in the form of sawn slabs . "Ground soapstone" sometimes designates

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1440-467: The ground in a suspected arson incident. The westward advance of the VV & E railway reached the border at Chopaka in 1907. In 1923, the railway built a barn at the station. Passenger services ceased in the 1950s. The Dewdney Trail to Osoyoos passed through the area. A wagon road later followed the east shore of the river toward the border. Prior to the erection of the Armstrong rail bridge in 1907,

1485-468: The ground waste product of the slab manufacturing. Petrologically , soapstone is composed predominantly of talc, with varying amounts of chlorite and amphiboles (typically tremolite , anthophyllite , and cummingtonite , hence its obsolete name, magnesiocummingtonite), and traces of minor iron-chromium oxides . It may be schistose or massive . Soapstone is formed by the metamorphism of ultramafic protoliths (e.g. dunite or serpentinite ) and

1530-449: The interior and Daniel McCurdy was for four years customs officer in the 1910s. By that time, the Armstrong family operated a significant sheep ranch. In 1935, the former schoolhouse burned down. In 1939, the post office closed. By this time, Similkameen ceased to be mentioned as a place. The McCurdy Private Cemetery, on the former McCurdy property, includes internments of non-family residents. The abandoned McCurdy cabin, once known as

1575-451: The legal limit ( permissible exposure limit ) for soapstone exposure in the workplace as 20 million particles per cubic foot over an 8-hour workday. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has set a recommended exposure limit of 6 mg/m total exposure and 3 mg/m respiratory exposure over an 8-hour workday. At levels of 3000 mg/m , soapstone is immediately dangerous to life and health . The local names for

1620-416: The lesser grades of the mineral can be called simply " talc rock ". Steatite can be used both in lumps ("block steatite", "lava steatite", "lava grade talc"), and in the ground form. While the geologists logically will use "steatite" to designate both forms, in the industry, "steatite" without additional qualifications typically means the steatite that is either already ground or to be used in the ground form in

1665-463: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Similkameen&oldid=1217235130 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Chopaka, British Columbia#Former Similkameen general community Chopaka

1710-664: The modern period, soapstone is commonly used for carvings in Inuit art . In the United States, locally quarried soapstone was used for gravemarkers in 19th century northeast Georgia , around Dahlonega , and Cleveland as simple field stone and "slot and tab" tombs. In Canada, soapstone was quarried in the Arctic regions like the western part of the Ungava Bay and the Appalachian Mountain System from Newfoundland. The ancient trading city of Tepe Yahya in southeastern Iran

1755-486: The requirement to have a passport to cross the border was implemented, First Nations staged a protest, cutting the barbed wire in this locality and making a symbolic crossing of the boundary line. In 2015, the new administrative and community building for the Lower Similkameen Band opened on the hillside in the vicinity of the former Similkameen train station. In 2021, the serviceable Chopaka church burned to

1800-534: The seals were heated above 1,000 °C (1,830 °F) for several days to make them hard and durable to make the final seals used for making impressions on clay. In China, during the Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BC), soapstone was carved into ceremonial knives. Soapstone was also used to carve Chinese seals . Soapstone was used as a writing pencil in Myanmar as early as the 11th-century Pagan period. After that, it

1845-443: The state of Minas Gerais , the abundance of soapstone mines allow local artisans to craft pots, pans, wine glasses, statues, jewel boxes, coasters, and vases from soapstone. These handicrafts are commonly sold in street markets found in cities across the state. Some of the oldest towns, notably Congonhas , Tiradentes , and Ouro Preto , still have some of their streets paved with soapstone from colonial times. Architectural soapstone

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1890-476: The workplace via inhalation and skin or eye contact. Exposure above safe limits can lead to symptoms including coughing , shortness of breath , cyanosis , crackles , and pulmonary heart disease . Due to the potential presence of tremolite and crystalline silica in the dust, precautions should be taken to avoid occupational diseases such as asbestosis , silicosis , mesothelioma , and lung cancer . The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set

1935-596: Was a center for the production and distribution of soapstone in the 5th to 3rd millennia BC. Soapstone has been used in India as a medium for sculptures since at least the time of the Hoysala Empire , the Western Chalukya Empire and to an extent Vijayanagara Empire . Even earlier, steatite was used as the substrate for Indus-Harappan seals . After the intricate carvings of icons and (yet undeciphered) symbols,

1980-438: Was found. Soapstone is relatively abundant in northern Europe. Vikings hewed soapstone directly from the stone face, shaped it into cooking pots, and sold these at home and abroad. In Shetland , there is evidence that these vessels were used for processing marine and dairy fats. Several surviving medieval buildings in northern Europe are constructed with soapstone, amongst them Nidaros Cathedral . In modern times, soapstone

2025-572: Was still used as a pencil to write on Black Parabaik until the end of the Mandalay period (19th century). Pipes and decorative carvings of local animals were made out of soapstone by Australian Aboriginal artist Erlikilyika ( c.  1865  – c.  1930 ) in Central Australia . The Minoan civilization on Crete used soapstone. At the Palace of Knossos , a steatite libation table

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