New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

First printed in THE NEW MEXICO FACETER - newsletter of the NEW MEXICO FACETERS GUILD.)

Glenn and Martha Vargas, in "Faceting for Amateurs," listed more than 100 natural gem materials suitable for faceting by amateurs. Their book was printed in 1969 and does not include a few minerals now considered facetable or then unknown. We will add a few to their list. An asterisk (*) preceding a listing indicates no mention in Vargas. Quite a large number of these minerals are found in New Mexico. Stuart A. Northrop's "Minerals of New Mexico" lists most of those and supplies general to specific locations. I refer you to this fine book for a back-cover jacketed map of New Mexico mining districts and to the many text listings of technical papers and reports of mineral discoveries. Many technical papers and letters are available for examination at the U.N.M. library and at libraries on campus at Socorro and Las Cruces. Though now out of print, Northrop's book should occupy a place on your own book shelves.
As you will soon notice, I have added occasional bits of personal information and made some best guesses. I will appreciate comments and knowledgeable updates from readers.

DISCLAIMER - I do not always know about the legal aspects of entry into the various locations to be mentioned. I take no responsibility for you if you trespass, get lost, or injure yourself while trying to follow my directions. I will, however, supply the most accurate information available to me. Be sure to check state highway numbers on the most recent official map; these numbers are changed periodically.

MINERALS
ACTINOLITE - N.M. probability not great. Best chances appear to be: 1) Central and Fierro-Hanover mining districts in Grant County; perhaps the dumps of the old Philadel¬phia mine. 2) The Willow Creek mining district in San Miguel County.
ADULARIA - see FELDSPAR. ALBITE - see FELDSPAR.
AMBER - (also see WHEELERITE) - N.M. probability very good. A possibility around any old coal dump. Has been reported from several locations such as: 1) the Gallup-Zuni coal basin near Ft. Wingate in McKinley County and San Mateo in Cibola County, 2) the Rio Puerco coal field in Sandoval and McKinley Counties, 3) the San Juan Basin mines in San Juan County. Many of these finds may be better classified as WHEELERITE.
AMBLYGONITE - N.M. probability low. Best chance seems to be the Pidlite deposits in the Rociada mining district of Mom County.
ANALCIME (a zeolite) - N.M. probability only fair. Easily found but facetable rough not reported. The best chances are: 1) Todilto Park south of Window Rock in McKinley County, 2) the White Rock Canyon of the Rio Grande in Sandoval County.
ANATASE - N.M. probability remote. Best chances are: 1) a strange deposit six miles west of Ladrone Peak in Socorro County, 2) the White Sands Proving Ground, Organ mining district, south of Highway 70, one mile east of San Augustin Pass in Dofia Ana County.
ANDALUSITE - N.M. probability "maybe." Best chances are: 1) the Capitan quadrangle of Lincoln County, 2) the Ojo Caliente No. 1 and Petaca mining districts of Rio Arriba County, 3) the Glenwoody, Harding Mine, Honda Canyon, and Picuris mining districts of Taos County.
ANGLESITE - N.M. probability fairly good. Best chances are the Bear Canyon and Organ mining districts of Dam Ana County.
ANHYDRITE - N.M. probability very good. Best chances are: 1) approximately one mile west of Canoncito in Cibola County - many pea-size crystals in gypsum, 2) around drilled water wells in Eddy, Chavez, and Lea Counties, 3) around any gypsum deposit.
APATITE - N.M. probability fair. Best chances are: 1) the Organ mining district of Doña Ana County—some large yellow crystals noted in the literature, 2) the Harding mine in Taos County—gray to greenish-blue crystals, generally only translucent.
APOPHYLLITE - N.M. probability very low. Best chance: small veinlets in the South Canyon mining district in Doña Ana County.
AQUAMARINE - (see BERYL)
ARAGONITE - N.M. probability low. Found all over New Mexico, but none reported of faceting size and clarity.
AUGELITE - N.M. probability low. Northrop doesn't list AUGELITE.
AXINITE - N.M. probability low. The best chance seems to be the Iron Mountain No. 2 mining district at Brown City Camp one to two miles east of NM-52, 10 miles north of Chloride.
AZURITE - N.M. probability low. The best chance seems to be the Magdalena area in Socorro County. Very nice specimen crystals have been found there, but most seem to be internally altered to mushy malachite. Other areas have produced masses of very tiny crystals unsuited to faceting.
BARITE - N.M. probability good. Barite has been found and even mined in many places in New Mexico. The sites listed by Northrop, however, are for large plates, clusters, sheaves, and nodules. No data indicate these occurrences included transparent material. Best chances for faceting rough appear to be at the various fluorite locations, the sedimen¬tary rocks south of Cabezon to 1-40 and west to Gallup and including an arc south to west of San Ysidro.
BENITOITE - N.M. probability near zero. One small California occurrence produces the only known BENITOITE.
BERYL - N.M. probability excellent. Many New Mexico locations, mostly opaque to translucent ore grades. The best chances for faceting rough are: 1) the Ojo Caliente No. 1 and Petaca mining districts in Rio Arriba County. Rough runs from nearly colorless
through shades of green, blue, yellow, and pink. A few small faceting bits have been cut. 2) The El Porvenir and Tecolote mining districts adjoining Young's Canyon, Burro
Creek, and Gallinas Creek in San Miguel County—material is as described for Rio Arriba County. 3) The Harding mine in Taos County—generally colorless, greenish, or pale pink. A number of small stones have been cut. 4) *A reddish BERYL called BIXBITE (not to be confused with BIXBYITE found in the same area), A RELATIVELY NEW REPORT! Rumors have circulated for several years about BIXBITE in the Taylor Creek mining district of Sierra and Catron Counties (the Gila Wilderness east of Beaverhead). Recent information specifies two locations in Sierra County, one a small prospect near the old BIXBYTTE/TOPAZ diggings (center of S1/2 sec. 22, TlOS R11W). The second location, less specific, is against Round Mountain just north of Diamond Creek and a few miles southeast of the first site. Stones found are small and are much lighter colored than the classic Utah BIXBITE.
BERYLLONTTE - N.M. probability low. Has been reported from Rabb Canyon, Grant County, but this report is believed to be erroneous.
BORACITE - N.M. probability very low. No known reports for New Mexico. BRAZILIANITE - N.M. probability very low. No known reports for New Mexico. BYTOWNITE - (see FELDSPAR).
CALCITE - N.M. probability certain. CALCITE has been reported from every county in New Mexico, but is not usually of facetable quality. Best chances are: 1) in concretions along the Rio Puerco and its tributaries in Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Valencia Counties, 2) the Organ mining district of Dona Ana County, 3) clear scalenohedron and prism crystals of transparent, colorless CALCITE in a small prospect 3/4 mile west of the intersection of 1-25 and US-380 (just west of San Antonio in Socorro County). A great many crystals adhere to slabs of rock in the shallow prospect. The prospect is on the north side of the gulch just west of a low bluff.4) Harding mine and a large pit 1/2 mile northwest of the Harding mine in Taos County, 5) Cooke's Peak, Little Florida, and Tres Hermanas mining districts in Luna County.
CANCRINITE - N.M. probability very low. Best chance, the Chico phonolites of eastern Colfax County.
CASSITERITE - N.M. probability unlikely as faceting material. Opaque varieties of CAS-SITERITE have been reported from numerous prospects in the Taylor Creek mining district of Catron and Sierra Counties. No transparent material has been reported.
CELESITtE - N.M. probability good. Best chances are: 1) in concretions along the Rio Puerco and its tributaries in Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties, 2) an area west to south of San Ysidro in Sandoval County, 3) an area from northeast to northwest of Laguna in Cibola County.
CERUSSITE - N.M. probability good. Best chances are: 1) the Organ mining district of Dona Ana County, 2) the many mining districts surrounding Silver City in Grant County, 3) the Cerrillos and New Placers mining districts of Santa Fe County, 4) numerous mining districts along the lower east slopes of the Black Range from Chloride to Lake Valley in Sierra County, 5) several mining districts near Socorro, Magdalena, and Bingham in Socorro County, 6) any lead mine in the state.
*CHABAZITE - (a ZEOLITE) - N.M. probability fair. Best chances are: 1) Dry Leggett Canyon west of Reserve and just west of the intersection of US-180 and NM-12 in Catron County (small crystals in andesite), 2) Church Creek, Jemez Springs mining district, Sandoval County (3-mm cubic crystals in lava boulders behind the old Spanish mission).
*CHALCOPYRITE - (also see PYRITE) - N.M. probability certain. Found at most copper mines and prospects. Not normally considered a faceting mineral but produces bright, interesting faceted tablets.
CHONDRODITE - N.M. probability very unlikely. Northrop does not mention it.
CHRYSOBERYL - N.M. probability remote for faceting size and grade. Best chance is in Taos County. Northrop reports very tiny yellow crystals in a pegmatite on a ridge west of the head of the south fork of Rito de los Cedros about 5.2 miles south of the village of Costilla.
CINNABAR - N.M. probability near zero. CINNABAR has been many times reported in New Mexico but never verified.
CLINOZOISITE - N.M. probability low. Found as tiny, usually pale-green crystals in several New Mexico mines and prospects. The best chance appears to be on a ridge south of Discovery Gulch in the Iron Mountain No. 2 mining district of Sierra County.
COLMANITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not list COLMANITE although the potash mining areas of southeastern New Mexico are a remote possibility.
CORDIERITE - (see IOLITE).
CORUNDUM - N.M. probability for faceting size and quality is poor. There were numer¬ous unverified early reports of CORUNDUM. Most of these were probably mistaken identification of PERIDOT or GARNET. Best chances are: 1) the Modoc mining district of Doña Ana County, 2) light-blue CORUNDUM in Lincoln County (check letter Ming-Shan to Northrop, 2/12/57), 3) there are persistent reports of small SAPPHIRES in various gravels of Santa Fe County.
CROCOITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not list CROCOITE. Chromium minerals are nearly nonexistent in New Mexico.
CUPRITE - N.M. probability for facetable rough is only fair. CUPRITE is a constituent of many New Mexico copper ores but is usually noted as a dusting of exceedingly tiny crystals. The best chances appear to be: 1) the Fierro-Hanover and Santa Rita mining districts of Grant County, 2) two dangerous prospects high on the west side of a small creek south of Placitas and northwest of the Sandia Man cave, Placitas mining district in Sandoval County.
DANBURITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop lists no DANBURITE occurrence in New Mexico.
DATOLITE - N.M. probability poor. In 1875, Loew reported DATOLITE from the headwaters of the Gila River. There are no other reports. The composition of DATO-LITE, DANBURITE, and TOPAZ are sufficiently similar to make one wonder why TOPAZ is present but DANBURITE and DATOLITE are not.
DEMANTOID - (see GARNET).
DIAMOND - N.M. probability poor. DIAMONDS have been found in New Mexico but in no particular concentration at a given locality. The only exception "may" be a wide region west and south of Shiprock. Kimberlite and kimberlite-like pipes, which often produce DIAMONDS, are known to exist from the Four Corners area south to Window Rock.
DIOPSIDE - N.M. probability only fair for faceting rough. DIOPSIDE is common at several New Mexico mines, but faceting grades have not been reported. Best chances are: 1) the Organ and South Canyon mining districts of Doña Ana County (very occa¬sional green or yellow crystals), 2) Green Knobs in western McKinley County (small, intensely green bits, may be colored by chromium).
DIOPTASE - N.M. probability very poor. Northrop cites minor finds at Santa Rita, Grant County and at Orogrande, Otero County.
DOLOMITE - N.M. probability very good. Faceting grade DOLOMITE of fine quality was once advertised from somewhere near Santa Rosa. Al Huebler of the New Mexico Faceters Guild recently cut a very fine stone from this material. Hint: research old Lapidary Journal ads and make local inquiries. Best chances are: 1) the Santa Rita area, 2) near Lake Arthur in Chaves County, 3) just south of Dunlap in De Baca County.
*DUMORTIERITE - N.M. probability poor for faceting grades. This material is translucent at best. Best chances are: 1) Tres Hermanas mining district of Luna County, 2) the Petaca mining district of Rio Arriba County, on the west slope of La Madera Mountain about 1/2 mile southeast of La Madera village.
ELBAITE - (see TOURMALINE).
EMERALD - (see BERYL). This BERYL variety has never been reported in New Mexico.
ENSTATite - N.M. probability poor for faceting grades. Best chance is probably in bits associated with DIOPSIDE at Green Knobs, McKinley County. Tiny, but spectacular, catseye cabochons are possible from this material.
EPIDOTE - N.M. probability fair. EPIDOTE is a very common New Mexico mineral but is usually found as a massive, granular, opaque rock. Faceting material is transparent, leek-or pistachio-green, crystalline rough. Best chances are: 1) in the Juan Tabo Park area of Bernalillo County against the first sharp rise of the Sandia Mountains about 1/2 mile south of the start of the La Luz Trail, 2) the Capitan mining district of Lincoln County.
EUCLASE - N.M. probability poor. Reported in the Cochiti mining district of Sandoval County (very doubtful) and in the vicinity of Taos - no specifics.
FAYALITE - (an OLIVINE) - N.M. probability "maybe." FAYALITE was reported (A. D. Zapp, 1941) in the Cornudas Mountains of Otero County. There is a bare possibility that some of the PERIDOT of the Green Knobs and Red Lake area of McKinley County is actually FAYALITE.
FELDSPAR - Numerous species as follows:
ANOTHOCLASE - (similar to orthoclase) - N.M. probability poor. Faceting grade is unknown.
MICROCLINE - N.M. probability poor. Not usually transparent. Best chancees are: 1) Petaca mining district in Rio Arriba County, 2) Harding mine in Taos County.
ORTHOCLASE - (includes ADULARIA, CRYPTOPERTHITE, MICROPERTHITE, PERTHITE, SANIDINE, SODA-SANIDINE, and MOONSTONE) - N.M. probability certain for SANIDINE, SODA-SANIDINE, MOONSTONE and ADULARIA. Best chances are: 1) SANIDINE, SODA-SANIDINE and possibly ADULARIA occur in the Rabb Canyon MOONSTONE pegmatites. The SANIDINE and SODA-SANIDINE are water-clear (though often marred by partial cleavages and fractures) and show a vivid blue or silvery adularescence - probably the best in the world. The material thought to be ADULARIA is about 1/4 mile south of the main SANIDINE site. It is "sleepy" translucent and exhibits no adularescence. Rabb Canyon is in Grant County,
roughly 10 Miles northeast of Mimbres. 2). Small SANIDINES are found in the Jemez, Cochiti, and Bandelier areas of Sandoval County. Most are tiny, but a few to 1/4 inch have come from the Bandelier area. 3) The Albuquerque Volcanoes area and
the Cerro Colorado south of 1-40 in Bernalillo County produce a few pieces of doubtful value.
ALBITE, OLIGOCLASE, ANORTHITE and ANDESINE appear to have no facetable value in New Mexico although microprobe tests of Catron County LABRADORITE indicate a very thin outer layer of ANDESINE.
LABRADORITE - N.M. probability certain. Best chances are: 1) a light straw to good yellow transparent rough is found in the basalts of the Pueblo Park area of Catron County about 25 miles southwest of Reserve, the location extending into Arizona, 2) Loew (1875) reported clear LABRADORITE in the glassy andesites of San Antonio Mountain in Rio Arriba County. (This is probably the 11,651-ft mountain now called Chicoma Mountain. It is about 17 airline miles west of Espanola.) These are described as relatively large and vividly colored. The location, if it existed, is no longer known. 3) Loew also described LABRADORITE like 2) above, in a basalt
plug 5 miles southwest of Cabezon Peak in Sandoval County. 4) V. C. Kelley, geologist at U.N.M., displayed a transparent, light-amber cleavage block with brightest blue labradorescence from the Jemez area, Sandoval County. [Dr. Kelley died in 1988.—Editor]
BYTOWNITE - N.M. probability unlikely. When I found the FELDSPAR in the Pueblo Park area (1969), I had index of refraction tests run by two practicing gemologists. Their readings of 1.570 convinced me the FELDSPAR was BYTOWNITE. I called it that, and the name was accepted in the faceting world. Recent, far more extensive, and more accurate testing by Paul Hlava, Sandia Laboratories, proves that this material is LABRADORITE. BYTOWNITE is once again an unknown faceting material.
FIBROLITE - (see SILLIMANITE).
FLUORITE - N.M. probability certain. FLUORITE has been found and mined in dozens of places in New Mexico. Best chances are: 1) in and around the Doc Long Recre¬ation Area on NM-536 northwest of Cedar Crest in Bernalillo County, pale-green cleavages to 3/4 inch, 2) in almost all the many mining districts around Las Cruces and Organ in Doña Ana County. Most of this rough is colorless to pale green. An easy location is some prospects 1/2 mile east of Organ and a lesser distance north of US-70. 3) In almost all mining districts in the Silver City and Burro Mountains
region of Grant County, 4) in the Cooke's Peak mining district of Luna County, a spectacular lime green and other colors in large pieces, 5) in numerous mining
districts in the southern part of Sierra County. Of particular interest is that in the Grandview Canyon district east of the villages of Arrey and Derry. 6) In most of the mining districts of Socorro County, particularly the Hansonburg district southeast of Bingham where large cleavages of blue, green and purple rough are found. These are very fragile and difficult to facet. 7) The Zuni Mountains mining district of Valencia County, particularly the Mirabal mine near Diener and Bluewater, 8) At least 12 mines in the Gila Fluorite district a few miles more or less east of Gila in Grant County, very nice material in a number of colors.
FRIEDELITE - N.M. probability near zero. FRIEDELITE is not mentioned by Northrop.
*GADOLINITE - N.M. probability poor to fair. This is a very rare mineral usually only translucent to opaque. Best chances appear to be: 1) in the Petaca mining district of Rio Arriba County, 2) in the Elk Mountain district of San Miguel County, the pegmatites east of Cow Creek.
GAHNITE - (see SPINEL).
GARNET - A number of varieties as follows:
ALMANDITE - N.M. probability poor. Deep red to purplish red. Best chance is in the Capitan quadrangle of Lincoln County.
ANDRADHE - N.M. probability good. Yellow or black, DEMANTOID, green. Best chances are: 1) in the Modoc, Organ, and South Canyon mining districts of Dofia Ana County, 2) in the Apache No. 2 and Sylvanite mining districts of Hidalgo County - DEMANTOID (Rosenzweig, 1957), 3) in the New Placers mining district of Santa Fe County, particularly in and near the San Pedro mine, 4) in the Glenwoody mining district of Taos County.
GROSSULARITE - N.M. probability good. Amber or pink, HESSONITE, orange. Best chances are: 1) in the Modoc, Organ, and South Canyon mining districts of Doi% Ana County, 2) in the Fierro-Hanover mining district of Grant County - large, beeswax-yellow crystals.
PYROPE - N.M. probability very good. Deep red. Best chances are: 1) in the Green Knobs/Red Lake area north of Window Rock in McKinley County. Many of these GARNETS are paler than normal PYROPES - some to light lavender -and may be RHODOLITE. 2) Red, raisin-size, appearing to be PYROPE, are found in a pink granite just north of I-25 and 2 or 3 miles southwest of Las Vegas in San Miguel County. Turn off 1-25 onto NM-283 and go 1/2 mile or so.
RHODOL1TE - N.M. probability good. Locations as for PYROPE. SPESSARTITE -N.M. probability good although faceting grade may be difficult to find. Orange, red, brown or yellow. Best chances are: 1) in the Rociada mining district of Mom County, 2) in the Elk Mountain, El Povenir and Willow Creek mining districts of San Miguel County. Samples cited by Northrop may contain titanium or yttrium.
UVAROVITE - N.M. probability fair to poor. This GARNET is emerald-green. Best chance is in the South Canyon mining district of Darla Ana County.
TSAVOR1TE - N.M. probability near zero. Unknown outside Tanzania, Africa.
*GLAUBER1TE - N.M. probability fair. GLAUBERITE is very soft and water soluble. Best chance is in the Carlsbad potash mining district of Eddy County.
*GYPSUM - (see SELENITE).
*HAUTE - (common table salt) - N.M. probability very good. Best chance is in the Carlsbad potash mining district of Eddy County. An intense blue variety is very occa-sionally seen.
HAMBERGITE - N.M. probability very low. Northrop does not list HAMBERG1TE.
*HEDENBERGITE - N.M. probability good. HEDENBERGITE is a PYROXENE, end member of the DIOPSIDE series and translucent at best. Best chances are: 1) at the Quickstrike and Ben Nevis mines in the Organ mining district of Doila Ana County, 2) in the Fierro-Hanover mining district of Grant County, 3) in the Iron Mountain No. 2 and Magdalena mining districts of Sierra and Socorro Counties.
*HELVITE - N.M. probability only fair for facetable crystals but the only known possible source. Best chances are: 1) the Iron Mountain No. 2 mining district of Sierra County -the best possibility, 2) the Morlock and Eloi claims in the Victorio mining district of Luna County.
HEMATITE - N.M. probability not very good. Northrop lists a large number of HEMA¬THE occurrences, but there is no indication of crystalline material suitable for faceting. The best chances might be: 1) in the Petaca mining district of Rio Arriba County -"numerous veins occur on the west slope of La Madera Mountain; most of these are near the base of the mountain, about a 1/2 mile southeast of Madera," 2) in the Cerrillos, New Placers, and Old Placers mining districts of Santa Fe County.
HEXAGON1TE - (see TREMOL1TE).
HODGKINSONITE - N.M. probability very low. Northrop does not mention it. It is a zinc mangano-silicate. Zinc, manganese, and silicates are prominent in New Mexico minerals and mining, so HODGKINSONITE is an unmentioned possibility.
*HORNBLENDE - N.M. probability fair. There are numerous possibilities. Best chances seem to be: 1) in the Black Hawk, Burro Mountains, Chloride Flat, Eureka, Fierro¬Hanover, Pinos Altos, Santa Rita, Silver City, and Steeple Rock mining districts of Grant County - relatively large crystals but generally deep colored. The Pinos Altos district lists some colorless to pale-green crystals in granodiorite. 2) In the Green Knobs area northeast of Red Lake in McKinley County - "cores of large, colorless PYROXENE crystals in HORNBLENDES nearly one inch in diameter (Balk and Sun, 1954, p. 116)."
*HYPERSTHENE - N.M. probability questionable. HYPERSTHENE is the iron-rich end member of the ENSTATHE series. In 1969, I found crystals and broken pieces of a very deep red-brown mineral associated with yellow OLIGOCLASE FELDSPAR in the Pueblo Park area of Catron County. I guessed this to be the iron-rich end member, HYPERS¬THENE. Recent determinations by Paul Hlava, of Sandia Laboratories, identifies this mineral as BRONZITE, the somewhat less iron-rich intermediate member of the ENSTA¬TUE series. Northrop does not list this occurrence. The BRONZITE can be cut into cabochons with a weak catseye or faceted into tablets.
IDOCRASE - N.M. probability not very good. Best chance appears to be in the Fierro-Han¬over and Pinos Altos mining districts of Grant County.
INDERITE (KURNAKOVITE) - N.M. probability near zero. INDERITE is a magnesium borate not mentioned by Northrop.
IOLITE (CORDTERITE) - N.M. probability not very good as faceting rough. Best chances are: 1) in a gully southeast of the Merrimac mine, Organ and South Canyon mining districts of Doña Ana County, 2) not far from the Harding mine in Taos County (Mont¬gomery, 1953). Coloradoans, ask me about four prospects in western Colorado!
JADEITE - N.M. probability very low. Northrop questions a report of JADEITE in the Jicarilla mining district of Lincoln County (F. A. Jones, 1904).
KORNERUP1NE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop lists no reported finds of KORNE-RUPINE in New Mexico.
KYANITE - N.M. probability good. Best chances are: 1) in the Bromide No. 2, Ojo Caliente No. 1, and Petaca mining districts of Rio Arriba County - very large crystals were mined in quantity - no statements of clarity or color. 2) Glenwoody, Hondo Canyon, Picuris, and Red River mining districts - broad, bladed fans of large crystals.
LABRADORITE - (see FELDSPAR).
LAZULITE - N.M. probability not good for faceting rough. Best chance is the South Canyon mining district of Doña Ana County, in Rucca Canyon north of the east end of Soledad Canyon (Dunham, 1935 - 36).
LEGRANDITE - N.M. probability poor. Northrop does not mention this mineral, which has been mined in Mexico.
*LEPIDOLITE (a MICA) - N.M. probability good. Best chance is in the dumps of the Harding mine in Taos County. Vaguely crystalline-appearing lumps to 1/2 inch are occasionally found. They are sub-transparent, deep raspberry colored, waxy. These may be pseudomorphs. It should be noted that much of the pink MICA of the Harding mine is not LEPIDOLITE but ROSE MUSCOVITE.
LEUCHE - N.M. probability only fair. The best chance seems to be near Todilto Park in McKinley County.
*LINARITE - N.M. probability only fair for faceting rough but the best chance known. Crystals have been faceted. A very rare mineral found in some quantity in the mines southeast of Bingham in the Hansonburg mining district of Socorro County. Most specimens are only a bright blue "sugaring" of tiny crystals, but very occasionally a crystal has been found large enough to yield a small faceted stone.
LUDLAMITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop mentions no LUDLAMITE in New Mexico.
MAGNESITE - N.M. probability poor. Best chances are: 1) several locations in the White Sands Missile Range east of Las Cruces in Dofia Ana County, 2) on a steep hillside west of Ash Creek, two miles above its junction with the Gila River and about 30 miles north of Lordsburg in Grant County. All reported material appears amorphous and unsuited for faceting.
MARCASITE - (see PYRITE).
MICROLITE - (often radioactive) - N.M. probability fair. Best chances are: 1) in the Pidlite deposit of the Rociada mining district in Mom County. Reportedly to 3/8 inch in honey-yellow to yellow-brown octohedrons. 2) Honey-yellow crystals from the Harding mine in Taos County. Crystals may be large enough to facet but opaque or very frac¬tured. The Harding mine is, supposedly, the largest MICROLITE orebody in the world.
MOLDAVITE, TEKHIE, etc. - A stray obsidian-like rock of extraterrestrial or meteor-impact origin - might be found in New Mexico but not likely. Only a real expert can make a determination between a TEKTliE and the ubiquitous Apache tear-type obsidians. (Technically speaking, all MOLDAVITES are from Moldavia.)
*MONTICELLITE - N.M. probability poor. The only possibility seems to be in the Tres Hermanas mining district of Luna County where it is associated with SPURRITE in limestone (field notes of Robert Balk, N.M. Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, via A. Rosenzweig, May 1957). Small crystals and grains reported are probably too small to permit faceting.
NATROLHE - N.M. probability low for faceting rough. Best chances are: 1) in several places in the Jemez Mountains region of Sandoval County, particularly the Valle Grande area, 2) in vesicles (gas-bubble holes) in the basalts of Canjilon Hill, three miles north of Bernalillo in Sandoval County.
OBSIDIAN - (Technically a rock, not a mineral) - N.M. probability certain. OBSIDIANS are found in many parts of New Mexico, particularly west of the Rio Grande. In most occurrences, the OBSIDIAN is sub-transparent at best, but there are also a few sources of nearly transparent rough. Best chances are: 1) in the Jemez Mountains of Sandoval County at the Tent Rocks about four miles northwest of Cochiti Pueblo on National Forest Road 266. The tears are quite transparent but small, to 1/4 inch. 2) In the Jemez Mountains on the same road noted in 1), about 12 miles northwest of Cochiti Pueblo and
about 3/4 mile north of the old Bear Canyon ranch site. More or less transparent tears to 1 1/2 inches can be found in the roadbed and in shallow diggings (for PERLitE) on the east side of the gulch. About 10% of these tears contain flow-oriented, glittering, blue, inclusions of unknown composition. Properly oriented and cut, these obsidians make spectacular gems. NOTE! We are investigating these inclusions. Under the micro¬scope, they appear to be perfect hexagonal plates with strange, internal star-like markings. We are trying for microprobe examination to determine the nature of these inclusions.
OL1GOCLASE - (see FELDSPAR). OLIVINE - (see PERIDOT).
OPAL - N.M. probability fair if you care to investigate old records. Best chances are: 1) in Doña Ana County southwest of Hatch - hint: see articles by Mildred Sanders in early issues of the Lapidary Journal. 2) High on the north fork of Percha Creek north of Kingston in Sierra County - reported as orange to red transparent opal, see M. Sanders, 3) in the Jemez Mountains of Sandoval County, off National Forest Road 266 about 5 miles northwest of Cochiti Pueblo and 1/2 mile north of Tent Rocks. White-base and transparent opal was reported mined here around 1900. The actual site was on the west side of Colle Canyon 1/4 mile north of its junction with Peralta Canyon. 4) In the Central and Burro Mountains mining districts of Grant County, particularly near Fort Bayard - "precious opal of good quality."
ORTHOCLASE - (see FELDSPAR) - the group of FELDSPARS containing potassium but little or no sodium or calcium.
*PERICLASE - N.M. probability fair. The only chance seems to be in the South Canyon mining district of Doña Ana County. Dunham (1936) reported PERICLASE as "fairly abundant in the large BRUCITE marble masses south of the ridge."
PERIDOT - N.M. probability quite good. Best chances are: 1) in Kilbourne Hole and other similar features near Afton in Dofia Ana County and near the Mexican border - small but good greens, 2) in McKinley County in the Red Lake, Green Knobs, Todilto Park and Zilditloi Mountain areas - some good rough, 3) rumor has it that good finds are presently being made at a volcanic neck south of Engle in Sierra County, 4) an occasional find is possible in a number of other counties where large phenocrysts have been noted in volcanic rocks.
PETALITE - N.M. probability poor. PETALITE has been reported but not verified in the Glenwoody, Harding Mine, Hondo Canyon and Picuris mining districts of Taos County.
PHENAC1TE or PHENAKITE - N.M. probability very low. PHENAKITE has been reported but not verified from the Petaca mining district of Rio Arriba County.
PHOSGEN1TE - N.M. probability very low. A few fine crystals to 1 1/2 or two inches long were found long ago at the old Stevenson-Bennett mine about a mile south of Organ in Doiia Ana County. The mine itself has recently been open-pitted and operated as a building-stone quarry.
PHOSPHOPHYLLITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not mention this mineral.
PLAGIOCLASE - (see FELDSPAR). - All sodium/calcium FELDSPARS. POLLUCITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not mention this mineral.
PREHNITE - N.M. probability fair. Best chance is two locations in the Nogal mining district of Lincoln County; 1) about 6 1/2 miles southeast of Carrizozo as pale bluish-green botryoidal masses in cavities and 2) a locality 1 3/4 miles northwest of Nogal.
PROUS1TE - N.M. probability poor. Best chances appear to be: 1) in the Black Hawk, Georgetown, and Pinos Altos mining districts of Grant county, 2) in the Kingston and Lake Valley mining districts of Sierra County. PROUSITE was mined in these areas long ago but almost all of this valuable silver ore went to the refineries.
*PSILOMELANE - N.M. probability certain. The ore, PSILOMELANE, is almost always a combination of several oxides of manganese. A number of years ago, a highly silicious PSILOMELANE was imported from Mexico and cut into interesting, banded cabochons. The New Mexico PSILOMELANE has little silica and less banding. It can be faceted into bright, metallic tablets. The best location is the Luis Lopez mining district about 12 miles southwest of Socorro.
PYRITE and MARCASITE - N.M. probability certain. PYRITE or MARCASITE is found in almost every mining district in New Mexico. The two are chemically identical minerals with a differing crystal habit.- MARCASITE tends to form in coal veins and other high-carbon rocks; PYRITE usually accompanies metallic ores. Either mineral may be faceted into glittering tablets. Beware of "PYRITE" of nearly silver color. It may be ARSENOPYRITE, which may be poisonous to work with or wear. One easy-to- reach source of PYRITE is some prospects north of US-70 and about 1/2 mile east of Organ in Doña Ana County.
PYROXMANGITE - N.M. probability poor. Northrop does not mention this mineral.
QUARTZ - N.M. probability certain. Northrop names 70 varieties of QUARTZ found in New Mexico. Most of these varieties are cryptocrystalline, i.e., made up of interlocking, fibrous crystals - agates and jaspers are examples. Many cryptocrystalline QUARTZ stones can be faceted as interesting tablets, but in the interest of brevity, I shall mention only the more outstanding sources of transparent crystalline QUARTZ. Some good possibilities are: 1) in the Mogollon, Taylor Creek and Wilcox mining districts of Catron County (see Ferguson, 1927; Alfredo, 1951; Rocks and Minerals, 1952, v. 27, p. 35). Also in Catron County, "an area five miles wide by 30 miles long near Grass Lake in the southern San Augustin Plains, crystals, casts and banded agate," (news item, 1947). 2) "Pecos Diamonds" in GYPSUM beds for 100 miles along the Pecos River in Chaves, De Baca, and Eddy Counties - sharp, doubly terminated but seldom clear crystals. A particularly good locale is about five miles east of Ramon in De Baca County. 3) In Baldy, Cimarroncito, and Elizabethtown mining districts and widely scattered through the Cimarron Range in Colfax County. 4) Widespread in virtually all the mining districts of Doña Ana and Grant Counties. Particularly fine faceting rough (colorless, smoky, amethystine, and smoky-amethystine) is found at the SANIDINE MOONSTONE claims in Rabb Canyon, Grant County). 5) In virtually all the mining districts of Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Sierra, and Taos Counties. AMETHYST has been noted in a number of counties as follows: 1) in the Mogollon mining district of Catron County, 2) at the Ben Nevis mine in the Organ mining district of Doha Ana County, 3) in the Chloride (abun¬dant), Kingston, and Tierra Blanca mining districts of Sierra County, also recently reported from somewhere near Wall Lake in western Sierra County, 4) in the Council Rock, Ladron, San Jose, and San Lorenzo mining districts of Socorro County, also an interesting AMETHYST occurrence in a decayed FELDSPAR (clay) dike on the lower, southwest slopes of Ladron Peak, also in Socorro County. This one was once well known to university students at Socorro but has, apparently, passed from common knowledge. Crystals were clear, stubby, to 1 1/2 inches across. Only the tops were amethystine, never deep purple. Smoky QUARTZ of fine quality and considerable quantity has been taken, in the past few years, from a long, slender occurrence on the north slope of Sierra Blanca Peak southeast of Carrizozo and north of Ruidoso in Lincoln County. A heavy incrustation must be removed from these specimens. Many are of museum quality. The entire length of this site is, apparently, a National Wilderness or Primitive Area. Federal authorities have confiscated several "for sale" collections and threatened severe fines, claiming the crystals are a "national treasure." A considerable controversy still simmers over collecting in this area. As I understand, surface collecting for one's private collec-tion is okay, but digging or collecting for sale is bad.
REALGAR - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not list REALGAR as a New Mexico mineral.
RHODIZUE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not mention RHODIZ1TE in New Mexico.
RHODOCHROSITE - N.M. probability poor for faceting rough. Best chance appears to be at the Comstock and Lady Franklin mines in the Kingston mining district of Sierra County.
RHODONITE - N.M. probability poor for faceting rough. Best chance is the same locations noted for RHODOCHROSITE.
RUTILE - N.M. probability near zero. Rutile appears as microscopic or very tiny crystal threads in a number of New Mexico mines and prospects, but there is no mention of anything of facetable size.
SCAPOL1TE - N.M. probability low. Best chance seems to be near Sylvanite in the Sylvanite mining district of Hidalgo County. There is a large deposit of SCAPOL1TE just across the border from Sylvanite into Texas. The location is in Fusselman Canyon, the Franklin Mountains, south of Las Cruces and north of El Paso.
SCHEEL1TE - N.M. probability possible but not very likely in faceting size and quality. Best chances are: 1) in the Organ mining district of Dona Ana County at the Memphis, Memphis King, and Merrimac mines. (I have seen rich, ore-grade SCHEELITE claimed to come from just inside the White Sands Proving Grounds.) 2) In the Bound Ranch, Carpenter, and Eureka mining districts of Grant County, 3) in the Apache No. 2, Fremont, and Sylvanite mining districts of Hidalgo County. The Granite Pass prospect south of Sylvanite looks like a best bet. 4) In a deposit near Dolores in the Ortiz Mountains, which is in the Old Placers mining district of Santa Fe County, 5) in the Grandview mining district of Sierra County - "museum specimens." SCHEEL1TE has also been reported from the Iron Mountain No. 2 mining district of Sierra County.
*SELENITE - N.M. probability certain. This mineral is evident in almost every county in New Mexico. It is the crystalline form of GYPSUM and might be found at any GYP¬SUM location. It is extremely soft, easily cleavable, and partially water soluble. It offers a real challenge to the competitive faceter.
SERPENTINE - N.M. probability not very good for faceting rough. Best chance seems to be in the "Ricolite deposit" which is up Ricolite Gulch about six miles northeast of Red Rock post office and west of the Gila River in western Grant County. The two main deposits produce great quantities of banded decorative material. A third deposit 1/2 mile west produces a sulfur-yellow SERPENTINE with needles of ASBESTOS. It may provide the best chance of faceting rough.
*SERPIERTTE - N.M. probability not good but the best U.S. chance extant if the minerals found prove to be SERPIERTTE. The possible location is near Bingham in the Hanson-burg mining district of Socorro County. Northrop (1959) indicates that a sky-blue mineral found with LINAR1TE had not been positively identified as SERPIERITE. I have no later information.
SIDERITE - N.M. probability poor. SIDERTTE has been verified at a fairly large number of New Mexico locations, but there is no indication of anything approaching transparency. As good a possibility as any might be in nodules found along Galisteo Creek near Galisteo village in Santa Fe County.
SILLIMANITE - N.M. probability only fair. Best chance seems to be in the Manzano Mountains of Torrance County where it may be found in laths 1/4 inch wide by 2 inches long. The SILLIMANITE is in a schist, and the area may be large, because Northrop specifies no particular site.
SINHAL1TE - N.M. probability low. Northrop makes no mention of SINHALITE, but recognition of this mineral as a species separate from PERIDOT may have occurred after publication of "Minerals of New Mexico." There is, therefore, a possibility that some of the brownish Red Lake and Green Knobs "PER1DOT" is, actually, SINHALITE.
SMITHSONITE - probability the best in the U.S. The translucent to nearly transparent variety called HERRERITE was found in at least two mining districts in New Mexico. Best chances are: 1) in the Stevenson-Bennett mine about a mile south of Organ and a small series of prospects about 1/2 mile east of Organ in Doi% Ana County, 2) just south of the village of Magdalena in the old Kelly and Graphic mines, the Magdalena mining district of Socorro County. Vast tonnages of gem- and specimen-quality HERRERTTE were shipped and milled as zinc ore. Neither mine can be entered at present, but occasional small finds are made on the dumps. Either mine may be open sporadically, but entry is extremely dangerous. Mining was done in fractured limestone, and the mines have been flooded for a long time.
SODALITY - N.M. probability near zero. Microscopic grains have been identified in rocks, but there is no promising New Mexico location.
SPHALERITE - N.M. probability certain. Northrop lists a large number of SPHALERTTE locations in New Mexico. Unfortunately, most of our SPHALERITE is very dark to nearly opaque, and even the best pieces will yield only small stones. Best chances appear to be: 1) in the Modoc, Organ, and Rincon mining districts of Doña Ana County, 2) all of the many mining districts in the area around Silver City, Grant County, 3) all of the many mining districts around Hatchita and Lordsburg in Hidalgo County, 4) in the Cerrillos mining district of Santa Fe County, 5) all of the many mining districts of Sierra County. Of the above possibilities, I would select the old mines and prospects of the Cerrillos mining district a few miles nearly due north of the town of Cerrillos and just south of the ancient Indian turquoise pit. A second choice would be the old mines in the Hermosa mining district of Sierra County. Both locations seem to yield honey-colored SPHALER¬ITE.
SPHENE - N.M. probability poor. There are several SPHENE locations in New Mexico, but most specimens are microscopic to 3.0 mm maximum size. The best chances are: 1) in the Picuris mining district at a locality described as being several miles east of the Harding mine in Taos County, 2) in the Rabb Canyon moonstone prospects of Grant County (see SANIDINE MOONSTONE FELDSPARS). Tiny yellow bits of SPHENE are abundant in the sands, and an occasional wedge-shaped crystal to 3/4 inch long is found near the prospects. These large crystals are invariably nearly opaque.
SPINEL - N.M. probability fair. Northrop lists no crystals large enough to facet, but I have seen shiny black opaque crystals (PLEONASTE variety) to 1/2 inch. These are said to come from a location several miles east to southeast of Truth or Consequences in Sierra County.
SPODUMENE - N.M. probability very poor. SPODUMENE in huge, opaque, lath-like crystals has been mined as lithium ore at the Harding mine in Taos County and elsewhere. There is no indication of translucent or transparent faceting material, however.
STIBIOTANTALITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop does not mention this mineral.
*STILBITE - (a ZEOLITE) - N.M. probability good. This mineral is probably much more widespread than New Mexico records indicate. Several ZEOLITES form in the cavities of volcanic rocks, particularly rhyolite and basalt. One possibility is in the volcanic rocks surrounding the Rabb Canyon moonstone prospects in Grant County.
SULFUR - N.M. probability fair. Best chances are in several locations in the vicinity of Jemez Springs, Battleship Rock, and La Cueva Junction in Sandoval County. Two possibilities are the seepage springs just downstream from Battleship Rock (about 11 miles north of Jemez Springs) and a SULFUR springs location a mile or two northeast of La Cueva Junction.
*THOMSONITE - (a ZEOLITE) - N.M. probability fair. This rare gem mineral is normally considered a cabochon material. It does, however, occasionally occur as a transparent mineral. There are these possible locations: 1) in the Nogal mining district of Lincoln County southeast of Carrizozo and "is common around Cub Mountain and Church Mountain where it occurs as spherulitic aggregates and radiating sheaves up to 3 inches in diameter, also with PREHN1TE 1 3/4 miles northwest of Nogal." 2) in an andesite flow on the west side of the Valle del Ojo de la Parida, about ten miles north-northeast of Socorro in Socorro County, also in bentonitic tuff along the north side of Blue Canyon west of Socorro.
TOPAZ - Probability good. Three locations in Taylor Creek mining district of Sierra County have produced clear, colorless topaz large enough for small gems. Several other locations have produced very tiny crystals or large, barely translucent masses. The Taylor Creek possibilities are: 1) two very close together prospects at the S1/2 sec. 22 TlOS R11W. These are only a few hundred yards off paved NM-52, leading to Beaver¬head in the Gila Wilderness. 2) A third location is about seven or eight airline miles southeast of the other two locations at the west base of Round or Maverick Mountain some 1,300 yards north of Main Diamond Creek. I have two clean crystals from this location. The best one is about 5/8 inches long by 1/4 inches wide by 3/16 inches thick.
TOURMALINE - N.M. probability for opaque black (SCHORLITE) good, poor for green or pink transparent material. The best location for SCHORLITE appears to be 11/2 miles east of Picuris in Taos County where large, black crystals to 6 inches long have been reported. Northrop lists several other SCHORLITE locations, but most of these seem to be in the form of masses of slender needles. A possibility for transparent, colored TOURMALINE is the Pidlite deposit in the Rociada mining district of Mora County. A few pink to pale-green crystals 1/4 to 2 inches long were reported (Jahns, 1953b). I have a way-out long shot for pink TOURMALINE. About 30 years ago, my two sons and I were following the gas pipeline road which then skirted Mesa Prieta about 15 miles southwest of San Ysidro. At the point closest to the abrupt rise of Mesa Prieta and about 15 miles southeast of Cabezon Peak, we stopped to check surface debris. Despite geological survey claims that the region is volcanic with an overlay of sedimentary material in some places, we found a considerable amount of pink granite tending toward pegmatite. And one son picked up two small crystals of pink TOURMALINE that appeared identical to Pala, California material. The area is now private property "KEEP OUT" status, and the pipeline and road no longer skirts Mesa Prieta. The location is in Sandoval County. I theorize that the Nacimiento Mountains granites lie only a short distance below the surface at this point.
TREMOLITE - N.M. probability poor. Northrop lists several TREMOLITE locations but all appear to be relatively loose masses of needle-like or hair-like crystals. The best chance may be in the Capitan mining district of Lincoln County at the west end of West Capitan Mountain where it is noted as appearing in some quantity in limestone.
*TURQUO1SE - N.M. probability very good. TURQUOISE is not, normally, considered a faceting material. It can, however, be faceted into interesting tablet forms as is done with several other opaque minerals. There are many New Mexico locations. Best chances are: 1) in the Burro Mountains, Eureka, Santa Rita, and White Signal mining districts of Grant County, 2) in the Orogrande mining district of Otero County, 3) in the Cerrillos mining district of Santa Fe County, 4) any copper mining area may, on occasion, produce turquoise.
VIVIANITE - N.M. probability very poor. VIV1ANITE in the form of ONDONTTOLITE (fossil materials impregnated with VIVIANITE) have been noted in the Nacimiento Mountains mining district of Sandoval County, but there is no reason to believe that facetable material is to be found.
*WHEELERITE - (also see AMBER) N.M. probability fair. This mineral is a fossil resin closely related to AMBER and may be found in the same locations.
WILLEMITE - N.M. probability almost zero. Northrop notes significant amounts of WILLEMITE, a rare zinc ore, at a number of New Mexico locations. The largest crystals seen, however, did not exceed 2.0 millimeters. These came from the Hillsboro mining district in Sierra County (Dough, 1941, P. 96).
WITHERTTE - N.M. probability almost zero. Northrop lists three reports of WITHERTTE in New Mexico, but these were of insignificant amounts.
WULFENITE - N.M. probability fair. Best chances are: 1) in the Bear Canyon and Organ mining districts of Doria Ana County. The old Stevenson-Bennett mine just south of Organ was a good source but is now being worked as a source of building stone. 2) In the Caballo Mountains, Hermosa, Hillsboro, Iron Mountain No. 2, Lake Valley, and Macho mining districts of Sierra County. Tabular museum specimens to 1.0 inch wide were once plentiful at the Miner's Dream claim 2 1/2 miles northeast of Hillsboro (Jones, E.L., Jr., 1919).
ZEOLITES - These consist of ANALCIME, CHABAZITE, HEULANDI1E, NATROLITE, STILBITE, and THOMSONITE. Where appropriate, these minerals have been listed separately on preceding pages. In New Mexico, the ZEOLITE mineral group is probably more plentiful than reports would indicate.
ZINCITE - N.M. probability near zero. Northrop lists no significant New Mexico sources of ZINCITE.
ZIRCON - N.M. Probability near zero. Northrop lists a number of New Mexico locations
that yield evidence of ZIRCON, but the mineral bits have always been microscopic.
*ZOISITE - N.M. probability very low for faceting material. Northrop lists two possible sources of the pink to rose-red variety, THULITE. These are: 1) in prospects in the cliffs just south to southeast of Pilar in Taos County, 2) in a bed about 12 inches thick about
1/2 mile north and a mile northeast of the Harding mine in Taos County. Massive pink THUL1TE in pale-green EPIDOTE was specified (Montgomery, 1953).