Gem and Mineral Show makes stop in the Hat
By Jeremy Appel on October 27, 2017.
jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel From Thursday through Sunday, Silver Cove is bringing its Gem and Mineral Show to the Hat’s Clarion Hotel. Melissa Robak, co-owner of the Red Deer-based company with her husband Chris, expressed passion for her product. “We love rocks and minerals. We collect all over Western Canada, all around the world, and we love sharing our passion with everybody else,” Melissa said. She said they decided to bring their show for a stop in Medicine Hat a few years ago after seeing many Hatter gem and mineral enthusiasts repeatedly make the trek to the nearest show in Calgary. “We figured eventually maybe it’s time we come and visit them,” said Melissa, who kept coming back. Chris said their fascination with rocks and minerals has taken the couple far and wide. He said in the past two months alone, they’ve gone to the U.S. twice, and once each to the Arctic and the Sahara. “We’ve brought in close to 72 tonnes of gems and minerals directly from the mine sites in the sources,” said Chris. “We literally go to the extreme for some of these rocks. “When we were up in the Arctic, we actually chartered a helicopter and got flown into these really rare phosphate deposits. “And then in the Sahara Desert, we literally dealt with the fossil diggers and the miners there.” Silver Cove is by no means the only vendor on display, although it is the biggest. Lisete Cerqueira came from Surrey, B.C., to partake as well. “We do several gem and mineral shows throughout Alberta,” she said, adding that it’s her first time in the Hat. “It’s very insppiring,” said Cerqueira. “Most of the jewelry we do is based in nature, so when I go to places that are completely different, it’s a fresh supply of ideas.” Melissa said she expects to see between 4,000 and 5,000 people come and go throughout their time here. As part of the show, the organizers invite schoolchildren from Grades 3 and 4 to provide them with a hands-on learning experience. “It fits right in with their rocks and minerals work that they learn igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks,” said Melissa. Chris listed off the wide array of items at the show for viewing and purchase. “There’s stuff here for everybody — jewelry, minerals, gemstones, fossils, beads, crystals,” he said. “I find everybody has some fascination with it. The shtick is figuring out how to cater to everybody.” The event continues from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Saturday, and 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. 23
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