Our club is a gathering place for people that share a passion in rockhounding, mineral collecting, geology, fossil collecting, as well as lapidary and jewelry arts. Our members include a wide range of knowledgeable people with backgrounds in these areas as well as professionals and subject-matter experts in a wide variety of gem and mineral related topics.

Our meetings consist of a brief routine business discussion followed by a break for refreshments and socializing before an educational program covering some aspect of our hobby or a related topic. These meetings are a great place to share information and learn from those with extensive experience. The meetings often have a raffle with prizes donated by our members. A silent auction is also held during the refreshment break with the proceeds going to the club’s scholarship fund.

The gem and mineral club was founded in 1996 by two fellows in a barber shop in Kettle Falls. They put an ad in the paper to see if anyone else was interested and we’ve been having fun ever since. The club has field trips in the summer months and an annual rock show every year in March. This year (2022) it will be Friday and Saturday of the second weekend. We also have activities to raise money for scholarships. In the club’s twenty plus years we have given out about $60,000 dollars to students from Colville, Chewelah, and Kettle Falls High Schools.

A monthly newsletter, with highly informative articles as well as information about filed trips and events in our area, is provided to all members every month. This newsletter is also available on the clubs web site, panoramagem.com, in a PDF format.