PLACE: 3727 E. Blacklidge Drive
TIME:  7:00 p.m. – Tucson, Arizona Time
WHEN: Monday, April 7, 2025

LECTURE: “Fluorite from the Oatman District, Mohave County, Arizona” – The old mining town of Oatman lies in northwestern Arizona, among the dramatic volcanic spires and cliffs of the Black Mountains. In the early 20th century, it was a bustling mining center known for rich gold deposits. The Tom Reed, Gold Road, United Eastern and other mines yielded over $36,000,000 in gold bullion between the years 1907 and 1932. Unfortunately, they offered virtually nothing to the mineral collector.

However, just north of Oatman, centered on Hardy Mountain, are a group of mines which contain abundant crystallized fluorite. The fluorite often occurs as green octahedrons on white quartz. These mines are the most prolific in Arizona for high quality fluorite specimens, the finest of which are comparable to octahedral fluorite from any locality in the US. This presentation will discuss some of the most prolific localities with an emphasis on field collecting.

SPEAKER: Mark Hay – Mark started collecting minerals in the late 1970’s when he worked at the Magma Mine in central Arizona. Magma was an underground, hard rock copper mine known for beautifully crystallized barite, calcite and pyrite. He specializes in Arizona minerals but also has small suites from other US localities. He and Dick Morris, his long-time collecting and business partner, did extensive field collecting in Arizona starting in the mid-1980s. Mark has authored or co-authored over ten articles on Arizona collecting and localities for The Mineralogical Record.

All TGMS Members and Guests (invite a friend) are welcome to attend.

TGMS Members can join via ZOOM by using the TGMS “HUB.” Non TGMS members, if you would like to attend via ZOOM, please contact the TGMS Office, 520-322-5773 or tgms@tgms.org and ask for the link to be sent to you.