September 2013 - Engineer Mine with David Joyce

David Joyce is a long time member of the Walker Club, a mineral dealer, and musician, among many accomplishments.

David regaled members with his stories and photos of the Engineer Mine, both as it started out and happenings over the years, as well as highlights from his 2012 trip out to the mine with some great new friends. BCGold Corp's Engineer Mine project is located in the very northwest corner of British Columbia near the Yukon and Alaska borders

For photos and a great write-up, please visit http://bit.ly/GYtg4X

October 2013 - The Geological and Mineralogical Beauty of Labrador with Prof. Mike Hamilton

Professor Hamilton shared his love of the geology of Labrador through photos, nice specimens, and of course his talk.

The preserved record of the geological evolution of Labrador spans almost 4 billion years (about 85% of Earth history) and its rocks tell a rich story of plate tectonic rift, drift, subduction and amalgamation into its present day configuration within the rest of the Canadian Shield.

Labrador is rich in many types of mineral deposits, including those for uranium and for (newly discovered) rare earth minerals. With the recent expansion of transportation infrastructures and in established (Torngat) and proposed (Mealy Mountains) national parks, the region offers a wealth of opportunity for nature and mineral enthusiasts.

Professor Hamilton engendered a desire in those present, to see Labrador's geology in person - he was very contagiously enthusiastic about this great, old land.

November 2013

Ray McDougall had the awesome experience of visiting the vast underground mining complex at Quiruvilca, one of Peru's best-known localities for fine minerals, in early 2013.

Peru has been one of the world's pre-eminent sources of mineral specimens for over 30 years, producing world-class specimens of many well-crystallized minerals. Most collectors have marvelled over specimens from this great country. Famous for the great silver and polymetallic mines in the Andes Mountains, Peru has also produced beautiful specimens from other different kinds of localities.

Ray brought along some Peruvian mineral specimens and shared photos of the treacherous roads they traversed and the underground mining environment. The main adits were propped up by wood timbers that need to be completely redone every two years. He gave us a sense of the everyday living, the company compound and high safety priorities, and the thin atmosphere of the altitude.

He also described a typical route of a mineral specimen from the mines to Lima, and then on to Munich and Tucson, and imparted that you won't find better pricing in Lima, Peru than what you would find at Munich or Tucson.

December 2013

We had a lovely December Christmas / holiday meeting with the great food that Rob Hudyma prepared for everyone. A sumptuous feast!
We were entertained by Michael Bainbridge, Recreational Geology Project Coordinator for Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization, who went through some new informational products and online resources for finding information about new collecting opportunities and property rights status in Ontario.

Michael covered a lot of information that is too much to list here. A good gateway to everything can be found by clicking here. Of note in his discussion were the Recreational Access Toolkit, the Ontario Liability Act for individuals and owners, and the Ontario Mineral Collecting Policy. A very informative evening!

January 2014

Professor Ron Peterson of Queen's University described his 2012 trip to the Gun Claim in the Yukon, 155 kilometers northeast of Ross River. (See Gun Claim)

His intrepid group of four were flown in to the site by helicopter and had the usual "luxurious" accommodations one can expect on a mountain pass! The focus was the rare and unusual barium minerals that are found in this area. Professor Peterson brought along some specimens to view in person including a red gillespite.

Professor Peterson has spoken at the Walker Club many times in the past and has proven to be an amiable, interesting and entertaining speaker.