Virginia T. McLemore
We are a research and service division of:
Eddy Co, NM.
Minerals Outreach Liaison
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro NM 87801-4796
(575) 835-5521
Certified Professional Geologist #CPG-7438 (AIPG)
I am the Principal Senior Economic Geologist and Minerals Outreach Liaison for the Bureau. An economic geologist is a scientist who studies earth materials or minerals that can be used for economic and/or industrial purposes. Some of the topics an economic geologist examines are: how these minerals form, where are these natural resources found (i.e. inventory of these minerals, completing mineral-resource assessments), studies the history of mining, explores for new economic localities of these minerals, how to mine these resources, and how to reclaim these sites after mining. It is my job to provide mining and minerals-related information concerning New Mexico to decision makers, general public, scientists, environmental groups, and the mining industry (including consulting firms).
Other functions of my job include:
- I am responsible for summarizing the economic impact of the mining industry to New Mexico.
- I attend and present papers on research or updates of NM mineral resources at professional meetings and to the general public (SME, SEG, GSA, AEMA, AIPG, NMGS, Industrial Minerals Forum).
- I assist state and federal agencies on mining issues as required.
- For example, I served on the NM Copper Mining Rules committees
- I worked with the NM Environment Department on the Gold King spill and its effects on the Animas River
- I sit on the New Mexico Mining Commission as the designee for the Director of NMBGMR.
- I teach one 3-credit graduate-level class a year (in the spring) for New Mexico Tech. I alternate between: Geology of Uranium Deposits, Geology and Economics of Industrial Minerals, Geology and Economics of Critical and Strategic Minerals, Databases, REE in coal deposits, and Mineral Deposits in New Mexico.
- Create accurate, up-to-date maps of the state's mineral-resources potential.
- Conduct research on the state's mineral resources.
- Provide timely information on potential mine-related hazards, including subsidence, cave-ins, dangerous openings, unstable highwalls, environmental (acid drainage, release of toxic elements), and flooding.
- Understand the distribution and economics of strategic and critical minerals, including rare earth elements (REE), tellurium (Te), copper (Cu), gold (Au), and uranium (U) in New Mexico.
- Compilation of minerals production and resource/reserve statistics in New Mexico.
- Maintain the NURE data and Uranium Archives.
- Maintain the New Mexico Mines Database.
- I manage:
- The Economic Geology Group of NMBGMR (students and staff conducting research on minerals in NM)
- Our Economic Geology Laboratory (formerly Clay Lab)
- Several Databases and Archives:
Education
- Woodlawn Senior High School, Baltimore, MD—1973
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM — B.S. 1977 (B.S. Geology and B.S. Geophysics), M.S. 1980 (M.S. geology)
- University of Texas at El Paso — Ph.D. 1993 (geoscience)
- Numerous short courses and other advanced training classes
Professional Experience
- Employed at NMBMMR since June 1980, tenured 1986
- Appointed Senior Economic Geologist 1993, Principal Senior Economic Geologist 2017
- Adjunct faculty appointment Earth and Environmental Science Department and Minerals Engineering Department, 1996-present
- May 1979 to September 1979 Urangesellschaft, USA, Inc., Denver, CO 80222, Position: Assistant field geologist
- July 1976 to May 1977 Tax Mapping Supervisor, Battaan Memorial Building, Santa Fe, NM (office in Socorro) Position: Draftsman - plotted tax properties for Socorro County Assessor's Office
- From January 1976 to May 1976 Employer: NMIMT, Socorro, NM 87801 Position:Teaching assistant (taught surveying lab)
- From July 1975 to September 1975 Employer: Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, Houston, TX 77001, Position: Exploration geologist
Current projects
(also see full CV for completed projects)
- Summary of Earth MRI and DOE Critial Minerals projects at NMBGMR (presentation to Assistant Secretary of the DOI, 3-13-23)
- Mineral resources in New Mexico (uses, geology, origin, resource potential, environmental assessment)
- Economic impact of mineral resources in New Mexico
- Active mines and exploration sites in New Mexico (as of 9/3/2019)
- Mineral production from New Mexico
- Mineral-resource potential studies in NM
- Presentation at AEMA, NMMA—Status of the mining industry in NM 2019
- Presentation on Overview of Mining Issues in New Mexico, with emphasis on critical minerals, Leadership Academy, May 2023
- New Mexico Mines Database
- Alkaline-related gold-Te deposits in NM and CO
- Geology and mineral deposits of the Jicarilla mining district, Lincoln County, NM
- Placer gold deposits in New Mexico
- Trace element analyses of placer gold deposits
- Presentation Gold22
-
Alkalic-Type Epithermal Gold Deposit Model: Chapter R in Mineral Deposit Models for Resource Assessment: USGS SIR 2010-5070-R
- Critical minerals (CM) in New Mexico
- Mining districts in New Mexico
- Summary of mining districts
- Metals production by mining district
- Summary and location of mining districts found in Resource Map 24 and supplementary data
- Description of mining districts
- Geology, mining history, and mineral resources of Grant County, NM
- Environmental impacts of mining in NM
- Critical minerals in mine wastes in NM
- Weathering of mine waste rock piles and tailings
- Legacy mines: inventory and characterization—AML Project—Summary
- A study of abandoned mine lands in New Mexico: SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 20-37, 6 p.
- Asbestos in New Mexico
- Geology of NM state parks
- Uranium in New Mexico
Outreach Activities
- Introduction the Mineral Engineeing STEM: Critical Minerals in New Mexico
- Socorro Perlite mine
- The case of the scarlet mineral: mineral identification
- The importance of minerals to New Mexico: where they are found and how they are used
- Gold in New Mexico
- Edible rocks: rock identificationMineral resources in New Mexico
- Salt and turquoise, how ancient cultures were affected by geology
- Mining and mineral resources in New Mexico (see current projects)
- Industrial minerals
- Critical minerals (Rockin' Around NM 2022)
- Mining in New Mexico (Rockin' Around NM 2020)
- Summary 2020
- Mining Issues Facing NM 2020
- Overview of the mining industry in NM, with emphasis on critical minerals
- Copper Flat mine
- St. Cloud Zeolite mine
- Socorro Perlite mine
- Cookie mining lesson plan
- Gold panning lesson plan
- Mining activities
NMT Student Outreach
- Faculty sponsor New Mexico Tech Shooting Sports Club
- Coach New Mexico Tech Rifle Team
- Faculty sponsor student chapter American Institute of Professional Geologists
Courses Taught
- Teacher's workshop presentations
- Geology and Mining of Uranium Deposits
- Spring 2023--Industrial Minerals
- Fall 2021--REE in coal
Publications
(see separate page, list by category, and full CV)
Membership in Professional Societies and Commissions
- American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG)—CPG #7438 (AIPG)
- Mineralogical Society of America (MSA)
- Geological Society of America, Fellow (GSA)
- Association of Applied Geochemistry, Fellow (AAG)
- Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME)
- Editor-in-Chief (Exploration)—Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (MME) Journal
- American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation (ASSMR)
- Society of Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits (SGA)
- Society of Economic Geologists, Fellow (SEG)
- American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA, formerly Northwest Mining Association)
- New Mexico Geological Society, Life member (NMGS)
- Member of the New Mexico Mining Commission—2015-present
- Acid Drainage Technology Inititive—Metal Mining Sector (ADTI—MMS)—1998-present)
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-6501-3457
Scopus Author
Research Gate Author
Updated May 25, 2023