A Rock Star Collection Hits the ROM

A one-of-a-kind ore and mineral collection is making its way to the ROM, thanks to the amazing generosity of our donors and corporate sponsors. The Kirwin Collection—a staggering global assortment of 25,000 ores and minerals—will be the largest single acquisition in the history of ROM Earth & Space.
 
“It’s an incredible resource for cutting-edge research, post-secondary teaching, and public display,” says Kim Tait, ROM curator of Mineralogy. Kim was named the ROM’s inaugural Teck Chair in Mineralogy on May 6, 2014. This new position is endowed by Vancouver-based diversified resource company Teck, as part of its commitment to support leadingedge research in Earth sciences.
 
Together with ROM technicians Ian Nicklin, Katherine Dunnell, and Brendt Hyde, Kim travelled to Thailand in July to pack up and inventory the collection’s 10 metric tons of material, filling up 869 plastic fish crates for shipping and customs. The ROM team shared their experiences with the public in real time: “This unassuming mineral is painite, one of the rarest and most expensive minerals on the planet,” tweeted Katherine during a long, hot day of packing. The team had to build special wooden crates by hand for some of the larger, more delicate specimens.
 
The ROM is grateful to the following donors and corporate sponsors for their outstanding support of the acquisition, storage,and digitization of the Kirwin Collection: AMC Consultants, Gordon Bogden, Scott Hand, Hatch, Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust, Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), Rock of Ages Gala, Francine and Robert Ruggles, Christopher Wansbrough, Women in Mining, Toronto Chapter, and Yamana Gold Inc. Since 2007, donors have invested an extraordinary $20 million in ROM Earth & Space, which has enabled gallery development, curatorial research, educational initiatives, and public programs at the ROM.
 
Why is the Kirwin Collection so special? The Kirwin Collection will make the ROM a stronger international resource for mining companies and educators in teaching their staff and students the fundamentals and fine points of ore deposits, refining future mining exploration in Canada and abroad. Many of the outstanding pieces in this remarkable collection are from mines that have closed or have become inaccessible.