Talks Schedule
Discover a full programme of talks running throughout the day, led by knowledgeable speakers covering minerals and the science behind them. Whether you’re new to the subject or an experienced collector, these sessions offer insight, expertise and the chance to deepen your understanding.
11:30 - 12:00 - How minerals form (childrens talk)
Luke Timberlake
12:30 - 13:00 - Minerals from Trepca
Jolyon Ralph
13:30 - 14:00 - Minerals from Romania
Nick Hawes
14:30 - 15:00 - Minerals from Bulgaria
Colin Brough
Speaker Profiles
Luke Timberlake – Founder of Salt Shack
Salt Shack is one of the UK’s leading mineral and geology education businesses. Through widely followed social media content, he explains minerals, fossils and geological processes in a clear and engaging way, reaching hundreds of thousands of people. His work focuses on making the science behind the natural world accessible to both beginners and experienced collectors.
Jolyon Ralph – Founder of Mindat.org
Mindat.org is the world’s largest online mineral database and a key reference used by collectors, researchers and geologists worldwide. Since its launch in 2000, Mindat has grown into a global platform documenting mineral localities, images and scientific data. Jolyons work has significantly advanced access to mineralogical information, and he was awarded the Mineralogical Society of America’s Distinguished Public Service Medal.
Colin Brough - Mineral collector
Colin is an avid collector and has a particular interest in zeolites and marcasite. He has been the Chairman of the Sussex Mineral & Lapidary Society and often leads field trips across the UK.
Live Demonstrations
Our demonstration room gives visitors the chance to see skilled exhibitors at work throughout the day. From cutting and polishing opals to preparing fossils, these live sessions offer a rare opportunity to understand how specimens are worked and presented. Whether you are a collector, maker, or simply curious, the demonstrations add a hands-on dimension to the show.
Live demonstrations run throughout the day, giving visitors the chance to see techniques in action and ask questions as they work.
Nick Hawes - Mineral Collector
Nick is an avid collector and has particular interests in British minerals, those from Bulgaria and Romania and also those from Tsumeb, Namibia. Nick has also been a past Chairman of the Sussex Mineral & Lapidary Society.
Martin – MD’s Ozzie Opals UK
Martin specialises in sourcing and hand-selecting Australian opals from renowned mining regions such as Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge. He is known for sharing his knowledge through live demonstrations of opal cutting and polishing, revealing the colour and character within rough stones. At the show, Martin will demonstrate how opals are shaped and finished from raw material.
Vince – Fossilbox
Specialising in fossil preparation and display, Vince prepares specimens using specialist tools and creates handcrafted mounts designed to complement their natural form. Through Fossilbox, he focuses on presenting fossils in a way that highlights their structure and beauty. At the show, Vince will demonstrate how fossils are cleaned, preserved and displayed to reveal their detail and character.
John White & Cleo
Experienced lapidarists, John and Cleo specialise in cutting and polishing stones, including agates and cabochons. Throughout the day they will demonstrate how rough material is shaped and finished, offering a clear insight into the techniques involved. Visitors are welcome to watch the process up close and ask questions as they work.