New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

Radioactivity is not something which endears its self unto the public. Aside from specialized medical uses, irradiation for food sanitation and gemstone coloration and for production of nuclear power, radioactivity is generally perceived in a negative light.

Almost all absolute geochronologic methods are based on the radioactive decay of a parent nuclide to a stable daughter product. The decay rate is known as the half-life, and varies from less than seconds to 10's of billions of years. The geologic situation generally dictates which dating method is most appropriate for understanding the absolute time, duration, and/or episodicity of a geologic processes. To the public as a whole, geochronology is an obscure concept, and is perceived as having little or no practical uses. Although geochronology is a primary tool used by almost all academic geologic disciplines, it can also provide important information which is directly applicable outside campus walls.

The New Mexico Geochronological Research Laboratory (NMGRL) is a ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating facility operated within the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources. The laboratory is clearly a State facility and thus has an obligation to provide information and resources to the citizens of New Mexico. Application of argon geochronology is relatively far reaching with respect to the New Mexican public, but its contribution is not always obvious. Argon geochronology is a primary method of determining how long and how high temperatures (known as paleotemperatures) have persisted in environments such as sedimentary basins and geothermal systems. Paleotemperature data in sedimentary basins has direct impact on the potential of oil, gas and coal resources, and can be used to predict the longevity of geothermal resources. Geochronologic data also provides vital information on how, when, where and why precious and basemetal deposits form. The NMGRL works closely with industry to enhance exploration potential by identifying rock units of characteristic age which produce economically important mineral deposits. Also, understanding the temporal evolution of a specific mineral district or deposit provides models which can be used in wildcat drilling programs to help determine possible economic resources. Assessment of earthquake recurrence rates, water transport and recharge rates in hydrologic systems, and volcanic hazard information are just a few additionalapplications for geochronologic methods.

An equally important resource which directly and indirectly benefits the citizens of New Mexico are the human resources associated with the facility. The laboratory obtains a significant amount of funding from outside the State of New Mexico which gets funneled into the state and local economy. The NMGRL currently employees two, nearly full-time, staff members and three undergraduate students without state appropriated funds. Also, several graduate student research projects are supported by the laboratory, thus enhancing I the enrollment at New Mexico Tech which ultimately provides resources for the State and the city of Socorro.