September Presentation: Bisbee – Queen of the Copper Camps and King of Arizona Mineral Localities, by Les Presmyk

by Laura Dwyer, MSDC Member

Bisbee: Queen of the Copper Camps

The copper mines of Morenci, Globe-Miami, and Ray have produced more copper but no mining district in Arizona has produced such an impressive array of minerals, metals or meant so much to the early development of Arizona as the copper mine at Bisbee.

The first mineral discovery occurred in 1877. Mining began in 1880 and a number of mines were established over the next 20 years. The district attracted the interest of Michigan copper mining and in the early 1900s the Calumet and Arizona Mining Company was established with the purchase of the Irish Mag Mine. Along with Phelps-Dodge these two companies would dominate mining in Bisbee for the next 30 years.

With the advent of the Depression and other financial considerations, Phelps Dodge purchased the Calumet and Arizona in the early 1930s and continued mining through 1975 when all of the mines were closed.

Bisbee’s legacy and contribution to the mineral collecting world is profound and known throughout the world. Specimens of azurite, malachite, cuprite, calcite and native copper were preserved from the earliest mining days and grace private and museum collections throughout the world. Bisbee has a list of over 300 species and is type locality to a half dozen.

Speaker Bio

Our speaker for the evening, Les Presmyk is a lifelong Arizonan with over 45 years of mining experience. This experience includes decades as a mining engineer in copper mines with Miami Copper Company in Miami, Arizona, with Magma Copper Company in Superior, Arizona and with coal mines in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico for the Salt River Project, Arizona’s second largest electric utility. In addition to his professional experience, Les has a deep commitment to service, reflected in decades of leadership and active engagement across civic, professional, and volunteer organizations.

He and his wife of 50 years, Paula, are Arizona natives and are both graduates of the University of Arizona. Les has been actively involved in his community of Gilbert, Arizona for over 30 years, serving as an H.O.A. president, Planning Commissioner, and Town Council member for 12 years and additional roles since 2011, including starting and chairing its Veterans Advisory Board. On October 6, 2025, he assumed the role of Arizona’s State Mine Inspector.

Les is chairman of the advisory board for the University of Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resources Education Museum in Phoenix. He is also the recipient of the 2017 Carnegie Mineralogical Award, and the 2023 John S. White Mineral Education Legacy Award and has written numerous articles and co-authored “Collecting Arizona – State of Mines, Legacy of Minerals”.

Inspector Presmyk is a former President of the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, a former President of the Mineralogical Society of Arizona, Chairman of the Flagg Mineral Foundation, a founding member of the University of Arizona Mineral Museum Advisory Board, and a member of the Tucson Show Committee for 40 years, along with being the 2026 Show co-chairman.