Presenting the exhibition Prince Jewel: The Hidden Treasures of Canada’s Mines
October 10th – November 22nd , 2015
Did you know that the Egyptians wrapped their mummified Pharos in chrysotile to protect them from the heat? That you can find asbestos in certain meteorites? This exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to discover unusual and little known facts associated with asbestos, particularly the presence of exceptional minerals and crystals found during the mining process. Over 250 very beautiful or rare minerals are on exhibit, including a 357 carat calcite, unique in the world.
Prince Jewel and his friends Jade and Sally, the stars of the exhibition, will guide visitors in a quest within which they can experiment with diverse properties of minerals, discover the asbestos mines of Canada, and differentiate between minerals, crystals and rocks. A collection of objects made with chrysotile asbestos fibers is also on display. Visitors can also learn the secret recipe to grow their own crystals.
The Prince Jewel: Hidden Treasures from Canada’s Mines exhibition was produced by the Musée minéralogique et minier de Thetford Mines with financial support from the Museum Assistance Program of Canadian Heritage, the Quebec ministère de la Culture et des Communications, the Quebec ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, the Thetford Mines Caisse Desjardins, Hydro Québec and the Société Asbestos Ltd.
For more information contact the Museum at 705-360-2617.
