In Memoriam
Doug Scott, “Rock Doctor” and OVMC Director
Ottawa – March 9, 2026
It is with sadness that we share with the whole OVMC membership that Doug Scott, our “Rock Doctor” and Director on the OVMC Board of Directors, has passed away. After Doug completed a doctorate at Queen’s University and Post Doc in Switzerland, he went on to have a very successful career as a mineralogist. Doug was a founding member of our club and helped many members identify and learn about minerals. Doug has donated his mineral collection to the Canadian Museum of Nature.
All that knew Doug will miss him.
John Montgomery, President OVMC
The Rock Doctor, Doug, identifying a complex mineral specimen.
Generous Donation of Minerals and Fossils from the Peck Collection to the OVMC
Ottawa – January 16, 2026
In the fall of 2025, the OVMC was gifted a large number of mineral and fossil specimens, carvings and lapidary material collected by Dr. Stewart Peck and his late wife, Dr. Jarmila Kukalová Peck, during their travels around the world. Dr. Peck was a long time professor of biology at Carleton University and is still a Professor Emeritus there. He is primarily an entomologist and has researched various insects in Canada as well as far-flung places like the Galapagos, Alaska, South America and Australia, and authored over 221 publications. Dr. Kukalová Peck was a paleontologist and biologist who worked as an adjunct research professor at Carleton and became a leading authority on the early evolution of insect flight; she was awarded the Entomological Society of Canada’s Gold Medal in 1996 for her groundbreaking research. Jarmila amassed a world-class collection of fossilized insects which she donated to the Canadian Museum of Nature in 2018.
During their travels Stewart and Jarmilla collected a large number of very nice mineral and fossil specimens as well as carvings and lapidary material. Dr. Peck was looking for a good home for his specimens when friends suggested the OVMC. Arrangements were made for the club to gather up the collection and disperse the specimens over time to appreciative collectors through a series of club auctions. Dr. Peck was especially keen to see some of his pieces go to the next generation of young collectors and I think that we can all agree that the enthusiasm displayed by the youngest members of the club bidding at our recent auctions was very encouraging and a good sign of their interest in this hobby and the natural sciences in general.
The money raised from Dr. Peck’s collection will go a long way in helping maintain the club’s activities and hopefully increase our outreach programs as this young club develops. We thank him sincerely for his generous gift.
The OVMC will gladly accept donations of minerals and related material in future and use any proceeds from these to further the club’s activities and its promotion of the collection, study and enjoyment of minerals and an interest in related earth sciences.
Thank you Dr. Peck and Family.
John Biczok, Vice-President – OVMC
Mineral Collection Donation to OVMC
Ottawa – July 14, 2025
The club has received a donation from Jay-Dee Purdie’s personal mineral collection. Jay-Dee is an Ottawa amateur rock collector. This generous gift will be used for educational purposes, and/or auctioned to support our ongoing activities. Many thanks from all of us.
While setting up the transfer of these minerals to the club, Jay-Dee showed us an accompanying notebook, where the minerals were identified. The minerals were documented with very good photographs, where found, sometimes with actual GPS coordinates, personal notes when the rocks have a personal connection. Sample entries are on the right. I have to admit, that this impressed me most, and has inspired me to start my own notebook. I too am quite the amateur, but by documenting minerals this way will make my own collection more meaningful.
Thank you Jay-Dee.
Bob Boisvert, Executive Secretary – OVMC
OVMC at EY Centre Gem and Mineral Show
Ottawa – April 10-13, 2025
The Ottawa Valley Mineral Club had a booth at the show. We were quite busy providing free mineral samples, sharing the viewing of minerals under a microscope and explaining what the mineral club offers to individuals and families. Many visitors came to the booth. Some joined right there and others joined online later from home.
Find more photos in our Gallery.
Two Members won 1st and 3rd Place in Student Competition at PDAC
Toronto – March 5, 2025
Congratulations to OVMC members Jack Halloran and Kelsie Ojaste who won 1st and 3rd place respectively in the M.Sc. (Masters of Science) student competition at the recent PDAC mining convention in Toronto! Jack and Kelsie are graduate students at the University of Ottawa and, along with about 30 other students from across Canada and the US, they presented posters outlining their geological research projects at the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention. The PDAC is the largest mining and mineral exploration related convention in the world, attracting 27,000 attendees from over 135 countries. The convention hosts a large competition where B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. students can present their work.
Jack is currently researching the Valeriano Copper-Gold porphyry deposit in Chile and Kelsie is studying the role of volatile elements in the formation of nickel, copper and platinum group deposits at Sudbury. Both Jack and Kelsie will be presenting summaries of their work at the April meeting of the OVMC so come on out and learn about this prize-winning research!
Fellow OVMC Member, Michael Bainbridge, Receives 2024 Carnegie Mineralogical Award
Tucson – February 15, 2025
OVMC member Michael Bainbridge (right) receives the 2024 Carnegie Mineralogical Award for outstanding contributions to mineralogical conservation, preservation or education. The award was presented February 15th at the 70th annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show by Travis Olds, assistant curator of mineralogy at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. The award was established in 1987 and Michael joins a very prestigious group of recipients. In addition to his work as the assistant curator of mineralogy at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, Michael is an outstanding mineral photographer, has authored or co-authored seminal books on Bill Pinch and his first mineral collection, as well as Minerals of the Grenville Province, and given presentations at numerous conferences and club meetings. Congratulations Michael!
