New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

Travertine, produced at two quarries in New Mexico, is a banded limestone deposited at or near the surface by ground water. Bedded limestone is the primary source rock for the carbonate-charged waters that form most travertine deposits. Travertine distribution in New Mexico therefore is typically related to the presence of limestone at or near the surface.

Travertine is currently quarried in New Mexico by New Mexico Travertine near Belen and by Apache Springs Company near Radium Springs. Several other deposits have drawn attention during the 1980's but none have been developed for travertine.

The quarry operated by New Mexico Travertine is in Valencia County about 20 miles of Belen at Mesa Aparejo. The mill is about two miles west of Belen. The quarry is in sec 12-13, T5N, R3W and is operated continuously at a rated capacity of 4800 tons per year. Reserves underlie about 1140 acres and total about 200 million tons. A wiresaw cuts 15-18 ton blocks of travertine which are then tipped out of the face and hauled to the mill. All smaller blocks are crushed for use in pre-cast exposed-aggregate panels, rock veneers, and landscaping.

The travertine mill features Italian-made equipment including a 55-blade gangsaw (Gaspari), bridgesaw (Gregori), and a polishing line (Gregori). This equipment can produce 2000-3000 sq. ft of polished slabs (4' x 8') or tiles (1' x 2', 2' x 2') daily. All sawing, finishing, coping, and polishing of the stone is done here with a large custom business in place.

The quarry operated by Apache Springs Co. is in Dona Ana County, about eight miles southwest of Radium Springs. It is in sec 23, T21S, R3W and is operated intermittently at a rated capacity of 96 cubic feet per day.

Travertine deposits are widespread in New Mexico but few have dimension stone quality. A more likely end use for some of these is as high-calcium limestone or in cement manufacture.