Minerals of AZ Symposium

2021 Symposium Poster

The Foundation sponsors the annual Minerals of Arizona Symposium. This symposium is usually held in either March or April and features a variety of interesting presentations on minerals, mineral collecting, new and classic localities, and mining history. In addition, the symposium includes a mineral sale/silent auction where collector quality specimens and other items are available to attendees.   

Poster design by Don Boushelle

2023 Symposium Information

The 30th Flagg Mineral Foundation Minerals of Arizona Symposium will be held Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, 2023. The venue will be the Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resource Education Museum at 1502 W. Washington, Phoenix, Arizona.

This years symposium marks the 30th anniversary of this event! The symposium will have a two day format this year and will include mineral sales, lectures, and a variety of other mineral related events. The symposium is scheduled for March 31st and April 1st, 2023 and will take place at the Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resource Education Museum, 1502 W. Washington, Phoenix, Arizona.

The registration fee will be $75/person for FMF members and $85/person for non-members
   – teachers will receive a $10 discount
The registration fee for students is $40
Registration includes refreshments for Friday & Saturday, lunch on Saturday and Symposium proceedings.

2023 Registration Form – click here for printable form

Poster/Cover Design by Don Boushelle

Agenda:
Friday, March 31st

9:00-1:00PM
Dealer Set-up
1:00-2:00PM
Mining Equipment Demonstration - Bill Yedowitz and crew
2:00-2:45PM
Barbara Muntyan – The One Percent Rule, Specimen Retrieval in the Pikes Peak Granite, Colorado
2:45-3:30PM
Les Presmyk – Collecting Adventures from the Red Cloud to Brushy Creek Mine, Viburnum, Missouri
3:30-5:00PM
Registration and Dealer Sales

Saturday, April 1st
Program: Presentations and mineral sales

7:30-8:30AM
Registration and Dealer Sales
8:30-8:45AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks – Catie Sandoval and Les Presmyk
8:45-9:30AM
Dr. Stan Celestian - Daisy Mountain Project - Collecting to Build Teacher and Educational Earth Science Kits
9:30-10:15AM
Tony Potucek – The Minerals of the San Pedro Mine, New Placers District, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
10:15-10:30AM
Morning Break and Dealer Sales
10:30-11:15AM
Gary Fleck - The Fabulous Grey Horse Vanadinite Adventure
11:15-12:00PM
Jeff Langland - Arizona Fossil Collecting, Following in my Father’s Footsteps
12:00-1:00PM
Lunch
1:00-1:45PM
Graham Sutton - Collecting Adventures in the Southwest and in China
1:45-2:30PM
Steve Scott - Field Collecting, Apex Mine, St. George, Utah
2:30-2:45PM
Afternoon Break and Dealer Sales
2:45-3:30PM
Dr. John Rakovan - The Discovery of the Rhode Island Amethyst Scepters
3:30-4:15PM
Jeff Scovil - Collecting in Connecticut Quarries
4:15-5:00PM
Jeff Smith - Geode Heaven: 21 Years and 18 Treasure Hunting Trips to one of the World's Most Famous Geode Mines, Las Choyas, Chihuahua, Mexico
5:00-5:30PM
Dealer Sales

There will be mineral sales by a variety of dealers Friday afternoon and all day on Saturday


Symposium History

The following is a summary of the first thirty years of the Minerals of Arizona Symposium. For each symposium the year, co-chair, chair, and location are given.

1 – 1993 – Glenn Miller/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
2 – 1994 – Glenn Miller/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
3 – 1995 – Glenn Miller/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
4 – 1996 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
5 – 1997 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
6 – 1998 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
7 – 1999 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
8 – 2000 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
9 – 2001 – Kristen Cecchi/Ray Grant – Mesa Southwest Museum
10 – 2002 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
11 – 2003 – Anna Domitrovic/Ray Grant – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
12 – 2004 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
13 – 2005 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
14 – 2006 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
15 – 2007 – Susan Celestian/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
16 – 2008 – Jan Rasmussen/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
17 – 2009 – Jan Rasmussen/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
18 – 2010 – Jan Rasmussen/Ray Grant – Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
19 – 2011 – Anna Domitrovic/Ray Grant – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
20 – 2012 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Clarion Hotel, Phoenix
21 – 2013 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Clarion Hotel, Phoenix
22 – 2014 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Clarion Hotel, Phoenix
23 – 2015 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Clarion Hotel, Phoenix
24 – 2016 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Quality Inn Phoenix-Chandler
25 – 2017 – Anna Domitrovic & Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
26 – 2018 – Phil Richardson/Ray Grant – Drury Inn & Suites – Phoenix Tempe
27 – 2019 – Phil Richardson/Les Presmyk – Drury Inn & Suites – Phoenix Chandler Fashion Center
28 – 2021 – Les Presmyk/Eric Fritz/Susan Leib – UArizona Alfie Norville Gem and Mineral Museum
29 – 2022 -Les Presmyk/Catie Carter-Sandoval – Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resource Education Museum
30 – 2023 -Les Presmyk/Catie Carter-Sandoval – Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resource Education Museum

A database of speakers and their topics for each symposium are listed in the index.

Speaker abstracts and/or other information on the symposium may be found here by clicking on a year.
additional abstracts are currently being compiled and will appear as a link

2023
2022
2021

2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005

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