Arizona's Oldest Mineral Society
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Educational Organization
EXPLORE | SHARE | INSPIRE
MSA FIELD TRIP
CAMP VERDE SALT MINE
(Glauberite Pseudomorphs:
Calcite, Aragonite & Gypsum)
Oldest Mine in Arizona
PLUS PICNIC POTLUCK
MSA MEMBERS
Join us for a return to one of Arizona's classic collecting localities, the Camp Verde Salt Mine and surrounding area, where we'll hunt for glauberite pseudomorphs after calcite, aragonite, and gypsum, along with thenardite and halite.
After the collecting, the fun continues with a picnic/potluck at a nearby ranch hosted by one of our MSA members, a great opportunity to relax and enjoy each other's company!
When you register (or later, once you've decided), let the Trip Leader know what dish you'd like to contribute to the potluck.
MSA hosts providing grilled hot dogs, hamburgers & chicken and MSA providing mustard, katsup & mayo, buns for burgers & hotdogs, paper plates, paper towels, utensils.
POTLUCK DETAILS:
TRIP LEADER: Chris Whitney-Smith
MEET-UP TIME: 8:45 AM in Camp Verde (meeting location will be sent after registration).
Allow extra 30 minutes to make meet-up location due to traffic.
END TIME: Estimate trip end by 5:00 PM.
LIMITED TRIP: No Limit
TRAVEL NOTE: Check with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) website to see if there are any delays on you route. https://az511.gov/
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF TRIP: Easy to Moderate
VEHICLE: Mid-Clearance. High clearance vehicles is best.
SAFETY: Please bring a whistle in case we need to find you or gather up the participants. Youth Must stay with parents.
TRIP PREPAREDNESS / RECOMMENDATION: Arrive with full tank of gas and good tires. Sturdy shoes or boots, Long sleeve shirt, Safety Glasses, Gloves, Sunscreen, Hat, Water, Lunch, Bug Spray, Bucket, First Aid Kit, and other Normal day hiking items.
TOOLS NEEDED: Garden Fork/Rake, Screwdrivers. Bring bucket, bags and egg cartons for fragile mostly float material.
MATERIAL: Glauberite Pseudomorphs: Calcite, Aragonite & Gypsum along with Thenardite, Glauberite, and Halite.
RSVP REQUIRED by Friday, November 6, 2026 @ 3:00 PM - MSA Members Only
TRIP CANCELLATION CLAUSE: Trip Leader can cancel the field trip due to low participation (under 5 members RSVP) or weather or road conditions.
GLAUBERITE PSEUDOMORPHS: CALCITE, GYPSUM, ARAGONITE.
Chris Whitney-Smith photos and collection.
EXAMPLES
Here are a few examples of the pseudomorphs
you can find on the trip:
Calcite Pseudomorph after Glauberite. Stan Celestian photo.
Aragonite Pseudomorph after Glauberite. Stan Celestian photo.
Aragonite Close Up View. Stan Celestian photo.
Gypsum Pseudomorph after Glauberite. Stan Celestian photo.
Franciscan Renewal Center, (Piper Hall),
November 19, 2026 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
BARB MATZ
Bryan Swoboda, Bluecap Productions photo.
* Please bring refreshments to share.
* MEETING will be (In-Person and Zoom).
NOVEMBER: MINERAL OF THE MONTH
AGATE (Rough or Polished)
(Okay to bring 1-2 examples)
The Mineralogical Society of Arizona is pleased to welcome one of our own, Barb Matz, as presenter for our November 19 program, “Cornwall and Beyond: A Mindat Adventure.” Join us at Piper Hall on the campus of the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale for an evening retracing a Mindat-sponsored journey through Cornwall, UK.
In 2018, Barb joined a small Mindat-sponsored group led by none other than Mindat.org founder Jolyon Ralph. The first week took them to a dozen mines and related sites across Cornwall, followed by a road trip to the fluorite mines of northern England, a brief foray into Scotland, and an unexpected ending to the trip! Her talk is a travelogue featuring the mines, the minerals, and a brief introduction to the geology of Cornwall.
Mark your calendars for a program by one of the Society’s treasured members!
Barb is a retired professional geologist who grew up in Michigan, where her rockhounding began with “agate licking” along the shores of Lake Superior on family camping trips, followed by lapidary lessons at the local rock club. She earned a BS in Biology at Michigan Tech, then a BS and MS in Geology at the Mackay School of Mines, University of Nevada–Reno. While in Reno, she was an active member of the Reno Gem & Mineral Society, where she honed her lapidary skills. Work as an environmental geologist then sent her around the West: eight years in Albuquerque, where she learned to appreciate and collect minerals, and finally the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives today. Along the way she spent 29 years characterizing potential hazardous waste sites through soil and groundwater sampling before retiring in 2018.
An avid traveler, Barb began taking Mindat-sponsored international trips in 2012; her most recent was in 2019. When Covid lockdown eased, she resumed traveling closer to home, on a quest to visit every U.S. state, in 2026 she checked off numbers 45 and 46, West Virginia and Virginia.
Barb is a member of the Mineralogical Society of Arizona, the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society and the Bay Area Mineralogists.
The Mineralogical Society of Arizona is honored to welcome Barb for this special program. We are grateful for her many contributions to micromount mineral collecting, her show leadership, and her remarkable travels exploring the history, localities, and specimen sites of the mineral world.
Photo from Barb Matz.
Searching for bournonite, North Herrodsfoot Mine,
Cornwall, England.
Meeting starts at 7.30PM Arizona time.
LOCATION
TBD
Revealed After Registration & Payment.
December Holiday Jamboree is more than just a party and meeting; it is also election of 2027 Officers and Board and election of 2026 Rockhound of the Year.
HOLIDAY JAMBOREE CONSISTS OF FOLLOWING:
RSVP REGISTRATION & PAY FEE OF
$TBD PER MEMBER PRE-PAYMENT REQUIRED.
* Payment is non-refundable *
REGISTER & PAY:
Log-In to your MSA Profile on msaaz.org,
go to EVENTS tab to complete registration and pay.
DEADLINE TO RSVP REGISTER & PRE-PAY:
December 9, 2026
LIMITED (TBD) PAID MSA MEMBER ONLY EVENT.
Community and Camaraderie: Whether you're a seasoned collector or a curious newcomer, MSA offers a welcoming environment to connect with fellow enthusiasts and deepen your appreciation for the natural world.
Founded 90 years ago, the Mineralogical Society of Arizona (MSA) has long been a hub for rockhounds, mineral collectors, and geology enthusiasts. This milestone anniversary is a tribute to the society’s enduring passion for earth science and its vibrant community of members.
January 21, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
Meeting is on 3rd Thursday.
* No refreshments
MEETING will be In-Person and Zoom.
Program TBA.
April 15, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
APRIL
Mineral of the Month:
TBA
May 20, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
MAY
September 16, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
SEPTEMBER
October 21, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
OCTOBER
November 18, 2027 @ 7.30 pm Arizona time
NOVEMBER
ABOUT MSA
Mineralogical Society of Arizona's purpose is to promote interest and education in Earth Science, and related fields.
CONTACTS
MSAClub1935@msaaz.orgPO Box 54307Phoenix, AZ 85078
SHARE
Copyright © Mineralogical Society of Arizona 2026
