Courtenay Gem and Mineral Club

10/11/2026

Field Trip Recap: Dallasite & Other Treasures at Cook Creek!

On September 30th, members of the Courtenay Gem and Mineral Club headed out behind Horne Lake to explore the Cook Creek area, with Dallasite and other rockhounding goodies on the wish list!

We had a great turnout for our first field trip of the season, with a fun day of exploring, hunting for interesting specimens, and enjoying the outdoors together.

A big thank you to everyone who came along! It's great to get out exploring again, and this is just the beginning of another season of club adventures.

Have you been out rockhounding lately? Share your latest finds in the comments. we'd love to see what you've been discovering!

Keep an eye on our page for details about upcoming field trips and club activities.

10/09/2026

Hey CGMC Members!

Our October club update email is on its way! Check your inbox for details about our upcoming field trip, October meeting and AGM planning, plus the latest news on the 2027 Courtenay Annual Gem & Mineral Show, including vendor applications and volunteer opportunities.

If you don't see the email, be sure to check your spam or junk folder and add [email protected] to your safe senders so you don't miss future club updates!

You can also find more details in our members-only Facebook group. Courtenay Gem and Mineral Club - Members Only!

And check out these rock goodies! These are some of the treasures we found on our recent trip to the East Coast. There are so many amazing things to discover out there! We may have shipped four boxes home 🙈

Have you found any cool rocks lately? Share your finds in the comments, we'd love to see what you've been discovering!

Lots happening this season, and we look forward to seeing everyone out there!

10/07/2026

2027 Courtenay Annual Gem & Mineral Show

Mark your calendars! The Courtenay Annual Gem & Mineral Show returns to the Comox Valley Curling Centre on:

Saturday, April 3, 2027 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday, April 4, 2027 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Join us for a family-friendly weekend featuring rocks, minerals, fossils, crystals, lapidary, jewellery, demonstrations, displays, kids’ activities, door prizes, refreshments, and more!

Vendor applications are now open!

If you are interested in being part of one of the largest gem and mineral shows on Vancouver Island, we invite you to apply online today.

Vendor applications:
courtenaybcls.ca/vendor-application-form/

More show information:
courtenaybcls.ca/gem-mineral-show/

We look forward to seeing everyone in April 2027!

The Courtenay Annual Gem & Mineral Show is the largest public event hosted by the Courtenay Gem & Mineral Club and a long-standing favourite for rockhounds, collectors, families, and visito…

07/31/2026

Happy summer, everyone!

Whether you've been out rockhounding, camping, hiking, exploring, or just relaxing, we hope you've all been enjoying the beautiful weather and making the most of the season!

It's been a busy July for us between a road trip and, more recently, a death in our family, so thank you for your patience while we've been a little quieter than usual.

Our BC road trip was definitely a success! We visited some amazing places, explored plenty of new rockhounding spots, and came home with a LOT of rocks...just check out the pictures! 🤣⛏️

Now we want to hear from you! What have you been up to this summer? Have you found any interesting rocks or minerals, visited a new collecting site, or gone on an adventure you'd like to share? We'd love to see your favourite finds in the comments!

Before summer is over, we'll also be at the Comox Valley Exhibition on August 29–30 at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds, where Ryan will be offering gold panning demonstrations all weekend. If you're planning to attend the fair, be sure to stop by and say hello!

The Exhibition has been a wonderful supporter of our annual Gem & Mineral Show, and if you have a few hours to spare, we'd encourage you to consider volunteering. You can sign up here: cvex.ca/volunteer/

We're also hoping to share workshop updates soon and, with a little luck, squeeze in one more field trip before summer comes to an end—so stay tuned!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and happy rockhounding!

06/18/2026

Join us on Tuesday, June 23rd for our Summer Kickoff Pizza Party!

We'll be checking out the workshop improvements, browsing some interesting historical club materials that recently resurfaced, enjoying pizza and refreshments, and taking part in a few fun rock-related activities. There will also be plenty of time to socialize and catch up with fellow members as we kick off the summer season.

Members should check their email or visit Courtenay Gem and Mineral Club - Members Only! for full event details, the agenda, and RSVP information.

Haven't received the email? Be sure to check your spam or junk folder and add the club email address to your Safe Senders list so you don't miss future club updates.

Hope to see you all there!

🪨🍕⛏️✨

06/10/2026

A little over a week late, but a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for Mountain Minerals Part 2 on May 30th! 🗻⛏️

Members came home with all kinds of treasures, including quartz, dolomite, epidote, serpentine, calcite (including some beautiful purple calcite), and more.

The day started with exploring the collecting area in search of specimens, followed by a quick stop at the old quarry for a group photo and some additional digging. From there, we headed to the historic Tsable River Coal Mine.

The mine operated from the late 1940s until the late 1960s and produced nearly 2 million tonnes of coal during its lifetime. While the forest has reclaimed much of the site, signs of its past remain, including concrete foundations, a massive tailings pile, rusted equipment, and traces of the old mine portals.

For members who missed the trip, we've learned that some club emails have been ending up in spam folders. Please take a moment to mark [email protected] as a safe sender and check your spam folder regularly so you don't miss announcements, field trips, and club events.

As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions about upcoming activities. We hope to see you on the next adventure!

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06/04/2026

Our friends at the Ripple Rock Gem & Mineral Club are hosting their annual Rock & Gem Show on June 6 & 7 at the Campbell River Community Centre.

With 60 vendor tables, demonstrations, kids' activities, door prizes, a silent auction, and plenty of rocks, minerals, fossils, gems, and jewellery, it is well worth the trip!

If you are in the area, be sure to stop by and support a fellow British Columbia Lapidary Society - BCLS Chapter Club!

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06/02/2026

A great big thank you to the rockstar members who participated in the workshop bbq tonight!

The club shop is coming together and should be up and running soon hopefully 🤞🏻
Still need help with rock sorting, equipment, and overall organization. So if you are interested in joing the club and being part of this AMAZING ADVENTURE click the link below. Field trips and educational classes along with being part of the club history.

https://courtenaybcls.ca/

05/28/2026

Hey Members!! It's Workshop Work Party Time! 🔨🪨

Want the workshop running this summer? Well here's your next chance to help make that happen! We've just sent an email about a workshop setup night on Monday, June 1st, 6-8pm.

Many hands make light work! We've got something to do for everyone, with tasks range from organizing rocks and shelves to fixing up machines and building tables. No experience needed, we’ll find you something to do 😉

Check your email for all the details, RSVP info, and the very important dinner vote: 🍕or🍔?

If you don't see it, check your spam folders. A few members have reported club emails landing there, so make sure to check there and mark us as a safe sender so you don’t miss future club updates and field trips!

*photo of a few cool rocks from a recent camping trip: feldspar, serpentine, and epidote with quartz*

05/22/2026

Hey rockhounds‼️

If you're in Nanaimo this weekend come by and say hi!! A few of our members will be at the Nanaimo Gem & Mineral Show on May 23 & 24. If you love rocks, crystals, fossils, jewelry, and minerals, this is a great event to check out while connecting with fellow rockhounds from across the Island.

Legion Hall 256, Nanaimo
Saturday 10–5 | Sunday 10–4
Admission $4 (kids under 12 free)

Hope to see some familiar faces there!

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