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Arizona Mineral Resource
Governor Janet Napolitano recognized Curator Susan Celestian 's 12 years of service at the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum. Sue retired in May. She will be missed!
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Mr. P.K. 'Rana' Medhi -Chair - Casa Grande
Dr. Raymond W. Grant -Vice Chairqueen Creek
Dr: Patrick F. O'Hara Secretary/Treasurer -Prescott
Dr. Mary M. Poulton Member - Tucson
Mr. Robert L. 'Bob' Holmes Member - Phoenix
Arizona Department of Mines & Mineral Resources 1502 West Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007
Address Correction Requested
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No. 45 August, 2007
SiAF~ Dr. Madan M. Singh -Director Nyal Niemuth - Chief Mining Engineer Frank Kimbler Mining Engineer, Diane Bain - Public Information Officer Jacqueline Hall -Administrative Assistant Eileen 0 "Con nell Clerk-Typist p~, Jan C. RasmussenCurator
TOUR Gl}IDES Liz Anderson Ann Baker Roy Christopher Shirley Cote Doug Duffy Joanne Hesterman Laurette Kennnedy Sandi McDonald Alice Rosenfeld
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'(Mineral Resource
Active Mines Due for Release The Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Re
sources will release the long-awa}ted Directory of Act~ve Mines in Arizonq - 2007 in September. This year's directory lists 273 companies, operating 387 mines! There are 221 sand and gravel pits, 53 dimension stone quarries, 41 crushed stone pits, 16 copper mines, 12 cinders pits, 9 clay pits, 8 gypsum mines, 5 marble quarries, 5 industrial sand pits, 3 cemeIit plants, 3 uranium mines, 3 gemstone producers, 3 zeolite mines, 2 silica flux mines, and I each of gold, coal , mica, perlite, and salt.
The directory is compiled from direct contacts with industry. For the purpose _of the directory an active mine is defined as a mine in continuous operation, either in production or under full-time development for production.
The directory provides company name, corporate addresses and phones, websites, key personnel, number of employees, mine name and location, and a description of the operation. The included 24" X 36" color map will locate all mines including aggregate producers, The map will also indicate commodity. In addition, a Google Earth KML file will be available OI'Lour website. The directory will be available from the Department of Mines and Minerals Resources' office, 1502 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007 for $20.00. Peabody Energy Honored
In the weeks after the tragic cave-in at the Crandall Canyon coal mine in Utah, the Department received dozens of calls frOI!! reporters wanting ·to learn about Arizona ' s coal mines. Was there the potential for a simi lar problem in Arizopa? Bow many und_erground mines are there in Arizona? How many underground coal mines? Our answers may have disappointed them in a way - no active undel'ground mines, no underground coal mines -hence, they felt there was no story. However, there is a dramatic story to be told about Arizona's coal mines, but one that has not made the he£ldlines.
Peabody Energy, the operator of the only coal mine in Arizona, was honored this spring for developing a model for cqmmunity and environnrental stewardship that is among the best in the world. The prestigious Energy Globe Awards, a worldwide competition that show cases sustainable' practices, honored Peabody at the Parliament of the European Union in Belgium for their actiVIties on Black Mesa in Navajo County. Of the 730 entries from 96 countries, Peabody was second in its category and was the only mining company honore9. '
"P~abody Energy has taken the e"ffort, personal risk and the commitment, even in times when sustainability was widely seen as an academic topic." This quote is from the judges at Energy Globe speaking about Peabody's work on Black Mesa.
Tbe Department played a role in the Global Energy awards story - Director, Dr. Madan Singh, encouraged Peabody Energy to '.enter the competition and sponsored their application. "Dr. Singh's support is especially meaningful becau~e the Mines and Minerals Department does not have regulatory oversight on Indian lands," says Walter Begay Jr. , Peabody' s Tribal Affairs Manager in Arizona. "He understands the cultural value of what we do."
Peabody has operated in Arizona for nearly 40 years in collaboration with the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. The partnership creates hundreds of local jobs and ten of millions of dollars in annual tribal revenue. Additionally, the work they have done in reclaiming mined lands to productive range, implementing grazing managements programs, and developing a first-of-its-kind program to restore plants and herbs for cel:emonial and medicinal use has won seven major national and international environmental and ecological awards since 1996. Mined
, land on Black Mesa is 20 times more productive than be'fore it was mined. continued on page 2
Members of the Navajo Nation survey grazing land re-claimed afier mining on Black' Mesa. ,
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Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources. 1502t W. Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007 ' 602-771-1600 Toll./i'ee in Arizona 1-800 __ 446-4259 www.mi!1es.az.gov
Arizona Mineral Resource
New Curator Named The Department of Mines and Mineral Resources has
named Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen as Curator of the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum . . She joined the Musewn on August 13.
Jan has a Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of Arizona, with a major in Economic Geology and a minor in Geological Engineering. She comes to the Museum from SRK Consulting in Tucson where she was a Senior Geologist. Prior to working at SRK she had more than 25 years experience as a consulting geologist. Earlier in her career she was Associate Curator of the University of Arizona Mineral Mjlseum for five years. During this time she curated the collection, planned and managed exhibits, managed volunteers, and provided educational opportunities for school children.
Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen
An Arizona registered geologist, Jan has also worked as an environmental geologist, exploration geologist, and geochemist. She taught high school physical science early in her career and has taught physical , historical , and environmental geology at the college level in recent years. She has written 12 books and
open-file reports about geology as well as numerous journal articles. Many of tbe books she has written and co-authored have focused on the geology of Arizona. Some examples are Coal, Oil and Gas in Arizona, Molybdenum in Arizona, Tertiary Uranium in Arizona, Fossils of Arizona, Bibliography of Arizona Geology. and articles on Laramide and Tertiary rocks and ore, porphyry copper deposits, and many others.
Of her plans for the Museum Jan says, "My vision for the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum is of a place of wonder, inspiration, information, and exploration. I envision a magical place for children and adults to leam about the awesome variety of beautiful minerals, how they are formed , how we find and mine them. and how important they are in our daily lives. With better lighting and focus on the minerals displayed, interactive exhibits, short computer/video clips on modem mining, fun activities such as gold panning, and an outstanding gift shop, the Museum will become even Illore popular, exceeding its current clientele of 40,000 children and adults each year. Everyone who visits will say, 'It's a wonderful place""
No. 45 August, 2007
Dr. Madan M. Singh, Director of the Department of Mines and Mineral Resources says, "We are delighted to have Jan join the Museum as Curator. She has excellent credentials in Arizona geology, experience in diverse aspects of minerals and mining, and enonnous enthusiasm for the Museum."
Peabody Energy continued Peabody Energy accomplished all tbis while produc
ing approximately 12 million tons of high-quality, lowsulfur coal per year. The coal is sub-bituminous with an average quality of 11 ,000 BTU, 0.5 percent sulfur, and 10 percent ash. Mining and reclamation has proceeded at the same rate, an average of 500 acres annually.
Dr. Singh says, "Peabody has done remarkable reclamation and sustainable development in Arizona. They have helped the Native American community a great deal with the land they reclaimed. They are replanting with culturally acceptable plants and have developed methods to grow the plants. And, they are doing all of this while mining activities are ongoing. This is a real success story I thought the world should know about."
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;NOTICE ChangeofPhorl~ ·~umbers
Effecti v~ iinmediatel y the phon; and :fa~ numbers for • ''-':;;'":'''~X;'~''' . 't. -;;:.,~ ~-,'\'.t'. ~,1J~"""''''!
the Department of Mines and Mineral Resources hav,e changed. Our new numbers are, as follows:
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General Number: 602-771-1600 Mining ~nformation Genter: 602-771-1601 Mineral Museum: 602-771-1611 , Dr. Madllll M. Singh: 602~ 771-1603 Ny'al J. Niemuth: 602-771-1604 DianeR.Bain: 602-771-1605 FrankS. Kimbler: 602-771-1606 Jacqueline Hall: 6020771-1602 Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen: 602-771~ 1612 Tour Guides: 602-771-1613 Lapidary Shop: 602-77 J -oj 6 J 4 Fax: 602-77]-1616
A reminder that our websi te also changed within the past year: wW':"'.p,ines.az.gov
Do you need this information in an altemative format? Please call the Department at 602-771-1600.
Arizona Mineral Resource
From the Director's Desk
by Dr. Madan M. Singh SuspicIous Mining Activities
Recent news articles on suspicious mining activity serve to remind investors that they still need to be vigilant about precious metals investments, One such article was by Mr. Jeff Hatch-Miller, a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission {ACC) in The Arizona Republic on August 21, 2007, entitled "Mining scams aren't a thing of the past," In the August 13,2007 issue of Northern Miner Mr. James Whyte writes of the recently concluded trial of Mr. John Felderhofrelating to the notorious Bre-X Minerals scandal.
The Department of Mines and Mineral Resources is charged in its statute to "conduct studies of the properties and claims of companies and individuals," and to "cooperate with the corporation commission in its investigations." These goals are accomplished through education, publication, and dissemination of materials that would aid potential investors in arriving at informed decisions.
Recent cases of mine claims that have represented "ore deposits" and "proprietary processes" in Arizona have included companies that profess to extract platinum group metals (PGMs) from cinders and/or.have large gold deposits that can be exploited at great profit. Some of these claims have been proven to be fraudulent and have been prosecuted in other jurisdictions, resulting in ceaseand-desist orders, fines, and even prison tenus, Securities, "ore purchase agreements", and/or hedge fund contributions have been promoted on the basis of these claims. Investors in mine claims should follow the adage caveat emptor. Activities of this nature reflect poorly on the image of the mining industry,
DMMR has assisted with the early identification of several such activities, and its staff has often been called upon to help in the technical review of these cases. The Department follows thi s type of activity closely and the public is encouraged to make inquiries on any proposed mining ventures .
See you in Spokane! ~orthwest Mining Association
Nyal Niemuth will be speaking at the N011h:west MiniilgAsS9ciation Convention in Spokane on Dec. 3 in the morning session.
Se~.you in Toronto! PDAC - 2007
/ The Departm'ent will again be attending the Pros~ pectors and Developers Association of Canada Trade Show from March 2 -5. If you are atte~dil1g the show please stop by to see us at Booth 426,
No. 45 August, 2007
Gemstone Donation The Museum has added a new gemstone display that
includes faceted stones from the David and Stephanie Walker Collection. The Walkers, of Kalispell, Montana, recently donated 63 faceted gems to the Museum. This is the Walkers' fourth donation of gemstones in the last three years.
One of the remarkable things about the donations is the unusual material used; lovely faceted gemstones from minerals we ordinarily do not see faceted . For instance there are two gorgeous cerussites from Tsumeb, Namibia on display. Cerussite is an ore of lead, but these stones bear no resemblance to galena. One is a large (14.74 carat) colorless stone in a square cut. The other is a 15,39-carat round cut in golden brown. John Sinkansus, in his book, Gemstones olNorth America, writes that cerussite, "can be fac
eted, with difficulty, into striking highly dispersive gems of considerable beauty." These Walker Donation gems demonstrate that ' considerable beauty' qllite well. Another rare gem in the collection is one ofscheelite, an ore of tungsten. Tungsten is the
metal used for the filament in light bulbs. This gorgeous stone is a golden scheelite from Mexico; 7.79 carat in an oval cut.
The more traditional gems in the Walker collection are also distinctive. Along with a red spinel from MyanIllar - red being spinel's most common color - there is a sapphire-blue spinel from Ceylon, and a smoke-colored one with brilliant highlights from Myanmar. Red spinel looks very much like ruby, as well as being chemically similar. In fact, many of the great rubies of history, when tested, are tuming out to be spinels.
Compare the peridot from China, Pak istan, Myanmar. and BUnlla, wi th Arizona's famous peridot. The USGS estimates that 80 to 95% of the world's production of peridot comes from Arizona's San Carlos Reservation.
Make certain, when enjoying the new donation, that you see the Nigerian toull11aline. It is a huge 18.87-carat, oval-cut in a remarkable tawny brown.
Arizona Mineral Resource ~
Governor Janet Napolitano recognized Curator Susan Celestian's 12 )If!ars olservice at the Arizona Mining and Milieral Museum. Sue retired in May. She will be missed'
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Mr. P;K. 'Rana' ,. Medhi -Chair - Casa Grande
Dr. Raymond W. -Grant -Vice ChairQueen Creek
Dr. Patrick F. O'Hara Secretary/Treasurer -Prescqtt
Dr. Mary M. Poulton Member - Tucson
Mr. Robert L. 'Bob' Holmes Member - Phoenix
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Arizona Department of Mines & Mineral Resources 1502 West Washington Phoenix, AZ 85007
Address'Correction Requested
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No. 45 August, 2007
STAFF Dr. Madan M. Singh -Director Nyal Niemuth - Chief Mining Engineer Frank Kimbler Mining Engineer Diane Bain - Public Information Officer Jacqueline H~II -Administrative Assistant Eileen O'Connell Clerk-Typist Dr, Jan C. RasmussenCmator '
TOUR GUIDES Liz Anderson Ann Baker Roy Christopher Shirlt:y Cote Doug Duffy Joanne Hesterman Laurette Kennnedy Sandi McDonald Alice Rosenfeld
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Mineral Resource /
Ac~ive Mines Due for Release The Arizona Department of Mines ~md Mineral Re
sources will release the long-awaited BirectolY of Active Mines in ArizQ,na - ,2007 in September. This year's directory lists 273 companies, operating 387 mines! There are 221 sand and gravel pits, 53 dimension stone quarries, 41 crushed stone pits, 16 copper mines, 12 cinders pits, 9 clay pits, 8 gypsum mines, 5 marble quarries, 5 industrial
, sand pits, 3 cement plants, 3 uranium mines, 3 gemstone - producers, 3 zeolite mines, 2 silica flux mines, and I each
of gold, coal , mica, perlite, and salt. The directory is compiled from direct contacts with
industry. For the purpose of the directory an acti ve mine is - , defined as a mine in continuous operation, either in pro
duction or under full-time development for production. The directory provides company name, corporate ad
dresses and phones, websites, key personnel, number of employees, mine name and location, and a description of the operation. The included 24" X 36" color map will 10-cate all mines including aggregate producers. The map will al so indicate commodity. In addition. a Google EaIth KML file will be availabLe on our \-vebsite. The directory will be available from the Department of Mines and Minerals. Resources', office, 1502 West W ilshington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007 for $20.00,
Peabody Energy Honored 'In the weeks after the tragic cave-in at the Crandall
Canyon coal mine in Utah, the Department received dozens of calls from repOlters wanting to learn about Arizona ' s coal mines .. Was there the pqtential for a simi"tar problem in Arizona'! How many underground mines are there in Arizona? How many underground coal mines? Our answers may have disappointed them in a way - no active underground mines, no underground coal mines -hence, they fen there was no story. However, there is a dramatic story to be told about, Arizona's c~ahnines , but one that has not made the headlines.
Peabody Energy, the operator of the only coal mine in . Arizona, was honored this spring for developing a model
lor co;rununity and environmci-Jtal stewardship that is among the best in the world. The prestigious Energy ( Globe Awards, a worldwide competition that show cases sustainable practices, honored Peabody at the Parliament of the Europeall Union in Belgium for their activities on
._Black Mesa in Navajo County. Of the 730 entries from 96 " countries, Peabody was second in its category and was the o~ly mining cQI11Pflny honored. -
5 "Peabody Energy has taken the effort, personal risk
and the commitment, even in times when sustainability was widely seen as an academic topic." This quote is from the judges at Energy' Globe speaking about Peabody's work on Black Mesa.
The Department played a role in the Global Energy awards story - Direct0f, Dr. Madan Singh, encouraged Peabody Energy to enter the competition and sponsored their application. "Dr. Singh's SllPport is especially meaningful because the Miiles and Minerals Department does not have regulatory oversight 011 Indian lands," says Walter Begay Jr. , Peabody's Tribal Affairs Manager ill Arizona. "He understands the cultural value of what we do."
Peabody has operated in Arizona for nearly 40 years in collaboration with the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Tribe. The partnership creates hundreds 'of local jobs and ten-of millions of dollars in annual tribal revenue. Additionally, the work they have done in reclaiming mined lands to producti \(e range, implementing grazing managements programs, and developing a flrst-of-its-kind program to restore plants and herbs for ceremonial and medicinal use has won sey en fllill,or national and international environmental and ecological awards since 1996. Mined land on Black Mesa is 20 times more productive than before it was mined. continued on page 2
-Members o/the Navajo Nation sllrvey grazing land reclaimed ajter mining on Black Mesa. , _
.AriZOnlLDepartment of Mines and Mineral Resources, 1502 W. Washington. Phoenix. AZ 85007 602- 771-1600·'[01l/ree in Arizona 1-800-446-4259 www. mines.a2.gov
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Arizona Mineral Resource
New Curator Named The Department of Mines and Mineral Resources has
named Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen as Curator of the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum. She joined the Museum on August 13.
Jan bas a Ph.D. in Geosciences from the University of Arizona, with a major in Economic Geology and a minor in Geological Engineering. She comes to the Museum from SRK Consulting in Tucson where she was a Senior Geologist. Prior to working at SRK she had more than 25 years experience as a consulting geologist. Earlier in her career she was Associate Curator of the University of Arizona Mineral Museum for five years. During this time she curated the collection, planned and managed exhibits, managed volunteers, and provided educational opportunities for school children.
Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen
An Arizona registered geologist, Jan has also worked as an environmental geologist, exploration geologist, and geochemist. She taught high school physical
~ science early in hel:-career and has taught physical , historical , and environmental geology at the college level in recent years , She has written 12 books and
open-file reports about geology as well as numerous journal articles. Many of the books she has written and co-authored have focused on the geology of Arizona. Some examples are Coal. Oil and Gas in Arizona, Molybdenum in Arizona, Tertianl Uranium in Arizona, Fossils ofAri:::ona, Bibliography of Arizona Geology, and articles on Laramide and Tertiary rocks and ore, porphyry copper deposits, and many others.
Ofhcr plans for thc MuscLlm Jan says, "My vision tor ,the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum is ofa place of wonder, inspiration, information, and exploration. J envision a magical place for children and adults to learn about the awesome variety of beautiful minerals, how they are formed , how we find and mine them, and how important they are in our daily lives. With better lighting and focus on the minerals displayed, interacti ve exhibits, short computer/video clips on modern mining, fun activities such as gold panning, and an outstanding gift shop, the Museum will become even more popular, exceeding its current cli entele of40,000 children and adults each year. Everyone who visits will say, 'It's a wonderful place!'"
No. 45 August, 2007
Dr. Madan M. Singh, Director of the Department of Mines and Mineral Resources says, "We are delighted to have Jan join the Museum as Curator. She has excellent credentials in Arizona geology, experience in diverse aspects of minerals and mining, and enormous enthusiasm for the Museum."
Peabody Energy continued Peabody Energy accomplished all this while produc
ing approximately 12 million tons of high-quality, lowsulfur coal per year. The coal is sub-bituminous with an average quality of I 1,000 BTU, 0.5 percent sulfur, and 10 percent ash. Mining and reclamation has proceeded at the same rate, an average of 500 acres annually.
Dr. Singh says, "Peabody has done remarkable reclamation and sustainable development in Arizona. They have helped the Native American community a great deal with the land they reclaimed. They are replanting with culturally acceptable plants and have developed methods to grow the plants . And, they are doing all of this while mining activities are ongoing. This is a real success story J thought the world should know about."
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NOTICE Change of Phone Nurribers
Effective immediately the phone and fax numbers for the Departmeni'"o-fMines and Mineral Reso'urc'es have changed. Our new numbers are as follows:
General Number: 602-77I - l600 Mining Information Center: 602-771-1601 Mineral Museum: 602-771-1611 , Dr. Madan M. Singh: 602-771-1603 Nyal f.' Niemuth: 602-771 - 1604 DianeR. Bain: 602-771-1605 Frank S. Kimbler: 602-771-1606 Jacqueline Hall: 602-77 J -1602 Dr. Jan C. Rasmussen: 602-771-1612 ToUr Guides: 602-771-1613 Lapidary Shop: 602-771 - 1614 Fax: 602-77]-1616
A reminder that our website also changed within the past year: www.mines.az.gov
Do you need this information in an alternative format? Please call the Department at 602-771-1600.
Arizona Mineral Resource
From the Director's Desk
by Dr. Madan M. Singh Suspicious Mining Activities
Recent news articles on suspicious mining activity serve to remind investors that they still need to be vigilant about precious metals investments. One such article was by Mr. Jeff Hatch-Miller, a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) in The Arizona Republic on August 2), 2007, entitled "Minin~scams aren ' t a thing of the past," In the August 13 , 2007 issue of Northern Miner Mr. James Whyte writes of the recently concluded trial of Mr. John Felderhof relating to the notorious Bre-X Minerals scandal.
The Department of Mines and Mineral Resources is charged in its statute to "conduct studies of the properties and claims of companies and individuals," and to "cooperate with the corporation commission in its investigations." These goals are accomplished through education, publication, and dissemination of materials that would aid potential investors in arriving at informed decisIons.
Recent cases of mine claims that have represented "ore deposits" and "proprietary processes" in Arizona have included companies that profess to extract platinum group metals (PGMs) from cincjers and/or have large gold deposits that can be exploited at great profit. Some of these claims have been proven to be fraudulent and have been prosecuted in other jurisdictions, resulting in ceaseand-desist orders, .fines , and even prison terms. Securities, "ore purchase agreements", and/or hedge fund contributions have been promoted on the basis of these claims. Investors in mine claims should follow the adage caveat emptor. Activities of this nature reflect poorly on the image of the mining industry.
DMMR has assisted with the early identification of several such activities, and its slaff has often been called upon to help in the technical review of these cases. The Department follows this type of activity closely and the public is encouraged to make inquiries on any proposed mining ventures.
See you in Spokane! Northwest Mining Association
Nyal_ Niemuth will be speaking at the Northwest Mining Association Convention in Spokane on Dec. 3 in the morning session.
See you in Toronto! PDAC - 2007
The Department will again be attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Trade Show fi'om March 2 - 5. If you are attending the show pl~ase stop by to see us at Booth 426.
No. 45 August, 2007
Gemstone Donation The Museum has added a new gemstone display that
includes faceted stones from the David and Stephanie Walker Collection. The Walkers , of Kalispell , Montana, recently donated 63 faceted gems to the Museum. This is the Walkers' tourth donation of gemstones in the last three years .
One of the remarkable things about the donations is the unusual material used; lovely faceted gemstones from minerals we ordinarily do not see faceted . For instance there are two gorgeous cerussites fi'om Tsumeb, Namibia on display. Cerussite is an ore of lead, but these stones bear no resemblance to galena. One is a large (14.74 carat) colorless slone in a square cut. The other is a 15.39-carat round cut in golden brown. John SinkansLIs, in his book, Gemstones of North America, writes that cerussite, "can be fac
eted, with difficulty, into striking highly dispersive gems of considerable beauty." These Walker Donation gems demonstrate that 'considerable beauty' quite well. Another rare gem in the collection is one of scheelite, an ore of tungsten. Tungsten is the
metal used for the filament in light bulbs. This gorgeous stone is a golden scheelite from Mexico; 7.79 carat in an oval cuI.
_The more traditional gems in the Walker collection are also distinct ive. Along with a red spinel fi'om Myanmar - red being spinel ' s most common color - there is a sapphire-blue spinel from Ceylon, and a smoke-colored one with brilliant highlights from Myanmar. Red spinel looks very much like ruby, as wen as being chemically similar. In fact, many of the great rubies of history, when tested, are turning out to be spinels.
Compare the peridot from China, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Burma, with Arizona's famous peridot. The USGS estimates that 80 to 95% of the world's production of peridot comes from Arizona ' s San Carlos Reservation.
Make certain, when enjoying the new donation, that you see the Nigerian tourmal ine. It is a huge J 8.87-carat, oval-cut in a remarkable tawn y brown .
