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Polishing Opals in Burns Lake
by Diana Roberts
The Lakes District is well known for it's 3,000 miles of fishing, but did you know, it also has another claim to fame?

"Burns Lake has the world's best supply of polishable rocks." Says rock hound, RK (Richard) Brown of Burns Lake.

RK's basement is filled with rocks of all shapes, sizes and colors. As a child, I loved rocks, so I was thrilled to spend an afternoon with RK looking at the wide variety of rocks he had acquired. RK's basement is truly a rock-hound heaven.

R K Brown, rock hound
RK has been collecting rocks for years, but spent much of his time teaching shop at Lakes District Secondary School in Burns Lake. Since his retirement from teaching, RK has gone into rock-hounding full time. He can give you all kinds of information about where to go to find a particular type of rock. It's truly amazing to discover all the different rocks which can be found in the area surrounding our little town of Burns Lake.
Large Opal found near Burns Lake
Opals are one of the types of stones which we have in abundance here. Most are not a real high quality, but now and again there are some beautiful ones found. Not only can you find opals at the Eagle Creek Opal Beds, but there are some very nice opals coming out of a mine at Maxan Lake. Opals can also be found along lake shores, creeks and logging roads. Many loggers have come across areas which are great for finding beautiful rocks. You may have a hard time getting them to tell you the exact location, but if you do, it will probably be worth your while to check it out.

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