The Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) was established by the Arizona Legislature to investigate and describe Arizona's

geology Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth ...

and to educate and inform the public regarding its geologic setting. Each year since 1915, AZGS has released geologic maps, formal reports, and other geology-related publications. In

Tucson Tucson (; ; ) is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and its county seat. It is the second-most populous city in Arizona, behind Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix, with a population of 542,630 in the 2020 United States census. The Tucson ...

, the Survey maintains a geological library comprising more than 15,000 volumes and approximately 100 linear feet of mine files that include newspaper clippings, maps, mine schematics and mine reports; it also maintains a small core repository of donated rock core. In addition, AZGS archives well cuttings of more than 1,000 oil and gas wells on behalf of the Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The AZGS Phoenix branch maintains tens-of-thousands of mine maps and reports acquired in 2011 when the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources merged with AZGS. The Survey main office is located at 1955 East 6th Street, P.O. Box 210184, Tucson, AZ 85721.

History

The Arizona Geological Survey is the latest in a line of academic departments and state agencies serving the people of the

Arizona Territory The Territory of Arizona, commonly known as the Arizona Territory, was a territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863, until February 14, 1912, when the remaining extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the ...

and now the State of Arizona. In 1883, then Territorial Governor Tritle, requested federal assistance in establishing a geologic survey for the

. The

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

responded in 1888 by creating the post of Territorial Geologist of Arizona. The unpaid position of Territorial Geologist first went to John F. Blandy, who served until the mid-1890s. Upon gaining statehood in 1912, the position of Territorial Geologist was abolished. From 1893 until 1915, the role of geologic mapping and reporting was handed off to the

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

Bureau of Mines. In 1915, the Arizona Bureau of Mines was established at the University of Arizona with Charles Willis as its first director.

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

was a fertile time for the Arizona Bureau of Mines. The hunt for strategic metals from large volume, low-grade deposits involved Bureau geologists in research and design of ore concentrating facilities at five major low-grade copper deposits. Following World War II, renewed emphasis on geologic mapping led to the publication of county geologic maps between 1957 and 1960. Territorial and State Geologic Agencies of Arizona from 1888–2007 * 2016–Present: Arizona Geological Survey – Univ. of Arizona * 1988–2006: Arizona Geological Survey – State of Arizona * 1977–1988: Arizona Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology * 1915–1977: Arizona Bureau of Mines * 1893–1915: The University of Arizona Bureau of Mines * 1888–1890, 1898–1912: Office of the Territorial Geologist The 2017 annual budget for the AZGS is $941,000.

References

* Cobb, J., 2008, Association of American State Geologists Centennial History: 1908–2008. American State Geologists, 539 p. {{authority control Geological Survey Geological surveys in the United States Government agencies established in 1988 1883 establishments in Arizona Territory