New Mexico Mineral Symposium — Abstracts

The minerals of Point of Rocks mesa in eastern Colfax County, New Mexico, were first discussed at the 3rd Annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium in Socorro in 1982. Updates were presented by DeMark at the 4th Annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium in 1983 and by Hlava, DeMark, and Modreski at the Friends of Mineralogy-Mineralogical Society of America-TucSon Gem and Mineral Society Joint Symposium in Tucson, Arizona, in February 1984. Work is continuing on the many unknowns we mentioned in those talks. The following list will summarize those minerals we have currently identified at Point of Rocks. (Tentative identifications are starred.)

SULFIDES

• Galena, Sphalerite
• Pyrrhotite, New, unnamed K,Fe-Sulfide

OXIDES

• Magnetite, * Birriessite

HALIDES

• Fluorite, Villiaumite

CARBONATES, SULFATES, ETC.

• Barite, * Brenkite
• Carbonate-apatite, Pyrochlore
• (Carbonate-fluorapatite), * Thorbastnaesite

COMMON SILICATES

• Acmite, Albite
• Analcime, * Microcline
• Natrolite, Nepheline
• Opal, Pectolite
• Quartz Sodalite

EXOTIC SILICATES

• Eudialyte, Kupletskite
• Lorenzenite, Mangan-neptunite
• Neptunite, Paranatrolite
• Polylithionite, * Rosenbuschite
• Serandite var. Schizolite, Tetranatrolite
• * Tundrite, Vishnevite
• * Na,Zr-Silicate (Catapleiite?), Unknown Silicates: at least 6