Spring has definitely come to New Mexico, and although it
can get very windy, the weather is often fantastic for hiking. These photos are
from the Quebradas, a wilderness area near Socorro, New Mexico. Last week I
shared photos from the first part of the hike. This is an area near an old mine where you can find azurite and malachite, plus large chunks of barite crystals.
A mining shaft leads into the rock.
It doesn't go very far. Either it sloped downward and it got filled in with debris, or they finished collecting the malachite from the seam that ran through here. (Note the two figures crouching at the end of the currently accessible shaft.)
Here the guys are standing on an outcropping that is primarily barite, a mineral that forms large crystals.
Barite isn't particularly rare or valuable, but it can be quite impressive! This sample is as big as a dinner plate.
A mining shaft leads into the rock.
It doesn't go very far. Either it sloped downward and it got filled in with debris, or they finished collecting the malachite from the seam that ran through here. (Note the two figures crouching at the end of the currently accessible shaft.)
In the detritus from the old mine, you can find small, brilliantly colored samples of azurite (blue) and malachite (green), as well as larger chunks that show the color but aren't pure.
I've lived in New Mexico for almost 17 years and didn't know the mine was here, even though I've hiked nearby. Just one of the many surprises always waiting when you explore the Southwest! Learn more about the Quebradas Backcountry Byway from the BLM or New Mexico tourism.
Kris Bock writes novels of
suspense and romance featuring outdoor adventures in Southwestern landscapes.
E-books are available from $.99 to $3.99, or free with Kindle
Unlimited. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or
visit her Amazon
page. The Southwest Treasure Hunter novels feature feisty heroines and
supportive heroes tracking down mysterious treasures in New Mexico and Arizona.
Each book stands alone, starting with The Mad Monk’s Treasure.
Kris’s
other titles include Whispers in the Dark, a gothic drama at an
archaeology dig in the Four Corners area, What We Found, a murder
mystery set in small-town New Mexico, and Counterfeits, a suspense
set near Jemez Springs.
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