el gambrisino 2008-11

Gemcrafters and Explorers Club "EL Gambrisino" Volume 50, Issue 11 November 2008 - 1 -

EL GAMBRISINO Gem Crafters & Explorer's Club Bulletin, Las Cruces, NM

Affiliated with the AFMS and a member of the RMFMS November 2008 - Volume 50, Issue 11

Notes from the Previous Meeting: President Denny Keith led the meeting. We had a pot luck dinner and social but no program.

Treasurer Lee Attaway reported that the Club has a total of $1,421. One check for $32 was made out to Leroy

Unglaub for a Remote Control for the Power Point presentations. The Fullers will have possession of it as they are the ones who borrow the projector. Lee has updated the New Members Packet to reflect changes and forwarded it to Kristine Kitchens for her input. Lee hopes to have it ready for the New Year so that all members can have a copy emailed to them. It will have the membership page that must be sent in with dues. The New Mexico Mineral Symposium dates are November 8th and 9th. Anyone interested in going can find out about it and get an application form from the following web site: http://geoinfo.nmt.edu./museum/minsymp/home.html There was a show of hands of members attending, I counted at least 10.

Elaine Frantz of the nominating committee made its report. The nominees for 2009 officers are:

President: Dave Smith Vice President: Kristine Kitchens Secretary: Susan Banning Treasurer: Lee Attaway Nominations and voting will take place at the November meeting. Valerie Peebles announced that after three years as Refreshment Coordinator, she will step down next year. We need a volunteer for this position, please call her if you're interested in taking this on. Val has done an outstanding job and we thank you and appreciate all that you have done.

And once again back to the Scholarship situation. Kristine received an e-mail from Dr. McMillan of NMSU who had canvassed her faculty for their input but had no real ideas. Kristine is going to try and set up a meeting with her so the issue can be discussed. Don Saathoff suggested we might set up a fund drive of our membership so that we might raise enough money to interest the university. Maxine suggested that since the university isn't interested we might donate to the Federation Scholarship Fund. This is a well organized and researched fund and they will be only to happy to accept any offering.

HR554, a bill to restrict collecting of fossils by amateurs, was brought up again. We need to write our

congressmen to let them know how we feel about this bill. Lee said the new deadline is Jan. 1 which she obtained from a watchdog type web site called Washington Watch www.wshingtonwatch.com . There was some discussion about the repercussions of this bad bill. Brecken Uhl said one of the last things in the bill was that your vehicle could be confiscated if there was a fossil found in it. Don brought up the fact that 90% of finds are and have been made by amateurs and most Paleontologists are against it. The originator of the bill is from Pennsylvania?????

Don Saathoff assayed a piece of the Galena that was found at one of the Cookes Peak mines on our field trip

last month. It assayed out at 12 ounces of silver to a ton of ore. To put it in perspective; there was .018 ounces of silver in that 3 pound piece of Galena. Very interesting Don, thanks. He will also conduct a Mineral Meeting on Wednesday the 22nd, 6:30 PM at his lab. He will speak on the "Techniques of Micro Mounting and use of the Microscope".

Molly Wilkinson announced that she would host the Christmas Party again this year. It will be a pot luck on Saturday, December 13th, details later. Thanks Molly, you're a dear to do this again.


Several people brought minerals from the Cookes Peak trip for us to look at and enjoy. Eric will lead a Camp Out on October 31-Nov. 2 to Orogrande. He has picked out an area that the big trailers

and such can get to easily. Anyone wanting to leave with them will meet on the 31st at McDonalds on University at 7:30 AM. Please RSVP so they will look for you.

Reminders & General Info:

In the future I will be sending our Bulletin out the week before the meeting instead of on the 1st. This should

cut down on one e-mail notice every month and help keep current business fresher in our minds.

The next regular meeting will be on Friday, November 21st at Breland Hall, 6:30 PM socializing and 7PM for the meeting. Please try to attend as voting for the 2009 officers will take place at this meeting. Our speaker will be: Leroy Unglaub speaking on the "Iconography of Southern New Mexico and West Texas". Nellie and Ed Leake and Nancy Galloway have the refreshments.

Have you seen the October issue of Rock & Gem yet? Robert Beard has written another of his Field Trip

articles, this one titled "Bishop Cap Fluorite". It gives directions, sites, GPS coordinates etc. for the Fluorite and Barite to be found there. Check it out, interesting reading.

Do you know where this formation is located? Would you let me know please as Eric has been calling it the "Chimp Rock" and/or "Maxine".

Thanks a lot Old Friend (or should I say former friend).

There were ten of us at the Mineral Meeting Wednesday evening. Alan Gadberry spoke on mining and the mines of Orogrande. He is a Mining Engineer and has had many great experiences in that field. Don also spoke on Micro mounting and the use of the microscope. It was a great meeting and we all learned a lot. Thanks Alan and Don. Seeing as there is an election coming up Nov. 4th, I encourage everyone to get out and vote. To help get you in the mood here are a few "Quotes from Notables":

"I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle". - Winston Churchill "A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul". - George Bernard Shaw "The government is like a baby's alimentary canal; a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other ". - Ronald Reagan "No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session". - Mark Twain (1866)


Lee sent in this informative piece that she received from Senator Lee Rawson. Thanks Lee.

For you fee diggers, you might want to check out the Oceanview Gem Mining Co. web site: www.digforgems.com. This is a Tourmaline mine in the Pala mining district near San Diego, Ca. They sent us some literature along with prices - $60 per person per day to dig for those beautiful gems.


AFMS "Code of Ethics"

• I will respect both private and public property and will do no collecting on privately owned land without the owner’s permission. • I will keep informed on all laws, regulations of rules governing collecting on public lands and will observe them. • I will to the best of my ability, ascertain the boundary lines of property on which I plan to collect. • I will use no firearms or blasting material in collecting areas. • I will cause no willful damage to property of any kind - fences, signs, and buildings. • I will leave all gates as found. • I will build fires in designated or safe places only and will be certain they are completely extinguished before leaving the area. • I will discard no burning material - matches, cigarettes, etc. • I will fill all excavation holes which may be dangerous to livestock. • I will not contaminate wells, creeks or other water supply. • I will cause no willful damage to collecting material and will take home only what I can reasonably use. • I will practice conservation and undertake to utilize fully and well the materials I have collected and will recycle my surplus for the pleasure and benefit of others. • I will support the rockhound project H.E.L.P. (Help Eliminate Litter Please) and Will leave all collecting areas devoid of litter, regardless of how found. • I will cooperate with field trip leaders and those in designated authority in all collecting areas. • I will report to my club or Federation officers, Bureau of Land management or other authorities, any deposit of petrified wood or other materials on public lands which should be protected for the enjoyment of future generations for public educational and scientific purposes. • I will appreciate and protect our heritage of natural resources. • I will observe the “Golden Rule”, will use “Good Outdoor Manners” and will at all times conduct myself in a manner which will add to the stature and Public “image” of rockhounds everywhere.

Many of you may not have read these AFMS Codes before and a little brush-up for those that have surely can't hurt. We should all know these things but a little review might be helpful. Happy Hunting………….

AFMS Land Use Policy 1. Adherence to the AFMS Code of Ethics assures compliance with most statutes and regulations governing collecting on public lands and encourages respect for private property rights and the environment. Clubs are urged to read the AFMS Code of Ethics in at least one meeting every year, to publish the Code frequently in the club newsletter, and to compel compliance on club field trips. 2. Individuals and clubs are urged to write their elected representatives and land use management agency supervisors regarding issues of rule making, legislation and enforcement affecting field collecting of minerals and fossils. 3. Individuals and clubs are urged to join and support activities of the American Lands Access Association (ALAA), a sister organization with responsibility for advancing the interests of earth science amateurs with legislatures and land use management agencies. 4. The AFMS will receive a report from ALAA at its annual meeting. 5. The AFMS endorses the principle of multiple uses of public lands as a guarantee of continuing recreational opportunities. 6. Wilderness and monument designations are inconsistent with the principle of multiple use. In view of the vast amount of public land already designated as wilderness and monuments, future such designations should be minimal, taking into account the increased demand for recreational opportunities, including Rockhounding, created by a growing population. 7. In furtherance of the principle of multiple use, the AFMS believes that laws, regulations and rules established by relevant governmental authorities should be designed to allow freest possible access to all public lands, coupled with minimal restrictions on the recreational collection of minerals, fossils, gemstone materials and other naturally occurring materials. 8. A right to collect minerals and fossils on public lands should be protected by statute. 9. The AFMS urges its members to work with any or all government authorities to achieve a good working relationship in order to improve the "Public Image" of recreational collectors.


Trips & Such: Note: This article may be a repeat as some of our members didn't receive it last month due to a quirk (well ok, error) on my part. Maxine

COOKE'S PEAK FIELD TRIP - Sept. 28, 2008

It started out a beautiful, but hazy, sunny morning. We met at the Loves Truck Stop on I-10, all 11 vehicles, 18 people, 2 dogs and 5 Quads of us. Upon arrival at CP the Quads unloaded and we split up into groups: some went arrowhead hunting, some metal detecting, some exploring and the rest of us went to the mine dumps. Even there we split up as some stayed near the old town of Cooks and worked those dumps and some of us went on up to the saddle to check out the higher dumps.

The roads were in good shape considering all the rain we had this year (well, maybe the fact that so much of them are rocky, as in bedrock, had something to do with it). Even the shale near the saddle wasn't as bad as I remembered from previous trips. The 4X4 got a little work out though.

The weather was beautiful, 80 degrees by afternoon with gentle breezes to keep one from getting to hot. We found Fluorite in various forms, some massive Smithsonite, massive Galena, Quartz, tiny Sphalerites and various other micro minerals yet to be determined by Don after breaking apart his collected material. The metal detectors didn't have a lot of luck. The Quads did a lot of exploring, etc. and looked like they sure had much fun. I didn't hear of anyone finding an arrowhead.

As usual, not everyone stayed all day. By the time we pulled out there were only eleven of us left and ten decided to stop at Applebee's for dinner. Good company, good food, great day.

View of CP from the old Fluorite Mine at the Saddle Cookie Saathoff looking for those elusive Micros.

The Stay All Dayers: Denny & Judi Keith, Eric Fuller, Don & Cookie Saathoff, Kathy Fuller, Kristine Kitchens, Jannette Hale & Mandy, Doug & Alice Hall. I, Maxine, took the photo. .


Articles of Interest: Orogrande By permission of: www.ragingmain.com/index2.htm

Near Orogrande New Mexico are the remains of the Brice Mining Town. Located in the Jarilla Mountains, the town was named after the head of one of the local mining companies. "Ole Perk" S. M. Perkins, was wandering the Jarilla Mountains west of present-day Orogrande, NM. He was captured by Mescalero Apaches but when the Apaches noticed Ole Perk was a hunchback, they released him and allowed him to prospect in the Jarilla Mountains. Near the turn of the century, he found mineral deposits that resulted in a rush to the area. His property later became known as the Nannie (or Mannie, Ninnie) Baird (or Baeird, Beaird) Mine and it also became the site of the Jarilla Mining Camp, later to be called Brice, New Mexico. In 1904, the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad ran a spur from Jarilla Junction to Brice. George E. Moffett discovered a gold nugget in 1905 the size of a man's finger and so the town east of Brice came to be called Orogrande (big gold) instead of Jarilla Junction. In 1905 the population of Brice was about 150 people and the town included a post office, store, saloon and more mining companies. The post office later closed but by 1919 the population had increased to 300 people. In 1920, Brice became a ghost town. The first school house in the area was built in Brice in 1905 and we are told the cellar and foundation can still be seen, although we have yet to be able to find it. Children from Orogrande were taken to the school in Brice until 1918. Orogrande, as it exists today, is a ghost town with very few people. Brice has only a few remaining features, including a powder magazine, a graveyard and the original Nannie Baird Mine, is now closed by the BLM. Hundreds of mines, adits, and prospects litter the Jarilla Mountains, so much so that you could spend years looking and investigating each one. In the southern portion of the Jarillas, next to the Little Joe Mine, the GPAA holds a claim that many people work on during the weekends. Legal stuff: We, at the Raging Main, do not encourage nor do we recommend for anyone to venture into any mines, shafts or caves...neither does the BLM Abandoned Mine Lands Cleanup Program. Mines are killers and many hazards exist...If you have questions about mine safety please go to: http://www.blm.gov/aml/. While we agree that abandoned mines are dangerous, we feel that the mining history should be documented before they are closed permanently as these mines are such an important part of New Mexico's history both as a territory and as a state. Of the many mines in the area, there are a few large mines that are still open and have yet to be closed by the BLM under the Abandoned Mines Cleanup Program. Some of these large mines are: The Nannie Baird Mine I-Mine (Closed by the BLM due to 200+ ft vertical shaft) The Iron Queen The Charleston Mine (Scheduled under the phase 2 closings) The Emma Lode The Garnet Mine Other ruins exist in the Jarilla Mountains. The common site is the Old Railroad Grade. In actuality, one of the main roads through the Jarillas is built on the old railroad grade. However, one can see in a few spots the old railroad ties along with miscellaneous ruins in the various canyons and old cisterns. Check out this web site, lots of interesting articles and photos on not only our area but Arizona, etc. http://www.ragingmain.com/ Jacob Womelsdorff (the author) wrote to me: "If you haven't been to Orogrande, I would recommend the Garnet Mine. I spoke on the phone with the gentleman that owns the claim. He didn't mind at all if we went exploring or picked up samples, as long as we didn't do any major digging. Either way it has some nice Pyrite, Garnet and Copper and it is pretty safe. The powder magazine and the graveyard are cool to see as well. The Charleston Mine is nice too. However, it dead ends in a 20-30 foot drop into a gigantic underground cavern. You are almost guaranteed to see bats down there as well.


Anyway, have a good time. Please forward me a copy of your newsletter, I would be interested in seeing it. If your members have any pictures, I will be happy to post them". [email protected] Upcoming Show Dates: Nov. 7-9 Tulsa, Ok: RMF, Tulsa Rock & Mineral Society, Central Park Bldg., Tulsa Fairgrounds. This is the annual RM Federation Show. For info. contact Richard Jaeger, (918)481-0249, e-mail [email protected] Dec. 5-7 El Paso Mineral & Gem Society Show, 6331 Alabama. For Info call "Gem Center USA' at 1-877-533-7153 or email Jeannette C at [email protected] . Jan 9-11 Mesa, Arizona: Show, "Flagg Gem & Mineral Show"; Arizona Mineral and Mining Museum Foundation; Mesa Community College, northeast corner of US 60 and Dobson Rd.; Fri. 9-5, Sat. 9-5, Sun. 9-5; free admission; contact Ray Grant, (480) 814-9086; e-mail: [email protected] Mar. 20-22 Albuquerque, NM: 41st annual show, "Treasures of the Earth Show"; Albuquerque Gem & Mineral Club; School Arts/Flower Bldgs., New Mexico State Fair Grounds (EXPO-NM); Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5; adults $1 (Fri.) and $3 (Sat. and Sun.), kids under 13 free; contact Paul Hlava, (505) 255-5478; e-mail: [email protected] For further information or shows go to www.rockngem.com or give me a call.

Thoughts for the Day: Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas. Paula Poundstone and one of my favorites: Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass - it's about learning to dance in the rain. Classifieds: Sorry, no goodies this month. Letters to the Editor: I read the latest bulletin and couldn't find info on where "The Agate Rendezvous" was held, can you tell me? Thanks, Kurt & Carol Editor: Sorry for that over sight, I tend to forget not all of our members are local. It was held in Apache Creek which is about nine miles northeast of Reserve, NM. It's an annual event.


Info for the Newsletter: If you have information, articles, pictures or a website related to gem crafting, rock collecting or exploring and would like to share please give a call or email me at [email protected]. If you're a little shy about writing it up yourself lets get together and work it out. Also if you have minerals, outdoor or camping equipment, etc. that you would like to sell please let me know for the "Classifieds."

Gemcrafters & Explorers Club, P.O. Box 3091, Las Cruces, NM 88003 Members of: American Federation of Mineralogical Societies: www.amfed.org Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies: www.rmfms.org Blue Ribbon Coalition: www.sharetrails.org 2008 OFFICERS: President – Denney Keith 527-9035 [email protected] Vice President – Don Saathoff 382-3464 [email protected] Secretary/Treasurer –Lee Attaway 523-4017 [email protected] Refreshments - Valerie Peebles 382-7651 [email protected] Historian - Don Saathoff 382-3464 [email protected] Newsletter - Maxine Wyman 649-4900 [email protected]

el gambrisino 2008-11

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