Jim Hemmingway

Nice presentation Dan!!! Thanks for including your detector settings and congratulations on your button and various finds. ☺️ Jim.

Outstanding recovery Norm!!! As Steve notes above, it certainly possesses good sharp detail. I would love to have it in my collection!!! Thankyou for sharing with us and congratulations!!!☺️ Jim.

Hello Gerry... congratulations on quite a diversity of interesting treasure recoveries. If I had to choose just one favorite item, it would have to be the silver key fob!!! That looks to be a real keeper!!! WTG and thankyou for sharing your adventure with us!!! ☺️ Jim.

Hi Gerry… I’m glad that you mentioned utilizing the depth meter. I was tempted to earlier, but decided not to venture too far away from your initial thread topic. Once I’ve isolated a signal the first order of business is to precisely pinpoint, carefully measure the target depth, and then evaluate the target signal. That information enables me to decide whether or not to dig it!!! The depth meter generally has a major impact on decision-making for most areas and most target ID range targets. I search for deeper silver coins as a rule of thumb, but not always. If the signal is shallow but reads penny / dime range I dig it in hopes of a silver ring, pendant or an infrequent bracelet. There are so many potentially productive coin-hunting sites that it is not rational or even possible to dig every coin signal, particularly not shallow coin signals. Nowadays in Ontario those shallow signals are mostly comprised of iron and not worth digging. By comparison, when hunting impermeable clay dominant substrates where coins don’t settle deeply, the depth meter really has little or no value. The older parks and picnic areas with high clay content soils in Toronto normally produce silver at very shallow depths. As noted previously, I tend to dig all signals in the screwcap range because silver jewelry can be had at any depth. Again this strategy is tempered by the soil conditions, insofar as targets will quickly drop out of detection range in dark moist soils characterized by a higher detritus content. In such conditions, the depth meter comes to the fore. Men’s gold rings are much more common within the extended pulltab range. One has to be circumspect about where we pursue these signals. Well groomed city parks and picnic areas that feature extensive gardens are productive places to hunt, as are sports fields, volleyball courts, baseball outfields, relaxation areas adjacent to tennis courts, and so forth. The depth meter is as important here as it is for the silver coin range because we wish to focus on the deeper targets, presuming that heavier gold will sink beyond lighter aluminum targets more quickly over time. Again, you’ve got to be selective primarily based on target depth, because you cannot afford the time to dig it all. I used the same strategy with the foil and nickel ranges but never realized much success for the time / effort. It produced quantities of foil of every description, nickels, costume jewelry, and a few thin gold rings that barely warranted digging in well-groomed, upscale neighborhood city parks. Responsible detectorists must be selective about where and how often to dig in such environs, or risk eviction by park staff. Mind you, I did recover two handsome ladies diamond rings (one 18K with a modest .35 carat diamond in a platinum setting now resides in the wife’s jewelry box), so I shouldn’t complain too much I suppose. Eventually I abandoned hunting gold on land and turned to water hunting for better results. That decision dramatically increased the gold finds for the time and effort spent doing so. I do enjoy the environs and the rewards, but for me water detecting is a crushing bore compared to prospecting or coin hunting. A few months ago I mentioned to you that central Ontario has countless, high usage beach / swimming areas. Within a few hours of my home in central Ontario, there are numerous such sites available to water hunters. Yearly gold renewal has improved because there has been an increase in 22K jewelry recovered at sites closer to Toronto, primarily Lake Simcoe beaches. Nowadays I search Lake Simcoe’s eastern beaches because these see intensive day use from Toronto and nearby large population centers. Moreover the prevailing westerly winds have created extensive troughs between the sandbanks that run parallel to the shoreline. Gold lost in these “collection” troughs is much easier to visually locate, and this is true even using a headlamp at night. Targets can easily be cleanly scooped from the relatively sandless, smooth hard bottoms. There is no need to concern myself with target ID or depths out in the water. I dig it all. With early retirement, lately I’ve focused more on prospecting for native silver. It combines a natural interest in the northern wilds with that of detecting potentially valuable silver. I also thoroughly enjoy mineralogy generally, and eastern Ontario possesses a spectacular mining history and terrific mineral diversity, particularly the famous Bancroft areas. One of the few places globally where a mineral explorer can find and recover specimen grade fluor-richterite. As recently as a trip to the lower Algonquin area early last December 2018, I held a softball size, handsome museum quality specimen in my trembling but eager hands. Well no I didn’t actually find it in the deep, forbidding winter snows, but providentially the general store had several on display!!! And a nicely provisioned snack bar too!!! Almost forgot to comment on the beautiful class ring that you posted above. An unusual looking piece, you invariably post interesting and sometimes extraordinary items. WTG on digging that signal, most impressive given the circumstances. The photo below leaves no doubt about my metal detecting interests… ..........Jim.

Hi Gerry… I don’t own an Equinox but I think that you’re also asking what sort of items we normally expect to find if we dig signals that target ID generally in the screwcap range. That is to say the target ID range that lies between upper pulltab and zinc penny range. I dig all targets in the screwcap range because there are many unpredictable, interesting or unusual items within that conductive range. That’s not to say that we don’t find our share of trash such as aluminum junk and discarded screwcaps, costume jewelry including cheap plated rings, infrequent broken watches, knives and utensils, all damaged to some extent from years of exposure to ground moisture in concert with various soil chemistries. On the other hand, this target ID range produces commemorative tokens, the large Victoria, Edward VII and George V Canada One Cent coins, and our silver half-dimes. It also produces a variety of generally smaller sterling silver jewelry such as small silver rings, pendants and charms. We occasionally detect larger silver rings that fall into screwcap range because they have become disconnected where originally sized to one’s finger. Of course other valuables such as gold rings do occasionally surface, but these are a far more rare occurrence in that particular target ID range. I’ve doubtless not mentioned many other items that fit into the screwcap range. Thanks for a nifty, interesting thread Gerry.

Hello Gerry… I completely agree with you, and especially so to the idea that very frequently how we assign a value to a recovered item is based on many possible facets that may totally exclude any monetary value consideration. You were motivated by a wish to share both your coin and the experience involved with finding it with your Dad, and to subsequently enter your club’s monthly finds contest. I might add that there had to be a very real sense of accomplishment, and that to me is one of the essentials that keep many of us interested in the hobby. That aside, it was an extraordinary find, involved a wonderful story, and you deserve all the credit in the world. The most important consideration for many of us has to be what you feel a recovered item is worth to you. As you’ve stated above, when you don’t need the money, it doesn’t mean as much or anything to you. It may therefore be very difficult to assign a monetary value because an item may appeal to us for many other reasons as noted above. We may feel that the probability of finding another such item of similar age or condition is highly unlikely. Older coins, particularly silver coins may appeal to us aesthetically and / or for reasons of historical interest. Other more practical considerations that might factor into the equation may include the time invested, personal expense, travel involved, effort with searching multiple sites, motivating oneself to do the research and get into the field, and the fieldcraft (and luck) that ultimately made that specific recovery possible. And there are doubtless many other reasons why different people place a high “value” on their various finds regardless of monetary considerations. Attached is a multi-photo of more modern coins and tokens to point out that none of these examples are worth more than a few dollars apiece, but yet these are some of my favorite finds. I couldn’t possibly part with them and it obviously has nothing to do with monetary value. They represent successes that resulted directly from my research efforts and fieldcraft. There is a feeling of accomplishment, and that is the primary “value” that matters most to me.................Jim.

Hi Gerry… can’t doubt your determination after reading about this adventurous trip into the high country overlooking Lake Tahoe!!! I don’t know how you could brave water detecting in winter conditions without a wetsuit, but the scenery alone was certainly worth the visit. We can only imagine what a welcome surprise that picturesque area was to the first explorers and later settlers. As a longtime water hunter and outdoor enthusiast, I’ve also made decisions that resulted in late night travel in remote areas, sleeping in strange places, and pursuing cold weather detecting activities as per the photo below. That’s my prospecting camp in early October, not that unusual, but snow never stays that early in the season. So while unplanned changes on the road frequently lead to inconvenience, nonetheless I do admire your determination to follow your instincts and pursue your objectives. I first viewed your photos before reading the text of your post. Couldn’t help but notice the jug of Double Nut Brown Ale, it must look awfully good to a thirsty wayfarer!!! I use a similar looking jug for mixing frozen fruit juices, as illustrated below. A bit of a coincidence, so I took a photo just for the heck of it!!! Finally did read your article, an impromptu and enjoyable narrative. Congratulations on your recoveries, particularly that handsome gold ring. The silver dime shows some deterioration but to me a seated liberty is a beautiful piece of history in any condition. I also like the last photo of you standing in the snow, elevating your scoop and detector. You look content and happy to be in those environs, doing what you enjoy on your own terms. Many thanks for sharing the trip with us, and for the descriptive photos too!!! Jim. PS: Would have preferred to reply sooner, but my computer has usually been unable to either post to, or sign off this forum. The issue could be mine because it recently went in to the repair shop. No operating issues elsewhere to date.

Hi billdean… we’ve been finding naturally occurring native silver in northeastern Ontario for many years, but that experience doesn’t make it much easier to identify samples from other areas of the continent. That is because sample photographs are far less advantageous than having the actual sample in our hands to examine. That the rock responds to a PI metal detector is a pretty good indication of native metal, but not necessarily conclusive. There are a couple of sulfides and at least four of the more common arsenides in our area that do respond with perfectly good “metallic” signals to PI units. Incidentally arsenopyrite does not respond to my PI units. I suggest that you run a quick, simple streak test on the suspect material to confirm whether it is indeed native metal or for example a white or silvery sulfide, or possibly galena. Please determine the streak produced from one of the exposed occurrences in question. Select an area that protrudes from the surface. Rub it lightly across some white / beige porcelain tile or something similar from around the house that’ll give you a decent indication. For example, the bottoms of coffee mugs or French onion soup bowls are occasionally unglazed and will work just fine. Malleable silver produces a metallic silvery streak, whereas the brittle silvery sulfides generally produce dark streaks. None of them produce silver’s white metallic streak. There are other tests we can do to confirm silver, but the streak test is usually preferable because it is non-invasive. It won't damage your specimen. Below are two small naturally occurring native silver examples that were field cleaned prior to the photos. Both exhibit silver nodules or horns protruding from the rock surface, which is fairly characteristic of native silver in our area. Obviously a rock that has been subjected to the effects of erosion over eons of time will be characterized by a smooth or worn surface . But let’s hope the photos will be of some use to you as you examine your sample………………..Jim.

Steve’s Chisana Story documentation is extraordinary. It is fascinating but at the same time it is no simple task to assimilate in one or two readings all the information that is presented here. I seriously doubt that Steve is looking for accolades, but that is difficult to avoid while trying to find a few appreciative words to acknowledge either this or his many other accomplishments over the years. Our Detector Prospector forum is a fine example of Steve’s determination and resourcefulness to successfully implement a major project. His prodigious efforts and managerial skills are the reason for its success to date. Of course we hope that our input is a decisive factor in that success, but ultimately the credit must go to Steve’s tireless work and steady hand at the helm. Thankyou Steve for an excellent prospecting article. It presents a wealth of information and made for a thoroughly enjoyable read on several occasions. La crème de la crème. Bravo!!!

Hi Condor… your highlighted words above should be permanently etched into every would-be prospector’s mind. Common sense says to take the bird in hand rather than risk losing it for the less distinct possibility of one or two birds later from out in the bush. I’ve met and worked with people in the field who think otherwise. They just cannot resist the temptation to abandon good potential prospects and jump from here to there without any rational justification for doing so. I had a fellow from Texas, with no experience in our northern silverfields, tell me straight-up that he felt he was just a notch better than the next guy, and off he went. I think it was a case of a big ego interfering with sensible decision-making. Good judgement is one of several key elements that distinguish a successful hunter from an incompetent fool with a metal detector in his hands. Thanks for sharing yet another captivating gold adventure from the border country. Congratulations on those handsome gold nuggets, lots of good character there. Jim.

Hello Idahogold… thanks for posting this video about Oregon’s sunstone mining history. We found it interesting and enjoyed viewing the extraordinary specimen examples. The video narrator did not explain that it is specifically the triclinic plagioclase feldspar oligoclase that produces both the gemmy blue-glint moonstone and of course the sunstones which we usually observe to be golden-hued. His copper-tinged red / green examples are uniquely attractive. Mineralogy is such a healthy, fascinating hobby, and the best part about it is that with any luck we can actively pursue collecting minerals well into our retirement years. On that note, we also very much appreciate that you have presented us with a number of enjoyable, informative mineralogy videos. Thanks again Idaho, the videos have been a real nice forum attraction.....................Jim.

Hi Randy… you would make an ideal prospecting partner!!! We share a similar interest in observing local flora and wildlife, and heading into town at the end of the day for dinner and maybe something cold to wet parched whistles. An ideal closure to a long day of digging and kicking rocks. Congratulations on the nuggets, the larger one is a real nice find. Thanks for sharing your trip with us, and for that excellent photo. WTG!!! Jim.

Hi Rick…years ago Dave Johnson said that he really liked the design. He mentioned the secondary GB control particularly, that it was handy for checking out suspect hotrock signals, and thus quite useful on many sites. He also noted that he might do that feature again on some future product. Nice little unit, congratulations.

Hi Rods… welcome to the forum!!! Your rock presents an intriguing identification challenge for us because you’ve provided no information about it. For example, is there a mining history where it was found, did it respond to a metal detector, does the mineral feel weighty for its size / volume, is the shiny substance on your rock flexible or rigid? Or is what we see a result of light reflection as it pertains to the camera to sample angle. You see the real thing, we have to guess at what is real in the photo. Would you mind doing a simple streak test for us? It takes only about 10 seconds to do. The streak test involves lightly running the “shiny” substance on your rock across an unglazed white porcelain tile. In a pinch you can try rubbing your sample across the unglazed bottom surface of some coffee mugs or whatever is available around the house. With dark minerals, the color of the streak can be quite different from the mineral color, thus providing a very useful clue as to its identity. A streak test can readily eliminate a number of possibilities. Goethite produces a brown-yellow to yellow streak. Various forms of hematite can produce a range from a bright to quite a dark cherry red streak. Galena produces a black streak. Silver produces a silvery streak. And there are other possibilities, but there is no mistaking the difference in streak results between the minerals suggested above. Below are photos for the above suggested minerals. The goethite has a weathered surface, but look at the small exposed area of black lustrous material to see what actually exists beneath the surface. Note that galena has a distinct “grey” color and metallic luster. Specular hematite is a little more difficult because its uneven or crystallized surface makes it impossible to avoid light reflection from many faces. It is generally lustrous, but it is also primarily black. It can readily be distinguished from other similar-looking minerals such as ilmenite and magnetite by its red streak. Hopefully the photos will be of some use for you to compare to your sample. Let's add a molybdenite (a flexible mineral) photo just in case. But please consider doing the streak test and let us know the results if that is convenient for you……………….Jim.

Hi Chris… it’s a subjective decision, but for whatever it’s worth I wouldn’t do any treatment to your sample. It displays well and is otherwise quite an attractive specimen in its current state. Dave hopefully can satisfactorily identify it for you shortly. It is not a simple task to identify your mineral based on a photograph. A black streak test result implies a mineral compound, and not strictly a native metal. Some non-metal minerals do react to both VLF and PI units, producing good metalliferous type signals. In northeastern Ontario, these include solidly structured pyrrhotite, niccolite, cobalt, safflorite, skutterudite, and quite a number of potential silver-cobalt-nickel-iron-arsenide mineral permutations that you will never encounter in generally circulated mineralogical texts. The silver mineral combinations are sufficiently complex and numerous as to require a reference list from the local museum, and more sophisticated identification techniques are required than the common mineral field tests normally available to hobbyists. We can easily imagine that such minerals would present insurmountable identification issues for hobbyists in the field and certainly the same applies in the context of forum discussion here. Many of these minerals freshly exposed would produce a similar appearance to the silvery material in your photo. But the primarily cobalt-nickel-iron-arsenide related minerals do not necessarily account for the black host material in your photo with any real confidence. And frankly, I have no idea if these mineral types potentially even exist in your search areas. There are other suggestions above, such as the enriched copper sulfides (bornite-covellite-chalcocite) that do produce VLF target signals, but do not react to my PI units. Unfortunately I’m not familiar with GPZ responses to various minerals because we have no hands-on experience with it to date. Attached are a few mineral examples mentioned in this thread including a photo of low-grade cuprite (it’s all I’ve got). Chris R. above makes a perfectly viable case for this mineral’s consideration. Thanks for an interesting topic, it’s been an enjoyable diversion to post our possible solutions for you!!!

Howdy Chuck… I’ve been metal detecting for coins, jewelry in freshwater knee-to-shoulder depths, prospecting for native silver and many other minerals, and digging old bottles for 32+ years. Our Ontario substrates range from moderate to high non-conductive ferromagnetic mineralizations. I’ve experimented with multi-frequency detectors in the past without any significant improvement in overall results at local coin hunting sites. That is not to suggest that more recent multi-frequency market releases might not be an improvement. Membership posts here certainly suggest, for example, that the Minelab Equinox represents a meaningful VLF technological advancement. Nearly all my coin and jewelry recoveries over the years have been detected with single frequency units that range from a 2.5 kHz Fisher Aquanaut to roughly 7kHz White’s coin hunting units. Both 13 / 14 kHz Fisher F75 / White’s MXT are employed for hunting naturally occurring native silver, particularly for trenching and close-up work. We also use both the White’s TDI Pro and Garrett’s Infinium PI for prospecting silver where conditions, for example the substrate’s magnetic susceptibility, and light trash density make these units equipped with larger coils more desirable tools compared to current VLF technology. We continue to enjoy good success primarily because we think about what we’re trying to achieve, do the necessary research to get results, and make the effort to get into the field. A good deal of our research is completed “hands-on” in the field. Aside from the frequently discussed search strategies we read about on the forums, for example achieving depth, covering ground and so on, a part of our success in coin hunting and prospecting native silver is that we do not employ detectors that are overly sensitive to small material. In such applications, tiny signals are a time-consuming distraction that subtract from our productivity in the field. How we employ metal detector technologies to satisfactorily accomplish a task is certainly of the utmost importance, but make no mistake that placing your coil over productive ground is by far and away the primary goal of experienced, consistently successful hobbyists. That means complying with basic research requirements first and foremost. It is hard work, particularly evaluating field sites for future reference, but without that information in hand, the fancy new technology has little or no value………………….Jim.

Hi Chris… that’s an attractive specimen you have there. It certainly looks like native silver. Have a look around the house for an unglazed white or beige porcelain type of surface. The unfinished bottoms of some types of soup bowls or coffee cups will suffice nicely for a simple streak test. Silver is soft, it reacts to metal detectors similar to native gold, and it produces a silvery streak. Galena with sufficiently solid structure will certainly react to VLF metal detectors and pinpointers such as my Garrett Propointer. But none of my large galena samples will react to a PI unit. Galena produces a soft wide black streak that cannot be misidentified as silver. The black mineralization adjacent to the silvery metal on your sample could also be comprised mostly of native silver with a black silver sulfide coating. That would help to explain the strong signal produced in the field. However, it could very well be a silver sulfide such as acanthite or perhaps even a dark silver sulfosalt. I can’t be more specific from a photo, although I'd put my money down on it being native silver embedded in acanthite. In any practical sense, related silver minerals such as acanthite do not react to metal detectors in the field.

Hello Idahogold… thanks for another enjoyable video. I find it interesting to observe others in the field, their techniques, reactions and interesting comments. Attached below is some small silver, plus an additional specimen found a few years ago in the north country. More about its recovery can be read on this forum at.... Thanks again Idaho ……………..............Jim.

Hi Gerry… your boy grasping the pig is a great find, especially finished in brass. We even keep iron relics from prospecting country for future reference or use. Your recovery will make a fantastic mantelpiece and be quite a conversation piece over the years. WTG!!! I have not made any oddball finds in a few years, but depicted below is the last really different or unusual find that surfaced in the old Lion’s Club Park adjacent to an Anglican Church where we were married many years ago. It’s the only brooch I’ve ever found in thirty-two plus years of metal detecting. The soil was essentially a clay loam that became enriched with spruce and broadleaf detritus for well over a century such that it has evolved into quite a dark fertile substrate. I mention this factor because the silver brooch was at least six-to-seven inches deep, a fair indication that it has likely been in the ground for some sixty-to-seventy years and perhaps even more. It is infinitely exciting to dig down into the dark depths to find untarnished silver gleaming back at you. In fact there was no evidence of sulfide reduction on this piece, hence it was scrubbed with a toothbrush under warm tapwater and towel dried to what you see below. There are no markings on it, the target ID is in the lower silver quarter range, and looks to be about sterling quality. The stone may very well be colored glass, but then too it could be aquamarine. For obvious reasons I don't want to do a hardness test on it. Apparently aquamarine with silver is fairly common according to my wife. I don’t see aquamarine in our mineral collecting areas and really can't identify it with any confidence without utilizing a spectroscope. In this case it probably doesn't matter anyway. Many thanks for another interesting thread. It prompts us to actually think about our various recoveries and what we do with them after the hunt. My coin and jewelry finds normally get tossed into a container stored in the basement, never to be seen again unless my daughters or wife wish to have them. It’s the search with that magical metal detector that I so enjoy…………….Jim.

Hi Gerry… congratulations on such beauties!!! Impossible to pick out a favorite as each exemplifies my idea of what treasure can or should be. Fantastic finds, WTG!!! Most of my ring finds this past season were gold wedding bands and oddball silver rings as is the usual trend here. With that in mind, my favorite is a 13.6-gram 18K gold wedding band depicted below. It’s a good solid piece, most wedding bands are either 10K or 14K so I was quite pleased with its weightiness. The second find is a 7.6-gram sterling silver skull and crossbones ring. The probability of finding one always seemed forlorn but I had hoped one would surface someday. It was just out from the swing set at a local park, at maybe three inches depth, and therefore likely lost within the previous five years. I just stared at it in surprised disbelief!!! Ontario offers countless popular freshwater beaches for detectorists to search. In areas north of Toronto, these have attracted ever-increasing numbers of our Asian heritage community. A result is a corresponding increase in 22K gold ring finds, a typical example is the 5.9-gram 22K ring below. To date our 22K rings have generally been a smaller finger-size than we’ve seen with 10K to 18K rings over the years. Thanks for a really nifty thread Gerry, you have a talent for bringing forward the fun side of treasure hunting………………….Jim.

We've had the great pleasure of reading your countless narratives about searching for those sassy gold nuggets in the wilds of British Columbia for many years now Lanny. It has been an indescribably wonderful experience. Your literary work rivals or surpasses anything I've ever read. And of course, each year we look forward to reading your latest Christmas poetry, it is an established ritual with us. Christmas wouldn't be the same without you in it. Your admirers, Jim & Joanne Hemmingway

Hi Idahogold… an excellent, fundamental review of some of the major ore types, with special emphasis on the sulfide and oxide groups. It provided specific information that would interest both newcomers and seasoned rockhounders. Glad I saw it, as we’ve recently been away scouting new collecting sites in eastern Ontario. We just happened to visit a site that produced radioactive minerals on a commercial scale, not unlike the uraninite discussed in this video. The radioactive example depicted below results from the alteration of uraninite to colorful, waxy luster gummite. I think that is a solid identification, but do stand to be corrected. Many thanks Idaho for an instructive video, it was a pleasure to read over a cup of coffee.....................Jim.

JW and Lanny… back in the late autumn of 2011, after two plus months in the northern bush hunting native silver, I had posted to TreasureNet about something or other, can't remember just what it was now. Both you guys dropped around to ask me how the prospecting season had gone. Without too much elaboration, I described the season as the best I’d ever experienced. You may recollect that I later wrote it up as an article entitled Electronic Prospecting in Silver Country which subsequently earned a Banner Award. You guys were as enthusiastic in your responses as if you’d been right there working beside me. You made a lasting impression on me of what constitutes real friendship. At that time, I commented that “you guys are the very best”. Those enduring feelings of admiration and friendship for both of you have not diminished one whit to this day………………..............Jim. PS: Just lately, rocks and minerals have attracted more of our interest. The wife and I are packing tonight to head north for several days to the southern boundary of Algonquin Provincial Park to search primarily for large titanite, green and red apatite, and hopefully gem quality tremolite crystals. It’s late in the season, but we are determined to go regardless of winter conditions.

Hi Lanny… thanks for sharing your gold nugget finds from this season to date. I imagine you are still searching productive bedrock sites, similar to that depicted below, until Old Man Winter finally closes it out for this year. Reading your excellent prospecting articles at http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html over many years, we understand your boundless enthusiasm for prospecting the elusive yellow metal and appreciate that you love doing it in those remote wilderness settings. I quoted your scenery photos because they made quite an impression. These could easily have been taken from the various areas that we frequent, whether in the rich silver-bearing areas to the far north or the beautiful Muskokas of central Ontario. In particular, the photo with the bridge over the lovely rock-strewn watercourse reminds me of a nearly identical place on the Big East River at Arrowhead, Ontario, where we’ve endlessly hiked and collected rocks and minerals down through the years……………….Jim.

Excellent video Idahogold!!!! Thoroughly enjoyed viewing the informative basics of crystal formation, and particularly the section describing cleavage. The examples used were superb. Below is a photo of a muscovite mica “book” found several years ago from a roadside deposit just north of Ottawa, Ontario. The "book" layers can be peeled back to the point where each layer is much thinner than everyday writing paper, and almost completely transparent. Alum (aluminum sulfate) has a wide variety of uses. This is especially true in municipal water and wastewater treatment. Similar to ferrous sulfate, alum solutions under suitable conditions may crystallize to plug feed lines in treatment facilities. I was involved with laboratory evaluation, and the practical application of these chemicals to precipitate colloidal material (water treatment), and to reduce suspended solids and phosphates from wastewater discharges. Under winter conditions, feed lines were necessarily heated to prevent such crystal formation. Incidentally, here in Ontario, Canlab, Walmart, and the Superstore carry aluminum sulfate. There are doubtless others. Municipalities are supplied on a much larger scale by commercial sources. Thanks again Idaho....................Jim.