News Nuggets

Newsletter of the Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club

Volume 50 Number 1

Tucson 2003

The time is rapidly approaching for the 2003 Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. The theme for this year’s show is ‘Gems and Minerals of the Andes’. As most of you already know, this is the big show in the Tucson Convention Center and is sponsored by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society. Other shows, both retail and wholesale, begin February 1 and generally run through February 16. The convention center show is February 13-16. For more information check out some of these links:

tucsonshow.com

tucsonshowguide.com

rockhounds.com

Our own club show ‘Treasures of the Earth 2003’ is also rapidly approaching. This year’s theme mineral is Rhodochrosite. The show dates are March 21-23. The location will be the same as last year at the Flower and School Art Building on the New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Friday is dollar day (no other discounts) and admission on Saturday and

Sunday is $2.00 for adults with kids under 12 free. So get your volunteer hats out and get ready for some fun!

-OG

Shows, Shows, Shows

Dues are Due

It’s renewal time for your 3002 club membership. The mailing label on your News Nuggets should have a 02 or 03 on it indicating which year you have paid for. Please pay for 03 ASAP.

Officers 2003

President- Orlando Garcia, home phone: 345-0520, e-mail: jabog@msn.com

VP-Programs - Grant Kuck, home phone: 323-1520

VP-Field Trips- Kimberly Richie, home phone: 296-8847

VP-Field Trips- Ray DeMark, home phone: 822-8715, e-mail: RayDeMark@msn.com

Editor- Darlene Nelson, Home phone: 271-4694, e-mail: agmcnews@aol.com

VP-Special Events- Hank Miller, home phone: 255-7218, e-mail: rgmhgm2@quest.net

Secretary/Historian- Dave Moats, home phone: 892-8163, e-mail: beepbeep59@hotmail.com

Treasurer- Stephanie Bell, Home phone: 281-7192, e-mail: stephbell22yahoo.com

Show Chair- Paul Hlava, home phone: 255-5478, e-mail: pfhlava@sandia.gov

Jr. Club: Carl Johnson, home phone: 344-3178

Membership- Donna Scott

Please call the appropriate Board member for information regarding club functions.

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 on any information that will promote club activities or that would be of interest to club members. News Nuggets is scheduled to be mailed prior to the monthly meeting. Mail news, articles or comments to: Darlene Nelson, 817 Sagebrush Trail, Albuquerque, NM 87123. E-mail: agmcnews@aol.com.

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 purposes are to exchange information, to further the 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. The general meeting is held on the 4th Monday of the month at 7:30 pm. The Junior Club meets at 6:45 pm prior to the general meeting. The public is welcome to both meetings. Board of Directors meetings are held at 7:30 pm on the first Monday of each month. (Call for location).

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

RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW!!!!!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

2003 will see a major change for the AGMC. We are well on our way toward having our own website. Club members will have access to the News Nuggets with an online password rather than sending the e-version. This will allow people with Internet access to find information about the club without reading field trip information that only goes to club members. We will also be able to publish articles that are usually too long for the normal 12 page newsletter format.

We will still publish a hard copy version of the newsletter but I think the website (agmc.info) will give the club more exposure over the long run. We currently send out 110 hard copies and 95 e-mail copies. Hopefully by the end of 2003 more members will be getting their News Nuggets from the website than by snail mail. This project was something Jim Winchell always talked about and I’m sorry he never saw it come to fruition.

It’s time to plan for Tucson and seeing family there while we attend the convention center show. Dave Moats and I will be looking for some new specimens for our door prizes this year. Mike Potts has been purchasing door prize specimens for the club for about 4 years now and wants to take a break. If you would like to donate any specimens for door prizes or for the silent auctions at this year’s show, don’t be shy, bring them to Dave or me at the next general meeting.

-Orlando

AGMC General Meeting

Monday, 25Nov02

Tonight’s informative and entertaining last meeting of the year, with sixty in attendance, began with the introduction of guests followed by Gwen going over what she is planning for this year’s December 7th Christmas party and getting volunteers for the various activities she is planning.

Orlando thanked the many people whose work and enthusiasm helped make this year a very successful and enjoyable one for our Club.

Paul reminded us of the Show Committee meeting scheduled for the 5th of December and is looking for someone willing to help with setting up publicity with radio and T.V. stations. He stated that the Friday show is so popular that admittance will cost only $1 for everyone. Saturday and Sunday will cost $2 with no discounts. Of the thirty-nine dealers at our show this last year, more than half had made their booth fees on Friday and some had made 5 to 7 times their booth fees! Get in line there’s a waiting list!

Tom Katonak introduced AGMC’s 2003 slate of officers with the addition to last month’s names - Darlene Nelson as our new Editor. Thank you Darlene!

Dues for 2003 are to be paid for this coming year by many.

Dan Lowery, of Albuquerque’s Old Town Turquoise Museum, was present and announced a book signing he will be doing along with Joe P. Lowery on December 7th at the Museum. It is titled "Turquoise Unearthed an Illustrated Guide".

For tonight’s program, Grant introduced fellow club member Tim Tessendorf. Tim grew up near Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Western Illinois University with a B.S. degree in Geology. He then went to work as a Mine Geologist for Reserve Oil and Minerals at the Poison Canyon Operations near Grants, NM. He also worked for the Santa Fe Mining Co., first as an Exploration Coal Geologist at the Lee Ranch Operation and later as a Precious Metal Exploration Geologist throughout the west. He received a certificate in Civil and Surveying Technologies from ABQ TVI and then worked for various Engineering and Architectural firms for the last 13 years. He now works for Jeff Mortensen & Associates, a Surveying and Civil Engineering firm and recently became a licensed Professional Surveyor. Tim has been a member of AGMC since 1996 and is a past Vice President of Field Trips. This past summer he added "Grandpa" to his joys in life.

Tonight’s presentation is from a paper he presented in 1979 at the ABQ Uranium Symposium while working at the Poison Canyon Operation. During this time period many people thought the metal and mineral industries were going to propel us into the Stone Age. But in the 1950’s the U.S. government was working hard to find uranium with scintillation meters and found what they were looking for in the Grant mineral belt. The initial discovery by Patty Martinez, a Navajo sheep herder, was found at Haystack Butte and Poison Canyon where his sheep were inexplicably dying. He explored these areas for indications of uranium and found it! These deaths were proved not as a result of radiation poisoning but from the plant Astragalus (or Rattleweed, also called Loco Weed) that absorbs selenium and is poisonous. Thus began a period of many years with Grants being the center of major uranium exploration and mining concerns. The land was property of the Santa Fe Rail Road and 250,000 tons of ore were mined by the railroad company themselves, which was an unusual situation. The primary uranium minerals are found in the upper Jurassic Period’s Morrison Formation in carbonaceous material such as logs or dinosaur bones representing one of several mineralization periods. Uranium accumulates as uranium minerals are easily taken up and moved by water in solution and redeposits them wherever it finds some organic mater. In the Poison Canyon sandstones, a complex assemblage of crossbedded and locally flat-bedded sandstone units, the primary surface ores of uranium deposition was controlled by lithographic or structural features such as faults and fractures. Once well underground, the mineralization was controlled by solutions that traveled thru the sandstones such as at the contacts between the different porosities of a coarser conglomerate sandstone and a finer sandstone. In the mines, radon gas was the biggest health hazard in the mining of the coffinite ore. Dust causing silicosis was the second highest health hazard. Tyuyamunite, a secondary mineral, and uranophane were also some of the ores. Vanadium oxide fixed the uranium in some instances. In finding the ore bodies, scintillation counters probed from the surface into deep vertical control holes and then in the underground workings six-foot holes were drilled in the walls and prior to blasting were probed with the scintillation counter. Ore grade material could vary from inches to several feet into these holes. The Ambrosia Lake mine needed a lot of roof support in this sandstone and was a very dangerous environment to work in. It was a wet mine and went to a depth of 500 feet to 1500 feet deep and averaged five to twenty pounds of uranium per ton. Tim gave his original talk at the in May of 1979. A short time later the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant incident occurred and the movie "The China Syndrome" was released causing a change in the political environment relating to the uranium industry and thus causing prices to fall dramatically. This price drop shut down the mine and the mine was sealed. Afterwards they used an acid (sulfuric) ion exchange to extract, in solution, the uranium from deep holes drilled into the ore from the surface. Tim states that the Mining Museum in Grants is very realistic and you don’t have to worry about radon gas poisoning or a rock falling on your head. The mine is located on Navajo land but the mineral rights are owned by the Hanson Coal Co. If a large group went there they would be sure to run into Navajos asking them to leave or at least questioning their presence.

After the talk Paul Hlava stated that the yellow mineral, carnotite, is the most common uranium mineral where potassium ties up the uranium in this mineral. He gave the correct pronunciation of tyuyamunite and stated that the name comes from the word "Camel Hill" in Uzbekistan. Paul noted the Grants, NM, area has probably the world’s largest deposit of tyuyamunite.

During the break and after the meeting all were able to see up close two drill bits and two samples of tyuyamunite, one of which was in fossilized dinosaur bone, a quadrangle map of the Grants uranium mining area and a couple of pictures of the mine including some of the personnel, (one identified as Tim in years gone by).

After the refreshment break, we were told that our Club table at the symposium brought in about $100 from mostly donations from Ray DeMark and Loyd Keller.

Chandler Jones, back here after a six month stay in Nova Scotia, brought in many nice giveaway specimens of zeolites and other things he collected while there. Thanks Chan.

Thus concluded (except for the Christmas party) a very enjoyable year with AGMC where we all learned, collected and in general had fun and adventure.

Dave Moats, Secretary

Christmas Dinner

The annual "Holiday Event" was held on December 7 at the UNM Continuing Education Building. Approximately 70 people attended, including several first-timers and new members.

Because of the huge success of the 2002 Treasurers of the Earth show and the silent auction, the club was able to provide the meat (barbeque from Rudy’s), drinks, and cakes. Members brought wonderful salads, vegetables, and extras.

Following dinner, Mistress of Ceremonies Gwen Poe, assisted by Paul Hlava, led several table contests (What WAS the name of Tonto’s horse?). The live and silent auctions raised approximately $400.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by Wayne Holland and his guitar. The evening was concluded with a Christmas carol sing-along led by Wayne.

Gwen and Charlotte send a special thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s event so successful.

2003 GENERAL MEETING CALENDAR

January 27

February 24

March 24

April 28

May 19

June 23

July 28

August 25

September 22

October 27

November 24

December 6 (Installation Dinner)

Blanchard Mine Field Trip Report

The Blanchard mine field trip on the 16th of November was well attended by 35 AGMC stalwarts. The weather could probably best be described as "ideal" with perfectly clear blue skies, no wind, and a tad on the cool side. The Bingham Rock Shop was closed on our arrival at 9:00 a.m. so after Kimberly signed up all the attendees we started out to the mine. We stopped en route and briefly looked at the locations of some of the other mines in the area (Mex-Tex, Hickey #1 and Ora Tunnel) before proceeding to the Blanchard. We stopped at the foot of the mine for a presentation on the history, geology and mineralogy of the area and then consolidated vehicles for the drive up the hill. The plan was to take a tour of the mine area with stops in the Portales area, Sunshine tunnel trench, and the Barrett workings at the top. Following the tour, those wishing to collect underground in the Sunshine #3 adit were divided into two groups of about 12 each. The first group entered underground about 11:30 a.m. through our "easy access" opening through the metal rebar closure. It wasn’t long before hammers were flying and specimens were accumulating. The Sunshine #3 adit has produced very nice specimens of galena, fluorite, gypsum, linarite, and caledonite. Fluorescent calcite (cream-colored) is also found in this adit. Group 2 entered the adit at about 1:30 p.m. and it did not take long before they were actively expanding the tunnel area. John Reinert collected some nice fluorites showing zonation on the octahedral cleavage faces. The triangular purple bands in the gray xtals were very attractive. Most everybody collected some linarite and all were reluctant to leave (especially Grant Kuck). On the surface, colorful specimens of chrysocolla were collected across from the Sunshine #4 adit and Rex Nelson picked up a nice ram’s horn selenite in the Portales area. A brief visit in the Portales adit produced some excellent specimens of the Blanchard blue" fluorite and Suzette Vigil was seen cradling a substantial specimen as she headed out of the mine. The number of bucket collectors seemed down from previous trips although watching Grant Kuck trying to balance a large flat of fluorite on his head caused some concern. All in all, it seemed that everybody had fun and left for home smiling.

Ray DeMark

You might be a rockhound if. . .

The sign on the side of the highway says "Falling Rock" and you pull over to wait.

The severe sunburn from your vacation is a one-inch patch of skin at the gap between the tail of your shirt top and the top of your pants and another on the back of your neck between your collar and your hat.

Your birthday candles are on a slab of amethyst instead of a cake.

A truck throws a rock into the windshield of the family car and you examine the rock first.

You can pronounce the word "molybdenite" correctly on the first try.

You think the primary function of road cuts is for easy mineral collecting.

You associate the word "hard" with a value on the Mohs scale instead of "work".

You lick rocks to show off the wonderful colors.

kpa

Do you have your own "You might be a rockhound if…"? E-mail them to agmcnews@aol.com, or give them to Darlene Nelson at the meeting.

Treasures of the Earth:

Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show 2003

Paul Hlava

TotE 2003 Silent Auction

Our up-coming Show is our Club’s chance to make the most of making enough money to operate the club and give to all the charitable causes we have endeavored to support. One of the high-income producers of our show is the silent auction. Again this year, we do not have any donated collections so have to rely on only individuals within the club for their generous donations. Please support this effort. Now is a good time to be sorting through your collection and parse out those specimens that are inferior but are in need of a "loving, appreciative and good home". There are always people who will regard your "secondary" specimens as prime stuff. Please consider donation of these to our cause. We will even sign a statement you have prepared listing the items and estimated value for tax purposes.

Dave Moats, silent auctioneer

Mystery Mineral

For July, 2002

From the devious mind of Paul Hlava

The Game Plan - I will describe a mineral and you have to guess/decipher/research the name of the mineral and the answers to the other questions asked about uses, history, notable facts, etc. I expect the Top Guns in the club to be able to guess the name off the top of their heads. The learners will need a reference book or two. You will benefit most if you do not ask others for the answers but work it out for yourselves. When you have decided on the name you can compare notes with others or wait for the answers to be announced at the meetings or published in the News Nuggets. Good luck and have fun.

This Month’s Mystery Mineral is-

a native element that forms cubic crystals deep within the Earth under great heat and pressure. The crystals have perfect, octahedral cleavage (A little known fact is they also have poor dodecahedral and even cubic cleavages), they are Brittle, Fracture = conchoidal; Hardness = 10; Gravity = 3.51; Luster = adamantine; Color = colorless or white, yellow to brown to black; other colors such as pink, red, blue, green, orange, and violet are quite rare.

Questions

What is the name of the mineral?

What is the chemistry of the mineral?

What is the origin of the name?

What is the mineral used for?

What kind of rock is it usually found in?

What other kinds of deposits may it be found in?

(Toughie - What kind of rocks does it originate in?)

Localities - (Just list the famous ones)

--NM -

--USA -

--World -

Answers to Last Month’s Questions

What is the name of the mineral? Ice

What is the chemistry of the mineral? H2O

What is the origin of the name? An old name related to middle English, Old English, Dutch, and German names for the material.

What is the mineral used for? It has a wide variety of cooling applications from large industrial ones to chilling personal beverages. In both large, massive sheets and expansive

aggregates of small crystals it is used by a variety of sports. It is also a major source of water that is released slowly from deposits on mountains and soaks into the ground and collects in streams and lakes, all of which we use as reservoirs.

Localities - (Just list the famous ones)

--NM - none noteworthy

--USA - Alaska

--World - Antarctica, Greenland, the Alps, etc.

Paul Hlava 030110

LEWIS AND CLARK-DISCOVERING THE WAY, AGAIN
From Brenda Hankins, AD-Hoc Committee Chair
AFMS Newsletter, September 2002

What first motivated you to (be a rockhound)? What was the defining moment when some aspect of our hobby became for you more than part of the background? With what do you associate the beginning of your rockhound hobby?…

Maybe for you it was as simple as waking up on Saturday morning and knowing that your family was going on a field trip. Or, perhaps, you were sent to "time out," and, with very little else to do, you began to notice how the pebbles under your feet varied in color and pattern. …

Most of us participated in some type of event or had an experience that … related to rocks, minerals, or fossils. That event … then caused us to give the rockhound hobby a second glance. Once inspired, we worked to learn more and to find others who were also interested in the hobby. Before long, we were amazed at how many card-carrying rockhounds there were and how long they had been at it.

And the good news is that there may soon be even more card carrying rockhounds. As thousands of people participate in the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, they will participate in events and have experiences that may cause them to want to know more about the rockhound hobby. All along the Trail from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean, there will be many opportunities for people to take a longer and closer look at rocks,minerals, and fossils. As these "tourists" read the AFMS publication describing the general geology of the Trail area, they may find they, too, want to become rockhounds.

The publication will be sent to the publisher April 1, 2003, and many people are already hard at work in production. The AFMS Lewis & Clark Committee needs a few more rockhounds to lighten the load and share the honors. If you know any of the following regional coordinators, please contact them. Ask what you can do to help; tell them if you want a big job or a little job. And, if you are already overwhelmed with your own work schedule right now, just contact them and give them your support and encouragement! California: Izzie Burns; Eastern: Mike Hakulin, Sr.; Midwest: Robert Morse & Margaret Pearson; Northwest: Shirley Leeson & Dee Holland; Rocky Mountain: Dan Lingle
bach; South Central: Joyce Speed; and Southeast: Diane Dare.

Lewis and Clark opened the West by leading the American people toward a new place with a new spirit. All of what was best about the United States was needed to face the challenges and earn the rewards that went with them. Perhaps our local clubs will be refreshed and reinforced by new people heading to a new place with a new spirit.

Converted rockhounds - eager, interested, dedicated. All of what has been best about the local clubs and the regional federations will be needed to face the challenges and earn the rewards that will come with these new members. How can we go wrong: Lewis and Clark are discovering the way, again!

American Federation of Mineralogical Societies
Code of Ethics

I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without the owner's permission.

I will keep informed on all laws, regulations or rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them.

I will, to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect.

I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas.

I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - fences, signs, buildings, etc.

I will leave all gates as found.

I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area.

I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc.

I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock.

I will not contaminate wells, creeks, or other water supplies.

I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use.

I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found.

I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have collected and will recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others

I will cooperate with field-trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas.

I will report to my club or federation officers, Bureau of Land Management or other authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes.

I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources.

I will observe the "Golden Rule," will use "Good Outdoor Manners," and will at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and public "image" of rockhounds everywhere.

Enclosed is your club membership form for 2003. Please include all the names to be included in your household membership. This information is required by the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies A.F.M.S. for insurance and dues purposes. Annual Dues are $20.00 per household and $10.00 per family for memberships from June 30, 2003-December 31, 2003.

Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club

Membership Form

Last Name_____________________________ Renewal from 2002? Y N

Senior Member Names: 1.___________________________

2.___________________________

Junior Member Names: 1.___________________age______

2.___________________age______

3.___________________age______

If this is a renewal, is the News Nuggets going to the proper address? Y N

Please fill in the following information

Mailing Address: ______________________Apt. # ________

City:____________________ State: _______ ZIP + 4: _______-_____

Phone: (_____) _____-______ Please include. This is only for club use and not for any other purpose

e-mail Address: _____________________________

Annual Dues: Dues are $20.00 per family.

Send this form and check to: AGMC

PO Box 13718,

Albuquerque, NM 87192

ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED

Courtney Porreca, a senior at UNM, and Joel Bensing, a senior at New Mexico Tech, were each awarded a $1,000.00 Scholarship at the club installation dinner December 7.

Courtney is a senior who is double majoring in both geology and archaeology. She is currently pursuing an undergraduate honors thesis in which she is studying the mineral content of clays used by pueblo Indians for making pottery -She is trying to determine why some clays work for making pottery while others do not.

Joel grew up in Hobbs, New Mexico. He started at Tech in the fall of 1999. After Tech he plans to go to graduate school to complete a Ph.D. His career goal is to teach at the college level. He is currently working on a senior thesis in sedimentary diagenesis with Dr P. Mozley

SPEAKER FOR JANUARY 27 - To be announced at the meeting.

NEXT MEETING: January 27, 2003. All meetings are held at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and The Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club meets on the 4th Monday of every month (except Sciences, 1801 Mountain Road NW in Old Town, Albuquerque, NM. The entrance is on 18th Street. The meeting begins at approximately 7:30 PM. There will be a short business meeting prior to the evening’s talk, which begins at approximately 8 PM.

Refreshments and door prizes will follow immediately after the talk. We have the room till 10:00 PM.

Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club

Darlene Nelson, Editor

PO Box 13718

Albuquerque, NM 87192-3718