BY TAMARA BELKOV
Gather up your shiny stones, fossilized shells and suspected
dinosaur bones because it's time for the annual Sudbury Gem and
Mineral Show this weekend.
Ruth Debicki, the vice-president of the Sudbury Rock and
Lapidary Society, says the society's expert geologists at the
ID Booth are ready to offer their experience to help identify
rocks and minerals.
Debicki started pocketing pebbles at a young age and has made a career out of it. Trained as a geologist, she works for the Ministry of Natural Resources in the department of development and mines.
"There are semi-precious stones, gem stones, bead work both
mineral and glass; it's not just about rocks and mining.
The dealers have the bits and pieces you need to make your
own jewellery and we have handmade jewellery as well. The door
prize this year is an amethyst geode."
The show will feature fun for the whole family with
demonstrations, video theater, displays, door prizes, and
children's activities.
"In the kid's corner, they can make and mount a rock
collection to take home and build pebble people from pebbles,
glue and pipe cleaners."
If the kids are too old for glue and pipe cleaners, there is
a video theater playing informative movies on mining, volcanoes
and minerals among other rock-related things.
If buying or trading minerals and gems is too tame, try your
hand at mineral hunting on Sunday. At noon, the society will be
guiding a day trip to the Wahnapitae area for beginner rock
hounds in search of Kyanite, an ice blue or light grey mineral.
Transportation is not provided. The cost is $4 and if you don't
have a rock hammer, work gloves and safety glasses, the society
will provide them for the outing. The wearing of closed-in
shoes is advised.
The annual Sudbury Gem and Mineral Show runs this weekend at
the Carmichael Arena on Bancroft Dr. from 5-9 pm Friday, 10 am
to 6 pm Saturday, and 10 am to 5 pm Sunday. Admission for
adults is $4, seniors $2, children 6-12 $1 and children five
years of age and under are free.
The Sudbury Rock and Lapidary Society is a non-profit group
dedicated to promoting recreational and educational rock and
gem collecting and has 85 members including amateurs,
hobbyists, and professionals who are interested in rocks,
minerals, gems, fossils, lapidary or jewellery.
The society has a fully equipped lapidary workshop for its members' use. In the fall and winter, courses in lapidary arts and silversmithing are offered and they also organize field trips. The group meet every second Tuesday of each month from September to June at the Naughton Community Centre on Regional Road #55.
