Winter 1992
New Mexico Bureau L I,T E of Mines and Mineral Resources (NMBM&MR)
EarthBriefs A quarterly publication for educators and the pul31ic- contemporary geological topics, issues and events Scientists Study Clay for Cleanup Researchers at the University of New Mexico and Los AiamosNational Laboratory have discovered a safe and effective wayto removetrace amountsof radioactive plutonium from surface water--by treating it with clay. Bythe process of sorption, the clay attracts and collects radioactive materials in contaminatedwater, and by fiocculation, the clay’materials bind together and settle to the bottom wherethey can be easily separated from the water. Both sorption and fiocculation are pre- existing scientific concepts, but using the techniques together to remove plutonium from water is a newprocess. In the lab, the treatment has been shownto be 98% effective, but according to UNM’sEric Nuttall, its effectivenessin real-life situations has yet to be tested. Still, the treatment is an exampleof the ways existing technologycan be used to combat environmental problems. UNMDaily Lobo, 1992, issue for August31, 1992: Universityof NewMexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Water Guardians Program You can adopt a waterway in New Mexico.The Surfa(:e Water Quality Bureauhas less than 15 staff membersin ~pP40 M charge of field workfor all of New The good, the bad, and the ultramafic Mexico’s6,000 miles of rivers and 150,000 acres of lakes. Consequently,volunteers are neededto check on specific water areas on a regular basis, and to supply This Issue: information about these areas to the Surface Water Quality Bureau. There are no fees, and there are no required waterways, and volcanoes Nepheline Syenite: Toilet Bowlsand Beer Bottles activities. Volunteersare free to do as NewMexico’s Resources Trivia Quiz muchor as little as they wish. For Natural Resources and Your Christmas information on howto adopt a waterway, Water doesn’t grow on trees--Ground Tree please contact BonneyHughes, Surface Water Concepts for Understanding New Water Quality Bureau, P.O. Box26110, Mexico’s Water Supply Reconstruct the dinosaur contestl Santa Fe, NM87502, or call (505) 827- 2796. The EconomicBenefits of the Mineral Current topics in Earth Science-highLttes Industry in New Mexico
Lite Geology, Winter 1992 -"II NewMexico’s ¯ ResourcesTrivia i Quiz
How many of the following answers questions about New Mexico’s resources can you answer I. WheelerPeak correctly? 2. RedBluff Reservoir 1: Whatlandform has the highest 3. Carlsbad Caverns contains the largest elevation in New Mexico (13,161 ft)? natural cave room in the world, rockhound 2: What landform has the lowest measuring 300 ft by 300 ft by 1500 ft elevation in NewMexico (2,817"ft)? long. 3: What size is the largest room in 4. Jim White, a cowboy, in 1901 Quiet Desert was Once Site of Carlsbad Caverns? 5. the Ice Cave south of Grants, Enormous Volcanoes 4: Who discovered Carlsbad Caverns? New Mexico Nancy McMillan, an associate 6. 121,666 square miles, the 5th largest professor of geology at NewMexico State 5: Where in New Mexico can natural ice state in the U.S. University, is attempting to reconstruct be found at any time of the year? the landscape of southern New Mexico 6: Howmany square miles are there in 7. all of the above between 50 million and three million the state of New Mexico? years ago. Apparently, the region was 8. 70.4 million barrels of oil and 1.02 extremely active volcanically, active 7: Which of the following raw materials trillion cubic feet of natural gas enough to "make Mount St. Helens look are present in a skateboard? 9. $299 million like a mere burp," according to a. Iron McMillan. b. Aluminum 10. New Mexico ranks 13th in coal Research done by McMillan under a c. Wollastonite production. Wyomingis the number grant from the National Science d. Calcium one producer of coal in the United Foundation suggests that the rugged e. Carbonate States. New Mexico has produced New Mexican landscape we see today f. Clay over 20 million tons for each of th’e was created millions of years ago in an g. Sulfur past four years. explosive, fiery cataclysm caused by the h. Silica melting of the earth’s crust and mantle. i. Talc 11. 50% McMiilan says, "Changes in the style’of j. Mica 12. 40,000 Ibs. volcanic activity are important clues in k. Coal understanding the earth’s crust in 8: Howmany barrels of oil and cubic feet southern New Mexico." References LasCruces Sun-News, 19~2, issue for September’ of natural gas were produced in New Mexico during 1991? Miningat Play, poster, Australian Mining ~, 1992:Las Cruces,New Mexico. IndustryCouncil (question 7). 9: Howmuch money did the state of NewMexico Bureau of Minesand Mineral Resourcesstaff, 1992, personal --Compiledby TobyClick New Mexico receive in 1991 from oil and gas production taxes and communications(questions 8-12). Traveladventures and trivia map, 1985: Map royalties? Incorporated,Norman, Oklahoma (questionsI-6). 10: What is New Mexico’s ranking in coal production in the United States and how many tons of coal are produced Teachers’ Note: This quiz wouldbe useful as in New Mexico? an extra credit exercise, or for use in learning centers or groupactivities. 11: Approximately what percentage of the land in the western United States is owned by the Federal Government? 12; What is the average annual per capita consumption of new minerals in America?
Lite Geology, Winter 1992 Ground-Water Concepts for
Understanding \ New Mexico’s i Water Supply C. StephenHaase breaks in the framework,or crevices throughit. Ground-waterGeologist, NMBM&MR wherea small portion of the aquifer Within aquifers composedof In contrast to surface water in lakes, frameworkhas been dissolved away. unconsolidatedsand and gravel, the pore streams and rivers, ground water Porosity is a measure,expressed as a space consists of space betweenthe remains hidden from view, and is the percentage, of the amountof free space individual sand and gravel grains. The subject of uncertainty and myth. A available for ground-waterstorage within size and shape of the constituent grains scientific understanding of ground water an aquifer. Goodaquifers typically have influence the nature of porosity and is crucial to NewMexico, however, 10 to 20 percent porosity; an exceptional hydraulic conductivity within becauseover 90 percent of the state’s aquifer mayhave a porosity of up to 40 unconsolidated aquifers. Consolidated population has its domestic water needs percent. aquifers form whengrains of supplied by this resource. Groundwater Groundwater within a specific portion unconsolidated aquifers become also is a majorsource of water used in of an aquifer contains a given amountof cementeatogether, which can occur in agriculture, manufacturing, and mining energy, referred to as hydraulic head. response to heat, pressure, and throughout NewMexico and muchof the The hydraulic head of gro.und water at a precipitated minerals developedduring southwestern United States. given point within an aquifer depends on deformation or burial of unconsolidated Most ground water originates as the elevation and the pressure exerted on sands, gravels, or other’types of rainfall that percolates downward the ground water by surrounding water sediments. In consolidated aquifers, throughthe soil. Surface water also can within the aquifer. Hydraulic head is fractures, cracks, and small channels drain downwardthrough lake or stream expressedin units of length, such as feet, formedby dissolution of aquifer material beds to recharge ground water. In abovea reference point. Sea level is the determine an aquifer’s porosity and general, ground water and surface water hydraulic conductivity. are intricately related, and the two NewMexico contains a variety of systems are mutually dependent. In aquifers. Alongthe Rio Grande, a series addition to being recharged by surface of deep basins contain deposits of silt, water, ground water can discharge into sand, gravel, and someclay. Aquifers in surface-water bodies at springs, seeps, these basins consist of unconsolidated and ’wetland or marsh areas. beds of sand and gravel that were To the nongeologist, groundwater is washedinto the basins from adjoining commonlythought to occur in mountains, such as the Sandia Mountains under~oundpools, lakes or rivers near Albuquerque,and by the ancestral flowing in the subsurface, mimickingthe most frequently used reference point for precursors to the present-day Rio readily observable behavior of surface hydraulic-head measurements. Within an Grande. Twoof these basins, the water. Actually, ground water occupies aquifer, hydraulic head is variable, and AlbuquerqueBasin centered in Bernalillo small voids, called pores, or crevices, groun(~i water movesfrom areas of high Countyand the Mesilla Basin in Dofia such as cracks and fractures, foundin hydraulic head, e.g. recharge zones, to AnaCounty provide all of the domestic subsurface materials. With the rare areas of low hydraulic head, e.g. water for NewMexico’s largest exception Of caves, ground water never discharge zones. Unlike manyground- metropolitan areas. Elsewherein the occursin pools or rivers. water properties, hydraulic head can be state, sandstoneaquifers, such as in the’ Aquifers are water-saturated readily observedand measured;it is the San Juan Basin, and limestone aquifers, as geological formationsthat serve as water level within a well at a specific in the RoswelI-ArtesiaBasin are examples sources of ground water. The household point in an aquifer. of consolidated bedrock aquifers. Both sponge provides a convenient niodei of Factors that control the rate of water the San Juan Basin sandstones and the’ an aquifer. The sponge contains a movementthrough an aquifer include the limestones of the RoswelI-ArtesiaBasin frameworkof solid fabric that surrounds hydraulic conductivity, and the are important sources of ground water. a network of open spaces or pores. These magnitudeof hydraulic head differences pores store water whenthe sponge is wet; betweendifferent portions of an aquifer. Suggestedreferences most water in the spongeoccurs within Hydraulic conductivity is a measureof Fetter, C. W., 1988.Applied Hydrogeology, the pores, andrelatively little enters the the ease with which water movesthrough Charles Merrill PublishingCompany, frameworkitself. Similar to the sponge, an aquifer. It is a complexfunction of the Columbus,Ohio, 2nd edition, 592pp. an aquifer contains open space, which shape, distribution, and connectivity of U. $. GeologicalSurvey, 1965. Mir~eral and maybe simply the free space between the pore spaces in an aquifer. Hydraulic water resources of NewMexico. New conductivity is expressedin units of MexicoBureau of Minesand Mineral constituent grains that composethe ResourcesBulletin 87, 437pp. frameworkof the aquifer. The open length/time, such as feet/sec; the greater space also mayconsist of fractures and the hydraulic conductivity of an aquifer, the more easily ground water flows
Lite Geology, Winter 1992 The Economic Benefitsof the Mineral Industryin New Mexico ChuckChapin Howdoes New Mexico depend on the silver, zinc, mica, pumice,salt, dimension NMBM&MRDirector extractive mineralindustries for stone, cement, gypsum,clay, and sand FrankKottlowski revenue? andgravlel. NMBM&MREmeritus Director NewMexico’s extractive mineral Whatis an extractive mineral? industries contributed approximately Howdoes this moneybenefit the people Everything used by our modem J one-thirdof the’ State’s $1.9 billion general in New Mexico? civilization is either grownor extracted in fund incomein Fiscal Year 1991 (ending Severancetaxes and royalties from someform from our Earth. Extractive June 30, 1991). Approximately$566 production of fuels and minerals have minerals are obtained by mines and million camefrom taxes, royalties, ajnd built the State’s two permanentfunds quarries, evaporationof natural waters, or permanent fund eamin~ attributable to that nowtotal approximately$5.6 billion. through wells that The $391million earnedby produceoil, various gases, these funds in 199/. wasused molten sulfur, water, or to finance educationand minerals in solution. otherpublic services. In Although the food we addition, duringFiscal Year eat is grown, it is made 1991, payments to New available through the use Mexicofrom Federal of mineral products. royalties andleases were Without fertilizers, or $107million, all earmarked metal for farm machines for public education. and tools, metal for eating and cooking utensils, What additional funds metal and petroleum- are generatedby the , based plastics for extractive mineral refrigeration, or clay and industry ]n NewMexico? feldspar for dishes, we New Mexico’s would not have much to extractive mineral eat. For clothing, metal is industries provided needed for machines to property and corporate plant and harvest cotton, incometaxes while their to manufacturecloth from 17,000 direct employeesin both natural and synthetic t991 contributed personal (petroleum-based)fibers, income taxes from $518 and to produce sewing million in earnings. Local implements such as sales taxes, large electric scissors and needles. Our utility paymentsand homes and other buildings are made ’of oil and gas production. Anadditional manypurchases from other NewMexico concrete, metal lath, gypsumboard, plaster, estimated $70 million camefrom taxes businessesadded to the financial benefit¯ copper wire, and other materials extracted and royalties paid by the metals, coal, and from the earth. The manyitems we consume industrial minerals miningindustry. Dothese revenuesimpact all citizens in are transported by metal trucks over asphalt New Mexico? roads, or by metaltrains along metaltracks. Howmuch extractive minerals do we Themultiplier effect of dispersal Of Without extractive minerals, we would produce? these moniesthrough local and state have little of the food, clothing or shelter In 1991, NewMexico production economiesincreases their impact that we enjoy in our modernculture¯ Even ranked fourth in the Nation for natural manyfold. Thus, maintaining a healthy the early Native Americansused gas, seventh in oil, and tenth in nonfuel mineral industry is vitally important to extractive minerals such as chert for minerals¯ The combinedvalue of oil and all of us. Witha population of about arrowheads, adobe and stone for walls, gas production was $2.8 billion while 1,500,000people in the State, each man, clay for pots, and turquoise, copper, and nonfuel minerals contributed about $1 woman,and child would need to pay gold for jewelry¯ billion and coal $509 million. NewMexico about $450 morein taxes if we had no rankedfirst in the Nationin productionof extractive mineral industry. potash ($250million) and perlite (Sourcesof data: NewMexico Energy, (estimated $14 million) and was second Mineralsand Natural ResourcesDepartment; copper ($714 million in 1990) and carbon U.S. Bureauof Mines;New Mexico Oil and dioxide ($34.7 million)¯ TheState also GasAssociation) producesimportant quantities of gold,
Winter1992, Lite Geology NephelineSyenite: Toilet Bowlsand BeerBottles,
Virginia T. McLemore Otero County, but is the Glossary of Mineral Terms EconomicGeologist, NMBM&MR only one that tests show JamesGuilinger Aluminostltcate-A co~apoundcontaining Geologist,Addwest Minerals, Inc., Arvada,CO contains material suitable aluminum,silica and oxygen. for glass and ceramics. Whatdo nepheline syenite, toilet The Cornudas nepheline Feldspar-Agroup of abundantrock-forming bowls, and beer bottles have in syenite consists"of mineralsfound in all types of rocks. Theyare common?Did you know that everyone nepheline, feldspar, and usually whiteto colorlessto pink, andoccur as uses products made from nepheline up to 10%iron- lath-likecrystals. syenite every day? Nephelinesyenite is magnesium-rich, dark- used in manufacturingglass, pottery, colored minerals. These Feldspathoid-Rarerock-forming minerals and ceramics. Someday, nepheline dark-colored minerals consisting of aluminosilicates and having syenite mined from the Cornudas form a mineral aggregate relativelylow silica contents. Mountains, southern Otero County, that contains magnetite, Magnetite-Ablack, opaquemineral that is NewMexico, maybeused in making and the entire aggregate strongly magnetic(attracted by a magnet), toilet bowls and amber-colored can be separated from the glass for beer and soda bottles. relative to otherminerals. Magnetite is crushed rock by a very composedof iron and oxygen. Other uses of nepheline syenite strong magnet. are in paints, rubber, plastics, Oncethe dark minerals Nepheline-Amineral of the feidspathoid stains, "soft" abrasives, metal are removed,additional groupwith the chemicalformula (Na~ K) primers, and sealers, and in foam- testing of rock AISiO,. Nephelineoccurs as glassy.loola’ng backed carpet. Nephelinesyenite characteristics such as crystalsor grains. is a product knownonly by a few, ability to melt under low but used by many. temperatures, hardness and tensile NepheltneSyenite-A plutonic igneous Whatis nepheline syenite? Nepheline strength is necessary. Test results will be crystalline rock composedof feldspar and syenite is an igneousor plutonic rock used to help determine which market can nepheline. predominantly composedof feldspar and utilize the nepheline syenite. Marketing Pluton-Anigneous intrusion. nepheline with varying amounts of other studies also are necessary to determine silicate minerals. Nephelinesyenite, howmuch to produce and at what price $iltcate-A compoundconsisting, in part, of unlike manyigneous rocks, does not the nepheline syenite can be sold. silica and oxygen. contain any quartz. Commercialdeposits Finding and testing the nepheline of nephelinesyenite consist of greater syenite is onlythe first step in starting a Quartz-Asilicate mineralwith the chemical than 60%feldspar, 20-25%nepheline, and mine. State and federal permits must be formula SiOz. normally less than 0.5%dark-colored obtained. Anarcheologist must examine minerals. Becausea small amountof iron the area to be mined.Archeological sites, References results in colored glass or ceramics,a ¯ such as Indian shelters and areas of commercialdeposit usually must contain Minnes,D. G., Lefond,S. J., andBlair, R., 1983, broken pottery and arrowheads, NephelineSyenite; in Lefond,S. J., ed., small amountsof iron minerals. In indicating evidenceof early inhabitants’ Industrial mineralsand rocks: American addition, the deposit must be near the activities will be protected from miningso Institute of Mining,Metallurgical, and Earth’s surface so that cheaperopen-pit that they can be studied by future PetroleumEngineers, Inc., NewYork pp. mining can be used. Commercialdeposits generations. After marketingstudies are 931-960. must be large, containing thousands of finalized, a mine plan is developedbased Harben,P., 1979,Nepheline syenite: Industrial tons of nepheline syenite. Minerals,September 1979, pp. 71-77. on the amountof nepheline syenite that Robbins,J., 1986,Feldspar and nepheline Recently, AddwestMinerals, In~. from can be sold. If all criteria are met,, Arvada, CO, discovered that nepheline syenite,filling a need?:Industrial Minerals, AddwestMinerals, Inc. will start mining. September1986, pp. 69-101. syenite in the CornudasMountains, Otero In a few years the toilet bowlin your Harben,P.W., aod Bates, R.L., 1990,Industrial County, is suitable for makingdark-. house or someof your beverage bottles minerals-geologyand worlddeposits: colored ceramics and amber beverage maybe madefrom nepheline syenite Industrial MineralsDivision, Metal Bulletin bottles. The Cornudasnepheline syenite mined right here in NewMexico. PLC,London. is one of several p lutons !n southern
Lite Geology, Winter 1992 I
Natural Resources and Your ChristmasTree
DOU8 Jones Student,Department ofGeosciences, NewMexico pigmentedwith ingredients such as lithium found in spodumene,titanium in Institute of Miningand Technology Virginia T. McLemore rutile, manganesein pyrolusite, and rare- EconomicGeologist, NMBM&MR earth elements in uncommonminerals. The papers and woodsthat the paints are This holiday season, the last thing on our mindsis the natural resources that applied to commonlycontain clay as an bring such pleasure to the season. The additiveor filler. Well over 20 different raw materials lights, decorations,glitter on greeting are used to create a decorated Christmas cards, and wrappingpaper add to the tree. Andwhat about the natural excitement of the holidays, but perhaps the~ imageof the Christmastree is the resourcesthat go into the gifts, or the most memorableof all. Haveyou ever electricity to light the tree? Wowi thought about the raw materials that Qulz bring together this image?The majority of these raw materials were furnished by Liste~i beloware someitems often associated with a Christmastree, and someraw the mining and petroleum industries. materials that could be used to makethese items. In the blanks, write the letters of Although many NewMexicans drive someof the raw materials used tomakeeachitem on the tree. Refer to the key for some to the forest to cut Christmastrees, most possible answers" Christmastrees are grown on treefarms. Likeall crops, the trees are grown with ChristmasTree Items , RawMaterials fertilizers.Abouthalf of the world’s I. Star a. Sulfur productionof sulfur and over 90% of the productionof phosphates and potash go 2. Tree b. Trona intofertilizers, ofwhich the sapling trees 3. Ornament hangers c. Lead I receivea share. Surface and ground water 4. Electricalwire d. Mica ¯ resourcesare also needed for the growth 6fthe trees. 5. Lightbulbs e. Petrochemicals,oil,natural gas Strandsoftiny lights have repl~,ced 6. Wireinsulation f. Aluminum candleson thetrees, adding to the list of 7. Ceramicornarnents g. Potash mineralsthat bring holiday cheer. The h. Iron wiresare made of copper;the insulation 8. Plasticornaments andwall plug are formed by the 9.Electricity ’I.Silica combinationof petrochemicals with 10. Glassornaments J. Vermiculite pumice,limestone, marble, vermiculite, 11.Paint k. Clays silica,feldspar, ortrona. The glass bulbs containfeldspar, silica, clay, nepheline 12.Tree stand I. Silver syeniteand trona; filaments inthe bulbs m. Manganese aremade of thinconductive strips of n. Pumice tungstenmetal, which comes from the mineralsscheelite and wolframite. o. Nephelinesyenite Theglittering tree ornaments are made p. Limestone froma varietyofmaterials. Plastic q. Copper ornamentscontain petrochemlcals; ceramicand glass ornaments are made of r. Phosphates ingredientssimilar to lightbulbs, and also s..Lithium containborates, and metals such as iron, t. Titanium f copper,and lead. The star at t~e top O the , u. Rare-earth.elements treecould be madefrom either aluminum,silver, or copper.The v. Tungsten ornamenthangers and tree stand also are W. Marble typicallya metal alloy containing iron or x. Feldspar aluminum.Colorful paints and glazes usedto decoratethe ornaments are based y. Coal on petrochemicals,micaor clay,and are z. Water
Winter 1992, Lite Geology Key: I. Star: f,l,q 2. Tree: a,g,r,z ¯...’~st~r 3. Ornamenthangers: Lh 4. Electrical wire: q 5. Lightbulbs: x,i,k,o,b,v tree 6. Wireinsulation: e,n,p,w,j,x,b 7. Ceramicornaments: x,i,k,o,b,h,q,c 8. Plastic ornaments:e ° 9. Electricity: e,y,z ornament, hangers 10. Glass ornaments:x,i,o,b,h,q,c 11. Paint: e,d,k,s,t,m,u 12. Treestand: h,f :, I~" electrical wire
i" "t
ceramicornarrten ts k. ’~,," , .
..~,..
electricity
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tree stand
Lite Geology,Winter 1992 Paleontologistsare scientists who
study fossils preserved in rocks. Most fossilized organismsare incompletely preserved, and consist of parts such as bones, or traces such as footprints. To learn moreabout prehistoric life, paleontologists use these fossil puzzle
pieces to reconstruct ancient creatures including fish, insects, or dinosaurs. Sometimes,identification of a fossil is a real riddle. Thefossilized fish in the photo to the right was foundin its nearly complete state by NMBM&MR photo by Jiri Zidek paleontologistJiri Zidek. His reconstruction is pictured belowthe fossil.
Bed-Time Riddle
OnceI roamed the sunny shore And then one day I roamed no more NowI sleep inside a bed With sandy blankets ’bore my head Youcan find me coming out Andsee I’ve changed about As muchas any creature might Whoslept a thousand years each night Tell mewho I am and you’ll KnowI was also in a school
J~/cquesRenault Senior Geologist,"NMBM&M R
Winter 1992, Lite Geology Reconstructthe dinosaurcontest !
What do you think this dinosaur really looked like? You mayuse any materials (paint, crayons, paper mache, sticks, buttons etc.) for your reconstruction. The only requ~ement is to be creative and have fun~ Your dinosaur will be on display at the NewMexico Tech MaceyCenter during the Science Fair, April 16-17. Local artists will judge the contest, and will present ribbons for places 1-5. Wewill show the winning dinosaurs in a coming issue of Lite Geology. Mail to: NewMexico Bureau of Minesand Mineral Resources Information about this skeleton provided by Spencer Lucas, NMNatural History Museum. reconsiruc~ion of a housecat Lite Geology, Winter 1992 h. i g h L It TIE S EARTH.SCIENCE UPDATE publlcatlonsprofile... Teachers’ Resources: Free Llsts of Earth A popular NMBM&MRpublication reprinted in 1992will be of interest to Sclence Educational spelunkers(those whoexplore caves as Materlals hobby)... Earth Science Resourcesfor Teachers Bulletin 117~Geologyof Carlsbad 1992 Cavern andother caves in the ,This listing includes 53 nonprofit sources GuadalupeMountains, New Mexico and of precollege earth sdence reference and Texas,by C. A. Hill, 1987,150 pp. This instructional materials, manyof which bulletin appeals to a variety of readers. are available free of charge. Contactthe Althoughit conta!ns technical AmericanGeological Institute, 4220 King informationof interest to scientists, it is Street, Alexandria, VA22302-1507, (703) also useful for the caver whowants to 379-2480. better appreciate the Guadalupecaves, and for the visitor to Carlsbad Cavernas Government,Education, and Mining an interpretive guide to its geologyand (GEM)Educational Materials mineralogy. Photographs of most types of A list of educational materials published cave deposits and speleothemsare by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy included so that the caver can use the and Exploration, Inc. (SME)features free book as a guide to numerouscaves in the teachers’ training packets, brochures, and GuadalupeMountains. Specific reference booklets, along with information on low- also is madeto a numberof deposits and cost videos. Contact the SMEFoundation speleothemsalong the trails in Carlsbad for Public Information & Education,Inc., Cavern.The price is $15.00plus $2.50 8307 Shaffer Pkwy.,Littleton, CO80127, shipping. Mail prepaid order to New (303) 973-9550or x (303) 973-3845. Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral whatIs... Resources,Publications Office, Socorro, Limestone? MineralInformation Institute (MII) NM.87801, or call (505) 835-5410.A free A sedimentary rock composed~iefly of Teachers’ Materials price list of NMBM&MRpublications is calcium carbonate. Limestoneis often rich MII has references and materials also available. in fossils. available for mineral resource education. Teacherscan call or write, and should Riparian? mentionthe grade level, subject taught’ Associated with the bank of a body of and the amountof class time devoted to water, or situated on the bank of a body earth science. Materials range in scope of water, especially a river. from 20-minutesupplements t-o several- week-longmodules to full-year Speleothem? programs.Contact the MII at (303) 297- A mineral deposit formedin a cave by the 3226or Mineral InformationInstitute, action of water. Someexamples of 1125 17th Street, Suite 1800, Denver, CO speleothemsinclude stalactites, whichare 80202. deposited on cave ceilings, and stalagmites, whichform on cave floors. Also... Stones andBones, a quarterly, fold-out Reference-Bates,R. L., andJackson, ]. A. (editors), activity sheet for ages 6-12is available for puakrock 1980,Glossary of geology:American Geological free by contacting Anasazi Heritage Institute,Alexandria, VA, 2nd edition, 749 pp. Canter, 27501 Highway184, Dolores, CO 81323. Winter 1992, Lite Geology l~lighty Minerals,a teaching unit for 3rd UpcomingGeological NewMexico Regional Science and’ and 4th grade classes is available for free and Scientific Events EngineeringFairs: 1993 by sendinga letter on school letterhead to (Regions, dates, Directors, and phone#) the Northwest MiningAssociation, 414 February4-6, 1993 Peyton Building, Spokane, WA99201, San Juan: March18-20 Riparian Conference, Albuquerque. Mr. Gary Howe(505) 632-3633 (509) 624-1158. Contact the Water Resources Research Center, (602) 792-9591for registration Four Comers: March11-13 Rocks and Minerals and HowWe Use other information. Themis a new23" x 35" poster for sale by. Mr. Rex Robinson (505) 2854677(ext. the National EnergyFouridation (NEF). February20, 1993 ° The whimsically drawnillustrations Northeastern: March6 New Mexico Science Olympiad, New Dr. Thomas~alazar (505) 454-3557 depict various miningoperations, Mexico Tech Campus, Socorro, New transportation of minerals to market, and Mexico.Contact Vannetta Perry, Northwestern: March18-20 end-product uses. The posters are (505) 835-5678for moreinformation. available for $3.00 plus handling. Also Mrs. Randi Buck (505) 277-4916 available is a book, MiningGlossary and April 16-17, 1993 Southeastern: Febru#ry 27 Gamesfor $5.00 plus handling. Handling NewMexico Science & Engineering Fair, charges are 10%of order total, ora $3.00 NewMexico Tech Campus, Socorro, New Dr. Michael Braunstein (505) 562-2309 minimumcharge. Prepaid orders can be Mexico.Contact Vannetta Perry, Southwestern: March 6 mailed to the National Energy (505) 835-$678,for moreinformation. Foundation, 5160 Wiley Post Way,Suite Dr. GordonEwing (505) 646-3328 200, Salt Lake City, UT84116. For more information, call NEFat (801) 539-1406. CommonGround, an educational video Lite Geology producedby Caterpillar Inc., presents the. Subscription Order Form story of the mineral products of our planet: whatminerals are present in the Please confirm myfree subscription: products we use everyday, howthey are formed, how and where they are found, Name their role in humancivilization, and how Mailing Addres~ we are managing.andprotecting our mineral resources and the environment. City State ,Zip The 26-minutevideo along with teacher’s and user’s guides, is available for $10.00 Howdid you hear about Lite Geology? from any Caterpillar Inc. equipment Are you a teacher? dealer. In NewMexico, phone Mark Wisdom,Rust TractorCo., At Whatschool do you teach? 1-(800) 468-5081,or if calling from Grade Level? Albuquerque,(505) 345-8411. Subject(s) Acknowledgments--Manythanks to the NMBM&MRstaff members who have supported this project throughtheir ideas, articles, resources, and time. Lite Geology, Winter 1992 L I.T E we want to hear from you... ge.ology The focus for this issue is on manyof the natural resources in NewMexico, and how we enjoy, depend on, and benefit from these resources. Wewould like to have feedback is published quarterly by NewMexico from readers about the articles and other features in Lite Geology.Please write to us and Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources request to see coverageofearth science topics that interest you. Also, we hopethat (CharlesF~ Chapin, Director), a division of teachers will share with us their special secrets and techniquesfor getting students NewMexico Tech (Laurence Lattman, interested in and excited about earth science. If you enjoy Lite Geologyand wouldlike to President). continue receiving it, we ask you tO confirmyour subscription by mailing in the- subscription order form found within this issue. Wehope that you have as muchfun Purpose: to help build earth science reading this publication as wedo in p1:oducingit. Until next issue, our authors and staff awareness by presenting educators and will be writing, rewriting, cartooning, and waiting to hear from readers about howwe the public with contemporarygeological can make’Life Geologyeven better. topics, issues, and events. UseLite Geologyas a sourcefor ideas in the Susan]. Welch classroomor for public education. Editor, Lite Geology Reproduction is encouraged with proper l recognition of source. "Lite GeologyStaff Information Editor: Susan J. Welch Geological Coodinator: DaveLove Educational Coordinator: Barbara Popp Graphic Designer: Jan Thomas C@rtoonist:Jan Thomaswith inspiration from Peter Mozley Student Editorial Assistant: TobyClick Creative and Technical Support: NMBM&MRStaff Mailing address NewMexico Bureau of’Mines and Mineral Resources, Socorro, NM87801. Phone(.505) 835-5410.For a free subs cTiption,please call or write. Lite Geologyis printed on recycled paper. LI T E._ U,S,POSTAGE NewMexico Bureau of Mines PAID andMineral Resources ~,~. PublicationsOffice Socorro,NM 87801 Winter 1992, Lite Geology