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 7:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month. All club members are welcome.

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. You are cordially invited to mail news, articles or comments to:

Jay Penn

2324 Alvarado NE

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

el.chivo.viejo@earthlink.net

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

Welcome, welcome, welcome to all our new members. Some of you searched us out on the web, many of you found out about us at the State Fair, and nearly all of you introduced yourselves, [as I myself did], by saying "I’ve been collecting rocks ever since I was a little kid, I just want to know more".

Well, I expect a gene for this will be discovered shortly; in the meantime, know that you have found a home with us. You have lots of great opportunities through membership to explore the history, industry, science, and business of the incredible New Mexico mineral heritage. Bring your enthusiasm to this good group of people who lead field trips, present and do programs at AGMC club meetings, provide refreshments, do great door prizes, and lots of other fun stuff too. Our Junior Program is going great guns; the ranks are growing to the point of subdivision to facilitate badge work and skill levels. If you’re willing ask Jim or Earlene if they wouldn’t mind a little help.

The search for scholarship recipients has begun. A student from UNM, and one from NM Tech will each be awarded a $1000 AGMC scholarship. The winners are our guests at the holiday party on December 13^th, and being students, they are delighted by the delicacies arrayed on groaning tables that uphold our justifiable reputation for putting on a spread. They like the silent auction a lot too. Mark that Saturday, it’s a lot of fun.

The Nominating committee has submitted a Proposed Slate of Officers to the Board of Directors for review and a vote. The Approved Slate of Officers for 2009 is posted in the newsletter. At the upcoming October 27th meeting this Slate will be discussed and nominations from the floor will be taken. Voting will take place at the November meeting.

Also in November is the 29^th annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium. The AGMC is one of the sponsors of the 2 day event held at New Mexico Tech in Socorro that features short talks on mineral occurrences in New Mexico and surrounding areas. Formal papers in an informal setting have something for all enthusiasts. This, not to be missed, event takes place Nov. 8-9^th at Macey Center on the Tech campus so register now. Hope to enjoy your company soon. Suzanne Seymour/President

The nomination committee has selected and the board has approved the following people for the elected positions of the board of directors for 2009.

President - John Reinert

VP Programs - Anita Willard

VP Field Trips - OPEN

Secretary - Janey Johnson

Treasure - Amy Penn

Memberships - Michael Johnson

Editor - Jay Penn

This slate will be presented to the membership at the October general meeting at which time any additional nominations will be accepted from the floor.

Voting will be held at the November general meeting.

Installation of the new board will be at the December party and pot luck.

As you know, the club makes a little money every month by raffling off mineral specimens at the monthly general meeting. We average $50 a month profit which covers the cost of the room plus some extra for the general fund and helps keep the membership dues low.

Each month 2 to 4 raffle items are donations from the membership and the rest come from a $300/ year budget. This works out to an average of only $3 per specimen. Not much.

The only way we have been able to provide as good a quality of bought specimens as we have is for someone to go to the gem & mineral show in Tucson in January and buy the years supply at reduced prices. So, it is helpful to know how many donated items we have for the next year before heading off to Tucson to buy the remainder. Obviously if more items are donated, then we have to buy fewer items and can spend more per item, meaning better specimens.

We are asking the membership to make raffle item donations for next year over the next few months. Remember, the more we get in donations the more we can spend per purchased item. Don't worry if you think a potential donation isn't good enough for the raffle, it probably is, but if we feel it isn't quite up to par then it will go to the junior table at our show in March making your item available to children and generating funds for the club. So either way your donation will generate interest in our hobby and bring money into the club.

You can bring donations of minerals, lapidary material, fossils, jewelry, or any related items to the general meeting or contact me to arrange pickup. Thank you.

Jay Penn

el.chivo.viejo@earthlink.net, 883-4195

Every year the December general meeting is a pot luck dinner with a silent auction.

The club provides the main course (usually barbecue and a ham), dessert, drinks, and decorations. The membership brings a pot luck dish, your own table settings, and an item for the silent auction. This can be anything (doesn't have to be a mineral or lapidary related item). This is how we rent the hall, buy the food, etc.

5:00 pm Setup

6:00 pm Board Member Installation

Scholarship Presentations

6:30 ish Pot Luck Dinner

8:00 ish Silent Auction Ends

9:00 ish Cleanup

Monte Vista Christian Church

Bethany Hall

3501 Campus Blvd NE

Nob Hill area, near Carlisle and Central

(Note the location change, we outgrew the previous location)

Helpers needed: decorations, calling team, set-up, door prize acquisitions, and entertainment

Call Gwen: 247-1533

Printing and mailing the news letter is our single largest month to month expense with yearly costs per address approaching the $20 per family membership fee. The board has discussed this over the last few years and taken steps to minimize costs but more must be done.

So, -------- Due to the high cost and general hassle involved with mailing printed copies of the News Nuggets, the Board of Directors voted to suspend this practice effective with the January 2009 issue. That is to say that the November issue (we don't publish in December) will be the last printed copy of the News Nuggets that will be distributed to the membership.

Most households already receive the Nuggets via e-mail. We know this will present a challenge to people without computers at home, but we hope that everyone can use the time between now and January to figure out a way to read it on a screen or get a printed copy from: a friend/ relative/ club member with a computer, a computer at work, etc. If you cannot think of a way to get the Nuggets via e-mail please call me or any other board member and we will help you find a solution. We certainly don't want any member to go without getting the news letter. Let us know if there is a problem and we will work to solve it.

This notice (or an abbreviated version) will be published in every issue between now and November. Jay Penn, editor, 883-4195

The 2008 State Fair is history!

It went very well in the interests of all state Rockhounders. This could not have been done without the dedication and enthusiasm of many of our club members.

Jim Hill, Hank Miller and Suzanne Seymour for judging the entries. Anita Willard, Suzanne Seymour, Jim Hill, Rex Nelson, Janey and Michael Johnson for setting up the displays. All the members who helped bag and label the give aways. There were 20+ of you who gave up your time to talk about the exhibits and why they would benefit and enjoy membership in our club.

Single Mineral Specimens: 1^st James Schlavin

Collections: 1^st Ciaran Connolly,

2^nd James Schlavin

3^rd Michael T. Reinert

Single Fossil Specimens: 1^st Nathan Willis

General Lapidary: 1^st Rachel Shroyer

Best of Show: 1^st Rachel Shroyer

Single Mineral Specimens: 1^st Michael Johnson

Collections: 1^st Earlene Shroyer

2^nd Eleanore Sikora

3^rd Hal Young

Single Fossil Specimens: 1^st Mike Petrofes

Carved Stone: 1^st Hal Young

2^nd Roberta Abeita

3^rd Laboraex Abeita

John D. Reinert

The meeting was called to order by President Suzanne Seymour at 7:38 p.m. Suzanne announced that Jim Hutchins had brought some rocks to give away following the meeting. The club welcomed several guests who came as a result of the State Fair exhibits.

John Reinert thanked all the volunteers for their work at the State Fair.

Suzanne said brochures regarding the upcoming symposium were available after the meeting.

Amy Penn offered for loan the DVD about the Sweet Home Mine.

Jay Penn talked about the minerals given away in the monthly raffles. He asked for donations from members to supplement the annual budget.

Jim Hill said 17 juniors attended tonight’s meeting, including 7 new attendees.

Grant Kuck talked about the field trip to Pueblo Park this upcoming weekend, where club members will be searching for gem quality labradorite.

Paul Hlava reported on the TOTE show status. He has been getting some contracts in for the March show. Paul is looking for pictures of rubies to put on the flyers, so members are asked to provide him with any they have.

Suzanne spoke about the two scholarships the club awards each year ($1,000 each) and asked for members’ input on whether or not to increase the amount given. Members are asked to forward their input to any board member.

Suzanne also talked about the upcoming nominations, indicating that the club needs someone to run for President and Field Trip Vice-Presidents.

Gwen Poe talked about the need for people to volunteer for the above-mentioned open positions. Gwen also spoke about the holiday party on December 13^th. She indicated that the club provides the meat, dessert and serve ware and that members bring the side dishes and their own place settings (plates, plastic ware, etc.).

Anita Miller introduced Ray DeMark, who gave an informative presentation on uranium mining in New Mexico, including several slides of specimens that have been found in the uranium mining district.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m. for refreshments and door prizes.

Submitted by Janey Johnson, Secretary

A big WELCOME to all of our new Jr. Club members! At our September meeting, we had 17 kids attending, of which 7 were new! The topic of the meeting was Collecting, which was a review for some of our older members, and a fun way to start for those just joining. We discussed building a collection, different types of collections, storing a collection, and labeling. Many of the kids brought in their own rock collections to share with others, and Jim Hill brought in several of his amazing collections. The Collecting merit badge will be presented during the October Jr. Club meeting.

The AGMC Jr. Club is a member of the "Junior Rockhounds of America", which is a part of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, of which AGMC is a member. We participate in a "merit badge" program of guided activities to provide us with over 50 individual activities in 9 areas: rocks and minerals, earth resources, fossils, lapidary arts, collecting, showmanship, communication, field trips, and leadership. Kids can earn badges in each area. Once the kids earn 6 of the 9 badges, they will earn a "Rockhound" badge as a mark of accomplishment and distinction. You can check out the program at www.amfed.org/fra/meritbadge.htm.

Since beginning this program in January, we have several Jr. members that have earned five badges, and only need to earn one more to earn their "Rockhound" badge. We will work on earning our Earth Processes merit badge during the October meeting, so here’s your chance!

To earn the Showmanship badge, one of the requirements is to make a public display, and another is to enter a competition. Congratulations to Ciaran Connolly and Rachel Shroyer, who fulfilled both of these requirements by having exhibits in the NM State Fair and won in competition. Ciaran and Rachel brought their exhibits to the Jr. Meeting, and each gave a presentation.

Earlene Shroyer

Once upon a field trip, members of the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club drove down to Pueblo Park, just south of Reserve. Some arrived to camp out Friday night, some arrived early Saturday morning but all came to seek the gem quality labradorite. Shortly before 10 on Saturday morning 21 people, 4 dogs, and 3 University of Texas students gathered together to hike to the collecting area. The UTEP students included Shane Carley, Michael Feinstein, and Joe Lori. Some members will recall that it was Feinstein and Lori who met us on another trip at Killbourne Hole - southern New Mexico’s largest sunken crater. There they gave us a lecture on the geology and history of the Hole and answered many of our club’s questions.

But back to our thrilling field trip, which begins with an easy walk through the park, over a creek bed and into a shaded forest. Then at a certain point the trip heads up a steep mountain. Jim Hill, who had the presence of mind to bring his GPS unit, said it was a roughly 700 foot climb in elevation. The steepness of the grade is such that it makes little breaks most welcome and longer breaks pure bliss. This really is one trip you should be in shape for and some members with hiking sticks put them to good use.

Finally we made it to the top where we started wandering around looking for the labradorite. One of the first things that Sherry Miller found was a horn, which Jay Penn said probably belonged to a cow. At first I guessed that it might have been from a Chupracabra. However I now realize how foolish that is since the Chupracabra doesn’t have horns. I’ll bet it just killed the cow, carried it up here to eat, and that was all that was left.

Eventually we found a flat meadow like area where the ground sparkled all over with labradorite! Sherry found a large piece just a little smaller than a walnut. As we fanned out to explore more territory, Bob Hall also found a large piece of this wonderful gem quality mineral. Everybody who went found something, usually smaller pieces but then with a little looking someone would find a sizable piece that could be faceted. On the way down both Jake Jacobs and Ray Alexander found some very nice large pieces.

The thing about this field trip is that the collecting is perhaps the easiest of any trips I have ever been on. However, getting to the collecting area is an hour or more of rigorous exercise. Coming down is only a little easier. But having said that, you can carry your treasures in a baggie in your pocket and since it is surface collecting only, you can really travel light. Believe me if you don’t absolutely need something you can leave it behind. For example I left my rock hammer and only took a screwdriver to pry some of the pieces from the sun-baked ground.

Pueblo Park has no electricity, running water, or flush toilets. What it does have are giant trees, forested mountains, bears, coyotes, elk, deer, pumas, and apparently at least one Chupracaba. There are also the beautiful no fee campgrounds, a creek with flowing water (in season), more views than you can take with a camera, fantastic star filled nights and everyone’s favorite – pit toilets in small buildings on a concrete slab! And of course the reason we went there in the first place ------------------labradorite! "Ar!, me mateys! There be treasure in them thar hills!" Grant & Rex

AGMC will have an information booth at the "Fall Arts and Crafts Show" hosted by Mama's Minerals, one of our club's generous supporters, 1100 San Mateo NE at Lomas. See the Upcoming Events in the Southwest section for more details.

WHERE: Nacimiento Copper Mine near Cuba. Drive through the gate and park at the meeting place on top of the hill. (You don’t need 4 wheel drive or high clearance vehicles to make this trip).

WHY: Minerals such as azurite balls, malachite, septarian nodules, calcite lined concretions, fossilized wood with chalcocite, malachite, and azurite replacement, pyrite balls, etc.

WHEN: Saturday October 25th at 9:00 A.M.

WHAT (TO BRING): Plenty of water and food. Sunscreen and a hat with a wide brim. A light weight jacket & rain pancho. A small rock pick or hand rake for looking for azurite balls & other minerals. A good rock hammer or sledge to break open septarian nodules and calcite lined concretions. A bucket or bag for collecting. A baggie or two for smaller specimens. Newspaper or paper towels to wrap your specimens in.

HOW (TO GET THERE):

1. From Albuquerque take I-25 North to Bernalillo Exit 242 (NM-550)

2. Go northwest on NM-550 to Cuba (mile marker 64)

3. In Cuba go east (right turn) on NM-126

4. Drive east for 5 to 6 miles.

5. Go past the National Forest Boundary

6. Look for gate on the road’s north side - (approximately at mile marker 5 or 6)

7. Drive through gate and go to the top of hill. (If the gate is not open, wait until we arrive, line up orderly)

Note: We will meet at 9 at the top of the hill past the gate and on the grounds of the Nacimiento Copper Mine. At 9:30 A.M. Forest Ranger Larry Gore will address the club and bring us up to date on reclamation efforts at the mine. Following the talk we’ll have an opportunity to collect.

Cuba is about 64 miles from Bernalillo. The mine is located about 5 and a half miles from Cuba. All the roads are paved until the turnoff to the mine. The last quarter mile is dirt road but it is in okay condition and regular passenger cars should have no problem. The mine itself is in a very open area with little shade at an elevation of over 7,500 feet. With the closest bathroom facilities in Cuba you may want to bring some toilet paper along. And you may want to pack a chair to take a break in.

Grant & Rex

For the October Junior Meeting we will have Sandra Koenig, a long term club member, at the meeting to discuss her lifelong mineral and fossil collection and share samples with the youth. Please bring your tote and your journal so you can write down the information about specimens you are given and safely carry them home.

Questions? Contact Jim Hill or Earlene Shroyer

"Stories of the Silvery San Juan"

by Jane Bardal

This presentation will focus on the beautiful mountain scenery, ghost towns, minerals, and mining history of the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado. This area was extensively mined from the 1880s to the early 1900s, with some activity continuing until the 1990s.  See what the area was like then, compared to now. Jane Bardal has spent 19 years hiking and researching the mining history of this area near Silverton and Ouray.

The 29th annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium will be held at NM Tech in Socorro, NM, Nov 8 & 9, 2008. Dr. Virgil Lueth and the students arrange for 10 - 12 speakers for the weekend. The talks are 30 minutes long and are about things rockhounders find interesting. Check out this years subjects and costs at www.geoinfo.nmt.edu, then look under Mineral Museum, then NM Mineral Symposium.

The NM Tech students provide a continental breakfast in the morning before the talks and refreshments during the breaks on both days. You are on your own for lunch. You get to tour the NM Tech Museum from 1:00 - 2:00 Sat, which is wonderful, don't pass it up. Also they have great specimens for sale that are very affordable.

Saturday night there is a dinner ($20/person) and mineral auction to benefit the symposium.

This whole affair actually begins on Friday evening at the Comfort Inn with dealers spreading out their inventory in their motel rooms for anyone who wants to stroll from room to room to room so see and/or buy all that glitters. This is a very social affair especially as you get to know more and more people associated with "Rocks". Most dealers will also have their rooms open on Saturday evening.

To wind down the weekend there is an AGMC hosted silent auction held after lunch on Sunday. There will be 10 - 20 sellers with plenty to bid on. Proceeds from the auction are donated to the Mineral Museum. And, of course, we always ask for mineral donations to put on the club table to help things along. You can bring those items to the table on Sunday, Nov. 9, or get them to a board member by Nov 2. Come join the fun Nov 7 - 9.

Amy Penn

Oct 25, Nacimiento Copper Mine (Cuba)

Nov 22, Blanchard Mine (East of Socorro)

Dec 13, Club Christmas Party

Questions? Contact Grant Kuck or Rex Nelson

November Field Trip Preview

The field trip for November 22nd is a club favorite. Melinda Crow in The Rockhound’s Guide to New Mexico, says, "If there is one site in New Mexico that can make you fall in love with minerals, this is it." We are talking about the Hansonburg mining district, variously known as the Bingham Mine and the Blanchard claims which is among New Mexico’s premier collecting localities and is also generally considered one of the finest collecting localities in the United States!

The Blanchard mines have produced world class specimens of fluorite and linarite along with a number of rare minerals including cyanotrichite, smithsonite, and spangolite just to name a few! Other minerals that have been collected by AGMC club members include aurichalite, brochantite, chrysocolla, galena, malachite, and quartz. Believe me you really need a book to find out the many, many minerals that inhabit this region.

In the words of Field Trip Coordinator Rex Nelson, "In order to do some successful collecting you will need hard rock mining tools (hammers, chisels, pry bars, etc). You will also need safety glasses along with long sleeve shirts, full length pants, and gloves. Please wear boots, preferably steel toe! Those collecting anywhere near overhangs and ledges need hardhats."

Rex also says, "It’s always a good idea to bring good wrapping materials such as papers and paper towels to protect your treasures. Flats are more desirable than buckets as the specimens won’t be stacked and possibly damaged. More delicate specimens require very careful wrapping and handling techniques. Some of these are available on our website. Please check it out!"

"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 and mile marker 30. The drive time from Albuquerque is about 2 hours. We will assemble between 9:00 and 9:30 AM on the dirt road just east of the rock shop on U.S. 380."

Hope to see you there!

Grant and Rex

The following is solely the opinion of the editor------------today.

I might change my mind tomorrow.

There is no room in this issue for me to have an opinion, -----and that's a good thing.

______________________________________

If a man is walking in the forest and there isn't a woman present to hear him speak, is he still wrong?

Toe: A device for finding furniture in the dark.

______________________________________

This section is for the not for profit exchange of goods and services between club members (cars, boats, rocks, minerals, tools, equipment, -------- anything). For profit (stock in trade) items will not be published.

Deadline for submission is the 2nd Monday of the month at noon. Submit to editor.

Wanted: Display Cases, UV Info - We are looking for one or more tall and narrow (in depth) display cases, preferably in a light wood or a paintable material.

We are also seeking information about setting up a UV viewing area. We want to use part of a closet as a "dark room" for viewing gems and minerals under a UV light and would like to get tips on how to set it up and the equipment needed.

Skailar & Catherine Sovereign (505) 345-0091, pcssovereign@peoplepc.com

Share a Ride - I would like to invite fellow members to share a ride with me to the field trips, call Robert (Bob) Hall (505) 869-6291.

Here are events located in NM, TX, OK, CO, UT, and AZ for as far ahead as there is space available. You can see a more comprehensive list at: www.rockngem.com/showdates.asp

10-12--Live Oak (San Antonio), TX: Show, "Bead Renaissance Show"; J&J Promotions LLC; Live Oak Civic Center, 8101 Pat Booker Rd.; Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; contact J&J Promotions LLC, P.O. Box 420, Williamsburg, NM 87942, (575) 894-1293; e-mail: info@beadshow.com; Web site: www.beadshow.com

10-12--Moab, UT: 49th annual show; Moab Points & Pebbles Club; Old Spanish Trail Arena, 3641 S. Hwy. 191; Fri. 10-7, Sat. 10-7, Sun. 10-4; free admission; demonstrations, field trips; contact Jerry Hansen, P.O. Box 186, Moab, UT 84532, (435) 259-3393; e-mail: boondocker@frontiernet.net

11--Albuquerque, NM, "Fall Arts and Crafts Show" 10-4 Saturday. Over 60 vendors selling a wide variety of works. Information booths and demonstrations by the Albuquerque Gem and Mineral Club, the NM Bead Society, and the NM Gold Miners Association. Free. 1100 San Mateo NE at Lomas. Hosted by Mama's Minerals, one of our club's most generous sponsors. Contact Yvette at 266-8443 or on the web at www.mamasminerals.com.

11-12--Payson, AZ: Annual show; Payson Rimstones Rock Club; Tonto Apache Res. Recreation Center, BIA 101/Hwy. 87N, south end of town, behind Sonic; Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-4; admission $3, children under 12 free; dealers, gems, minerals, fossils, rough material, lapidary equipment, jewelry findings, silent auctions, Spinning Wheel, Education Corner, fluorescent light display; contact Barry Jones, (928) 476-3513; e-mail: froggie1048@msn.com

11-12--Sierra Vista, AZ: 34th annual show, "Rock Rustlers Dream"; Huachuca Mineral & Gem Club; Elks Lodge, 1 Elks Ln., on Wilcox Ave., 1 block east of Buffalo Soldier Trail; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 9-4; free admission; live demonstrations, educational displays, gems, jewelry, fossils, equipment, lapidary supplies; contact Ingrid Baillie, P.O. Box 1596, Sierra Vista, AZ 85636, (520) 459-3718; e-mail: ibaillie@cox.net

11-12--Temple, TX: 39th show; Tri-City Gem & Mineral Society; Mayborn Civic & Convention Center, 3303 N. 3rd St.; Sat. 9-6, Sun. 10-5; contact Les Connally, (254) 939-7015; e-mail: loconn@aol.com

17-19--Victoria, TX: Show; Victoria Gem & Mineral Society; Victoria Community Center, 2905 E. North St.; Fri. 9-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $2, children under 12 free; silent auction, wheel of fortune, working display, jewelry, rocks, minerals, fossils; contact Ken Lemke, (361) 575-5350; e-mail: klemke@vctx.org

18-19--Sedona, AZ: 7th annual show; Sedona Gem & Mineral Club; Sedona Red Rock High School, Hwy. 89A and Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.; Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4; free admission; 35 dealers, exhibits, demonstrators, Arizona State University meteorite display, rock identification, raffles, Kids' Korner (rock painting, games, free specimens); contact Linda Yee, 320 Canyon Dr., Sedona, AZ 86336, (928) 203-9476; e-mail: LindaFYee@hotmail.com; Web site: www.sedonagemandmineral.org

Email me at hpf5@qwest.net and let me know your guesses by copying the Questions below and answering them.

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. When you have decided on the name you can compare notes with others or wait for the answers to be published in the News Nuggets. Good luck and have fun.

This year I thought I’d concentrate on minerals that are used as gemstones. Hmm, I might even include a rock or two used as gems.

This month’s MM is an anhydrous silicate of a common metal and one that is more unusual. This is another one (or two) locality mineral and it is found exclusively in unusual veins cutting gray-green schists interlayered with serpentine. It is almost always found as sharp, tabular, trigonal crystals. There are six poor cleavages parallel to the hexagonal dipyramid. It is transparent to translucent, usually a beautiful shade of sapphire blue but it can be white to colorless or pink, Sp. Gr. = 3.6, H = 6 to 6.5. The luster is vitreous.

What is the name of the material?

What is the origin of the name?

What metals does it contain?

What non-metals does it contain?

What is the major mineral in the veins where it occurs?

What other minerals occur with it?

What is it mined and used for?

What kind of treatment does this gem get?

Do you have some in your collection?

In NM, in the USA, and in the World

What is the name of the material? Charoite (or Charolite if you are British).

What is the origin of the name? I’ve read two possibilities. 1. Named for the Chary or Chara River, the closest named geographic feature to the deposit. 2. Named for the impression that it gives: "chary" in Russian means "charms" or "magic" and not for the Chara River, which is 70 km away from the locality. Hey, it IS in a remote region.

What metals does it contain? Potassium, calcium, silicon, minor strontium and barium but NO aluminum. If there were aluminum it would have made a feldspar.

What non-metals does it contain? Oxygen, hydrogen as both hydoxyl and water, and a tad of fluorine.

What is it mined and used for? Ornamental uses only, - cabochon gems, objets d'arte, carvings.

What kind of treatment does this gem get? None except grinding to shape and polishing.

Do you have some in your collection? Lots, Want some?

Three items of interest – 1. The locality is so remote that it was more economical to haul all the material out by helicopter than build a road in. 2. All of the material HAS been hauled out. There is no more left in the ground; it is all in the hands of jewelers and their customers. 3. The other minerals commonly associated with charoite are black aegirine-augite, white to gray feldspar, and orangey tinaksite [a titanium (Ti), sodium (Na), potassium (K) silicate (Si) – hence the name].

In NM – none

In the USA – none

In the World – Murun massif, Chara River area, Aldan Shield, SW Yakutia (Sakha Republic) or what we call Siberia, Russia

Paul Hlava

October 13, 2008

NEXT MEETING: Monday, October 27^th, 2008. 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. There is a short business meeting prior to the evening’s presentation, which begins at approximately 8:00 P.M.

by Jane Bardal

This presentation will focus on the beautiful mountain scenery, ghost towns, minerals, and mining history of the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado.  This area was extensively mined from the 1880s to the early 1900s, with some activity continuing until the 1990s.  See what the area was like then, compared to now.  Jane Bardal has spent 19 years hiking and researching the mining history of this area near Silverton and Ouray.

Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club

Jay Penn, Editor

PO Box 13718

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87192