Abstracts Development of Lead Mining in the Northern Os- Cura Mountains

Home , Magnesioferrite

--] a copper mine. That was followed in 1916by the Abstracts development of lead mining in the northern Os- cura Mountains. The original copper mine, located New Mexico Mineral Symposium 6 miles west of the lead mine in the Jornada del The 8th annual Mineral Svmposium was held Muerto, ceased production in 1917, and for the November 14-15. 1987, at New Mexico Institute next 6 decadesmining activity was focusedon lead of Mining and Technology, Socorro. Following are (with minor silver) and barite production. From a abstracts from talks given at the meeting that con- mining perspective thesedecades must be viewed cern New Mexico. The numbers in parentheses _1,,\ as marginally successfulat best. refer to locations on the map. In April 1987the mineral-producing areasof the C;irr s I MacNgsrorgnrutE, HEMATITE/AND orHER MTNERALS Hansonburg mining district entered a new era' rnov Olo Honss SpruNcs, CarnoN Coururv, NEw The unpatented claims previously held by mining was as- MEXIco, by Peter l. Modreski and lames C. Rntt6, companies were abandoned, and control U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25M6, MS 922, sumid by a Broup of individuals whose primary (1) motivation was the recovery of minerals as spec- Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225 ^6,7 An unusual suite of ferric iron-bearing minerals imens. occurs in xenoliths within a dacite pumice breccia. Recent activity at the Blanchard mine has cen- The 33-m.y.-old dacite pumice and ash flow, part tered on the Sunshine #1 tunnel that had gained of the Mogollon-Datil volcanic field, crops out along instant notoriety in 1980for yielding world-class NM-12 approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km) west of Old linarite crystals. Most recently, a pocket in this Horse Springs. The flow is as much as 200 m thick tunnel has produced two-inch lavender cubes of and crops out sporadically within a north-south fluorite that rival the best that the Blanchardmine belt up to 5 km wide and 20 km long. produced. Additionally, some specimens of the Xenoliths of pre-Tertiarv sedimentarv rock and cavities in metasedimentary and monzonite nod- newly approved polymorph of PbOz,scrutinyite cognate(?) inciusions of-coarse-grained quartz ules. Commonly present in cavities with diopside (J. Taggart,pers. comm.), have been found. The monzonite are concentrated in the upper part of is pseudobrookite, Fe*] TiO., as small (about 0.2 Sunshine #1 tunnel of the Blanchard mine is the the pumice breccia. The most common xenoliths mm long) prismatic to bladed crystals. X-ray dif' tvoe location for this mineral. Also of interest has are of limestone altered to a red, iron-rich jaspe- fraction and scanning electron microscopy show be-enthe confirmation of the mineral caledonite, roid. These silicified nodules, from a few centi- that some pseudobrookite prisms are coated with which had been reported previously but not ob- meters to as much as 0.3 m in size, consist of an irregulai layer of titanite. Forsteritic olivine oc- served for more than 30 years, and the recovery variable amounts of quartz, iron oxides, and cal- curs as inclusions in hematite crystals; it contains of large selenitecrystals more than 40cm in length. cite. Many xenoliths show concentric banding of about 1.8 wt 7o total iron expressed as FeO. How- A rare opportunity to visit the Hansonburg cop- layers rich in quartz and iron-oxide minerals; some ever, bright-red cathodoluminescence of this for- per mine on October 2, 7987,was made possible are composed of nearly solid masses of iron ox- sterite suggests that only ferric iron is present in by Jim Eckles, Public Affairs Officer for White Sands ides. Many xenoliths are surrounded by a skarn- it, leading to the formula MgzmFe*3*SLs:Or; the Missile Range. Specimenscollected on this visit like reaction zone a few centimeters thick com- mineral shows a consistent excess of Mg and de- confirm that the Primary ore mineral at this mine posed largely of green diopside with or without ficienry of Si. was tennantite as reported by SamuelG' Lasky andraditic garnet, phlogopite, and clay minerals. Mineral assemblages in the jasperoid xenoliths (1932, The ore deposits of Socorro County, New Other iron-bearing minerals occur in fractures in are unusual for their highly oxidized state-all iron Mexico: New Mexico Bureauof Mines and Mineral '- xenoliths of argillaceous or calcareous sandstone in the oxide minerals appears to exist as Fe Resources,Bulletin 8). More recent reports had and in miarolitic vugs within quartz-monzonite and the presence of zinc in the oxides. Bulk com- refuted the occurrenceof tennantite at the Han- inclusions. position of the nodules ranges up to 10,000 ppm sonburg copper mine, but these determinations Hematite is the most obvious of the oxide min- ([Vo) Zn, and anomalous amounts of Mn, Cu, V were made without the benefit of sampleanalysis. erals; it forms black, lustrous, platy crystals typi- Ni, and Pb are also present. A probable sequence Secondarycopper arsenates along with azuritewere cally 1 mm or less in diameter. A variety of spinel- of events for the nodules was 1) silicification of also found, and preliminary analysis(microprobe) group minerals are present in the xenoliths. Mag- limestone beds to form iron- and zinc-bearing jas- indicates that olivenite and conichalcite are the nesioferrite occurs as minute octahedral crystals peroid; 2) stoping of silicified limestone blocks into predominant minerals. about 0.5 to 200 pm in size, usually embedded in the intruding dacite magma; 3) reaction of lime- The recent discovery of superb smoky quartz fibrous, spheroidal-textured chalcedonic quartz. stone xenoliths with the enclosing magma to form crystals with chrysocolla and lustrous bright-green Magnesioferrite, ideally MgFe *lOa, is transparent calc-silicate skarn rims (at least part of this reaction microcrystalsof antlerite has stimulated the search to translucent in thin section and oranqe brown appears to have occurred after eruption because for new species and attractive specimens' The to blood red in color; the red color of most fine- the skarn minerals surround the nodules as an Blanchard mine has a long history of producing grained jasperoid is due to magnesioferrite rather undisturbed zone extending into the host dacite); excellent mineral specimens. Today the mine is than hematite. The magnesioferrite is slightly zinc 4) oxidation and recrvstallization within the xen- open to collectors on a fee basis for the surface bearing, ranging from about 0.1 to 4.0 wt VoZnO; oliths to produce the present assemblage of hem- areas(no underground collecting permitted), and a typical formula (for magnesioferrite with 0.49% atite and zincian magnesioferrite, probably after in the foreseeablefuture the present owners in- ZnO) is: eruption of the pumice breccia and contemPora- tend that this rich collectingaria will remainopen *l (Mg".rZn" rCa" uXFe. i.oAL.zrMn nuMgoou)Or.rr. neously with (3); and 5) retrograde (deuteric) de- for the enjoyment of all mineral collectors. Less abundant is aluminous spinel, brownish-yel- velopment of phlogopite and montmorillonite in low in thin section, containing several percent ZnO; the skarn rims by reaction with water vapor in the Hansonburg mining district chronology a typical formula (for spinel with 1.07o ZnO) is: cooling pumice flow. 1872-First attracted attention of prospec- *| (M& rlno d(Al1.pFe*fl 'Mn n'Mgn.noSLn1)O: n. tors. Apparently discoveredby PatHiggins. Very fine grained (one to a few pm in size) zinc- MtNtttc DEVELoPMENTAND MINERALSoF THE Received name from old prospector Han- rich spinels, detected only with the microprobe, HANSoNBURG MTNTNGDrsrzucr, Soconno, NEw son. have a complex composition approaching frank- Mrxtco, by Rnmon S. DeMark,6509 Dodd Place 1885-1901-Copper deposits were worked linite. One analysis of a specimen contairing2T.MTo NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 (2) at freouent intervals. ZnO gives the following formula: (Zno*Ivlgou The Hansonburg mining district,which is lo- l9Ol-Hansonburg copPer mine property Ca6sr)(Fe*l nrAlnrrMn*fl 37Mg6rssig 01)03 el, corre- cated in southeastern Socorro Countv. New Mex- developed by AlcazarCopper Company. One sponding to end-member proportions of 5\% ico, is bounded on the west by the large desert carload of ore shipped. franklinite, 2I% gahnite, and 28% other compo- valley known as the Jornada del Muerto, and in- 1916-WesternMineruI ProductsComTnny took nen$. cludes the northern portion of the Oscura Moun- over Hansonburg lead mine and erected a Diopside in the skarn rims is zoned, ranging tains as an eastern boundary. Remote from 5Gton dry mill on property to extractSalena. from about 4 to l1.Vo FeO. Green to brown an- population centers and isolated from development 1916-17-Fifteen carloads of ore shipped dradite gamet, often in euhedral dodecahedra about by lack of water and location on the northern ex- from the Hansonburgcopper mine. 1 mm across, ranges in cornposition from about tension of White Sands Missile Range, the Han- 1917-Several carloadsof lead concentrates Andradite*Grossulars to Andradite6Grossular, with sonburg mining district has gained notoriety shipped from Hansonburg lead mine. the balance in other components. Diopside also primarilv because of the occurrence of rare and 1917-33-Hansonburs district inactive. forms free-growing transparent yellow-green ittractivb minerals. 193&-Louis& Hatsteadshipped a small,un- prisms a few tenths of a millimeter in length in The district was developed initially in 1901 from known amount of lead-silver ore. F

NewMexico Geology February 1988 1939-Globe Mining Company shipped nine covered from Sunshine #1 tunnel of the ences, University of Texas (El Paso) El Paso, TX tons of lead-silver ore. Blanchard mine. 79968 (4\ 1943-F. L. Blanchard of Roswell assumed 1983-Wayne Thompson and Delma Perry The Organ district has long been known to con- ownership of six unpatented claims in area under contract from Western General Re- tain tellurium mineralization associated with base- of Hansonburg lead mine. sources,lnc. mine Sunshine #1 tunnel for metal sulfides. The tellurium minerals, occurring T947-Portales Mining Company worked the mineral specimens. Operation closed down as carbonate replacements in favorable beds, are Hansonburg lead mine (Blanchard mine). by OSHA. confined generally to areas in the district where Dec. 1947-Mex-Tex and Royal Flush Nos. 1984-85-Exploratory drilling of 1,000-ft galena is the primary ore mineral. The minerals 1 and 2 claims were located. holes conducted by Ozark-Mahoney Mining occur as discrete, macroscopic grains and as in- l94L-Portales Mining Company built a mill Co. clusions in other sulfide minerals, usually galena approximately 1 mile east of San Antonio Jan. 1987-Hansonburg district claims were or sphalerite. Interestingly, tellurium mineraliza- and hauled ore to it by truck. abandoned and revertid to public domain. tion appears to be confined to areas above 6,000 Feb. 1949-Royal Flush Nos. 3 and 4 added April l987-Blanchard, Mex-Tex, and Royal ft elevation (except at the Memphis mine where to other Royal Flush claims and sold to Ben Flush properties claimed by private indi- tetradymite is reported in the Roos workings). A B. Scott, who organized the Scoff Minernl viduals interested in the recoverv of min- short description of the individual minerals and Company. Shipped two or three carloads of eral specimens. their mode of occurrence in the district follows. lead ore to El Paso smelter Altaite (PbTe!-a white-gray mineral that usu- Grolocy AND MTNERALocyoF THESeN Ptono l,,rrNt, 1949-Mex-Tex Mining CompanrTof Artesia ally occurs as cleavage masses associated with black Sarra Fr Courury, NEw Mrxrco, by Robert M. began work on 30 claims north of the Han- shale contacts and with tremolite where it is par- Norfh, New Mexico Bureau of Mines & Mineral sonburg lead mine. agenetically earlier than the sulfides. Microscopic Resources, Socorro, NM 87801 (3) Late 1949-Royal Flush group was sold by grains have been observed in galena and sphal- The San Pedro mine is located approximately Scott Mineral Company to Enoin €t Bishop of erite and associated with pyrite. Common in the 2.1 air miles southeast of the town of Golden, in Houston. Hilltop mine, reportedly with native tellurium. the western San Pedro Mountains, New Placers Eafly 1950--Enoin €t Bishop purchased the Rickardite (Cu.Te.f--occurs as a purple metallic mining district, Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Mex-Tex group and added it to their Royal mineral (similar to tarnished bornite) when ob- The mine was discovered in 1840 and was oper- Flush clairns. Mex-Tex Mining Company name served macroscopically (rare) with pyrite and ated intermittently until 1982. Although total pro- was retained. sphalerite. Reported at Hilltop mine and most duction is unknown, published lode oroduction l950-Portales Mining Company processed common at the eastern-most of the Rickardite for the New Placers diitrict from 1904 to 1938 was and marketed 74,377 tons of lead ore at San claims. Occurs occasionally as microscopic inclu- 203,965 short tons of ore yielding 11,402.57 troy Antonio mill. Mex-Tet Mining Company con- sions in sphalerite. It is recognized by its fire-or- ounces of gold (0.056 ozlton),242,791 troy ounces structed a 200-toniday barite mill near San ange reflections with crossed polars under reflected of silver (1.79 ozlton), and 9,773,773 pounds of Antonio. Iight. copper (2.47o).Most of this production iame from |912-Portales Mining Company and the Mex- Tetradymite (BirTerS)-fairly common with the San Pedro mine. Tex Company trucked (from open pits) about sphalerite and galena at the Memphis mine. Oc- The ores of the San Pedro mine are contact meta- 150 tonsidav to their respective mills in San curs as microscopic inclusions in galena and sphal- somatic (skarn, tactite) deposits in the upper lime- Antonio. erite at other deposits where it is galena-white and stone beds of the Pennsylvanian Madera Group. 1952-Hurlow Mining & Milling Company anisotropic under reflected light. It is the most The dip of the Madera beds in the vicinity of the erected a mill on the northeast end of the widely distributed telluride in the district where mine is about 15" to the east. The tabular orebodies district. Clarence Barrett from Portales oo- it also occurs in veins along rhyolite dikes on the are localized beneath a rhyolite sill, locally known erated surface workings above and south of west slope of San Agustin Peak. The largest grains as the Puzzle sill. Heat and accompanying min- Blanchard claims. Legal conflict with the of the mineral occur in the Memphis mine as cleav- eralizing solutions probably emanated as a late Blanchards developed. age flakes or radiating masses. stage from the underlying monzonite porphyry l914--Portales Mining Company mill in San Precious-metal mineralization occurs in the Lit- laccolith that forms the core of the western part Antonio burned down. tle Buck workings associated with high-tellurium of the San Pedro Mountains. Nov. 195&-Su nshine Mining Company began assays. A quartz-gold orebody is reported in the At least three stages of skarn formation are rec- exploratory drilling, drifting, crosscutting, Hilltop mine. No precious-metal mineral phases ognized. First, limestone was metamorphosed to and, raising in the vicinity of Hansonburg have been recognized other than isolated occur- andradite garnet with minor epidote. Reduction leao mlne. rences of free gold. Precious-metal telluride sys- in volume during the alteration of lirirestone to luly 1959-Atomic Mineral Corporntion pur- tems are notable for their wide variety of telluride garnet resulted in a vuggy, porous garnet bed. chased the Mex-Tex property iGatber,'lnc. mineralogies. The presence of gold and silver tel- These pores were partially filled by a second min- of Carlsbad, operatedl. Company produced lurides is suspected, and attempts to document eralizing event consisting of chalcopyrite, bornite, 812 tons of barite in 1959 and 1960. these minerals are underway. Tennantite was ob- pyrite, pynhotite, calcite, specular hematite, quartz, fune 1960-Sunshine Mining Company com- served at the Little Buck (new occurrence for this and chlorite. The final mineralizing event filled the pleted operations (six adits containing cross mine) and is considered a potential precious-metal larger cavities with calcite, quariz, pyrite, chal- drifts, raises, and winzes). Linear footage Dhase. copyrite, scheelite, and adularia. Wire gold was - excavated totaled approximately 2,300 ft. No Tellurium mineralization is associated most deposited locally along the edges of these large ore marketed. commonly with silicified zones that resemble hot- vugs and has been recovered recently as beauti- Early 1950's-Galber, lnc. mined and ex- spring deposits. Preliminary fluid-inclusion ho- fully contrasting specimens of gold in calcite. plored the Mex-Tex, Royal Flush, Mountain mogenization temperatures in this quartz fall be- Other minerals of interest to collectors include Canyon, and Malachite mines; several car- tween 230 and 240"C. Sulfide zoning appears chalcopyrite, Japan-law twin quartz crystals, loads of lead concentrate were shipped by opposite that suggested by earlier workers in the twinned scalenohedrons of calcite (rarely sixlings), truck and rail to the ASARCO smelter in El district. The accepted zoning pattern is concentric Paso. and rarely amethyst, scheelite, native copper with (Cu-Zn-Pb) from the Organ batholith. The recent cuprite, and pyrite pseudomorphs after calcite. 1960-6G-Sporadic mining and exploration recognition of a porphyry copper deposit north of continued. Large chalcopyrite crystals (up to 3 inches on an the town of Organ provides a better "center" or edge) were collected for many years from the dis- 1968--Ora Blanchard passed away. source of the mineralizing fluids and, correspond- trict. They are commonly coaied with a dusting of 1972-Basic Earth ScienceSustems. Inc. con- ingly, zoning appears best reconciled in an op- malachite. Recently, limonite-coated Japan-law ducted exploration, including core drilling, posite direction than previously postulated. The twins were collected that exhibit unusual scepter for several years. distribution of tellurium mineralization can also terminations. Cold in calcite and occasionallv on T977-Hansonburg Mines, Inc. began exten- be used to define distal zoning along with garnet and pyrite were collected in 1984 by Wiyne proxi- sive exploration. Ore reserves eslimated at mal porphyry-skarn zoning. The origin of the tel- Holland of Albuquerque. These specimens came one million tons contained an average of lurium and precious-metal hot-spring system may 6Vo from a restricted zone of abundant calcite (possible galena, 207o barite, and about 707o fluo- be: 1) part of the porphyry copper-skarn system, rite. an extremely vuggy area) discovered some time 2) superimposed on the porphyry-skarn system |979-Hansonburg earlier by Ira Young. Mines, Inc. constructed as a retrograde phase of that mineralization, or 3) mill projected to handle 400 tonsiday with TelLuzuuv MINERALsoF THEORGAN DtsrRrcr, DoNA a completely different mineralizing event. recovery of silver, galena, barite, and fluo- ANe CouNrv, New Mnxrco, by, Virgil W. Lueth, rlte. Philip C. GoodeII,Ramon Llaztona,Heidi Mertig, and Mnrnelocy or rHE LEMTTARcARBoNATms, Soconno, l980-World-class linarite specimens re- William Sharp, Department of Geological Sci- CouNry, Nrw Mtxrco-A pErRocRApHrc. cA-

February 1988 NezoMexico Geology THODOLUMINESCENCE, AND ELECTRON MICROPROBE saw microscopic red crvstals in both outcrop and vey, Box 25046, MS 905, Denver Federal Center, sruDy, by VirgininT. McLemore, New Mexico Bu- randomly scaltered looie rock near the mine;s up- Denver, CO 80225, Paul F. Hlaaa, Sandia Na- reau of Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, per portal. Any assumptions that the material was tional Laboratories, Division 1822, Albuquer- U.S. Geological NM 87801, and Peter l . Modreski, U. S. Geological durangite were subsequently proved incorrect by que, NM 87185, loan | . Fitzpatrick, Survev, Box 25046, Mg-922, Denver Federal Paul Hlava's microprobe analyses and Eugene Survey, MS 939, Denver, CO80225, andCharles Centei. Denver. CO 80225 (5) Foord's x-ray diffraction results. Research showed H. MnxweII, U.S. Geological Survey, MS 905, Carbonatites are unique carbonate-rich rocks of that the red crystals were a new durangite-like Denver, CO 80225 (7) apparent magmatic origin that are characterized arsenate. ln the same material was found a new Three new mineral species have been identified by a distinct but variable mineralogy, composition, cassiterite{ike oxide, recently named squawcreek- at a tin prospect on the north side of Squaw Creek, and associated alteration. In the Lemitar Moun- ite, and a new yellow chernovitelike arsenate. Catron Countv, New Mexico. The first is squaw- tains, central New Mexico, Paleozoic carbonatite Chernovite (YAsO) was also identified in the creekite (Fe,Sb,Sn,Ti)O2,the iron- and antimony- dikes (minimum age 449+76 m.y.) intrude Pre- groundmass of the rhyolite. dominant member of the rutile group. Cassiterite cambrian granites, dioriteigabbro, metamorphic In the weeks following the initial analyses I col- is also a member of the rutile group. Trivalent iron rocks, and amphibolite dikes. They contain greater lected a significant amount of rhyolite that had and pentavalent antimony substitute in equal than 50% carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite, specimen potential. It was eventually broken up amounts (atomic) to Preserve charge balance. This and ankerite) and varying amounts of apatite, and checked under a microscoDe. In addition to new mineral is associated with a high-temperature magnetite, biotite, and other accessory minerals. the three new minerals, the following minerals assemblage of quartz, cassiterite, hematite, pseu- Cathodoluminescence (CL) is the characteristic were observed: cassiterite, hematite, pseudo- dobrookite, tridymite, chernovite-(Y), the cerium- visible radiation (color) produced in a mineral sub- brookite, quartz, tridymite, mordenite, heulan- dominant analogue of chernovite (a new species), and the iron-analogue of durangite, NaFeAsOf iected to a bombardment of electrons. Many fea- dite, and stellerite. tures of a sample observed under CL are not seen Field identification of the new minerals is dif- (a new species). Squawcreekite occurs in very sparse using either standard optical petrographic tech- ficult because of their small grain size and color amounts and the maximum crystal size observed niques or using an electron microprobe; this is similarity. Generally, the new red arsenate resem- is about 50 x 120 x 200 micrometers. The mineral especially true of carbonatites. Luminescence as bles cassiterite in color but has a slight orange tint usually occurs mantled by epitaxial overgrowths observed under a CL stage is manifested as dif- compared to a dark blood-red, almost purplish of Fe- and Sb-bearing cassiterite, adjacent to hem- ferent colors and intensities than are seen under tint, for the cassiterite. The crystals can be rec- atite-cassiterite veins, disseminated within and in the electron microprobe. This is a consequence of ognized by their monoclinic morphology. The red small miarolitic cavities in hydrothermally altered the different current densities of the election bom- arsenate also tends to form euhedral crystals in rhyolite. The squawcreekite is light to medium yel- bardment, about 0.1 to 1 A/m2 for typical Cl-stage lithophysae; the cassiterite tends to form aggre- low brown with a very pale yellow-brown streak. operation compared to 10'?A,/m'?(10 pm diameter gates on or near seams. The red arsenate is altered Cell data are: a 4.6673(7)A, c 3.1006(8),4, V 67.542 beam) to 1SA./m'?(l pm beam) on the rnicroprobe. more easily by ground-water activity and some- (2)A3, Z : 2; space group P42imnm. Relative to Thus, quartz, which exhibits no CL, appears or- times may resemble cassiterite when it is altered. pure SnO, (cassiterite), there is a reduction in ange pink under the microprobe whereas normally Hematite is present in most of the samples, but squawcreekite of 7.5% for the a parameter, ?.77o red CL calcite appears to show only weak lumi- when hematite crystals are in contact with cassi for the c, and 5.6% for the volume. Crystals have nescence under the microprobe. terite, the cassiterite tends to smear/spread out a prismatic habit, and all are euhedral. Forms pres- The Lemitar carbonatitei exhibit bright-red CL, over the crystals; the red arsenate does not exhibit ent include {100},{110}, {111}, and {101}.Twinning, characteristic of carbonatites elsewhere in the world. this characteristic. It is also common to have by rotation about [101], is present in some crystals. The bright-red luminescence is due to composi- squawcreekite crystals growing on tiny hematite The iron-analogue of durangite has not yet been tional variations in fine-grained carbonate min- crvstals. The squawcreekite can have an epitaxial named but is currently before the IMA (Interna- erals. For example, calcites that luminesce red ojergrowth of Fe-Sb-rich cassiterite. Appirently, tional Mineralogical Association) for voting and contain variable FeO and 7-2% MnO; nonlumi- the higher tin content, be it from the amount pres- approval. It is the most abundant of the three new nescing dolomites contain variable FeO and 0.03- ent in the squawcreekite or from a cassiterite over- minerals at Squaw Creek. Crystal size is 0.05 to I 0.8% MnO. Color zonation in vein calcite under growth, does affect the overall color. Adarker color mm, and aggregates may be as much as 3 mm in CL is related to variation in MnO from no detect- probably indicates a high amount of tin. Squaw- maximum dimension. The crystals are euhedral to able MnO in lighter orange CL calcite to 0.5% MnO creekiteis less common than the red arsenate and subhedral. Most crystals show some evidence of in bright-red CL zones. Apatites luminesce blue tends to be amber to root-beer brown in color. solutional etching and are somewhat opaque, but to green-gray to gray in carbonatites and are typ- Generally, the finer grained the squawcreekite is, others are clear and lustrous. Crystals are medium ically zoned whereas apatites in unaltered country the lighter is its color. For example, an aggregate to dark red with a medium red-orange streak. The rock luminesce yellow. Electron microprobe stud- of squawcreekite may be a golden-brown color, typical crystal habit is unlike that of durangite found ies reveal that bright-blue apatites are enriched in but a single tiny crysial sitting adlacent to it may at the "clearing" near Boiler Peak. Higher-order SrO (about 1.8% SrO) relative to gray luminescing be a light amber color (yellow with brown tints). crystal forms dominate rather than the simpler apatites (about 0.47oSrO) and yellow luminescing Tiny, easily recognizable tetragonal crystals, re- forms for durangite. The mineral is strongly com- apatites (no detectable SrO). Other elements (such sembling natrolite in form, are quite rare. The new oositionallv zoned and somewhat color zoned and as rare-earth elements) in addition to Sr may cause yellow arsenate is apparently similar in color to shows solid solution towards durangite (NaAl- the difference in luminescence color of apatite when Lhernovite, but chernovite is apparently rarer and AsOaF) and tilasite (CaMgAsOaF). The average exoosed to CL. hence not likely to be seen. The chernovite-like analysis is: NarO 8.0 wt Vo, CaO 8.0, FezO. 14.0, Cathodoluminescence and electron microprobe arsenate is strictlv lemon vellow in color, very fine MgO 3.5, AlrO3 5.0, TiOr 5.0, Mn2O30.5, SnO.0'6, studies of opaque grains reveal complex inter- grained, and u'sually f'ound as grains in the ZnO 0.7, As2O551.0, 2rO20.3, Nbros 0.2, LirO 0.1, growths of magnetite, ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, groundmass. Generally, if a tiny yellow grain has F 6.0, total 102.3, O for F 2.5, total 99.8. An em- calcite, and quartz; zoning within the magnetite inv hint of a brown tint, then it is likely to be the pirical formula calculated on the basis of 5 (F,O) is evidenced by red CL of the inclusions. Addi- more prolific squawcreekite and not the new yel- itoms is: (Nao,rCas,rLL.r))*. tional minerals detected by the electron micro- low arsenate. (Fe -l Snn.orZrn.or))6.r, probe include Nb-bearing rutile, Nb-bearing References *,A[ 2Mgn rnTiornMnn 61 (Asr !r titanite, chalcopyrite, and pyrite or pyrrhotite. rOa)(Fn2Oo.rr) r. Foord, E. E., and Maxwell, C. H., 1985,Mineralogy of Ion microprobe studies (R. W. Hinton, Univ. of Cathodoluminescence reveals zoning of fluorite that the Black Range tin distict, Siena and Catron Coun- Chicago) yietdea results in agreement with the is not seen with the normal petrographic micro- ties, New Mexico (abs.):New Mexico Institute of Min- electron microprobe results. Optical properties for scoPe. ing and Technology,New Mexico Mineral Symposium; 1.772, New Mexico Geology, 1987,v. 9, no. 7, pp.2027. the mineral are: biaxial (+), a 7.748, $ 1 I.798, - a : 0.05, 2V-"". 86", 2V*k89'. Disper- MrNsxem FRoM rHE Sguaw CnEx rrN MINE, BLACK Foord,E. E., Oakman,M. R., and Maxwell,C. H., 1985. 1 Mexico, and new sion r ) v, strong. Cell data are: a 7.167A, b8.7804, RaNce uN DrsrRrcr, Blacr ReNcr, CnrnoN Durangite from the BlackRange, New data on durangite from Durango and Comwall: Ca- c 6.687A,9 114.58', Z - 4,V 382.443.Space group CouNry, New Mrxtco, by PatrickE. Haynes,P.O. nadian Mineralogist,v 23, pt. 2, pp.247246. Aa or A2la. Box 1531, Cortez, CO 8f321 (6) Fries, Carl, Jr., and Butler, A. P., 194.0,Geologic map of The third new mineral aPPears to be the Ce- In September 1984 I was searching the Taylor the Black Range tin district, New Mexico: U.S. Geo- group dominant analogue of chemovite-(Y), which Creek mining district for tin prospects that might logical Suruey, Bulletin 922-M, 1 sheet. The mineral is bright lemon yellow and be hosts for the mineral durangite. Access to most is YAsOa. in verv sparse amounts. It is the rarest of of the prospects is via forest roads connected to Tnnrs Nrw MTNERALSFRoM SeUAW Cneer, srolzrr occurs new minerals. Maximum grain size is NM-59, sometimes referred to as the "Beaverhead FRoM NuccET Gurcn, aNo ttLesng nnorraWtLLow the three 75 micrometers in length. Habit is short pris- Highway." I was investigating the Squaw Creek SpruNcs Dnaw, Blacr Rercs rrN Drsrzucr, NEw about tin mine, located in sec. 34. T9S, RflW when I MEXtco, by EugeneE. Foord, U .5. Geological Sur- Continued on page 22

Nau MexicoGeology February 1988 Lower Gila Box Wildemess studv area (NM-030- 023),Grant and Hidalgo Counties, New Mexico, by H. N. Barton and G. W. Day, 1987,l0 pp. $2 00 tille *87-334-Aeromagnetic map of the Sabinoso area, northeastern New Mexico, by U.S. Geological Feb.21J31 Survey staff, I over-sized plate (not reproduci- ble). *87-335-Aeromagnetic map of the Big Hatchet Mountains and vicinitv. southwestern New Mexico, by U S. Geological Survey staff, 1987, 1 over-sized plate, scale 1:50,000 (not reprodu- cible). *87-338-Aeromagnetic map of the Horse Springs area, western New Mexico, by U.S Geological March 10-13 Survey staff, 1987, I over-sized plate (not re- producible). *87J69-Catalog of Arizona and New Mexico cores housed at the U.S Geological Survey Core Re- search Centet Denver, Colorado, by T C. Mich- alski and D. L. Richards, 1987, 14 pp $2.80 *87-385-Hydrologic data for the San fuan and Animas River valleys in the Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, and Cedar Hill areas, San Juan County, New Mexico, by D. P. McAda and S G. Shelton,1987, 23 pp. $4.60 *87-444-Preliminary assessment of paleoseis- micity at White Sands Missile Range, southern New Mexico----evidence for recency of faulting, fault segmentation, and repeat intervals for ma- jor earthquakes in the region, by M. N. Mach- ette,1987, 49 pp. $9.80 *87-450-A-Plays for oil and gas in the Raton Ba- SouthryestentGround. sin, south-central Colorado and northeastern 'W.,qte-r:Isgiies.,.,:'. :' New Mexico, by E A. Merewether, 7987,25 PP' $s'oo (6!+1 +87-450-B-Petroleum geology and hydrocarbon 76 plays of the San Juan Basin petroleum province, by A C Huffman, pp $14 20 SymposiumOnthe Jr.,7987,7L Anadarko,Basin. USBM *MlA-61-87-Mineral investigation of additional parts of the Big HatchetMountains Wilderness study area(NM-030-035), Hidalgo County, New Mexico, by D. C. Scott,1987, 13 pp $2.60

May 4-7

;,:_;." May 12-rai Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Permian

Continued from page 19 matic. Crystals are euhedral to subhedral. The brookite, calcite, clinopyroxene, titanite, sanidine, extensively corroded and etched. A solid solution mineral is easily confused with yellow cassiterite tridymite, and quartz Some of the titanite is un- exists between these two minerals. Most of the Stolzite, PbWO4, has been identified from hern- usual in composition, containing elevated amounts material found is tilasite, and the maximum grain atite- cassiterite veins at the head of Nugget Gulch. of REE's, Pb; Nb, Fe, and F. Crystals are all clear, size is about I mm. Color ranges from medium Crystals resemble cassiterite in color, lemon yel- lustrous, and sharp. Color ranges from red-brown red to pale pink. Only small amounts of the ar- low, but are slightly more adamantine. Most crys- to orange-brown, and the crystals may be as much senate minera.ls were found, whereas the titanite tals are euhedral and have a tapered ditetragonal as 1 mm or more in maximum dimension All crys- and clinopyroxene were fairly abundant. pyramidal habit, much like that of some wulfenite, tals are euhedral. The clinopyroxene occurs as or- Note added in proof: Sparse amounts of pale PbMoOr The mineral is very rare, and the max- ange or yellow-orange, thin, slender, euhedral tan to creamy-tan vanadinite were identified in the imum grain size observed is about 250 microme- needles as much as several millimeters long but healy-rnineral fraction of material from the quartz- ters. only 100 micrometers wide. Miarolitic cavities in hematite-cassiterite vein from which the first dur- A tin prospect in rhyolite adjacent to NM-59 hydrothermally altered rhyolite contain hematite, angite in the Black Range tin district was identi- along Willow Springs Draw contains several in- quartz, sanidine, tridymite, calcite, pseudobrook- fied. The vanadinite occurs as clumps of radiating teresting minerals in the miarolitic cavities. Fresh ite, and minor amounts of tilasite and the Fe-an- acicular crystals as much as 0.5 mm long. Iden- rhyolite contains cavities with hematite, pseudo- alogue of durangite. Crystals of both minerals are tification was based on XRD and EDS analyses. !

February 7988 Nm Mexico Geology