Februrary Newsletter - 2015

The new Beacon for February is Hot Off The Press.   Check it out!

Show Vendor Showcase

Club member Andy Anderson reports that he always looks forward to our annual show because David Douglass brings in some spectacular mineral specimens.  One of them was purchased by Andy and is shown in this first image on the left. It is Stilbite on Chalcedony. This specimen came from Nasik, India.  Andy thinks the color reminds him of cantaloupe!   Thanks for the great photos Andy! 
 
 

Alert! Mineral Specimens Stolen

Dr. Mary Dowse, Professor of Geology at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, New Mexico, reports the theft of mineral specimens.  10 or 12 Crystal Specimens that were on display in Harlan Hall at WNMU were stolen over the weekend.  The glass in the display case was broken.  Keep alert for someone trying to dispose of the specimens.  It is feared that the thief could attempt to dispose of these specimens at the upcoming Tucson Gem and Mineral show. 

Contact the webmaster if you should see anything suspicious.  The stolen minerals include:

 

Johnny Bull Mine Field Trip

January 18, 2015

Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral Society Field trip.
Johnny Bull Mine
Article and images by Club Member Jeannine Weiner

Just south of I-10 close to the border of New Mexico and Arizona in the Peloncillo mountains lie several faults with old mines and prospects. One of them, the Johnny Bull mine produced an unknown amount of copper, mostly before 1905. The site sits below McGee Peak on the west side of the Peloncillo Mountains just across the ridge from the Carbonate Hill mine, another mine which produced lead, zinc and silver.
The area is characterized by Mississippian aged Escabrosa limestone with an intrusive band of volcanic rock. Along the contact between these two groups and near the visible fault lines mineralization occurred and the mines and prospects are found along this interface. Vertically oriented bands of mineralization may be seen at the surface and in the old adits and shafts. In the dumps outside of the mines we found Epidote, Chrysocolla, Malachite, Gallina, small pieces of Tourquoise and Calcite some with interesting crystal matrix. Also reported in this area is Scheelite Aagonite and Willenite . I am not sure if any of the latter were found.
 
 
The road in was in good shape until the last quarter to half mile, where High Clearance and 4-wheel drive is a must. This road is very rocky. We had a group of about 10 vehicles of which we had 3 flat tires and one that needed to be pulled out of narrow ditch. 



 
 


Gps Coordinates are: 32.1598N 108.9987W- Needless to say if you venture to this area be sure to take plenty of water and make sure you have a good spare tire. 

January 2015 Club Meeting Highlights

GRANT COUNTY ROLLING STONES GEM & MINERAL SOCIETY

• The Grant County Rolling Stones Gem & Mineral Society met on January 8, 2015, at 6 PM at the Silver City Senior Citizen's Center.  They shared a pot-Luck Supper.
• The meeting was called to order by the new President, George Skibo.  New members and guests were introduced.
• The Minutes were approved as published in the Beacon.
• Marcia Fisch gave the Treasurer's Report.  The Starting balance was $ 16,796.14.   Income was:: Dues - 195.00, Donations - 137.06. and Lodgers' Tax (repayment of what was spent on advertising for the Show) - 2,702.44.   Expenditures were:  Beacon Printing Oct-Nov - 106.90, and membership in the SCGC Chamber of Commerce for 2015 - 135.00.  The Balance for January 2015 was $19, 588.74.   So far this year membership of 45, with 33 households.  (25 life members).  There were 49 members at the December meeting.
• Ansel Walters reported on the January Field Trip on January 17. 2015.  The Trip will be to Granite Gap from the Arizona side. There are mines there with specimins of Malachite, Galena, Chrysocholla, and Chrystals.  (For further details see the January Beacon
• A letter was read from Marcia Andre, the WEBMASTER.  She needs your help with information and articles for the Website. If it not interesting, it will not be looked at.
• The Library Case has been repaired and is ready for members to check out and Return books to now.  We need a new Librarian to take care of the case and books.
• Tickets were available for the raffle at the Rockhound Roundup in March in Deming.
• Thank - you notes were read from: our Student at WNMU receiving the Scholarship, the Daily Press and WNMU for our year-long support, and The Geology Department at Tech at Socorro for our support of the Mineral Symposium.
• The December Party Quiz was read and answers solicited from the members present.  They did quite well.
• It was announced that Karen Blisard's mother had just passed away. Our condolences to her.
• The Name-Tag Drawing was won by Paul           .
• The Rock draw was held with spirited competition between ticket purchaser's.
• The Program did not show up because he thought the meeting was the 14th.  This program will be presented in February.
• The meeting was adjourned.

Secretary, Mary Margaret Soule'

Rolling Stones Scholars

Jamey Shepard

Mr. Jamey Shepard and Mr. Isaih Reynolds are the Rolling Stones Gem and Mineral society Scholarship recipients for 2014-2015. 

Jamey, a previous recipient of the scholarship, is a senior majoring in Forestry & Wildlife with a geology minor and expects to graduate in May. Jamey is an Army veteran, who has worked in many areas of the west before returning to school to pursue a degree. He is currently looking for a career job, but has not ruled out the possibility of additional education once he graduates.

Isaih Reynolds

Isaih is a junior also majoring in forestry & wildlife with a geology minor. A native of Hawai’i, Isaih’s principle interest is in wildlife, but is also very interested in volcanology.

The Grant County Rolling stones has been providing funds for scholarships at the Western New Mexico University for geology minors for many years.  This supports the basic purpose of the Society, which  is the exchange of information & furtherance of the knowledge of mineralogy, gem cutting, geology, and to stimulate interest in the development of these studies.

The two scholarship to  WNMU of $750 each, a continuing fund to help with field trips for students taking geology classes at WNMU, a $500 donation to the Grant County Search and Rescue, a $500 donation to the Gila Conservation Education Center,  and a $1000 donation to The New Mexico Mineral Symposium are only some of the activities funded by the Grant County Rolling Stones from money raised by the annual Gem and Mineral Show. 

Beacon Blooper

OOPS!
The Beacon should have said, " The January Meeting is on Jan 8th "  In case you have not caught this error.  Remember the Rolling Stones always meets on the second Thursday of the month.  this January that day is the 8th.  See you there.  Everyone is welcome!