define a working relationship and possible future responses.
Next Board Meeting - Thursday May 8, 2003

With no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Harvey Jong, Secretary

Blanchard Mine Field Trip
by Ray Grant

There has been a slight change in the plans for the Blanchard mine field trip. We will still meet at the Rock Shop in Bingham at 9:00 AM on Saturday May 10, 2003. We are welcome to spend Saturday collecting in the above ground areas at the Blanchard mine. On Sunday May 11 we can again meet at the Bingham Rock Shop at 9 AM and Ray DeMark will take us underground to collect. Foundation members are welcome to collect either day or both days. You are free to leave any time on Sunday for the trip home. This gives a little more opportunity collect after the long trip to New Mexico.

We will meet at the Rock Shop in Bingham at 9 AM on May 10th. Bingham has a couple of houses and a Rock Shop and I recommend that we spend the night in Socorro. Socorro is about 400 miles from Phoenix if you go by Payson, Show Low, and Route 60.  Socorro is 500 miles if you go by Interstate 10, Tucson, and Interstate 25, and both routes take about the same length of time to travel there from Phoenix.

Socorro has a fairly new Motel 6 at the south end of town and the cost in the winter Motel 6 book is $35.99 for Friday and Saturday night plus $6 for a second adult. Call the national number 1-800-466-8356 or the motel directly at 505-835-4300 for reservations. From Socorro to Bingham is about 38 miles. Go south on I 25 about 9 miles and then west on US 380 to Bingham.

Bring collecting tools, hard hat, and a light if you want to collect underground. Wear good shoes and long pants. There is a small fee to be paid to the rock shop for them to help keep trespassers from the locality. Ray DeMark does not get any money. He is very generously donating his time to us. The Foundation will pay the fee for members.

Minerals found there include anglesite, barite, brochantite, cerussite, fluorite, galena, gypsum,

(Continued on page 7)

Club Highlight
By Ray Grant

Mineralogical Society of Arizona

This month we will highlight the Mineralogical Society of Arizona. This club was founded by A. L. Flagg in 1935 and he served as president until 1950. The second president was Ben Benham. The club meets at the Museum on the second Friday of the month at 7 PM except in February when it meets on the third Friday (so as not to conflict with the Tucson Show) and in July and August there are no meetings.

The purpose of the MSA is "to promote popular interest in the various earth sciences, and particularly the fields of geology, lapidary, mineralogy, paleontology and other related subjects". They have collecting trips on a variable schedule and are part of the Valley of the Sun Geology Clubs Coalition which has trips on the fourth Saturday of the month. They have an annual show at Arizona Rockfest held every January at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Dues are $20 for a family or couple and $12 for single adults.

They have an excellent website at www.azminerals.com that contains information about the club and has a very extensive list of Arizona minerals and mines. This year Gilbert Flores is president and Shirley Fisk is vice-president.

Visitors are welcome at all meetings so go to a meeting or visit their website for more information.

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