History of the Blanchard Mine - Meeting Presentation by Erin Delventhal

This video is a recording of the Fallbrook Gem and Mineral Society's membership meeting that occurred on November 12th, 2020.
The Blanchard Mine, located in the Hansonburg District in the northern portion of the
Oscura Mountains, Socorro County, New Mexico, has earned its place as a classic New Mexican
locality through the production of widely available, high-quality mineral specimens - most
notably the “Blanchard blue” fluorite (often associated with galena) as well as the discovery of
some of the world’s largest known linarite crystals. However, the rich mineralization at the
Blanchard Mine produces a suite of other minerals that appeal to many varieties of collecting
styles.
The history of the Blanchard Mine reaches into Indigenous Peoples and Spanish colonial
history, but large-scale development began in the early 1900s. Numerous attempts were made to
develop an economic source of lead at the Blanchard, but all were victim to the trials found in
mining in a harsh and remote desert. Throughout the years, the Blanchard has been utilized as a
“collector’s dream,” with visitors arriving from around the globe to be lead through the property
by characters such as Ora Blanchard (“The Lady on the Mountain”), Sam “Rattlesnake” Jones,
and, in present times, Ray DeMark, Mike Sanders, and Brian Huntsman.
The Sierra Oscura Mountains consist of basement Proterozoic granites and gneisses with
overlying Pennsylvanian formations of marine limestone and shale with interbedded arkosic
sandstone. Mineral deposits at the Blanchard Mine are concentrated as open-space fillings in
fissures, fault breccia, and solution cavities that are primarily concentrated in the Council
Springs limestone. The Blanchard Mine and the Hansonburg District have been the subject of
numerous academic studies as one of the most prominent of the Rio Grande Rift deposits.
Erin Delventhal grew up collecting minerals with her family - long road trips were punctuated
with detours where she and her brothers could get dirty (and very tired) while collecting
minerals. Photography and design took precedence as a hobby and a profession for many years,
but a visit to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show rekindled her love for minerals. She rejoined the
mineral community with enthusiasm and has since been an active member in several
organizations ranging from local to international, has been involved in mineral museums,
symposia, and other educational programs, and has joyously returned to a life punctuated by
getting dirty (and very tired) while collecting minerals. Among other things, Erin works as a
freelance photographer, photo editor, and graphic designer, serves as a mindat.org manager, and
works with Enchanted Minerals LLC in collecting and distributing fine New Mexican minerals.
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Thank you for watching!

[@roblake602]

This is good stuff ...Thanks! I want to know more!