Geologist Rohanna Gibson will be speaking about mining history in the East Kootenay at Creston Museum on May 10 at 7 pm.
Gibson says that her interest in mining history was piqued when she relocated to Kimberley area with no shortage of its own stories to be told.
“The history of the east Kootenays was sculpted by prospectors, miners, and fortune seekers chasing deposits of metal and coal that formed through a rich geologic history,” Gibson said on Monday. “This project shares these geologic and mining history stories with public presentations and a pamphlet.
“This project brings free presentations and a short pamphlet on the geologic and mining history of the East Kootenays to the region. Rocks that formed over the last hundreds of millions of years contain valuable minerals such as gold, silver, lead, and coal. Historic mining of these minerals sculpted the history and culture of the East Kootenays, and modern mining continues to define the economic and social landscape. This project aims to teach people why mining happens here, explore the impacts of mining, and discuss what mining means to the East Kootenays.”
Gibson is currently on a speaking tour around the Kootenays. Her public presentation will introduce regional geology, place regional mining history in a historical context, and share stories of mining in the region.
“The aim is to introduce the general public to mining and how it has shaped the region,” she said. ”The public presentations will be offered free of charge in several communities—Invermere, Kimberley, Cranbrook, Creston, and Fernie.”
The pamphlet features geologic and historic timeline both with global and local events. This pamphlet will be free of charge and distributed at the public presentations and through local museums.
Gibson describes herself as a geologist by trade and mountain-lover at heart. Her work in geology has taken her from Himalayan heights to arctic tundra, “and many places in between!” After moving to the East Kootenays, she quickly became intrigued by the stories of the rocks that formed the mountains and the miners that worked them. The wealth of mining history and how it shaped the early development of the region enriches her exploration of the Kootenays, and she hopes to share this experience.
For more about Gibson’s fascination, go to her blog site at https://eastkootenayminingheritage.wordpress.ca.