Dr Olver identifying his mineral samples
9th November 7.30pm saw the 3rd in the series of 6 evening courses on the Making of Minerals, with Dr Paul Olver. 24 enrolled, lecture before coffee then out with pen knives, bits of broken glass, old copper coins and the odd bathroom tile attempting to identify Paul’s myriad
Samples Awaiting Identification
collection of rock samples through sight, scratchability (my word) and streak testing. Geology is a surprise–probably the most difficult science–built on the back of tests carried out with odds and ends from the rubbish bin at home and complex words in foreign languages (orthoclase feldspar = right angle breaking field crystal duhh, why not say so?). Obsessive though and yes it was me who did a streak test with graphite on one of the village hall tables–jolly hard to remove without a rubber.
five more names from the class joined the TVGS database–now 91, with one overseas follower–Perth Australia, Vince McMahon.