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Field Trip Saturday September 20 By Ray Grant
On Saturday September 20 we will have field trip to the Verde Valley and Central Arizona. We will meet at the McDonalds in Cordes Junction at 8:00 a.m. Take Interstate 17 north to the Cordes Junction (Prescott) exit. The McDonalds is just east of I-17. Cordes Junction is an hour or an hour and a half drive from Phoenix. Ken Dunham will lead this trip for the Foundation. Foundation members and families are free; nonmembers must pay $5. A number of different localities will be visited during the day. The group will go first to the Verde Valley to collect glauberite pseudomorphs. Ken has found localities with gypsum (selenite variety), gypsum (alabaster variety), aragonite, and calcite pseudomorphs after glauberite. Many of you have collected these pseudomorphs, but Ken says he has found areas with some very nice specimens. This is a great trip for kids as there are many specimens and they are easy to collect (almost no hammering). Also, the pseudomorphs make good samples to give to children, so collect a few extra and donate them to the Foundation for the Flagg Show. Next Ken will lead us to one of several new collecting areas he has located. Ken has prospected this area for years and, depending on the size of the group and how many four wheel drives are available, he will pick the best places for our group. Some possibilities are the Poland Junction area for magnetite, pyrite, quartz, hedenbergite, and actinolite, the Cleator area for tourmaline, molybdenite, and powellite, or one or two other areas that he knows. The trips that Ken Dunham leads are always fun and educational! Bring some food, water, collecting tools, sturdy shoes and clothing, and enjoy a day out collecting.
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