Retorts

Rocks in the Head?

Congratulations on your May editorial on rock-hound club shows being used to promote pseudoscience in the form of "healing" crystals and minerals and rocks which, it is claimed, influence one's life, decisions, fortunes etc.

I, as Patron of such a club in Auckland, have noticed with real concern the recent trend to inclusion of these dealers in shows, and I am delighted you've raised the issue.

In fact, I have sent your editorial to the South Auckland Rock & Mineral Club for reprinting in its newsletter in the hope that it will spark discussion among members about the implications of being associated in the public's mind with such views/beliefs.

Most members see themselves involved in a hobby that has a natural science base, and wish to become more expert in it and understand it better; once they think about it, I believe they will see the blow to their club's credibility that association with these dealers gives.

The presence of commercial dealers at rock and mineral shows has grown as the popularity of the shows has grown. This has been beneficial to the clubs financially from the commission gained, and I guess the clubs have not consciously considered a difference between dealers selling mineral and fossil specimens and jewellery and carvings made from them, and the more recently arrived sellers of healing stones etc. I agree they need to!

No rock-hound club, I am sure, does a check of a new member's beliefs, and I see nothing wrong in members holding some views that have a poor scientific base. I have met members of various clubs who accept, even practice, water divining, a method I, as a geologist, regard as having no scientific basis, and I can quite happily associate (and discuss/argue) with them. But there is a big difference between tolerance of an individual member's views and a club associating itself publicly with those same views.

Keep up the good work!

Jack Grant-Mackie, Auckland