Harborlite Quarry

Superior, Pinal Co., AZ

On Saturday, Feb. 14 Phil picked me up at my daughter’s house for another day of collecting. Our first stop was at the Harborlite Quarry, which is just south of US 60, about 4 miles west of Superior. There’s a sign for the Superior Airport.

When you turn at the sign, the quarry is visible.

Here perlite, a variety of opal, is mined for use in insulation, etc. There are nodules of obsidian, known as “apache tears” throughout the perlite, and most come out easily when the perlite is crushed. They are found loose on the ground. We were able to pick up a large quantity of them in a short time.

This is a working quarry, so it can only be visited on weekends. GPS coordinates are 33 degrees 16.436’N, -111 degrees 07.733’W.

Phil Smith in the quarry

“Apache tears” loose on the ground.

On to the next field trip, the Ray Mine

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