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 All About Sussex Mineral & Lapidary Society

Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society celebrated their 35th Aniversary in 2007

Membership has grown from 50-60 in the 1980s to its current level of 100-120, our members living mainly in East and West Sussex as well as the neighbouring counties of Kent and Surrey and we have associate members around the UK and overseas. Our meetings are held in the very comfortable Age Concern Hall adjacent to Clair Hall in Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath (click on here for a location map) from 7.30 -10.30 p.m. About 50 members attend the meetings and there is plenty of time for discussion, to view any displays and have a cup of coffee. Additionally there are occasional, informal mid-monthly meetings on topics such as micromount study evenings, gem identification, exploring minerals as chemicals. Two particular strengths of the Society are the number and variety of its field trips

and its visits overseas.

The current officers of the Society are:



Chairman: Allan Mortimer and Treasurer: Elvire Mortimer




Vice-chairman: Mark Oddy




Secretary: Colin Brough

Members' backgrounds, experience, knowledge and interest in the various aspects of the Society vary considerably, but the common denominator is their enthusiasm.

• Some members attend the monthly meetings, join the occasional one-day field trip ( e.g. to Isle of Sheppey or Climping beach), receive their bi-monthly journal and borrow the occasional mineral or lapidary journal, videotape or CD-ROM from the SMLS library or the Society's stereo-microscope, UV fluorescent lamp, Geiger counter, rock cracker or jet gun.
• Some have a particular interest in the cutting, polishing or facetting of semi-precious stones or collecting fossils.
• Some enjoy the longer field trips e.g. to Cornwall, Weardale or the Isle of Skye or visits overseas and are keen to enter specimens in the annual competition.
• About 15 - 20 members are equipped to explore underground in old metal mines.

As SMLS members get more experienced they often join other geological or mineralogical societies (as well as SMLS) e.g. Brighton and Hove Geological Society, Historic Mines Associations, the British Micromount Society (BMS), the Russell Society.......... and subscribe to the UK Journal of Mines and Minerals (UKJMM), Mineral News, the Rock N Gems Magazine, Mineralogical Record, Lapidary Journal.

MEMBERSHIP FEES

Basic SMLS membership is £13.00 p.a.; second member of a family £11.00 and £6.50 for students. associate members - living more than 60 miles from Haywards Heath - £11.00 No family need pay more than £24.00 and anyone joining after January 31st pays half the appropriate subscription.

For further details Email our honorary secretary Colin Brough or phone on +44(0)1444 483041 Click here if you want to see a membership application form. If you would like to leave a message or question for the society or comment on our website, please send your message to Colin Brough

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