Lectures and workshops on minerals, gemstones and geology

From knowledge center Stack of Stones (Stapel van Stenen), we offer lectures, workshops and guest lectured on minerals, gemstones, rocks, volcanoes and geological journeys. The offer is suitable for various target groups, from geological societies and schools to stores, day care centers, companies and private groups.

For geological societies, there are substantive lectures on mineralogy, geological processes, ‘scammite’ and geological travels. For a broader interested audience, such as Rotary, Probus, libraries, women’s clubs and other civic organizations, the travel lectures, volcano lectures and general lectures on minerals and gemstones are especially appropriate.

Workshops are also available for schools, stores, wholesalers, healthcare facilities and private groups. These can focus on knowledge transfer, product knowledge, identification of minerals and gemstones or a general introduction to the world of geology and stones.

Check the calendar for scheduled activities or contact us to discuss options for your club, school, organization or group.

Choose the offer that suits your group

Most of the lectures and workshops will be given by Rolf Egberink, founder of Stapel van Stenen. This draws on over forty years of experience as a collector of minerals and rocks, a background in education, his own research into minerals and gemstones, publications, courses and geological trips.

During lectures and workshops, own photographs, geological maps, books, practical examples and stones from the collection are used to clarify topics.

Lectures last on average two hours including breaks, but content and duration can be adapted to the target audience, knowledge level and time available. Activities are possible on location in the Netherlands and Belgium, online via Zoom or at Stapel van Stenen in Maastricht.

Lectures and workshops can be provided in English and Dutch. For specific topics, Stapel van Stenen can also mediate to an expert speaker or specialist from its own network if required.

Below is an overview of the various options.

Mineralogical and geological topics

These lectures are particularly suitable for collectors, members of geological societies and other interested parties who want to learn more about minerals, rocks and geological processes. In doing so, we use a down-to-earth and factual approach: what do you see, how did it originate and how do you recognize what you have in your hands?

Available lectures:

Gem or Scam?: recognizing fake, treated and man-made stones and misleading names
Feldspars: unknown makes unloved?
Growth forms of quartz
Dangerous minerals
Versatile fluorite
Barite and other heavyweights among sulfates
Tourmaline: multicolored gemstone
Glitters: minerals from the mica group and chlorite group
Geology of Twente, solid ground under our feet?
Volcanism and volcanic rocks

Fee for geological societies and other non-profit organizations: from €125 incl. VAT, excluding travel and any accommodation costs. For commercial organizations, we are happy to provide a customized quote.

Geological travel lectures

These lectures focus on geological landscapes, volcanoes, rocks and minerals, combined with personal travel experiences and many of his own visual materials. The lectures are open to a wide audience, but are also suitable for geological societies. Depending on the target audience, the level of geological detail can be adapted.

Available lectures:

Iceland: land of fire and ice
Southern Norway: landscape-geology-stones-minerals
Java: life with active volcanoes
Active volcanoes of Italy
Volcanoes in the sea: geology and volcanism of Hawaii
A journey along active volcanoes of Costa Rica and Nicaragua
Highlights of volcano travel

Workshops for stores and wholesalers

For stores, web shops and wholesalers, we give workshops on product knowledge of minerals and gemstones, identification and proper naming and recognizing treated or man-made stones. Honest and reliable information is important for buyers and sellers alike.

Possible topics:

Basic knowledge of minerals and gemstones
What am I actually selling? Background on your own assortment
Recognizing ‘Scammite’ (fake, treated and man-made stones and misleading names)
Safe handling of high-risk minerals
Honest product information for customers

Each workshop is tailored to the target group, the desired level of knowledge and the time available. The cost therefore depends on such factors as duration, group size, location and preparation. Please feel free to contact us for a customized quote.

Guest lectures for schools

For elementary and middle schools, we conduct guest lectures and workshops on geology. The lessons are hands-on, visual and interactive. Students view real rocks and learn how to look closely as a young explorer. The content is adapted to age and level.

Examples:

Volcanoes and volcanic rocks
Minerals and gemstones
Recognizing rocks
Treasures of the earth: introduction to fossils, rocks, minerals and gemstones

Rate for schools: from €65 incl. VAT per hour, excluding travel expenses. For multiple groups or a customized program, we are happy to make an appropriate quote.

Response Teacher group 6 elementary school (2026): “It was a fantastic lesson! They were totally impressed and their heads (and mine too) were completely full. They were like sponges how they soaked up the information. I would definitely recommend your presentation to others!”

Workshops for the elderly and day care

For day care, nursing homes and senior activities, we provide accessible workshops on gemstones, minerals and rocks. The emphasis is on looking, feeling, recognizing and sharing stories.

Example:

A 1.5-hour gemstone workshop with examples of raw and cut gemstones, explanations of colors, shapes, origins and uses.

Review from an elderly day care center in Brabant: “We enjoyed an interesting lecture by Rolf from Stapel Stenen. Clients and volunteers and staff listened attentively to the stories about the different stones. This was a very pleasant and instructive afternoon. To be repeated.”

Workshop in Maastricht: Treasures of the Earth

Want to do something different than a standard outing with a small group? In Maastricht, we host groups of up to 8 people for an easy accessible workshop on rocks, minerals, gemstones and fossils.

You will be introduced to the world of stones, view examples from the collection and learn how to look at stones around you with different eyes.

Practical:

Duration: 2 hours, including break
Location: Stapel van Stenen, Maastricht, Netherlands
Group: minimum 4 and maximum 8 people
Includes coffee/tea and cake
Rate: €34.50 per person incl. VAT

Review from a participant (2025): “After your workshop the children look at the world with different eyes. They see fossils everywhere in the rocks and walls during our vacation in Malta.”

1-on-1 mineral or gemstone identification workshop

Would you like to learn specifically how to identify minerals or gemstones? Then a private workshop is possible in Maastricht. You can bring your own stones.

Possible topics:

Basic identification skills: crystal shape, hardness, cleavage, etc.
Working with hand lens or magnifying glass, microscope and gemological instruments
Recognizing ‘Scammite’: fake, treated or man-made stones and misleading names
Organizing and recording one’s own collection

Each 1-on-1 workshop is tailored to your questions, knowledge level and learning goals. The cost depends on the duration and desired content. Please feel free to contact us for a customized quote.

Interested?

Want to book a lecture, guest lesson or workshop?

Please contact us and briefly tell us what group it is for, where it is taking place, how many participants you expect and what topic appeals to you. Then we will be happy to help think of a suitable format.

Check the calendar for scheduled activities here.

Some inspirational examples

Below are some examples of lectures and workshops from my current offerings. These give an impression of the topics and approach, but many activities are tailored to the target group, knowledge level and time available. Customization is always possible.

Dangerous minerals

There are risks in handling some dangerous minerals. In fact, some minerals are quite toxic or give off radioactive radiation. When collecting or using minerals, it is important to know how to be aware of them. For example, which minerals are better not to give to your children or use to make gemstone water? We also give tips on how to safely handle dangerous minerals. Featured are radioactive minerals such as Torbernite, Autunite and Monazite; minerals from the asbestos group such as Chrysotile, Riebeckite, Crocidolite, Serpentine and Actinolite; minerals containing heavy metals for example copper, lead and antimony, Malachite, Galenite and Stibnite; other high-risk minerals such as the lab-grown Lopezite and Chalcanthite and the arsenic-containing minerals Orpiment, Realgar and Bumblebee Jasper. A lecture for members of a geological society.

Iceland: land of fire and ice

In the summer of 2021, we drove 4,300 km in 4 weeks with a small camper van and walked over 300,000 steps to see all corners of Iceland. What an impressive island! Of course the lecture will include the well-known highlights of the Golden Circle in the south, but we will also pass by the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the remote Westfjords, Akureyri and Myvatn in the north, Seydisfjordur and the Eastfjords in the east and the glaciers, waterfalls and glacial lakes in the south. Cherry on the cake, of course, is the active eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano! A travelogue filled with rugged nature, ice, waterfalls, volcanoes and hot springs and, of course, the rocks and minerals found there. A lecture with a travelogue for a geological society.

Recognizing fake and counterfeit

Many gems, minerals and rocks are sold under a variety of commercial and fancy names. There is also a lot of treated or entirely man-made material on the market for which misleading names are used. Meanwhile, it has become quite a chaos in terms of naming in the world of gemstones and minerals. Moreover, it is often unclear exactly what kind of stone it is. And is it 'Scammite' or not? This workshop will discuss many synonyms, trademarks and fancy names for gemstones and minerals. This will include information on scientific naming and whether the material is natural or non-natural. Tips for recognizing Scammite will also be discussed. An (online) interactive workshop whose content is related to the Gem or Scam Library.