This is a story of a group of scientists / collectors who visited the West Sunday mine in San Miguel County on the Colorado Plateau to look at the source of several newly described minerals that occur in the sandstone-hosted vanadium-uranium deposits. This is the type-locality for rakovanite, a sodium vanadium oxide with lots of water in the structure…and you guessed it…a decavanadate. It is a bright orange mineral and occurs as small crystals. It is named for Dr. John Rakovan!

I will leave it to John to explain the significance of decavanadates. A google search suggested there may be biochemical applications for this newly studied class of minerals.

I will leave it to John to explain the significance of decavanadates. A google search suggested there may be biochemical applications for this newly studied class of minerals.

Please remember to invite a guest; this program should be well-received by every age. As always, the public is invited to attend our meetings.