Bancroft Rocks

Buried miles beneath our feet in the cavities and caverns of the earth are thousands of untold tales that date back millennia. When you know what to look for, sagas of glacial shifts, continental collisions and seismic activity can be read in the stone.

Modern versions of those stories are given expression in objects that we take for granted every day. Gardeners fortify their soil with lime. Cooks enliven their food with salt. We purify our water with carbon. In fact, minerals can be found in batteries, computers, televisions, kitchen appliances, cancer treatments, X- ray machines, vitamins and cosmetics. It’s something many of us don’t think about often, but the same can’t be said of the 13,000 rockhounds who descend on Bancroft during the August long weekend.

Long known as the mineral capital of Canada, Bancroft is a haven for rockhounds the world over.

Famous for its annual Rockhound Gemboree, now in its 43rd year, Bancroft has a rich history of mining that dates back more than a century.

Since that time, the town of 4,000 has gone through various peaks and valleys of commercial production booms in feldspar, soaps, paint and glass. Marble production marked another peak in the town’s mining history, resulting in the mineral’s use in such landmarks as Ottawa’s Parliament Buildings and Toronto’s Union Station. The last great boom occurred during the 1960s when uranium reached its zenith in world markets.

Bancroft’s first Gemboree coincided with the closure of the Faraday Mine in 1964. Since then, the town has capitalized on its rich history and geological diversity to attract a steady stream of tourists to the area. Chief among the region’s tectonic oddities are the large number of pegmatites that lay hidden beneath the earth.

Pegmatites contain an inner core of quartz and an outer shell sometimes speckled with radioactive materials such as uraninite. Pegmatites occur when volcanic activity is diverted by substantial barriers—such as the vast Canadian Shield. When the diverted lava cools underground it hardens and remains riddled with dazzling minerals such as sodalite.

The pegmatites are one of the major attractions that lure rock-hounds to the Gemboree says Christine Hattin, the events coordinator with the Bancroft Chamber of Commerce. “Exhibitors and dealers come from as far away as Europe, Iraq and Pakistan,” she says. Visitors are offered field trips to more than 30 collecting sites, have opportunities to hear lectures from geological experts and even pan for gold.

Although you don’t require a background in geology to collect minerals, it is important to outfit yourself with the appropriate gear prior to venturing out to collection sites. A basic rockhound survival kit includes safety goggles, boots, sample bags, a backpack, water, a pry bar, a compass and a small sledgehammer or pick. More experienced collectors often carry a hand lens, gloves, hardhat, guidebook and identification kits.

Commonsense safety guidelines should also be adhered to. Collect with a partner, tell someone where you’re going and stay out of abandoned mines, as these can be particularly hazardous.

Hattin suggests starting your rockhounding experience with a visit to the Gemboree to speak with other mineral enthusiasts.

“You find a diversity of minerals here and lots of people simply don’t have that where they live,” says Hattin. “For them, the experience is unique.”