The Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club meets on the 4^th Monday of the month. All meetings are held at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, 1801 Mountain Road NW in Old Town, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The entrance is on 18^th Street. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Sandia Room on the 2^nd floor. There is a short business meeting prior to the evening’s presentation, which begins at approximately 8:00 p.m.

The title of April’s talk sure sounds epic in proportions. Let’s say that this will be a broad brush overview of the subject. And I plan to concentrate on the ABQ area. I plan to show colorful geologic maps of the state and explain what the various colors represent. Then I’ll introduce you to the various geologic provinces of NM. One slide will mention the economic materials found in each of these provinces. Then I shall take you quickly through the time scale and point out the areas when the appropriate rocks outcrop and what kind of life existed then.

Most of my talk will concern the Rio Grande Rift. I’ll describe what rifts are and where some are all over the world. I plan to show the rift areas of the state and how the rift has controlled the geology with a heavy hand. And a cross section through the ABQ area shows some mighty impressive things. Don’t miss this opportunity to get familiar with “The Broad View of The Geology of New Mexico.”

I hope to see you all there.

Paul Hlava, 100415

By the time you get this news letter the TotE Show 2010 will be over and what a grand success I'm sure it will be. A BIG thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to make this happen next weekend. With this big event behind us we can settle down and relax, until the club picnic in July.

And that is all I can think of to say, so I won't say any more.

Jay Penn

Call to Order: President Jay Penn called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

Welcome: Jay Penn welcomed 4 newcomers to the meeting and asked how they found out about AGMC. One man indicated that he searched for it on the Internet.

Announcements: Jay Penn said that he has been asked by museum staff to remind members that they are not to wander the museum on the nights of our meetings. A member indicated that if the club needs flats for rock specimens that Vitamin Cottage has some for the taking. Thanks to Sandy Keys for tonight’s refreshments.

Newsletter: Editor Bill Barr indicated that this last issue was the first that he sent from his computer. He said that members should contact him if there was a problem in receiving it. He thanked everyone for their ideas and articles. He encouraged members to submit ideas & articles.

Field Trips: Brian Anderson reported that Jim Hill checked out Kinney Brick Quarry, the area scheduled for the March 27^th field trip. He found the area to be too muddy and snow-filled to collect. There will still be a field trip, but we are going to plan B, to the Quebrados area off the Lemitar exit near Socorro. More information will be sent via email.

April’s field trip will be changed because the Dictator Mine and Paramount Canyon are under claim. April’s field trip will be to the Nakaye mine. Rex Nelson has provided samples to look at for those items that can be collected. Details are in the March News Nuggets.

Treasurer: Amy Penn indicated that she has the Rhodochrosite DVD if anyone is interested in borrowing it. She reported that the Crystal Cave one is damaged. Paul Hlava asked what the cost of a new one would be.

Membership: Robair Lobato said that the company doing our nametags still did not have any plastic to make up the current requests.

Junior Club, “Rock Retrievers”: Jim Hill reported that there were 20 junior members at tonight’s meeting, including 4 new members. They mounted crystals on wooden blocks. They used three crystal kits and 15 of the kids made crystals. One member brought in 4 samples to mount. The juniors voted “Rock Retrievers” as their name.

There is a sign-up list for junior club tables at the TOTE Show. Jim requested volunteers to staff it. Only people 18 and under can buy items there.

TotE Show: Paul Hlava reminded members that the show is 2 weeks away and volunteers are

still needed. The TotE Show will be held at Expo New Mexico in the Creative Arts building. Bill Barr could use come nice donations for the silent auction. Kimberly Richie needs 2 more volunteers for admissions for the Saturday

4 p.m. time slot. Hank Miller needs 2 more volunteers for the raffle. John Reinert needs more security for overnights, especially Saturday night. Grant Kuck needs people for set-up and tear down. More trucks are needed to transport tables and chairs. (Phone numbers for these individuals are in the News Nuggets.

Food for TotE Show: Gwen Poe indicated that food items would be available for workers at the show. On Thursday, coffee and doughnuts would be available in the morning and either sub sandwiches or pizza for lunch. Potluck set-up will be at 5:00 p.m. Greeters are needed on Thursday.

Old Business: None

New Business: None

Introduction of Speaker: Bruce Owens introduced our very own speaker, Todd Brown. Bruce mentioned Todd and Pat Brown’s area that they built and their connection to mining. Todd’s presentation was about Gold Mining and Ghost Towns of New Mexico.

This was a fun-filled evening of exploration into New Mexico’s many old mining towns, with anecdotes about the town’s riches and history. Members gained insight into the many techniques of gold mining and the tools to extract the precious metal.

Meeting Adjourned

Respectfully submitted,

Carmen Taylor, AGMC Secretary

The March Jr. Club meeting was attended by 20 Jr. members including 4 new members! The meeting began with preparing the crystals that the kids grew for the TotE show. It was the first time the kids saw their crystals since starting

them back in February. Some of the crystals grew not only on the starter rocks, but all up and over the sides of the growing container. With pliers and steady hands, the kids crimped off the excess crystals (saving them so that they can be grown again), made labels, and with Jim’s help, glued their specimens to wooden blocks.

Once all the crystals were done, we placed them on a table and asked the kids to stand behind the crystals they had grown. Pictures

were taken for a future edition of a national science magazine (!!).

Throughout the meeting, there were drawings for door prizes, and guess what! Everyone won a mineral specimen to take home. Thank you to all who have donated specimens for the kids. This is a great way for them to start a really nice collection, and also gives them great specimens to display in competitions.

Finally, after months of not knowing what to call our Jr. Club, we took a vote and now have an official name – the AGMC Jr. Club Rock Retrievers. Now we need a logo…any ideas??

Jim Hill and Earlene Shroyer

On a cold and windy Saturday, 27 intrepid club members met at Lemitar for a fossil hunt. We then drove 9 miles east on the Quebradas Byway road to the fossil-bearing mountainside. The wind blew and it snowed but no one gave up and everyone found small treasures to take home. They were the same color as the limestone so we had to look for their shapes. We found horn coral, gastropods, crinoids and brachiopods. By 3 o’clock we were tired and left the mountain for Socorro and food. Thanks to Grant Kuck for showing me the location and accompanying me to check on it before the trip.

Jim Hill

The destination for next month's field trip has been changed. The two locations originally planned are currently under claim. I have not been able to get permission for going to either the Dictator Mine or the digging site at Paramount Canyon; consequently, the new field trip site will be as announced below. I apologize if this has created any inconvenience for those who planned to attend either of these trips.

April's field trip will be to the Nakaye Mine in the Derry District of Sierra County.

The gathering point is on the east side of the bridge at Exit 51 on I-25 South. This is about 2-1/2 to 3 hours south of Albuquerque, or about 10 miles south of the Caballo Reservoir. We will commence gathering around 9:00 a.m. and depart for the mine at 9:30. The approximate 4 miles of dirt and gravel road is passable with standard city vehicles but is rough and steep in some areas. Once we get to the mine area, we will carpool in 4-wheel drive vehicles the last quarter mile to the mine. Hiking up the hill is an option for hardy souls.

Due to the dangers of this area, children must be constantly supervised.

This is a remote site with "NO" facilities. Bring adequate food, water, and toiletries to meet your needs.

There are accessible and adequate underground workings, surface workings, and waste piles for everyone. Hard hats, lights, and goggles are required for underground work. Suggested materials, in addition to these, are picks, hammers, shovels, pry bars, gloves, whisk brooms, and wrapping materials for reserving specimens.

Fluorite, barite and calcite are the primary collectable minerals at the Nakaye. The fluorite can be gray to intense blue and needs protection from direct light. The purple fluorite tends to fade to a rose wine color and is frequently found on the waste piles in association with dark barite. The barite is unusual and can be strikingly beautiful. It is unique as it contains minute crystals of included pyrite, giving it an olive-green color.

Specimens typical for collecting at this site will be made available for viewing at the meeting place. The club's collecting ethics are to be observed at this site. These will be reviewed at the meeting place.

The meeting place for the Squaw Creek Mine field trip will be at the gravel storage site immediately west of Exit 89 on I-25 South. This is the Cuchillo and Winston exit. We will commence gathering at approximately 9:00 a.m. and depart at 9:30 a.m. The distance to the collecting site is approximately 60 miles, most of which is paved state roads. FR 677/668 to the mine is in good condition as of now but is relatively rough. I believe it will be passable for most street vehicles until the last 100-200 yards. The final distance can easily be traveled by foot. The mine is approximately 150 feet up a fairly steep hill but can be taken slowly.

The collecting here is mostly in waste piles for small pieces of rock with cassiterite and specularite (hematite) crystals. There are other micro minerals to collect here so it would be wise to bring a loupe and some wrapping tissue. Tools to collect in tailings are useful here as are hammers for breaking and digging in hard rock. There is a small mine tunnel as well as steep rock faces and overhangs to dig in, although the usual safety equipment will be required. Everything needed for the Nakaye mine collecting could be useful here. For those with Jim Hill’s small 3-pronged rakes, I would suggest bringing them.

As a final note, fill your gas tank and water bottles. Bring adequate TP and foodstuffs for your needs. This particular mine is not a safe place for small children. En route, we will stop in Winston at the small store for a final check of needs. The mine site is in a beautiful area with a small stream in the canyon. Weather permitting, it would make a wonderful picnic area and camping chairs are suggested.

Hotel rooms are relatively cheap at Williamsburg south of T or C. The number for the Chamber of Commerce is 505-894-3536. You may inquire there for motel information. For RV owners and campers there are reasonably priced cabins and RV hook-ups at the Lakeview RV Park off of I-25 near exit 63. There are only 2 cabins but each has a set of bunk beds and a regular size bed. (Bring your own covers or sleeping bags and pillows). Each cabin has one electric duplex. Space heaters are available in each cabin. The one overhead light is pretty dim.

When I last checked they rented for $25/night. That is only about $9.00/person/night for people who team up and share a cabin.

See you at the meeting place, Rex Nelson

We will be working on a unit about Lapidary Arts. We will discuss selecting material for making cabochons (round stones for mounting in rings and other jewelry), how they are mounted for grinding and polishing, and workshop safety while working on them. We are also planning a fieldtrip to Michael and Janey Johnson’s to polish a cabochon of our own.

The planned date for the trip is Saturday, May 1; more details to come in an email.

Earlene and Jim

We are invited to the claims of Donna Ware and Jeff Self, who have allowed our club to collect on their claims several times in the past. This year we will be in the Tarryall Mountains,†near†the town of Lake George, Colorado, looking for topaz, amazonite and smoky quartz.

On Saturday the 15th we will meet at 9:00 a.m. at the intersection of US 24 and CR 77, which is just west of Lake George. From Albuquerque you can take I-25 north to Colorado Springs, then US 24 west to Lake George, or for a more scenic route you can take US 285 north from Santa Fe. Just south of Buena Vista, Colorado US 285 and US 24 become one heading northeast, then US 24 splits off eastward to Lake George. From the meeting place we will travel about 1/2 hour to the topaz claim. At this location there is lots of room for motor homes, campers, fifth wheels, tents, etc. Pets are OK if well behaved. This is dry camping, i.e. no water, no electricity, no facilities of any kind. On Sunday we can commute to the Crystal Peak claim to collect amazonite and smoky quartz or stay where we are and spend a second day topaz hunting.†

There are "60's style" motels in Lake George, the nearest grocery store is in Divide. Nicer motels, restaurants, etc. can be found in Woodland Park located on US 24. Bring sun screen, shovels, picks, rock hammers, TP, wide brim hats, warm clothing, water, food, news paper/paper towels/TP for wrapping your finds, and anything else you might need to dig for mineral specimens and get them home undamaged. Remember, this is the Colorado

Rockies, so be prepared for any weather conditions from snow to baking heat.

Donna and Jeff are great people with big hearts but these are their claims that they pay to maintain. We need to respect and follow any

rules or direction they offer, and of course they have first rights to anything we find. As Donna puts it, "Anything small you can keep, but if you find something big we are partners."

Donna and Jeff are planning to be at the topaz site a few days before our field trip so anyone is welcome to come early; we just need to let them know. If you are planning on coming on this field trip please RSVP to Jay.

Also, they extended an invitation to any AGMC member who is interested in collecting with them on Mount Antero between mid July and the end of August. This would not be an AGMC event; if interested I'll pass their phone number on to you.

Jay Penn, 883-4195

el.chivo.viejo@earthlink.net

The show set up was fun. Many helping hands showed up (making it more fun)… Thanks to each and everyone.

We had coffee & donuts throughout the morning, subway sandwiches for lunch and then G/M hosted the dealers for dinner.

The club provided Rudy’s BBQ and ham, dessert, punch and coffee. Club members brought side dishes and we had a nice variety for everyone. The dinner count was about 114.

Following dinner, the needed tables were moved to the silent auction area. Several tables were left to use as respite areas and daily coffee/donuts/snacks breaks. Caroline, Marie, Ed, and I provided a.m. snacks & supplies. I had a “tip” box and more than approx. $21 was received. We had access to the dressing room

and small sinks. Storage was not secure but it went fine. The “behind the curtain” space was nice. Comments from visitors & vendors were a like for the venue. – Gwen Poe

This year’s TotE show featured a number of firsts – a new date, in April instead of March – the first time in a new facility, the Creative Arts Building – and (big deal, eh?) somebody new in charge of the silent auction.

That would be your fearless editor, who trained last year with the help of Rex Nelson, aided by Jim Van Loan, Grant Kuck and Jim Hill. All those folks showed up big-time again this year, along with former auction leaders Mike (and Janey!) Johnson and Mike Potts, veteran Jake Jacobs and newcomer Tom Williams. Our efforts benefited immensely from the energy and enthusiasm of Rachel Shroyer.

No silent auction can be a success without plenty of good material. Special thanks for their generous donations go to John and Laurie Scully, Ray DeMark and Rex Johnson, who all gave not only in quantity, but in quality specimens that were eagerly sought by our buyers. Jim Van Loan chipped in with many items, not least an overstuffed flat that was turned into three mixed mineral flats, all of which sold after multiple bids. There was plenty of other material – I don’t know where it all came from, but thanks to everyone who helped put out such an impressive array of offerings.

Because of this outpouring, and a few strategic announcements from “behind the curtain,” the crowds at the auction were excellent throughout the show. Thanks are also due to our dealers who participated by buying tables; the Massis family, Douglass Minerals and John Be Crystals all had a table in each auction, and several others participated as well.

The results? I don’t want to steal our treasurer’s thunder, but I hear rumblings of a new sales record, so we must thank the buyers, too! – Bill Barr

The show is history and I think it went quite well. The new building is so much better than the old that we had club members, dealers, and even customers saying how nice it was. So, OK, we will stay there.

The show committee and board of directors have to chat about the date for next year. If’n ya have input, talk to one of us.

I was amazed at the turnout we had for set-up. Thirty hard working folks and one lazy old coot on a scooter (I’ll tell you that it was a life saver for me!).

I heard that tear-down went well also. But I’ll be getting more details.

It will be a week or so before we have all the numbers as to attendance, sales, expenses, etc. That means you’ll have to suffer through another of my show reports.

Until then....

Oh, I gotta thank everyone for the excellent cooperation. I’ll try to remember to do that in detail in the next report.

Paul Hlava

100415

For sale: a MSA miners cap lamp and charger. It is MSHA approved for mining environments, dual lamp filaments, and 4 volt lead acid spill-proof battery. The charger is for 115 or 230 volts and has battery maintenance circuit built in. $100.00 – Jim Hill 865-2914 or see me at the AGMC meeting

24" slab saw, very good condition, nearly new blade, located in Deming, NM, $2950 OBO, Maurice and Judy Crawford (575) 546-0056 or (760) 417-1249

DIAMONDS ARE A……

Petrus and Ernestine Ramoboa have a 20 ft. claim in Lesotho, South Africa. They are diamond miners who now and then turn up a sliver of the gem. On a certain day, Ernestine found more than a sliver, a stone big as an egg. The nearest village was 110 miles away but the couple had time and set forth on foot. It took four days and four nights over crude dirt roads and mountain trails.

The couple learned that what they found was only the seventh largest diamond ever known, 601 carats. It sold for $302,400 but the Ramoboas got half as a shareholder.

It’s fun to note what Ramoboa purchased; blankets and frying pans for the house-hold; a suit and shoes for himself; and fake fur coat for his wife. He topped these purchases with a Land-Rover and all of us non-diamond hunters could appreciate this as an excellent investment.

In the meantime, the stone changed hands twice again and the fourth owner was Jeweler, Harry Winston of New York. He paid $649,600. Harry Winston was a thoughtful man and invited the Ramoboas to come to New York. Mr. Winston thought the Ramoboas would enjoy seeing the process whereby the stone would be cut up and made into 500 engagement rings eventually.

I do wish more had been written about their experience to New York but the feeling is the couple wasn’t at all impressed. True to modern travel, their baggage was lost at London Airport; the new suit didn’t fit (this wasn’t explained either); and the shoes irritated him. The long flight made them weary, bewildered and hungry. (We always thought hostesses spent most of their time feeding passengers.)

Ernestine glanced at the jewelry displayed in Winston’s and commented aloud, “Who’d want to buy that?” (Life Mag., Nov. 10, ‘67)

Here are events located in NM, TX, OK, CO, UT and AZ for the near future.

You can see a more comprehensive list at: www.rockngem.com/showdates.asp.

23-25--DENVER, CO: Spring show, "Colorado Mineral & Fossil Show"; Martin Zinn Expositions LLC; Holiday Inn Denver Central, 4849 Bannock St.; free admission; 80 wholesale and retail dealers, minerals, fossils, gems, jewelry; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; contact Martin Zinn Expositions, P.O. Box 665, Bernalillo, NM 87004-0665, fax (303) 223-3478; e-mail: mzexpos@aol.com; Web site: www.mzexpos.com

23-25--SALT LAKE CITY, UT: Show, "Festival of Gems"; Wasatch Gem Society; Utah State Fair Park, 115 North 10th West, Zion Bldg.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $2, children free; displays, lapidary demonstrations, grab bags, Wheel of Fortune, silent auction, door prizes, gem and mineral dealers; contact Jeff Huefner, 801-467-6850; e-mail: WGSShow

@gmail.com; Web site: wasatchgemsociety.com

24-25--WACO, TX: 50th annual show; Waco Gem & Mineral Club; TSTC Industrial Trade Center; Sat. 10-5:30, Sun. 10-5; adults $5 (both days), students $1; contact Kay Coleman, 118 County Rd. 540, Fairfield, TX 75840, (903) 389-8311

30-2--HOUSTON, TX: 2nd annual show, "Houston Fine Mineral Show"; Embassy Suites Hotel, near The Galleria; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; more than 50 dealers; contact Dave

Waisman, P.O. Box 8543, Spokane, WA 99203; Web site: www.finemineralshow.com

1-2--FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ: Show, "Fountain Hills Gem & Mineral Show"; O.B. Rocks & Minerals; Fountain Hills Community Center, 13001 N. La Montana Dr.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; free admission; contact Rick Obermiller, 1332 N. Jesse St., Chandler, AZ 85225, (602) 826-2218; e-mail: obrocks@gmail.com

1-2--LUBBOCK, TX: Show; Lubbock Gem & Mineral Society; Lubbock Civic Center, 1501 Mac Davis Ln.; Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $4, students (6-12) $2, children under 6 free with adult; door prizes, children's "Spinning Wheel", demonstrations, sphere making, wire wrapping, silent auction, club displays, dealers, beads, jewelry, minerals, carvings, rough and polished rocks; contact Archie Scott, 2709 Belvedere Rd., Levelland, TX 79336, (806) 894-1584; e-mail: archie.scott73@yahoo.com; Web site: http://lgmstx.org

14-16--ENID, OK: Annual swap; Enid Gem & Mineral Society; Oakwood Mall, 4125 W. Owen K. Garriott Rd.; silent auction, kids' area, lapidary work, rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry; Fri. 10-8, Sat. 10-8, Sun. 12-5; contact Stan Nowak, (580) 484-2785; e-mail: snowak48@yahoo.com

20--ALBUQUERQUE, NM: Show, "Rings & Things Bead Tour"; Rings & Things; MCM Elegante Hotel, 2020 Menaul NE; Thu. 12-4; free admission; gemstones, bead strands, wholesale prices, findings, stringing supplies; contact Dave Robertson, (800) 366-2156; e-mail: drobertson@rings-things.com; Web site: www.rings-things.com

A few folks emailed me that they read the Mystery Mineral and try to decipher the mineral names. Email me at paulhlava@q.com and let me know your guesses by copying the Questions below and answering them. This includes AGMC members and everyone else who reads ”News Nuggets”. I have gotten very few responses, folks. EMAIL me at paulhlava@q.com! I have been gratified by folks responding that they WORK at these minerals. Good, that IS the idea. This way you learn about them.

The Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club was organized on January 22, 1944. The club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and enjoyment of the Earth Sciences and associated subjects. Its primary purpose is the exchange of information and the furtherance of knowledge of Mineralogy, Fossils, Geology, Rock Cutting and Gem Faceting and to stimulate interest in the development of these studies.

All meetings are held at the NM Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, NM. The general meeting is held on the 4^th Monday of the month (unless otherwise announced) at 7:30 p.m. The Junior Club meets at 6:30 p.m. prior to the general meeting. The public is welcome at both meetings.

Board of Directors meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. All club members are welcome.

All memberships are family memberships and include all members of the household. Dues are $20. Send checks to the AGMC, P.O. Box 13718, Albuquerque, NM 87192-3718 or pay the Membership Chair at the monthly meeting. All memberships expire Dec 31.

The Club Newsletter: News Nuggets exists to assist the membership in communications and to provide information on club activities. Contributions from all members are welcome for any information that will promote club activities or that would be of interest to club members. News Nuggets is scheduled to be mailed approximately one week prior to the monthly meeting. You are cordially invited to send news, articles or comments to: Bill Barr, wbarr@umich.edu.

Please begin the subject line with AGMC.

Instructions for entering the Members' Page are provided in the new member packet.

Treasurer: el.chivo.viejo@earthlink.net

robair1952@yahoo.com

Abqfoxbutt@aol.com

klawicki@gmail.com