Volume 12  Number 4                                                       Summer 2003                                                                             Page 4

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.

Department of Mines and Mineral Resources. It is available online at their website, http://www.admmr.state.az.us.  If you don't have internet access, stop by the Museum or call to get your copy.
     The Mining and Mineral Museum now charges a $2.00 admission fee. This is a result of the current state budget problems and the funds available to the Museum. There are some exceptions: gift shop visitors, lapidary shop users, student groups and adults with student groups, people taking lapidary and silversmith classes, people using the Department files upstairs, and members of the Foundation. Foundation members show your membership card for admission.

Arizona Mineral & Mining
Museum Foundation

Suggested Agenda for Sept. 18, 2003 Meeting

A.  Approval of the Minutes of the May Meeting (see page 6 of this newsletter)
B.  Treasurer's Report (Darrel Dodd)
C.  Committee Reports
   1. Collection Committee (Don Cuson)
        a. Review of Guidelines
   2. Website :
www.azminfun.com (Harvey Jong)
   3. Newsletter (Steve Decker)
   4. Field Trips
       a. Verde Valley etc. (Sept. 20 trip)
       b. Other possible Fall field trips
   5. Family Day - October 18, 2003
       a. Dealers -Darrel Dodd
       b. Foundation Sale - (Don Cuson/Darrel Dodd)
       c. Food, etc. (Sue Celestian)
   6. Flagg Show - Jan. 2, 3, 4, 2004 - publicity
       Everyone take flyers and posters and tell the       
       world about the Flagg Show.                   
D. Old Business
    1. Posters
    2. Peralta Stones
    3. Other old business
E. New Business
    1. Camera for the newsletter editor
    2. Other new business items
F. Next Board Meeting - Thurs. Nov. 13,  2003

Some Notes From Ray:

How many mineral shows are there a year in Arizona? There are least 24, and these are listed in
Circular 101 Arizona Gem Shows - 2003-2004  by
Alice Rosenfeld,
recently published by the Arizona

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