New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

The Red Cloud Mining District, situated in the Gallinas Mountains of central New Mexico, is of considerable interest to both mineralogists and collectors due to the occurrence of rare and colorful mineral species. Of particular interest are the Red Cloud Fluorite and Copper Mines located in the center of the district. The Gallinas Mountains occupy a part of the southern section of the divided Cibola National Forest, west of the town of Corona. They were formed by Tertiary intrusives which penetrated a basement of Precambrian granite overlain by Permian sedimentary rocks.

Mining for iron, copper and fluorite in the Red Cloud District has taken place sporadically from near the turn of the century until the late 1940's when mining operations ceased. From all available indications, the low reserves of ore in this district will probably preclude any future significant mining activity.

The Red Cloud Copper Mine was originally mined for lead, copper, silver and some gold. All that remains of the original mine workings is a fenced vertical shaft and the mine dumps. Access to the underground workings is not possible. The host rock for the ore was a fractured sandstone breccia.

The Red Cloud Fluorite Mine, also known as Conqueror No. 9, was operated as an underground mine from 1943-1944 but was subsequently operated as a surface working. Fluorite and bastnaesite were mined from a mineralized fracture breccia along a fault zone. Surprisingly, the minerals from these adjacent mines are quite distinctive, and include minerals not previously described from New Mexico.