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I joined Earth Sciences about 8 months ago, moving back to Waterloo from Sudbury where I worked in Klohn-Crippen's Mining Group for several years, consulting on a variety of issues related to Rock Stability Assessment and Improvement, as well as Mining and the Environment. Prior to that time, I worked for a number of years in Geological Engineering Research with the University of Toronto, CSIRO in Australia and the Geomechanics Research Centre at Laurentian University. I have also dabbled in permafrost research and highway construction and design along the way.

by: Duncan Mackay

The lacy blanket of the cedars casts shadows and timeless sunbeams on the river bed. And, where the sun reaches the bottom, the stones are golden and liquid in the crystalline blanket that dances its way to infinity. I am struck by the moment. My thoughts are fast and fleeting, but they leave me with a feeling of nostalgia.

... or reasonable facsimile of the beast that once roamed southern Ontario. Colby Morat, 4, visiting from Florida this summer, toured the Waterloo Earth Sciences Museum with the Waterloo YMCA Adventure Days camp, gingerly coming face to face with the newest acquisition, a replica of a mastodon skull. Nearly two metres long, the cast was purchased with the help from the Waterloo Science Equipment Fund, generated by undergraduates to assist the purchase of teaching tools.

Quartz is our most common mineral. Quartz is made of the two most abundant chemical elements on Earth: oxygen and silicon. Atoms of oxygen and silicon join together as tetrahedrons (three sided pyramids). These stack together to build crystals. Billions of tetrahedrons are needed to build even a small crystal. Quartz is an almost pure chemical compound with constant physical properties.

A new Earth science centre to open on Vancouver Island, BC
Rick Hudson

Plans are underway to build a new 7000 square foot science centre on the waterfront in the town of Sidney-by-the-Sea, close to Victoria, BC. The facility, which will be housed in a new 16,000 square foot retail development, will be breaking new ground in a variety of ways.

This is the fourth and final article covering the 1963 to 1973 eruptions in the Westmann Island group of the south coast of Iceland. Previous commentaries have mentioned Surtsey (WAT ON EARTH, Spring issue 1997), the start of the eruption on Heimaey (WAT ON EARTH, Fall issue 1997) and the closing stages of the Eldfell eruption (WAT ON EARTH, Spring issue 1998).

By:Jane Lang

Kitchener - Waterloo is in the unfortunate situation of having no natural outcrops of bedrock nearby. However, natural stone of a variety of types has been used as a building material at a number of locations in the twin cities.

Stop 1 - Rock Garden in the Quadrangle between the Earth Sciences-Chemistry and Math-Computer buildings on the University of Waterloo Campus.

Cemented gravel is found in gravel pits around southern Ontario. Glacial outwash gravels are cemented together with calcite mobilised by groundwater percolating through the gravel. This example may be seen by taking Highland Road from Kitchener towards Baden. The Highland Aggregates pit is on your right. This large piece of cemented gravel is seen at the entrance to the gravel pit. In other parts of southern Ontario calcium is also deposited around the roots of trees. Good examples are found in the Paris area.

By: Suzanne Paradis*, Geological Survey of Canada, Sidney, BC.
George Simandl, British Columbia Geological Survey, Victoria, BC.

*GSC contribution no.199728314