New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
Staff Activity Report
for a one-year period extending from
January 1, 2005 – December 31, 2005 *
( * if for a period of less than a year, indicate actual
coverage here:___________________________)
Data compiled here will be used in assembling annual staff evaluations (in February 2003). I suggest
you keep a copy of this document on your computer and enter things as they occur to avoid having to
dredge up data from deep memory. Updates to these activity reports (where appropriate) should be
reflected on individual staff Web pages.
Please return digital files of activity reports to the director's office by: January 20, 2006.
Name: VIRGIL W. LUETH
Position title: MINERALOGIST/ECONOMIC GEOLOGIST
Office phone: 505-835-5140
e-mail: vwlueth@nmt.edu
Indicate updates to the following:
Education:
Specialties and Interests:
etc.
Published Papers (prepare as complete reference citations and attach abstracts not previously
submitted)
Lueth, V.W., Rye, R.O. and Peters, L., 2005, “Sour Gas” Hydrothermal jarosite:
Ancient to modern acid sulfate mineralization in the southern Rio Grande
Rift: Chemical Geology, v. 215, p. 339-360.
Lueth, V.W. and Goodell, P.C., Fluid inclusion analysis and manganese-iron
oxide mineralogy of quartz-chalcedony geodes from the Parana basalts, Rio
Grande do Sul, Brazil, in, Kile, D., Michalski, T., and Modreski, P., (eds.),
Proceedings of the Symposium on Agate and Cryptocrystalline Quartz,
Friends of Mineralogy – Colorado Chapter, Golden, CO, p. 53-59.
Books (written or edited)
Lucas, S.L., Zeigler, K.E., Lueth, V.W., and Owen, D.E., 2005, New Mexico
Geological Society Guidebook 56 – Geology of the Chama Basin, 457 p.
Papers Presented at Professional Meetings (including abstracts; cite as complete references
and attach abstract) [PRESENTOR IN BOLD]
Lueth, V.W., Peters, L., Campbell, A.R., Donahue, K., McLemore, V.T., and
Walker, B.M., 2005 , 40Ar/39Ar age and geomorphic development of
hydrothermal alteration scars in the Red River valley, New Mexico:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts and Programs, v. 37, n. 7 (in
press).
Campbell, A.R., Lueth, V.W. and Pandy, S., 2005 , Stable isotope discrimination
of hypogene and supergene sulfate minerals in rock piles at the Questa
Molybdenum mine, New Mexico: Geological Society of America, Abstracts
and Programs, v. 37, n. 7, p. 394.
Donahue, K.M., Dunbar, N.D., McLemore, V.T., Lueth, V.W., Hauff, P.L., and
Heizler, L., 2005, Clay mineralogy of the Goathill North rock pile and the
Goathill and Straight Creek Hydrothermal Alteration Scars, Questa Area,
New Mexico: Geological Society of America, Abstracts and Programs, v. 37,
n. 7, p. 394.
Phillips, Erin H., Lueth, V.W., Campbell, A.R., McLemore, V.T., and TachieMenson, S., 2005,. Stratigraphy and weathering history of the Goathill North
mine rock pile, Questa Molybdenum Mine, New Mexico – some initial results:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts and Programs, v. 37, n. 7, p. 510.
Lueth, V.W. and Goodell, P.C., Fluid inclusion analysis and manganese-iron
oxide mineralogy of quartz-chalcedony geodes from the Parana basalts:
Symposium on Agate and Cryptocrystalline Quartz, Friends of Mineralogy –
Colorado Chapter, Golden, CO, Sept. 10-13, 2005.
Pandy, S., Campbell, A.W., and Lueth, V.W., 2005, Stable isotope studies of
ancient and modern acid sulfate minerals in rock piles at the Questa mine,
Taos County, New Mexico: Society of Mining Engineers Annual Meeting,
Salt Lake City, UT, p.49.
Party, F., Lev, S., Casey, R., Widom, E., Lueth, V. and Rakovan, J., 2005, Source
of fluorine and petrogenesis of the Rio Grande Rift type barite-fluorite-galena
deposits: Goldschmidt Conference, Abs. No. 1207.
Phillips, E.H., Lueth, V.W., Campbell, A.W., McLemore, V.T., Walker, B.M. and
Tachie-Menson, S., 2005, Soil petrography of a sample traverse from a
portion of the Goathill North Rock Pile, Questa mine, New Mexico: New
Mexico Geological Society 2005 Spring Meeting, Abstracts and Programs
and New Mexico Geology, v. 27, n. 2, p.47.
Donahue, K.M., Hauff, P.L., Dunbar, N.W., Lueth, V.W., McLemore, V.T. and
Heizler, L., 2005, Clay mineralogy of alteration scars and rock piles, Questa
area, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society 2005 Spring Meeting,
Abstracts and Programs and New Mexico Geology, v. 27, n. 2, p.50.
Tachie-Menson, S., White, T., McLemore, V.T., Lueth, V.W., Walker, B.M., 2005,
Variation of temperature and pore oxygen and carbon dioxide in rock piles at
the Molycorp Questa Mine, New Mexico: New Mexico Geological Society
2005 Spring Meeting, Abstracts and Programs and New Mexico Geology, v.
27, n.2, p.47.
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Reports and Miscellaneous Publications (Unpublished reports; include reports of contract
research; open-file reports, etc.)
Pandy, S. Campbell, A.R. and Lueth, V.W. 2005, Discrimination Between Hypogene and
Supergene Sulfates: Questa Mine Site, Taos County, New Mexico – Report to
Molycorp. 39 p.
Lueth, V.W. and Campbell, A.R., 2005, Sampling report -Task 13: Stable Isotope and
Age Characterization of Alteration Scars and Rock Piles – Report to Molycorp, 6 p.
Journals Edited - none this period
Seminars and/or Speaking Engagements
Mineral collecting in early New Mexico – Festival of Cranes Program, Nov. 18.
A mineral collecting history of early New Mexico – Director’s Dinner, 2005, New Mexico
Museum of Natural History and Science Foundation, Oct. 22.
Questa Rock Pile Stability Project: Results of Recent Isotopic Studies – Bureau/E&ES
Geoscience Seminar, Sept. 29, 2005
What’s going on beneath your feet? Magmas, hot springs and ore deposits in the Rio
Grande rift – Las Cruces Natural History Museum, Aug. 16, 2005
Mineral Collecting in New Mexico – Colorado Springs Gem & Mineral Show, June 18,
2005
Mineral collecting in early New Mexico – Chaparral Rockhounds, Featured Speaker, March
17, 2005.
Research Contracts and Grants Awarded (only title, not amounts to be posted on internet)
Stability and rock weathering project – Molycorp molybdenum mine, Questa, NM – cont.
Research Contracts and Grants Proposed
The weathering history of an ore deposit as encoded in alunite and jarosite: Chino Mine,
Grant County, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources External
Research Program - 2005
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Awards and Other Recognitions
2005 Honorary Member – New Mexico Geological Society
Service on Graduate Student Committees (list student and title of project and if you are
major supervisor)
Josh Crook (Min. Eng.)
David Birney (E&ES)
Jason Odette (E&ES)
Ismail Ozen (Min. Eng.)
Dylan Canales (E&ES)
Courses Taught
none this period
Continuing Education Courses Given/Taken –
MSHA mine safety training
New Mexico Ecosystems Workshop – EPA, Jan 2005
Service on Institute Committees
Campus Space Committee
Service in Professional Societies (it is your choice whether you wish to include this
information on internet site)
President – Society of Mineral Museum Professionals
Vice-president – Friends of Mineralogy
Campus Representative – Geological Society of America
Service on Commissions/Councils/Boards
Board of Directors – Society of Mineral Museum Professionals
Board of Directors – Friends of Mineralogy
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Bureau Service Projects Active This Period
26th Annual New Mexico Mineral Symposium
Presentation on “Strategic Minerals” and conference logistics assistance – Decision-makers
Field Conference 2005.
Planning committee for Zeo06 – International Zeolite Conference
Field trip leader – American Association of State Geologists Conference
Research Projects Active This Period
Age and weathering history of hydrothermal alteration scars, Red River valley, New Mexico
Age and origin of Rio Grande Rift type ore deposits
Application of terrestrial acid sulfate analogs to Martian sulfate mineral occurrences
Public Service/Education and Outreach
Educational exhibitions
Tucson, Denver, Silver City, Roswell, Los Alamos, Albuquerque
Science Olympiad Event Sponsor and Workshop host
Museum tours and programs
Papers and Proposals Reviewed
Comparative planetary mineralogy: Implications of martian and terrestrial jarosite. A crystal
chemical perspective – Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
35 scientific papers in NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook No. 56.
4 Road logs in in NMGS Fall Field Conference Guidebook No. 56.
Other Accomplishments
1/3/06
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