The Emmons Pegmatite in Greenwood is the most mineral-rich site on Earth. And MMGM’s Researcher and Experimental Chemist Al “the Owl” Falster has been mining there regularly for over a decade, with 244 identified mineral species and counting! His newest find, helvite, turned up just this summer. But after years of work by Al and other researchers, the mine tailings piled up to the point where they could no longer safely reach fresh material. And that’s how MMGM came to be the proud new owner of this vintage 1960s backhoe!

Getting such heavy machinery up the mountain turned into a whole saga… but it’s well worth it to keep the research alive. Soon, the backhoe will put Al and MMGM’s MP2 Research Team, and their dedicated team of volunteers, back to work — clearing the way for new discoveries at a quarry that has been mined for over 100 years and still surprises us. And did we mention it’s getting a glow-up? In the coming weeks, the backhoe will be getting a froggy facelift, painted green in a nod to Al’s well-documented frog obsession — and tuned up to run smoothly for years to come. 

Follow along as this vintage workhorse gets a new look and a new starring role in the museum’s research.

The only thing missing? A name fit for the part. That’s where you come in! Help us pick the perfect name for our new backhoe and keep the research moving here at MMGM.