As this bit goes to press (or into cyberspace) preparations for our Treasures of the Earth Show are in full swing and into the final countdown to the opening on March 16^th. Staffing at the admissions desk, for the Raffle, and at the Junior Table is still a bit thin. In order for everyone in the club to enjoy the show and shop for the fabulous offerings presented by the dealers some help is in order. Call Kimberly Richie (385-9536]), Hank Miller (255-7218), or Jay Penn (883-4195) to offer assistance with these tasks. To know us is to love us, and that makes this a perfect opportunity for new members especially to get better acquainted with the sterling individuals that keep this club vital and fun for all, so don’t be shy!!!

For one reason or another I missed out on more field trips last year than I wanted to, so this year I’m hungry for the hunt. Rex and Grant have got some good ones scheduled, including several to locations I’ve never been to. It’s taxing my discipline to not focus on the upcoming trip to Orogrande right now, but it will be a nice reward for all the extra duty during the TOTE Show. And rewards are sweeter when I remember that old bit about business before pleasure.

Enough already. We’ll be at EXPO NM enjoying ourselves, so whether to work, or work your silver pick, or both, we look forward to seeing you at the Show!

Suzanne Seymour

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One of the wonderful gifts of being part of a club team is the participation and caring that goes on behind the scenes. With great appreciation of accepting the position of editor for your newsletter, I am very grateful for having Judy stepping in for me while I was at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show during January and February. A gift of peace of mind that the job is placed in the best of hands is a joy much filled with gratitude. Judy is a gem of gems!

Patricia Raybun Amshoff

A couple of years have gone bye since we had a flint knapping session. Has anyone finished an arrowhead yet? If so, bring it in to share. For those of you that need a refresher course or introduction to this ancient tool making art you‘ll be glad to know that Luther Rivera will be giving his excellent demonstration to the Junior club at the March 26^th meeting. Supplies to get you started and equipment to keep you safe will be provided. Hope to see you at the Museum Annex at 6:30!!! Senior club members may also attend but they are expected to bring their own raw material, gloves, and safety glasses.

Mark your calendar for an extraordinary talk on turquoise with speaker, Dr. Virgil Lueuth.

March 31^st: 9:00 a.m. March Field Trip

The March Field trip will take AGMC members to the Jarilla Mountains 35 miles south of Alamogordo on U.S. 54. The collecting area is northwest of a town called Orogrande. This is one trip that you may want to leave the kids behind on. With more than 20 mines and prospect holes it is far from being a safe place to bring children. In addition there could be numerous
snakes in the area just waking up from their winter hibernation. If you insist on bringing young ones, you will be expected to exercise constant, unlagging supervision.

On Saturday, the 31st of March, we will commence gathering at the Bell gas station/convenience store on the south end of Orogrande on U.S. 54, (Mile Marker 29) at 9 a.m. At 9:30 a.m. we will head out to the collecting area. About one half mile north of the Post Office we will turn left onto a rough sand and gravel road and head west. During dry weather a 2 wheel drive vehicle should be able to make it part of the way. However, please be aware that the road can be narrow as a result of erosion that has created several steep drop offs and numerous ruts.

Minerals in the Orogrande district include chalcopyrite, chrysocolla, hematite, garnet, limonite ps octrahedral pyrite, quartz with chlorite inclusions, and turquoise. "New Mexico Rockhounding" by Stephen M. Voynick also mentions green epidote and well-developed orthoclase crystals in cream and pink colors (see page 177).

Besides your rock collecting equipment it's also a good idea to bring lots of water and food and water and sunscreen and water. Oh, and because of the remoteness of the site did I mention it's not a bad idea to bring extra water? Seriously a gallon of water per person per day is a good place to begin. Also don't forget extra paper towels, newspapers or whatever you want to carefully wrap your specimens in to protect them for the trip back home.

Worth noting for this trip is the bee problem. As typical of many mining locations, Orogrande has numerous honey bees and they can be very annoying. The bees don't appear to be aggressive as they are presumably after water. Any water or melting ice lying around out in your area or vehicle will attract them in large numbers and they will sometimes accumulate around you for no particular reason.

Handouts with sketched maps and recommended collecting equipment will be made available at the March 26th Club meeting. Trips to garnet, orthoclase, and turquoise locations will be guided by club members familiar
with the area. Jim Westmorland will possibly be available to guide those
interested in historical sites and metal detecting.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Rex and Grant

Our April field trip will be to the Royal Flush Mine near Bingham. We will commence gathering at the cattle guard on the road leading to the mining area at 8:30 AM. This is just east of the old Blanchard Rock Shop on US 380. At 9:00 we will start for the mine. The road to the mine is rough in spots and normally dry. If this is true the day of the trip there should be few problems until we get near the mine. Caravanning in 4-wheel drive or high clearance vehicles may be needed to go the final ¼ mile.

The mine is owned by Tom and Loretta Massis who have graciously consented to this trip. Please read the February Nuggets article on collecting etiquette. Tom will lead the trip and possibly will allow underground collecting. If so, you will need a hard hat and lantern. All visitors will be required to sign a liability release form. No unattended children will be permitted on this trip. If you bring a youngster, you are expected to stay with them constantly. The mineral collecting possibilities here are mostly galena, fluorite, and barite, but other minerals can be found. The galenas and fluorites are unusual in that the galena is sparkly and the fluorite is deep purple, making very beautiful specimens. Some of you may have checked out Tom and Loretta’s booth at the Treasures of The Earth Expo. If you did you likely noted some of their beautiful minerals that are for sale.

To reach Bingham, take I-25 to exit 139, eight miles south of Socorro. Proceed 30 miles west on US 380 to the Bingham (Blanchard) Rock Shop area. The gathering point is about 200 yards to the East on the old dirt road going south.

See you there with lots of collecting equipment and wrapping material. Don’t forget food, water, sunscreen and a hat with a good brim.

President: Suzanne Seymour

Home Phone: 505-877-3621

E-mail: suzannerox5@unm.edu

VP – Programs: Mike Sanders

Home Phone: 505-256-1797

E-mail:

Co-VP Programs: Marcus Price

Home Phone:

E-mail: priceabq@aol.com

VP – Field Trips: Grant Kuck

Home Phone: 505-323-1520

E-mail: (changing)

Co-VP – Field Trips: Rex Nelson

Home Phone: 505-271-4694

E-mail: sagebrushhome2@aol.com

Secretary: Open; Please come forward

Membership: Kimberly Richie

Home Phone: 505-281-3886

Cat-trax@hotmail.com

Treasurer: Amy Penn

Home Phone: 505-883-4195

Email: el.chivo.Viejo@earthlink.net

Historian: Dave Moats

Home Phone: 505-892-8163

E-mail: beepbeep59@hotmail.com

Editor: Patricia Amshoff

Home Phone: 505-920-3299

E-mail: naturalstonelights@yahoo.com

Show Chair: Paul Hlava

Home Phone: 505-255-5478

E-mail: hpf5@qwest.net

Past President: Orlando Garcia

Home Phone: 505-345-0520

E-mail: jabog02@msn.com

Past Treasurer for the Board of Directors

July 29, 1949-March 31, 2006

A year has passed but our memories of his gentle soul and contributions to the gem world of excellence will live forever in our hearts.

Please call the appropriate Board member for information regarding club functions. Contact Suzanne Seymour if you would like to share your secretarial gifts with our wonderful group. Your participation with your special gifts is what makes our club exceptional.

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 approximately one week prior to the monthly meeting. Mail news, articles or comments to: Patricia Amshoff, Editor, 83 Placita de Oro, Studio 6, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, or e-mail at naturalstonelights@yahoo.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 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. Board of Directors meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. (Call for location.) The public is welcome at both meetings.

Being a member of the Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club does not make you an official of the AGMC. This makes it inappropriate for any member to take on any responsibility or authority for any club activity without explicit instruction from the AGMC Board of Directors.

If Winnie the Pooh were an AGMC member he probably would have described the weather on Saturday the 24^th of February as "blustery." Be that as it may 18 sturdy souls braved the elements to meet at New Mexico Tech’s Macey Center. From there it was a quick hike over to the Mineral Museum at 9:30 A.M. where we were joined by club member, Ray Demark. Ray, who had graciously consented to give a walk through lecture and tour of the museum specimens was joined by Robert (Bob) North, the Chief geologist for the Chino mines at the Phelps Dodge Corporation. Ray and Bob took turns regaling the group with stories behind many of the museums acquisitions. I especially liked the one where someone found huge sheets of copper and supposedly were able to remove them by rolling them up like carpet and then with the help of a friend just walking out with it. I would love to find a piece of copper that size! Bob pointed out some specimens that Ray had donated by other club members. Next time you’re looking at some turquoise in the museum you may discover some pieces donated by our own Rex Nelson. Ray also talked about the history of various mining districts and their current status. For example, there was a beautiful piece of pyrite cubes that came from the Groundhog Mine which sadly is no longer. Ray even taught the group how to say tyuyamunite! Repeat after me: Chew-you-moon-ite! During the lecture some other people in the museum joined the tour with the end result that a bus driver from Silver City went to lunch with us. From the 18 people who went to the mineral museum at Socorro Springs for some really good grub at some really good prices. Following Lunch it was off to the Tower Mine just southwest of Socorro. The minerals of choice were black psilomelane and pyrolusite, one of the most important ores of manganese. Jim Vanloan in particular found some very nice large pieces of pyrolusite. Rex Nelson also came away with some nice specimens of psilomelane. And thanks to Jim and Rex, I also came away with some really nice minerals. The day was sunny and "blustery" but by mid-afternoon the wind had died down and it became one of those days just perfect for being outdoors collecting. Of course real rock hounds don’t notice the weather over much when they’re finding great specimens and having fun. If you have yet to enjoy a field trip with the Club, consider this an invitation to become a member first and then to come join us for some fun on the next AGMC Field Trip!

Grant

With our next field trip upon us, the article from the "New Mexico Facetor," submitted by Rex is wonderfully apropos for our next field trip adventure. Dr. Lueuth presented a talk on two diverse incidences of turquoise in the Orogrande Mining District. Dr. Lueuth elucidated the distinct geologic and chemical paths that determines the turquoise genesis. Dr. Lueuth informs us that "igneous intrusions interrupted the sedimentary limestone bedding and introduced many types of minerals as it pushed upward to form the Jarilla Mountains. These volcanic events left a granite core and broke the limestone beds into islands surrounded by regions of magma." What a trip this will be just to see the geology, not to mention the taste buds in awe at what will be found there! The article continues informing us that "copper, lead, gold, and iron in significant amounts were discovered, and the commercial production of these minerals took place between the late 1800’s to the 1930’s. Production peaked between 1912 to 1920 and declined after 1920 and 1953. One six-ounce gold nugget was found at the turn of the century after much of the copper ore had been extracted and initiated another mine rush. Turquoise is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum." His speech continues with the explanation that "the surface features that distinguish the two host sources of the turquoise at Orogrande, the DeMueles mine and the Iron Mask mine, differ both geologically and chemically.

The turquoise from these two sites also shows a distinctly different physical character from each deposit. The turquoise from the DeMueles mine occurs as veinlets in clay in altered granite. The low ph (below 3) of the water that percolated downward during the weathering of the deposit contained enough acidity to turn the granite into kaolinite and limonite (iron oxide). This conversion is known as acid sulfate alternation. The presence of jarosite (a potassium-iron sulfate) also indicates a high acid content in the water. The turquoise precipitated in the fractures of the less altered granite with the kaolinite, jarosite, and limonite as vein fillings and nodules in veins." Dr. Lueuth also states that the turquoise from the DeMueles mine tends to be thin but hard, due to silica from the quartz monzonite. The article continues with "In contrast, the turquoise from the Iron Mask mine developed as nuggets in a light-colored, phosphatic shale that had been geologically altered by intrusive dikes. The presence of cuprous pyrite, hematite, and chalcopyrite indicates a hydrothermal origin for the copper from magmatic fluids. These copper-bearing minerals were weathered, and the turquoise formed from downward percolation of acid groundwater that leached phosphorus from the shale. The turquoise then precipitated amid gypsum and halite. Much of the turquoise is chalky and lighter in color." This is a very interesting and informative article, most definitely one you may like to read before your adventure in the Orogrande Mining District. Look for the New Mexico Facetor on the web to check out Dr. Virgil Lueuth’s fabulous article and enjoy both the article and the field trip.

Before I begin this year’s MM I want to know if any of you are still playing this game. Email me at hpf5@qwest.net and let me know. This includes AGMC members and everyone else who reads the "News Nuggets". If no one responds I will stop wasting space on the newsletter. I got responses from 2 people only. I assume I should shut this down. If I don’t get at least 6 more, next month’s Mystery Mineral will only list the answers to this one. (Email to hpf5@qwest.net)

Name some world-wide, world-class specimen localities. -- Mapimi, Durango, Mexico/Santa Eulalia, Mexico/other Mexico/China/Italy/

Sixteen AGMC members met at Exit 51 (I-25) near Garfield for the field trip. A small display was set up to show members typical specimens from this Derry District location and after considerable discussion, eleven vehicles caravanned to the mines. Surprisingly, all were 4 wheel drive SUVs or trucks. No problems were experienced on the half mile of rugged uphill jeep trail.

Another brief talk was held at the top where various trenches, adits, shafts, and dumps were pointed out to familiarize everyone with the dangers and opportunities.

Towards the end of the day, many club members tailgated to discuss their success and enjoy the moment. From there we called it a day. A small group of hardcore collectors headed to T or C for dinner where the next days collecting plans were formulated. Grant and I headed back to Albuquerque and thanks to Grant's good driving we arrived safely.

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