MINING HISTORY A roadside marker has been built
to commemorate the historic signifi- cance of the discovery of potash in Carlsbad. The McSweeney-McNutt #1 Official Scenic Historic Marker was dedi- cated on March 16, 2019. The marker is located along US Route 62/180, east of Carlsbad, on the south side of highway at mile marker 58/59. The New Mexico Official Scenic Historic Marker program is a partnership with local residents and state agencies. Peter Smith with RESPEC and James Rutley with BLM submitted the application and back- ground research to the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division, which administers the program. The Cultural Properties Review Committee reviews and approves marker text. The New Mexico Department of Transportation funds, installs, and maintains the mark- ers. NMDOT District 2 prepared the site and coordinated the installation of the Potash Discovery Marker.
About the Author Peter H. Smith, CPG, PG (NY) has
over 30 years of field experience, includ- ing projects ranging from mining and hydrocarbon storage to geothermal and environmental investigations. He has worked on Federal Superfund sites in Niagara Falls, NY, a sinkhole investiga- tion in Napoleonville LA, salt core log- ging in southern Veracruz, Mexico, and the Gold King Mine Spill in Silverton CO, to name a few. He is currently one of the key field personnel for Sandia tech- nical support of the U.S. Department of Energy Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Dedication photo (from left to right): Historian Gretchen Brock, Historian, New Mexico Historic Preservation Division; Jim Rutley, Geologist, BLM Carlsbad; Mayor Dale Janway, City of Carlsbad; Peter Smith, CPG-11539, RESPEC; Prof David Borrok, Missouri S&T; Manon Arnett, NMDOT Public Information Officer.
Reference
Barker, James M. and George S. Austin, 1993, Economic geology of the Carlsbad potash district, New Mexico, pp. 283-291, in: Love, D. W.; Hawley, J. W.; Kues, B. S.; Austin, G. S.; Lucas, S. G.; [eds.]Carlsbad Region (New Mexico and West Texas), 1993 , New Mexico Geological Society 44th Annual Fall Field Conference Guidebook, 357 p.
Peter Smith, CPG-11539, Geologist, wins his Company’s Inspiration Award for 2019
The RESPEC Inspiration Award offers recognition to individuals for providing motivational inspiration to other individuals or teams to achieve excellence. The Inspiration category applies to a person who demonstrates exceptional creative and inventive thinking and, through his or her actions, leads others to the highest level of a special achievement.
Project Geologist Pete Smith was honored with an Inspiration
Award for 2019. Pete has been supporting RESPEC operations in Carlsbad, New Mexico, for more than 7 years, despite being located in Rochester, New York. Pete has traveled and spent much time away from his home office to assist in whatever capacity was needed.
Pete’s inspiring professionalism has led to his progression
from ad hoc support to a full-time employee on the Sandia contract. Pete has incorporated improvements into collecting
www.aipg.org
field data and reporting video-logging results to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) hydrology team. Pete also reor- ganized and improved the annual deliverable for this project, which is a Sandia milestone report that is archived in the WIPP Information Center.
Pete also collaborated with Jim Rutley, Geologist for the
local BLM office, in leading the push to commemorate the First Potash Discovery Site with a Scenic Historic Marker at the first potash test well site, McSweeney-McNutt #1, in Eddy County, New Mexico. This site represents the start of a new industry in southeastern New Mexico and the end of the nation’s dependence on imported potash in 1925. Honoring the pioneering efforts of our forefathers in the mining indus- try is one of the ways that Pete has defined and exemplified RESPEC’s culture.
Oct.Nov.Dec 2020 • TPG 11
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