Minutes of the meeting of Coleraine Probus Club

Attendance: 41 members.

The Club President, John Graham, welcomed members and guest Brian Kingsmore to the meeting. He then introduced our speaker for the morning, Mark Patton, the topic of his talk being “SPERRIN GOLD”

Mark, educated at Coleraine Inst., is a Minerals Geologist employed by the British Geological Survey for N.I. He gave an overview of Northern Ireland geology with a more detailed geological history of the Sperrins including the origins of the Mesothermal gold deposits found inTyrone.
Currently there are four companies investigating these deposits.

Mark’s talk was liberally illustrated with diagrams and photographs showing the methods of gold extraction, from panning in streams to open pit mining and underground mining. The salt mine at Kilroot is the only underground mine in Northern Ireland. In conclusion Mark reminded the members that geologists and mining play an important part in all aspects of life even the crops we grow are nurtured by the mineral traces in the soil.

A question and answer session followed the talk.

A summary of this talk is available in the Speaker’s Record Book and also here on the Club website.

A vote of thanks proposed by Nigel Semple was passed to Mark Patton by the President. The members enthusiastically showed their appreciation.

Weekly Business

Apologies: John Dobson, Ivan Gough, Graham Kane, Aubrey McElhinney, John McHenry, John McKegney, Ian Murray, Mervyn Patterson, Robin Semple and John Tan (10)

Minutes: The members agreed that the Minutes of the 24 November 2015 be taken as read. These were then signed by the President.

Matters arising: None not covered by the agenda.

Correspondence: Ivan Gough in his letter informed members that for health reasons and with great reluctance, he has decided to retire from Coleraine Probus Club. He thanked all for his happy 13 years spent together at Probus.

REPORTS:
Social: Joe Alcorn informed members that all outstanding menu choices for the Christmas Lunch must be handed in today to enable the finalisation of the table place settings.

Welfare: Cecil Spotten – nothing new to report.

Treasurer: Nothing to report.

A O B:
1. Counterpoint Christmas Concert will be held in St Patrick’s Church on Friday 4 December at 7.30pm.
2. Coleraine Community Choir Christmas Concert will be held in 1st Coleraine Presbyterian Church on Friday 18th December at 8.00pm.

Next Speakers Meeting: Will be held on Tuesday 5 January 2016 and the speaker will be Stanley Bate on the subject of “HERE AND NOW”.

The President thanked the members for attending and looked forward to seeing them at the Christmas Lunch.
Meeting closed at 12.04 pm.

SIGNED: Mike Turner
Vice_President
Date: 5 January 2016