A diamond in the rough: Earth Sciences Museum hosts Gem and Mineral Show

This past weekend, UW hosted a Gem and Mineral Show at the Earth Sciences Museum.

Admission to both show nights was free and both the first and second floors of the EIT building were filled with vendors, activities, and minerals. On Saturday, a Kids Science Open House with child-geared activities took place in both the EIT and STC buildings.

Upon arriving at Saturday’s event, I was greeted by an event volunteer, who gave me a ballot to enter the door prize draw for a chance to win a large sandstone mineral. From there, I made my way along the first floor, where a variety of vendors displayed all kinds of rock and gems goods, including amethyst, tumbled rocks, necklaces, and figurines. There was a notable turnout, with plenty of sparkling gems on display.

Art by Helgana Koren, featuring animals painted onto thin pieces of rock. Photo Carla Stocco

The first vendor booth I visited caught my attention, as they sold rocks that were thinly sliced, resembling canvases, and beautifully painted with nature scenes or images of wild animals. I chatted with the vendors, Helgan Koren (the artist) and her partner, Horst Duchkowitsch, to learn more about what inspired her to paint such intricate works on rocks.

Koren shared that she used to bring canvas paintings to gem shows, but they were large and took up a lot of space, which is why she decided to try selling her art using her husband’s minerals. Koren said she takes after her father and brother, who were both graphic artists. Duchkowitsch added that they typically participate in four or five gem shows annually and that he’s always been an avid collector of gems and minerals. For him, the key determinant on whether a rock is added to his collection is that “[it] has to be either rare or beautiful.”

I then took a look at the minerals sold by other vendors, consistently finding the amethyst gems sold by various vendors the most eye-catching and, typically, a more affordable price. One vendor sold gem trees made in Poland, carefully crafted using wire and an assortment of gems, including amethyst, rose quartz, carnelian, sodalite, aventurine, and jasper.

Along the walls of EIT, several of the museum’s larger gems and minerals were on display behind glass, with cards detailing their rock types and origin. The agates in particular caught my eye. Derived from Brazil, the agates on display were donated by Lew Depew (a long-time member of the Brant Gem and Mineral Club) and their family. Agate is a rock that forms in holes within volcanic rocks.

Another stunning mineral on display behind glass was an immense piece of turquoise-hued malachite, derived from Africa and also donated by Depew.

Finally, I headed upstairs where an event volunteer held a free, interactive activity. The volunteer handed me a pair of goggles and a metal pick, alongside a paper plate with a rock, which turned out to be an ancient fossil of a fish. Using the pick, they guided participants through the process of extracting a fossil. As we scratched away the thin layer of lime mud (micrite), the distinct smell of fossil fuel emerged. This was one of my favourite aspects of the show as it gave participants the chance to engage directly with a fossil.