July Beacon

The July Newsletter is now available. 

June Club Field Trip to Luna NM

 By Anita Williams

It was a warm, clear, sunny day on Saturday as folks gathered to sign in for the field trip to Luna.  The day was quite a contrast to last month when we met for the trip on a gray, rainy morning and found Ansel there telling everyone to come back next month.  He said the roads we had to traverse to get to the collecting area were dirt and access would be difficult in the rain.  Not only that but the storm apparently dropped snow in Luna.

One month later we are back to the meeting spot at Long John Silvers.  This time the weather is perfect for the trip and after signing up we all took off heading north on Highway 180.  Our first stop was a side trip down Mineral Creek Road in Alma.  A few miles up the road we stopped to visit the gravesite for a prospector

named Cooney.  He is interred in a large boulder by the side of the road.  During his time in the Army, stationed at Ft. Bayard, he did some prospecting and found a silver deposit here in the Mineral Creek drainage.  After being discharged from the Army he returned to the area to develop his prospect.  Unfortunately he met an early demise in a skirmish with the local Apaches.  More details are included on the photo taken at his gravesite.  His final resting spot is lovely.

After a group photo, we were back on the road again.  Up and over two passes

and we finally made it to the small town of Luna.  The rest of the trip was navigating some dirt roads until Ansel declared that we had arrived at the collecting area.  He showed us a sample of Luna agate, we parked the cars, and the quest was on.  Everyone spread out on the hillside and the sound of rocks being tossed into buckets was inspirational music to our rock hound ears.

Linda and I pulled into a nice parking spot and stared scouring the ground for agates.  Agates could actually be collected right from the roadbed and ditches.  I grabbed a sample bag and a water bottle (it was HOT and we were in a part of the forest that had burned so there was very little shade).  Linda opted for a sample bag, water bottle and an umbrella for portable shade.  It didn’t take too long to get our eyes adjusted to finding agates.
 
There were a lot to be had in colors from light gray and white to dark purple.  The dark purple were more scarce than white and gray colors so it was exciting when one was found.  As I worked my way from the dry stream bed up the hill there was a zone with a few blue/purple agates, and quite a few with quartz crystal-lined voids.  Quite a variety of rocks in a relatively small area.  We took a break for lunch and some time under the shade of our golf umbrellas.  After a lunch we made one last look-around to see if we could find something different from what we’d already found.

Time went by quickly and folks started packing up for the 3 hour trip back to Silver City.  We were enjoying the hunt but decided that we had better get packed up too.  As we departed we made a quick stop at the top of the hill and Linda found a small plate of rock covered with quartz crystals.  Wow, that means there will be plenty more areas to rock hound on the next field trip to Luna.
We made a stop for gas in Glenwood since it was cheaper than gas in Silver City (hum, I haven’t figured that situation out yet…).  It seemed HOT, but we did not have a thermometer so I asked the fellow at the station.  He said it was 103°.  It was just too darn hot to pass up the opportunity to stop for ice cream (strawberry being the only flavor for the day) at the local rock shop.  Ahhhhh refreshing and we got to look at some New Mexico rock specimens including Luna agate and quartz clusters.  Nice way to top off the trip.

Silver City - 4th of July Parade

Club President George will be driving his vintage auto in the 4th of July Parade to promote the Club and the Show.  He would like to have as many members as possible travel the route along with him passing out rack cards.
Bring a flag, dress appropriately, remember we are rock hounds, it is not necessary to make a fashion statement. 

Parade kicks off at 10:am, on the streets next to Gough Park.  Arrive a little early and join President Skiba and revel in the cheers of those who line the parade route. 

Correction:

Due to the bridge work on Hudson this year the parade will line up at the south end of Hudson Street by the bridge construction.  It will travel north on Hudson and end at the intersection of 14th street (Daylight Donuts). Meet President George at the south end of Hudson  a little before 10:00 AM on the 4th of July!

Lodging for Show

For our out of town vendors and visitors, the Murray Hotel in downtown Silver City is offering a special rate for the Gem and Mineral Show.  The Hotel is located near the University at 200 Broadway.  They are offering a queen room at a nightly rate of $84/room, plus tax. Since the standard rate is $109/night, this is a substantial savings.  This rate will apply only for September 4-7, 2015.

If you are interested, please call the Murray directly at 575-956-9400 or email frontdesk@murray-hotel.com.  Working with the Customer Service Professional is the only way to assure this special rate.  Reservations must be made by August 10, 2015 to assure this rate. Also note that you are attending the 2015 Gem and Mineral Show.

The May Newlsetter

Here is our May 2015 Rolling Stones Beacon.  Enjoy!

Harden Cienega Field Trip

Submitted by Club Member Andy Anderson

Here are some photos of our trip.  First we stopped at the Viking long house being built at Mule Creek Adobe which was really nice.  Then we went to the adobe factory and found how adobe is made and saw a 75 year old adobe maker machine.  Next we went to a wash where they got their sand for the adobe. It was loaded with obsidian nodules. The group gathered up some obsidian.

On we went to Harden Cienega and the lava flows for more obsidian. The ground was covered with little nodules just right for tumbling.  Jim and his dog seemed to be having a good time.

Last we drove to a canyon that was the head waters of the San Francisco river. The canyon was beautiful.  We  saw a little horn toad while looking around there. All in all, it was a great trip.

April 2015 Newsletter - Hot off the Press

Check out this months Rolling Stones Beacon for all the latest Club news.

March Hachita field trip photos

Submitted by club member Andy Anderson.   Read more about this destination at this 2012 Advice to a Reader.

There is more information in this 2010 Post about Old Hachita.  

Ansel and friend picking up slag from a slag dump

Up a steep embankment

This was a really steep climb out of an arroyo

Old mine shaft and dump gathering specimens

Area around Old Hachita.

New Field Trip Report

Field Trip February 21, 2015
Submitted by Sydney Tuffly - Club Member

Stop 1 - Gravel Deposits East of Hatch, New Mexico

These gravel deposits composed of well rounded cobbles and pebbles represent Quaternary (beginning about 1.8 million years ago) age alluvial (water-laid) gravel deposits interbedded with fluvial (river-laid) gravel deposits of the Rio Grande river valley. These gravels vary in composition having been derived from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks that represent the geology of the local mountain ranges and geological terranes (fault –bounded area).

The pebbles also appear to have been polished and abraded by the erosive action of blowing sand particles giving them a high luster. Some of the pebbles and cobbles are not rounded but have a triangular shape. These wind polished rocks are called ventifacts. The triangular shape represents the three prevailing wind directions in this location.

Stop 2 – Barite Mine in the Caballos Mountains -Northeast of Hatch, New Mexico

This abandoned mining area located in the southern Caballos Mountains is in the Rincon District. It was discovered in the early 1900’s. The deposits are thin and are uneconomic. Barite has a high specific gravity (around 4.5) and is used in petroleum drilling muds, paints and paper fillers. (McLemore, 1998)

The barite-fluorite deposit in this area represents a specific type of mineral deposit called a Rio Grande rift (RGR) deposit. It is characterized by low temperature formation  as an open-space filling with no obvious connection with magma or volcanic activity. The deposit probably occurs along a fault, fractured bedding plane and/or a solution cavity in Paleozoic (251-542 mya) limestones. The deposit predominately consists of barite, fluorite, and calcite with trace accessory minerals such as, Manganese (Mn ) oxides, Iron ( Fe) Oxides, quartz, and galena . Jasperoids and banded travertine is also common. (McLemore and Giordano, 1998)

The barite in this area occurs mostly as massive fine-grained crystalline deposits but can also form the beautiful bladed box work patterns associated with barite.

The quartz crystals at this mine are excellent for collecting where large cavities, veins, and vugs are lined with drusy quartz crystals and calcite.

Also outcropping near the mine are Paleozoic limestones and interbedded siltstones containing abundant fossils. Some of the fossils included brachiopods, bryozoans, sponges, corals and foraminiferans (rice-grains).

McLemore,V.T., 1998, A Summary of the Mineral Resources in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, New Mexico Geological Guidebook, 49th Field Conference, Las Cruces County II, 1998, p. 299-308.


McLemore, V.T., Giordano, T.H., Lueth, V.W. and , Witcher ,J.C., 1998, Origin of Barite-Fluorite-Galena deposits in the Southern Rio Grande Rift, New Mexico, New Mexico Geological Guidebook, 49th Field Conference, Las Cruces County II, 1998, p. 251-264.

The location is at latitude 32degrees44'55.77"N longitude 10 degrees 7'38.29"W. This location is is north east of Hatch, NM. Exit 41east 0ff I25. Taking the left or north dirt road.

The March Beacon

Here's our newsletter for March of 2015. 
Be sure to check it out.  

Field Trip - Perspectives of a New Member

Many thanks to new club member Jenell Scherbel, for her photos and description of a recent field trip to the Caballo Hills, east of Hatch, New Mexico.    Members met up at the Walmart parking lot in Silver City.  According to Jenell, "some of us left our cars there and got rides with peoole in SUVs and trucks (hopefully, with spare tires!)."  

Jenell reports " we crossed I-25 to get to a dirt road that led us first to an area of small hills that had glacier-polished stones (small ones) just handy to pick up off the sandy ground.  After about an hour at that location, we drove on further down the dirt road past a sand and gravel company location to the Caballo Hills area.  I think it was the site of an old barite mine. 

The caravan of cars stopped at that second location.  There were huge boulders all along that road near the stop, all glistening with amazing colors and crystals.  People set off on their own down ravines and up hills.  Jeannine found one rock that had nice large crystals-within-crystals.  There was one boulder-sized rock that was solid quartz. Everyone had a great time and some people picked up huge slabs to cart home."

Here are a few of Jenell's photos: 

Where does Silver City get it's minerals?

A great program was held at last week's club meeting by Ron Pharr that included a discussion of the formation and evolution of the geology of the region. Here's a photo taken after the program with our speaker and retired geology professor Jack Cunningham.  

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:

 

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!

Our January 2015 Newsletter

Be sure to check out our first newsletter of the year.

Whew! The SHOW is over for another year!

Our vendors report that this was a great show!

Are you ready for the SHOW?

Set-up started today!  It's going to be a busy and fun weekend.  Here comes the tables for the vendors!

Show Field Trip Schedule

Field Trip Schedule for the show:

Sat. Aug. 30th- 9am: Geology Trip with Mary Dowse

Sat. Aug. 30th -1pm: Collecting Trip to the club’s Geode claim with Richard Gillmore & Don Tennis

Sun. Aug. 31st- 9am: Geology Trip to Boston Hill with Sylveen Robinson-Cook.

Sun. Aug. 31st- 1pm: Collecting Trip to Boston Hill with Alain Duverge.

Mon. Sept. 1st- 1pm: Gold panning with Dan Harold at the 49rs Gold Claim in Pinos Altos. This trip is limited to 12 people.

Vendor NEW Update!

Our vendor list this year looks great!   Returning vendors this year include the Armando Barrera family with their wide selection of cabs, spheres, and eggs, as well as carvings such as bears and buffaloes.  Art and Tilly Nichols are returning with their cabs and jewelry, and our old friend Bill Fencil will be back with jewelry, beads and cabs.  New vendors this year will include Gerald Howard and Jim Wines from Houston TX, offering fine petrified wood and knapped items.  Our own Jim Gunn will be displaying his wire-wrapped pendants.

Susan & Doug Abbott, Desert Designs, Silver City, NM, Native American jewelry, Zuni fetishes

Henry & Charlotte Andazola, Silver City, NM, Native American jewelry

Armando Barrera, Custom Rock Cutters, Columbus, NM, Cabs, spheres, eggs, carvings

Ed & Dawn Bell, Bell Custom Jewelry, Livingston, TX, Jewelry, cabs

Fred Bishop, 2 Guys Rocks, Deming, NM, Slabs, quartz, geodes, turquoise, jewelry

Karen Blisard, Radiant Gemstones, Silver City, NM, Jewelry, faceted stones, facet rough

Harry & Carol Bruntz, Uniquely Yours, Horizon City, TX, Rocks, gems, minerals, display stands

Kevin Cook & Sylveen Robinson-Cook, Royal Scepter, Silver City, NM, Books, maps, beads, jewelry

Ginger Coombs, Silver City, NM, Jewelry, cabs, geodes

Jack & Marty Crawford, Silver City, NM, Minerals

Leah Criss, Bobcriss, Tucson, AZ, Beads, silver jewelry

Dave Douglass, Douglass Minerals, Tucson, AZ, Mineral specimens

Bill Fencil, William J. Fencil Co, Deming, NM, Jewelry, beads, cabs.

Sue Fischer, Jewelry from Sue, Silver City, NM, Silver and gold jewelry

Abdul Gardezy, Brilliant design, Chandler, AZ, Fine gems and jewelry

James Gunn, Doc’s Wirewraps, Elephant Butte, NM, Wirewrap pendants

Tom Hales, Tom’s Treasures, Deming, NM, Minerals, gemstone rough, jewelry

Sally Hansen, Sally Rocks, Silver City, NM, Jewelry, lapidary

Joe Harris, NM Joe’s Trading Post, Silver City, NM, Native American jewelryAllen Hebert, Glenkara, Tucson, AZ,   Gems, minerals, jewelry

Allen Hebert, Glenkara, Tucson, AZ, Gems, minerals, jewelry

Therese Higgins, The Jewelry Lady, Silver City, NM, Jewelry, belly belts

Michael Ho, Gemstone Station, Miraloma, CA, Beads, pearls

Bill & Linda Horton, Misty Mountain G&M, Litchfield Park, AZ, Jewelry, gems, minerals, carvings

Gerald Howard & Jim Wines, JNE Lapidary, Dickinson, TX, Petrified wood, knapped items

Bill & Emily Jaeger, Endless Mountain Minerals, Hereford, AZ, Crystals, rough, specimens, jewelry

Leith Johnson & John Martinez, Art and Stones, Las egas, NM, Minerals, slabs, cabs, findings

Patsy & Jerry Kastner, Kastner Gems & Supply, Tucson, AZ, Jewelry, lapidary equipt, supplies

Ron Kellner, RK Enterprises, Show Low, AZ, Jewelry, cabs, slabs, specimens

Randy & Sally McCowan, Deming, NM, Arrowheads, turquoise

Blanca Murguia, BM Jewelry, El Paso, TX, Silver & gemstone jewelry

Barbara Nance, Stonewalker Studio, Silver City, NM, Stone sculpture

Ken Newman, DBA Rocks, Deming, NM, Spheres, slabs, thunder eggs

Art and Tilly Nichols, Chimayo, NM, Cabs, jewelry

Jose Nunez, Canutillo, TX, Minerals

John & Connie Partridge, JBP Minerals, Tucson, AZ, Minerals, rocks

David & Ruth Ann Rinsch, Dave’s Enterprises, Tyrone, NM, Rocks, gems

John Scully & Laurie Rossi, Scully’s Minerals, Fairview, NM Minerals, fossils

Trini Ruiz, Trini & Julie Minerals, Anthony, TX, Mexican minerals

Jesse, James, and Jan Searcy, Black hat Trading, Deming, NM, Jewelry, findings, beads, carvings

Tracy Stump, Tracy’s Silver & Gold, Phoenix, AZ, Jewelry

Sharon & Bill Szymanski, Never Enough Karats, San Tan Valley, AZ, Jewelry, collectibles

Bruce Williams & Nancy Bailey, Silver & Stone Works, Silver City, NM, Jewelry, cabs, chain maille

Tony Zenan, Znaniecki Collection, Cottonwood, AZ, Wildlife paintings on slabs

2014 SHOW IS COMING!

It won't be long until the next Gem and Mineral Show so mark your calendars.   The 31st Annual Gem and Mineral Show will be held at the Grant County Business and Conference Center located at 3031 US Hry 180 at 32nd Street in beautiful Silver City. New Mexico.  As always, admission is free and the show is open to the public.  It's a great family event with activities for the children.   It's also a great time to get started on those holiday gifts.

Here's the schedule:
Saturday August 30th 9 AM  Closes 5  PM
Sunday August 31st 10 AM  Closes 5  PM
Monday September 1st, Labor Day, 10 AM  Closes 4 PM

Kilbourne Hole Field Trip Photos

Thanks to Ann McMahon and John Schexnaydre for these wonderful images of the recent club field trip to Kilbourne Hole.  

2013 Show Highlights