Diamond forums promise to be real gems

Diamond enthusiasts in Toronto and Vancouver will be treated to industry forums in their respective cities during October.

The Toronto Geological Discussion Group has a full slate of speakers scheduled to discuss diamonds in eastern Ontario at the Ontario Club on Oct. 24. Ten experts are scheduled to speak, including Brad Wood of De Beers Canada, who will talk about the 10,000-tonne bulk sample taken from the Victor pipe in the James Bay Lowlands, near Attawapiskat, Ont.

Other speakers include: Eira Thomas of Navigator Exploration; Bruce Durham of Band-Ore Resources; Scott Hogg of Spider Resources; Neil Novak of Dia Bras Exploration; Ronald Sage and Ann Wilson of the Ontario Geological Survey; James Moorhead of the Quebec Ministry of Natural Resources; Dan Shulze, a kimberlite specialist from the University of Toronto; Dallas Davis of Twin Mining; and Peter Hubacheck of Sudbury Contact Mines.

The cost is $45 for members and $20 for students. Those planning to attend must pre-register. For more information, call Neil Gow at (416) 947-0907.

Meanwhile, in Vancouver, 18 gemologists from around the world will participate in Gem Conference 2000: Diamonds in the New Millennium, to be held Oct. 20-22.

Among the speakers scheduled is Gabi Talkowsky, widely considered to be the world’s premier diamond cutter, who will deliver the keynote address. Tolkowsky is best known for cutting the 273-carat diamond that marked the 100th anniversary of De Beers Consolidated Mines.

Also slated to speak are Thomas Beardmore-Gray of De Beers Canada and Randy Turner of Diamondex, as well as representatives of Broken Hill Proprietary, Sirius Diamonds and the government of the Northwest Territories.

Sessions will cover such topics as: taking advantage of the new Canadian diamonds; spotting synthetic diamonds; and breakthroughs in diamond cutting.

The conference is being organized by the Vancouver-based Canadian Gemmological Association. The cost is $399 per person.

For more information, phone Donna Hawrelko at (604) 926-2599. E-mail: donnahawrelko@hotmail.com

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