Canadian Rockhound: Gold, Gemstone & Mineral Sites of B.C.

Gold, Gemstone & Mineral Sites
of British Columbia, Volume 1:
Vancouver Island
By Dirk Schmid

Last year, before I began my summer vacation in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia, I decided to look for Canadian books on rockhounding. I was quite disappointed. Sure, there were mineral and fossil identification books, but none were written by Canadians. Many good sources published 20 or 30 years ago were either out of print or out of date. Of course, publications on mineral localities do exist, but are either very technical (great for a geologist), or limited to a few localities or are difficult to obtain. Some of the local rock and mineral clubs in Canada, especially in British Columbia, have documented many collecting localities. However, none of these clubs were able to compile and publish a complete volume listing and describing these localities in detail.

Last year a new Canadian field guide series was published. The first volume of Gold, Gemstone & Mineral Sites of British Columbia, by Dr. Rick Hudson is a well written, comprehensive field guide introducing the collector to rockhounding on Vancouver Island. It also provides descriptions of over 100 collecting localities on the island, the major focus of this volume.

The volume is organized into 13 chapters, and includes a glossary, a list of sources for further reading, an index, and colour photos. The first chapter covers the basics of geology and includes a brief discussion on the geological history of Vancouver Island. The chapter also includes a short section on ethics. The next two chapters examine the history of B.C. prospecting and prospecting techniques, respectively. The section on caring for specimens, while adequate for most collectors, could have included a discussion on the handling of fragile specimens. Chapter 4 examines the rights of property owners and prospectors, and the provincial laws that govern them. The basic procedure for staking and maintaining a claim is presented here too. The next chapter introduces the collector to the basics of rock and mineral identification. The different properties of minerals, such as hardness, colour, cleavage, streak, are explained clearly and can be easily understood even by a novice. Terms such as fluorescence, iridescence, and phosphorescence are defined as well.

In chapter 6, the reader is provided with descriptions of a number of different rocks and minerals found in B.C. However, missing from this chapter were colour photographs of the minerals described. Including photographs would have been of great help, especially to a novice. I also discovered two obvious errors in this chapter. For corundum (p. 33), the description cites topaz and emerald as being coloured varieties of this mineral - which they are not. Topaz is a separate, yellow-coloured mineral, while emerald is a green variety of beryl. Both topaz and emerald have a Mohs hardness of 8, whereas corundum has a hardness of 9. The chemistry of topaz and emerald also differs from corundum. However, yellow and green varieties of corundum do occur. The second error was found in the description for zircon, where it stated that "zircon is also man-made in large quantities in clear form..." This is incorrect. Zircon is not man-made. Perhaps Dr. Hudson was referring to "cubic zirconia", which is man-made, but is not zircon at all.

Chapter 7 briefly looks at gold, how to recognize it, how to pan for it, where to look for it, and the equipment needed. Although short, this chapter is useful and easy to understand. Chapter 8 quickly looks at fossils and meteorites, although more emphasis is placed on the latter subject.

Chapter 9 makes up the bulk of the volume and describes 103 collecting sites scattered throughout the island. The book is also illustrated with maps and colour photographs. The sites are grouped by region or local area. Each site description includes site name, a map showing the location of the site and access to it. Information, such as the latitude and longitude, elevation, status, and a list of significant and associated minerals found at the site are provided as well. A rating system (subjective) helps the reader determine whether the site is worth visiting, or is of more interest to advanced collectors. The National Topographical Series map number and MINFILE number is also given. The descriptions are clear and provide additional information on the side, such as points of interest. The end of the chapter gives a list of favourite sites, a list of sites by principle minerals, a few trivia, and some prospecting tips. Even some ideas for science projects are provided as well for children.

The last few chapters provide addresses for obtaining maps and reports, claim maps, and free miner certificates. A list of mineral and mining museums throughout B.C. is provided. Local rock and mineral clubs found on the island are also listed. Chapter 11 presents a glossary of terms used in geology. Chapter 12 provides a list of sources for further reading.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in serious collecting on Vancouver Island. I only wish this volume had been published earlier. In 1992 I toured the island for the first time. As I drove by Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtney and Strathcona Provincial Park, I often wondered what interesting minerals lurked in the hills or in the road cuts along the highway. After reading this book, I was amazed at how many localities I passed by, most within easy reach. I knew I missed something! Next time, however, I will be sure to take this book with me.

Source:

Hudson, R. 1997. Gold, Gemstone & Mineral Sites of British Columbia. Volume I: Vancouver Island. Orca Book Publishers, Victoria, BC.

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