New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

The three contiguous counties, Luna, Grant, and Hidalgo, in the extreme southwest portion of New Mexico have experienced their share of periodic mining activity over the years. Abundant evidence of this activity can be seen in the form of many small prospects, mines, and several open pit operations scattered over the mountain ranges. Several of the larger copper mines are still in production. Although copper, fluorite, manganese, gold, and other minerals have been successfully mined in the area, lead-silver-zinc occurrences have also had considerable production activity. Some of these latter localities were field examined over the last several collecting seasons and as a result revealed some interesting micromineral potential. Following is a list of unpublished wulfenite occurrences from those localities:

Wulfenite Occurrences

A full 60% of the lead-silver-zinc occurrences examined produced wulfenite specimens. Most of the wulfenite was found in fissure veins or replacement deposits closely associated with granite pluton intrusions. By no means have all the lead-silver-zinc occurrences in this area been examined. Predictably, more wulfenite occurrences should be discovered as additional field¬work is conducted.

Acknowledgments
Special thanks is given to Ron Gibbs for construction of the Power Point presentation and specimen photography and to area rancher Leedrue Hyatt for granting access to private property.

References:

1. Gillerman, E., 1964, Mineral Deposits of Western Grant County, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Bulletin 83, 213 pp.
2. Griswold, G. B., 1961, Mineral Deposits of Luna County, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Bulletin 72, 157 pp.
3. Jicha, H. L., Jr., 1954, Geology and Mineral Deposits of Lake Valley Quadrangle, Grant, Luna, and Sierra Counties, New Mexico: New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Bulletin 37, reprinted 1980, 93 pp.
4. Northrop, S. A., 1996, 3rd ed., revised by F. A. LaBruzza: Minerals of New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 346 pp.