@LucyLu - it is possible although neither are ringing a bell with me. It really could be almost any sci fi anthology since I have no recollection of reading any one in particular other than the ones I mentioned and Anne McCaffreys alchemy one as well. I am hoping someone else remembers the story so as to give me a better lead. If I start dredging up sci fi stories that relate to mars I would still be looking through them until I was dead
And I might even be wrong about the mars reference - it could have been another planet, it was a very long time ago.