I am a Geoscience researcher…

I am a Geoscience researcher, presently a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto. I write this letter to express my concern about revisions to Ontario’s Hobby Mineral Collecting Guide.

Hobby collecting plays a vital role in geosciences. Given the limited resources of academics, many discoveries could never be made and might be destroyed by natural or human-induced processes without the efforts of hobby collectors. I have personally collaborated with hobby collectors and published papers based on specimens which they have recovered and prepared. I have also facilitated donations of specimens to museums, where they are exhibited to the public. Had I not discovered hobby collecting in my youth, I would not have pursued a science career.

Given the significance of hobby collecting to research and public appreciation of science, it is of critical importance to protect the ability of citizen scientists to collect and donate mineral specimens.

In this respect, I believe that the proposed revisions will potentially impede these goals. Most importantly, the wording implies that hobby mineral collecting will be deemed illegal according to the Mining Act, but the government may exercise discretion with respect to enforcing that law as long as collecting was conducted in accordance with the Hobby Mineral Collecting Guide. I worry that this wording may have unintended consequences; for example, donations of material to museums may not be able to be accepted if said material was not collected legally. Indeed, this might disincentivize the donation of scientifically important material even if collecting continues. I can imagine numerous other issues related to permissions and requirements for collecting which could arise.

Rather than discretionary enforcement, it would be preferable to state that Hobby Collecting will be legally exempted from Mining Act regulation as long as the government deems it to have been conducted in accordance with the Hobby Mineral Collecting Guide.

I trust you will give due consideration to my suggestion. Thank you.