Area children and rock lovers of all ages will be treated to a hands-on experience at the 2006 Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show at Mont Chateau Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24. For the fourth year, the West Virginia University Student Chapter of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration in the Department of Mining Engineering will hold itsMinerals for Kidsbooth at the event.

The show will be Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the West Virginia Geological Research Center at Mont Chateau on Cheat Lake. Sunset Fossils and Minerals and the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey are sponsoring the event, whichin addition to the WVU minerals boothwill feature vendors selling gemstones, activities for children and fossils displays.

The WVU mining engineering booth will teach children and their families about 10 different minerals that people use daily, sometimes without realizing it. There will be a station for each mineral, where students will explain where the mineral comes from and will use props, such as cellular phones, to show how it is used.

Each child will receive literature and stickers, plus a free mineral kit containing an array of common minerals, including copper ore, salt and coal.

Ryan Critchfield and John Cvechko are coordinating this years booth, with assistance from other WVU mining engineering students and SME members.

Brijes Mishra, a graduate teaching assistant, is participating in the show for the third year in a row. He said he thinks that the event gives WVU s mining engineering students a chance to improve their teamwork skills and practical experience.

People think of engineers as being highly technical people, but this is a chance for us to explain complex concepts to children in straightforward ways and relate them to their lives,Mishra said.

More than 150 kids were there last year, and they were all excited to receive the mineral kit,said Matt Vance, a SME member who is helping with the event for the second year in a row.

SME member Pat Pelley said he thinks it is important for children and adults to understand minerals.As we say, if its not grown, it has to be mined,he said.

Our overall goal for this show is to give back to and help inform the community, and to give the children a fun day of learning outside the classroom,said Cvechko,We hope that the participants will leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of minerals than they had before they came.