A Field Guide to Gold, Gemstone and Mineral Sites of British Columbia within a Day's Drive of Vancouver Vol. 2. Rev. ed.

Ann Turner, formerly the financial and budget manager of the University
of British Columbia Library, is a freelance writer.

Rockhounding is a popular hobby in British Columbia, where mining is a
major industry and interesting sites abound. There are nearly 50 clubs
in the province devoted to the study of minerals, gemstones, and
fossils.

The first edition of this guide appeared in 1999, two years after
Volume 1, which focused on the sites of Vancouver Island. Together they
addressed the rockhounds’ need for a conveniently portable compendium
of general information about geology and mineral identification plus
locations and description of sites that could be explored. This revised
edition of Volume 2 includes more sites (over 250 in all), more
information about the sites, and an update on the 1998 revision of B.C.
laws that affect access. It covers an area that takes in Powell River,
Pemberton, Lillooet, Clinton, Merritt, and Princeton.

Part 1 introduces the geology of British Columbia, describes more than
100 commonly occurring gemstones and minerals and how to identify them
in the rough, and provides helpful information about such things as
maps, comfort and safety in the field, gold panning, jade, and agate.
Part 2 contains the site descriptions, grouped into chapters by
geographic area. Information includes status (extent of development),
location, how to get there, significant and associated minerals, a
description of the site’s geology, and any access restrictions. The
site descriptions are based on information from the B.C. government’s
MINFILE database, which is geared to serious prospectors, but the
extensive glossary at the back of the guide will assist beginners with
the terminology. Other appendixes describe how to use the Internet to
create a field map and stake a claim, and list other sources of
information such as government services, mining museums, mineral
displays, and B.C. clubs and associations for rockhounds.