The Flagg Show last January was the biggest ever with over 100 dealers, clubs, and other groups represented. The Foundation sale was a success thanks to the generous donation of material by several members including Paul Harter and John Lucking and the hard work of the many members who volunteered their time to help with the show.
     The poster sale at the Tucson Show did well and the Foundation was able to hand out information about our group. We sold many copies of the proceedings of the Tenth Minerals of Arizona Symposium and were able to advertise the Eleventh Symposium. Thanks to Les Presmyk and Paul Harter for running the poster sales.
     The Eleventh Minerals of Arizona Symposium held at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum was an outstanding success. Thanks to Anna Domitrovic for organizing and hosting the Symposium, and to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society for their financial support.
     We had four field trips this year. Thanks to Dick and Mardy Zimmerman for the Midnight Owl trip, to Ray DeMark for the Blanchard mine trip, to Ken Dunham for the Verde Valley trip and to Bill Gardner and Ed Davis for the Spectrum and Prism mines trip.
      Family Day at the Museum saw 450 people in attendance. The Foundation sale also did very well.
The newsletter had five really great issues thanks to Steve Decker's editorial skill and hard work. Our newsletter receives compliments by every one who sees it.
     The collection committee has been reorganized and new guidelines prepared under the leadership of Don Cuson.
     If you have a long memory and hold me to my New Year's resolutions presented in this space a year ago, you will find that the Foundation met in part the goals that were presented. Just don't ask about my garage!
     For the New Year, we will continue with our usual activities. We will need help at the Flagg Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We always need material for the three times a year we sell minerals (at the Flagg Show, the Symposium, and Fam

ily Day).
     Another goal for the New Year is to have more Foundation members volunteer at the Museum. To help with this goal, I am going to organize two volunteer days at the Museum during the year. These will be two Saturdays when as many members as possible will come to the Museum to help with a project set up by Sue Celestian. We will try in April for the first one.
     Please send in your dues and I will see you at the Flagg Show and the annual meeting.

Ray Grant

Midnight Owl Lepidolite?
By Steve Decker

     In the story about our recent fieldtrip, I said that Lepidolite was abundant at the Midnight Owl Mine . 
     Dave Shannon told me that I was not the first to make that mistake.  The original miners thought that pink mica found at the Midnight Owl was all lepidolite, and would be a valuable ore of lithium. It turned out that most of it was just muscovite, with little or no lithium.  A small amount is lepidolite.
      Dave says lepidolite is very fusible, and will melt in a candle flame.  Muscovite will not melt.
     I tried melting some pink mica that I found at the Midnight Owl with no success, but I couldn't get lepidolite from the Stewart Lithia Mine in California to melt either.  Try melting a piece!
     Thanks to Dave Shannon for keeping me honest.

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