News Nuggets

Newsletter of the Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club

Volume 52 Number 10

This year’s Club table at the New Mexico State Fair was a tremendous success! There were volunteers for all three weekends of the Fair and over 1,400 mineral samples for giveaways. I was unaware that the Creative Arts building didn’t open until 10:00 AM instead of 9:00 AM. I hope that didn’t inconvenience anyone too much.

I want to thank all the volunteers who made our Club table a success -- from the baggers and taggers to the meeters and greeters. We had several new people join the Club at the September 26^th meeting and they had all ‘discovered’ the AGMC at the Fair!

If there are any suggestions on how to improve the Club table or displays for next year, please contact me at 345-0520 or e-mail me at jabog02@msn.com.

The first meeting was held on Monday September 26^th and it was a smashing success…literally. Master Flintknapper Luther Rivera was kind enough to be our first guest speaker. Luther came well prepared with plenty of wonderful examples of his work and kits for the Juniors to try a little knapping of their own. Successes ranged from chipping away just enough stone to make a triangular shape to careful and precise crafting of arrowheads. There were 12 Juniors (ranging in age from preschool to teens) and several adults. All had a great time and are excited to return for an hour of fun this month.

October’s meeting will be on Monday the 24^th and will feature Lynda Katonak. Lynda will teach the Juniors how to be ‘Rock Detectives’, as they learn how to identify different types of rock.

Lynda will return on November 28^th to discuss Dinosaurs and Fossils!

Meetings will be held every month at the New Mexico Natural History Museum annex (just East of the museum at the North end of Explora’s parking lot). Meetings will begin at 6:30 PM and end just prior to the start of the general meeting (7:30 PM). Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend with their children. Our goal is to have an activity and guest speaker for each meeting so we can all learn and have fun! All are welcome.

You would think that things would be slowing down for the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club now that three quarters of the year have gone by. But nothing could be further from the truth. First, Paul Hlava has graciously volunteered to give his "famous" geological talk along the Turquoise Trail this month (see this month's Field Trip section for more information). Ask anyone who has heard this talk before and they'll tell you it is excellent.

November will have one of the Club’s favorite trips of the year to Bingham -- and let's not forget the 26^th Annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium on the 12^th and 13^th of the same month (see the Shows section or grab a brochure at the October Club meeting). There's also the November election of officers...a list of candidates can be found in this month’s News Nuggets. And finally, we wrap the year up with a Christmas Party and installation of officers. As you can see, the last few months of the year will be some of the busiest and most fun too!

Thanks to Paul Napolitano and Suzanne Seymour, we finally have a revitalized Junior Club up and running. Both Paul and Suzanne are to be commended for their dedication to this task and their willingness to follow through on it as well. Thanks to their efforts we had a meeting for the kids just this past September. If you would like to find out what went on (and what’s coming up) just check out Heidi Napolitano's article in this month’s News Nuggets.

As I mentioned earlier, the New Mexico Mineral Symposium is coming up next month and the Club needs your help. If you have ever attended a Symposium, you know that on the last day there is a silent auction with all proceeds going to benefit the Mineral Museum. We would like to sponsor a table with rock and mineral specimens from the AGMC. Of course, this only works if members donate their specimens. We're asking for a single, nice specimen -- a rock or a mineral that you would like to bid on if it weren't yours already. And if you can label it (name of mineral, location, date collected, etc.), so much the better. Please direct donations to Orlando Garcia at the next meeting. It would be greatly appreciated!

Well that's enough for this month. ‘Till the next meeting, remember to carry a hand lens, put a rock book in your pocket, and keep looking down!

The AGMC Board of Directors has approved the following slate of candidates for 2006:

President

Orlando Garcia

Vice President of Programs

Kimberly Richie

& Mike Sanders

Vice President of Field Trips

Ron Boyd

& (Open)

Vice President of Membership

Kimberly Richie

& (Open)

Editor

Paul Napolitano

Secretary

Suzanne Seymour

Treasurer

Amy Penn

Junior Club

Paul Napolitano

& Suzanne Seymour

President - Grant Kuck

Home phone: 323-1520

E-mail: gkuck@flc.org

VP-Membership & VP-Programs -

Kimberly Richie

Home phone: 296-8847

E-mail: cattrax55@wmconnect.com

VP-Field Trips – Ron Boyd

Home phone: 262-0053

Email: rgb417@earthlink.net

Secretary & Junior Club – Suzanne Seymour

Home phone: 877-3621

Email: suzannerox5@aol.com

Treasurer – Amy Penn

Home phone: 883-4195

Email: el.chivo.Viejo@earthlink.com

Historian - Dave Moats

Home phone: 892-8163

E-mail: beepbeep59@hotmail.com

Editor & Junior Club - Paul Napolitano

Home phone: 856-2157

E-mail: tcot@spinn.net

Show Chair - Paul Hlava

Home phone: 255-5478

E-mail: hpf1@qwest.net

VP – Programs – Mike Sanders

Home phone: 256-1797

E-mail: mrsande@sandia.gov

Special Events -- Orlando Garcia

Home phone: 345-0520

E-mail: jabog02@msn.com

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: Paul Napolitano, Editor, 7304 Yorktown, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109, or email to tcot@spinn.net.

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 pm on the first Monday of each month. (Call for location). The public is welcome to both meetings.

Being a member of the Albuquerque Gem and 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.

Sponsored by:

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club

Los Alamos Geological Society

New Mexico Geological Society

Chaparral Rock hounds

The New Mexico Mineral Symposium provides a forum for both professionals and amateurs interested in mineralogy. The meeting allows all to share their cumulative knowledge of mineral occurrences and provides stimulus for mineralogical studies and new mineral discoveries. In addition, the informal atmosphere allows for intimate discussions among all interested in mineralogy and associated fields.

This year’s symposium will consist of a day and a half of formal papers presented in 30-minute time blocks. Papers will focus on mineral occurrences from New Mexico and adjacent states, as well as Mexico. A few selected papers may be presented from other parts of the world. An informal pre-symposium social and tailgating session will be held at local motels beginning on Friday, November 11, 2005 and will last through the weekend. No formal field trips are planned.

A silent auction, sponsored by the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club for the benefit of the Mineral Museum, will be held on Sunday afternoon, November 13. The auction will be open to the public and all interested may buy or sell. All sellers are asked to donate $20 per table to the club. More information will be available at the symposium.

REGISTRATION

The general registration fee for the symposium is $25.00, the fee for seniors over 55 is $20.00, and the fee for students is $10.00 (with student ID). Registration includes a copy of the abstracts, two continental breakfasts, and coffee breaks. A cocktail hour and dinner will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2005. A cash bar will be available. The cost for the dinner is $16.00 for adults, $6.00 for children (2-12 years old). An auction to benefit the symposium will conclude the evening’s activities.

22-23 — Oklahoma City, OK: Biennial show, "A Kaleidoscope of Gems" Oklahoma Mineral & Gem Society; Coca-Cola Bricktown Event Center, 429 E. California; Sat. 9-7, Sun. 9-5; admission $5, children 12 and under and scouts in uniform free with paid adult; Elsing Museum and noncompetitive exhibits, dealers, silent auction, demonstrations, kids’ events, programs, door prizes, working mill replica; contact Linda Haynes, (405) 677-7698.

4-6 — Black Canyon City, AZ: Show; Braggin’ Rock Club; Albins Civic Center; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; lapidary, fossils, jewelry, slabs, rough rock, bake sale, raffle, crafts; contact Don, (623) 374-5344.

4-6 — Round Rock, TX: 14^th annual fossil show, "Fossil Fest 2005" Central Texas Paleontology Society; Old Settler’s Assn. Headquarters, Old Settler’s Park, Hwy. 79; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4; adults $1, children under 6 free; displays, demonstrations, hands-on fossils, dealers, Spinning Wheel, door prizes; contact Ron Root, (512) 345-6718, (512) 936-5974; e-mail: ron@grassrootstrader.com.

12-13 — Lake Havasu City, AZ: 36^th annual show, "Keep on Rockin’ 2005" Lake Havasu Gem & Mineral Society; City Community (Aquatic) Center, 100 Park Ave.; Sat. 9-4, Sun. 9-4; free admission; exhibits, dealers, working demonstrations, meteorite presentation, raffle, door prizes, children’s games; contact Manny Frisch, (928) 855-9324.

18-20 — Albuquerque, NM: The Bead Renaissance Shows; New Mexico State Fairgrounds, 300 San Pedro; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; free admission; retail and wholesale, ancient, vintage, contemporary, and designer beads, buttons, jewelry, tools, books; contact J&J Promotions LLC, P.O. Box 420, Williamsburg, NM 87942, (505) 894-1293; e-mail: info@beadshow.com; Web site: www.beadshow.com.

Theme: Topaz - A Texas Star

November 19 & 20, 2005

Mesquite, Texas

www.dallasgemandmineral.org

Blanchard Mine,

Bingham, NM

November 19^th, 2005

For the month of November we are heading south to the Blanchard mine group near Bingham New Mexico. We will meet at 9:00 am on the dirt road just east of the rock shop on U.S. 380 in the "town" of Bingham.

In order to do some successful collecting you will need hard rock mining tools (hammers, chisels, pry bars, etc). You also need safety glasses along with long sleeve shirts and pants, please wear boots!

There will be an opportunity to collect underground, so if you desire to collect underground, you will need lights and a hard hat.

The Blanchard mines have produced world class specimens of fluorite and linarite along with a number of rare minerals including spangolite, brochantite, cyanotrichite just to name a few! This area is generally considered one of the finest collecting localities in the U.S.!

To reach the mine, take I-25 south to U.S. 380 (8 miles south of Socorro), then east on U.S. 380 for approximately 30 miles to Bingham. The drive time from Albuquerque is about 2 hours.

Hope to see you there!

The September Club meeting was called to order by President Grant Kuck at 7:37 PM. Following the welcome, nine guests and potential new members stood to introduce themselves and relay how they came to know about us. As can be expected this time of year, our visibility at the State Fair contributed some, and one person found our website. Grant also introduced our new Treasurer, Amy Penn. Amy received big applause from a grateful membership. Grant informed us that although Kimberly (Membership Chairperson) was not present, Amy could handle any new membership applications. Elections for the 2006 Board of Directors are held at the November meeting. Though a slate of officers has been published, a position of VP Field Trips (co-chair with Ron Boyd) remains open and nominations from the floor for any position made this month or next will be added to the ballot.

Ron Boyd gave a rundown of the Club’s field trip to the Molycorp mine near Questa. Molycorp geologist Dave Jacobs treated fourteen eager collectors to a tour and orientation. They were then ushered to a dump (not the staff term) where the collecting began. Someone brought in samples of what was collected (the Feys?) and it looked to me like some fine material was found. Ron also advised that some of the phlogopite might include apatite that fluoresces.

Paul Hlava announced that he would again lead a Turquoise Trail Tour in October. The meeting is set for 9:00 AM at the Four Hills Shopping Center in front of Einstein’s Bagels. We’ll caravan and stop to look at a variety of geological occurrences along the way north; granite, gneiss, red beds, limestone, fossils, and economic deposits throughout time. Todd and Patricia Brown have offered free admission to their Cerrillos Turquoise Mining Museum (and a well placed potty stop) as well as a lapidary demonstration to any who are interested. In addition, Paul advised that Club help for the annual TOTE Show (that’s Treasures Of The Earth) would begin to be solicited in January. Traditionally Tom Massis and crew begin to set up tables around 9:00 AM and shortly thereafter the ladies begin the papering/skirting and general dressing-up of the dealers show tables. Staffing for the three-day show in March is required in shifts, and it’s not too early for members to block out time to help with this major Club event.

Charlotte Cooper addressed the crowd about the efforts that she and Karen Peterson have begun to assemble and organize the inventory for the Junior Club table at the TOTE show. Quality specimens that can be affordably priced for the young collector are being sought and they will pick them up if necessary. All proceeds will go to the Junior Club as support monies for their programs.

Jan Burroughs relayed that some requests for speakers at schools and scout groups were fielded during the State Fair. Any volunteers?

Mike Sanders took the floor to announce the evening’s speaker, Tom Loveland. After a thorough list of his credentials and achievements was read, Mr. Loveland began his presentation entitled, "Depositional History and Origins of the Holocene Estancia Playa Complex, Torrance County, New Mexico".

The complex encompasses over 100 playas, which are visible from the air between the Monzanos and the Pedernals, the ancestral Rockies. Playas are ephemeral structures of varying salinity that leave minerals as they evaporate. The roughly 2 meters of water that annually evaporates out there leaves a white efflorescent-crusted residue composed mainly of gypsum, clay, and salt. This local, unique geochemical environment was worked by Paleo peoples, the Spanish colonizers who shipped salt 700 miles to the silver mines in Chihuahua, Mexico, and an outfit that shipped 7-800 tons of halite in the 1920’s and 30’s. Nowadays scientists like Tom do most of the work there. They are researching and documenting the mechanisms of the ground water recharge system and the geochemical constituents of the various deposits. Because of the visibility from the air, Tom and colleagues must endure seagulls dropping in (and on them, no doubt) looking for the tasty brine shrimp (Artemia salina) found there, and training jet pilots taking aim at them. Interestingly, the sulfide rich muck had the most microbial activity. I say interesting because while some may have snoozed here, one of us was glimpsing a potential clue to answering that age-old question of "How to Find Pay Dirt Through a Thorough Understanding of Evaporative and Mineralizing Mechanisms in A Departing Inland Sea". Now tell the truth, I know someone out there loses sleep over this. Don’t they? Call me; I’ll talk if you will.

Thanks Tom, some of us feel like we got a leg up on this pay dirt deal.

Aaah…the refreshments. Unlike my pitiful stash of superlatives, the spread provided by Mary Gibson, Ken Lovelett, and their guest Gerald May from Memphis, drew applause! Wow! That’s a first in my recollection. Thanks for your Southern touch guys.

The wonderful door prizes that Dave Moats has secured for us continue to delight the lucky and hold the crowd until they are all gone.

I capped the pen at 9:41 PM, door prize streak unchanged.

– Suzanne Seymour

In this month’s Mystery Mineral article, I used the term acicular to describe a common shape or habit assumed by the mystery mineral. This got me to thinking that many of you may not know about the shapes that minerals can assume, so let’s have a go at some of these terms for the habits of minerals.

Equant* or Equidimensional – These crystals are about the same size in all directions. Obviously, isometric (cubic) minerals TEND to be equant. After all, isometric is essentially identical to equidimensional. I emphasized TEND because isometric minerals may sometimes grow distorted crystals. Examples include diamond macles that are flat triangles, pyrite that forms as long needles, and cuprite, which can grow in a long hair-like form called chalcotrichite. But minerals from other crystal systems can also grow equant crystals. The classic hematite crystals from Elba are equant. So are many calcites, pyroxenes, zircons, and even some tourmalines, although most tourmalines are prismatic.

Prismatic – Having the shape of a prism; elongate in one dimension, etc. Prisms are crystal forms that have all of their faces parallel to one direction or axis. The faces are essentially long rectangles. The best know example of a prism is a standard, wooden, lead pencil (that is not round). These are hexagonal prisms. In addition to 6-sided prisms, there are 3, 4, 8, 12, and more sides. Tourmalines are famous for their 3-sided prisms. Topaz often has 4 sides or sometimes 8. Beryls have 6 sides or multiples of 6. Some prismatic crystals may be composed of several 2-sided forms parallel to a common axis so they are prismatic even if they don’t have a real, crystallographic prism present. Epidote is a good example of this. Some prisms can be stubby or essentially equant, but many are noticeably elongate. As the aspect ratio (length:width) increases, the crystals go from prismatic (2:1 to say 4:1) to long prismatic (4:1 to 8:1) to…

Acicular – Long and needle like. Several zeolites fit this description as well as amphiboles and others. Examples include natrolite, scolecite, pectolite, some aegerines and tourmalines. Also think of malachite, sklodowskite, wollastonite, etc. But the aspect ratio can go beyond acicular to…

Fibrous or Filiform – These are like hairs or threads. Chalcotrichite, mordenite, and okenite are good examples of fibrous. How about asbestos! Serpentine asbestos is an especially good example. Or satin spar. I actually make a distinction between fibrous and filiform. I use the term filiform when the hairs or threads are loose or make an open, random mat (chalcotrichite). I use the term fibrous when the hairs are parallel and tightly packed (asbestos) or dispersed in a regular, geometric pattern like mordenite or okenite.

Tabular – If crystals have two long dimensions and one short dimension they are tabular. Examples include wulfenite, levyne, molybdenite, some pyrrhotites, and torbernite. If the short dimension becomes very small we may refer to it as flaky.

Laths or Lath-like – A lath is a shape intermediate between prismatic and tabular. Laths are characterized by one quite long dimension, one quite thin dimension, and one intermediate dimension. The most common example is kyanite. But those of you who have been to the Harding pegmatite have seen laths of spodumene less than an inch thick, 6 to 10 inches wide and 3 yards long.

Well, that’s about it. There are a couple of other terms like blocky and stubby that are used, but these should be easily recognized by everyone and don’t need a discussion from me.

– Paul Hlava 051008

Fourteen Club members made the trip up to the Questa Moly mine on a beautiful Saturday. Dave Jacobs, one of the mine geologists, treated us to a great talk. Dave explained how and why the mineralization occurs there. After the talk, Dave gave us a tour of the mine property. Then we were let loose on the mine’s stockpile to collect various types of minerals. They included molybdenite, microcline, fluorite, pyrite, anhydrite, mica and a couple other minerals. We were able to collect there for approximately 3 hours. Along with the minerals that were found, I think everyone was overwhelmed with the aspens that were turning in the surrounding mountains. It was great! About 3 in the afternoon, we all packed up and said our thanks and headed our way home!

– Ron Boyd

October, 2005

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 selenide of a very heavy metal found in low to moderate temperature hydrothermal deposits with other minerals of the heavy metal as well as calcite, pyrite, scheelite, and other gangue minerals. This orthorhombic mineral forms acicular crystals as well as massive material. It has a metallic luster and a lead-gray to bluish-gray color and streak (it tarnishes to blue). Hardness – 2.5 – 3.5, Sp. Gr. – 6.25 – 6.98, Cleavage – 2 at 90º; one is distinct and the other is indistinct, it is sectile and opaque.

Questions

What is the name of the mineral?

What was the mineral named for?

What is this mineral mined for?

Localities – (Just list the famous/important ones)

--NM –

--USA –

--World –

Answers to August’s Questions (I missed September.)

What is the name of the mineral? Squawcreekite

What was the mineral named for? Squaw Creek in the Black Range Tin District of NM.

What is this mineral mined for? Tin, but only because it was associated with sought-after cassiterite.

The name of this mineral was discredited in 2002 because it is the same as a mineral that was described earlier but poorly. What is that mineral? Tripuhyite (named for a valley).

Localities

--NM – Black Range Tin District, NM

--USA – NM

--World – none

Paul Hlava 051009

Ray Demark

New Mineral Occurrences from New Mexico's Boot Heel

Ray will address some rare and unusual minerals found at the Apache mine just south of Hachita, and the Red Hill mine on the east slope of the Animas mountains. Outstanding mineral photographs by Dan Behnke will accompany the talk.

Ray has been a member of the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club since 1971 and a collector since 1947. His special interests are minerals of New Mexico (both macro and micro) and locating new mineral occurrences (this has been immeasurably aided by collaboration with Paul Hlava). Ray particularly enjoys field collecting and has been a claim holder of the Blanchard mine (along with Mike Sanders and Brian Huntsman) since 1987!