What we are
5 years of developing the biggest Mineral & Gem Show in the Southern hemisphere !
The Perth Gem and Mineral Show strives to be the premier mineralogical and geoscience event in Australia, let alone the southern half of our planet Earth.
We successfully presented the inaugural PGMS in 2021 at Curtin University as the largest show of its kind held in WA in decades.
The show featured gem and mineral dealers, geoscience communicators, and industry professionals. 2023 saw a significant upscale in the event, hosted at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The event attracts delegates from all facets of the various mineral, gem, and geoscience communities and provides a unique opportunity to share ideas and expand knowledge and business network. Participating in the PGMS provides an opportunity to promote and sell mineral and natural history products and services while demonstrating a commitment to the broader development of the mineralogical, geological, and geoscience sectors.
For more information about the organiser, the Mineralogical Society of Western Australia, download the write-up celebrating our 25th anniversary !
Meet our team
Core committee
Nicolas Hébert
Chair - Co-Founder
Nicolas is a Decarbonisation advisor – geologist at Talison Lithium in Greenbushes and CEO of Akarbo resources. After graduating from his M.Sc of Geological engineering in France, he prospected several gem-producing areas across S-E Asia.
Nicolas fossicked many French historical mineral occurrences from the Vosges Mountains to the Alps and Massif Central looking for smoky quartz, fluorite, along with minor Cu-Bi-Mo-As-Sb mineralisation. His more recent trips focused on marble-hosted paragenesis, with a strong emphasis on Luc Yen (Vietnam) and Mogok (Myanmar) incredible mineral diversity.
Soon after emigrating to WA, Nicolas got involved with MinSocWA by offering lectures on the ruby/spinel assemblage found in these regions, and another talk for the Australasian seminar on the color of blue spinels. He since has done a few others about alpine veins for PGMS 2021 and discussed the orange fluorescent minerals from Mogok at Tucson Symposium 2022. PGMS 2022 talk was about the Gold, Energy, CO2 : WA’s legacy. The idea of bringing a show of similar stature as the one in Sainte-Marie-Aux-Mines to Perth seemed obvious. Quite naturally, Nick joined the group of enthusiastic young members as the 2021 PGMS treasurer and social content manager. His role then focused on the website development, and vice-chair in 2025.
J.Lynn Sunderland
Vice - cHair
J.Lynn transition from the essential role of Vendor Liason in 2025 to Vice chair for the 2026 edition. J.Lynn has been actively contributing to the general committee team since the third Perth Gem and Mineral Show.
A 90s American Import, J.Lynn originally came to Australia as a exchange student at Curtin University and instantly fell in love with the place. Continuing her studies, she obtained a Graduate Diploma in Applied Heritage Studies and curated an exhibit at the Perth Mint. Years later, J.Lynn’s affinity for Minerals and Mineral Collecting began as a retailer of crystals and minerals in the Dandenong Ranges of Victoria where it all quickly snowballed into an obsession.
After 3 years retailing, J.Lynn levelled up and obtained a position with the international wholesaler and mineral dealer Crystal Universe/Ausrox. Here, she could both support small business, (her biggest passion,) and continue to learn more about the Collectable Mineral world. In that time, she has developed a love for learning about why and how collectors seek out the pieces that can help complete their collection. Her 15 years with Crystal Universe/Ausrox has seen her travel the world as buyer, supplier and vendor at many of the most acclaimed events of the Collectable Mineral community, including the Tucson Gem Show. J.Lynn believes that absolutely everyone with a passion for minerals deserves to be able to connect and learn from industry and mentors and follow wherever it takes them, be to study geology or simply be the master curator of their own private collection. The Mineralogical Society of Western Australia is dedicated to creating opportunities for vital connections between mentors, professional collectors, and the mining industry, and the public to help foster the next generation of rock hounds, geologists and passionate mineral lovers. Because of this, J.Lynn Sunderland is honoured and humbled to be a general committee member for the most important event towards this mission: The 2023 Perth Gem and Mineral Show.
Vinodaarshini Vigneswaran
Treasurer
Vinodaarshini was born and bred in Malaysia. In 2014, her family migrated to Australia and she immediately fell in love with the beautiful nature and people. Vino graduated high school in 2018 and found her passion for geology through the CORE program and ATAR Earth and Environmental Science studies in high school. The passion for geology and her love for maths motivated her to pursue a double degree in BSc Geology and BCom Finance at Curtin University. After four years of tertiary studies, Vino is now a mine Geologist at Goldfields and is thoroughly enjoying her learning experiences. She did her first vacation work with Sandfire and began her role as a volunteer for PGMS 2021.
Vino was then a volunteer lead in PGMS 2022 and continued ever since, eventually taking over the treasury role from John Mill. Since high school, Vino has been actively engaging in many volunteering opportunities as she enjoys providing back to the community. She has also taken on multiple leadership roles in both high school and university. Vino has always been passionate about minerals and volunteering and looks forward to contribute to the success of this year’s PGMS.
Nicolas Italiano
Secretary
Nicola supported PGMS through administration, social media efforts, and vendor liaison assistance as a general comittee member for years, before transitioning to the secretary role in 2026. Energetic and passionate, she thrives on organisation and enjoys being a helpful presence wherever needed. Born and raised in Perth, Nicola grew up adventuring in the hills with her family and prospecting grandfather, sparking a lifelong love for nature and the mineral world. With over 16 years of experience in the crystal and mineral industry working for international wholesaler and mineral dealer Crystal Universe/Ausrox.
Nicola brings industry knowledge and a genuine enthusiasm to the PGMS community. Her goal is to share the sense of wonder she felt as a child and help others connect with the beauty and mystery of Earth’s treasures. Through every PGMS initiative, she hopes to spark curiosity, foster community, and make the experience welcoming and memorable for all.
Satellite committee
Jason Bennett
Seminar Coordinator
Jason is a senior spectral mineralogist at Portable Spectral Services. Supporter of the show for past few editions, he brings to the team high technical analytical knowledge. Bridging the gap between adademia and science popularisation for youger audience, Jason coordinates the seminar. His PhD on the geochemistry of cassiterite, love for high quality scientific data acquisition, and tailoring workflows for multiples clients across the whole mining value chain make him a valuable contributor to the PGMS committee. The perfect fit to bring industry, university research and the general public together !
Rodney Berrell
Charity Sundowner coordinator
Representing Anglogold Ashanti at the Charity auction sundowner, Rodney has been an essential supporter of PGMS since its inception in 2020.
Avid fossil collector, Rod has published many paleontological books for all ages, including “Treasure Island : A Fossicker’s guide to Australia” or more recently “The Little Book of Prehistoric Plants”
With about 15 years experience in near-mine exploration and regional exploration, Rodney has worked in the Mount Isa district focusing on polymetallic deposits such as Kalman, a Mo-Re-Cu-Au intrusion-related deposit, and in the Cloncurry district at the Cudeco’s Rocklands project focusing on supergene and primary copper ores. More recently Rodney’s work has been focused on gold at AngloGold Ashanti’s Tropicana Gold Mine and nearby regional targets.
Core volunteers
Mitchell Elphick
Auctioneer
Mitch is one of the general committee team members organising the inaugural Perth Gem and Mineral Show.
A WA local, he finished his B.Sc in Geology at Curtin University in 2015 and has been exploring, mining and rummaging around the bush causing mischief ever since.
He is currently working for Fortescue Metals Group as a Geologist in the Iron Ore division, and has previously worked for several years exploring the wilds of Western Australia for Gold, Base Metal and Lithium deposits.
With a keen interest in gemstones from a young age he naturally gravitated towards lapidary, mineral collecting and hoarding as many rocks as humanly possible.
In 2019 he co-founded @theoutbackgemco with the goal of artisanal mining and dealing in Australian minerals, this ongoing enterprise with co-founders @case.y__ and @rock__licker has taken them to some of the most iconic mineral occurrences in WA.
Mitch is a keen geologist, an advocate for mineral heritage and very excited to be a part of The Perth Gem and Mineral Show.
Peter Willems
Ex - President 2020-2025
Peter grew up in Hobart where he began showing interest in minerals as a toddler, plaguing mum’s washing machine from about age three. He studied a BSc, majoring in Geology at the University of Tasmania. In 2014, he was awarded the Christopher Holmes Scholarship Award for outstanding achievement in Mineralogy. Throughout university, Peter ran a hobby business as a mineral dealer, sourcing minerals from across the world as well as from regular field collecting. He also spent much of his spare time helping out in the world-famous crocoite mines on Tasmania’s wild West Coast.
. In 2025, prioritising family duties, Pete stepped down from his role as president of both MinSocWA and of the PGMS Sub-Committee, after running both with undying enthusiasm form many years. Peter runs a small business, Rockstar Minerals, sourcing and selling mineral specimens from around Australia and the world.
Since graduating, Peter has worked in the Copper and Gold sectors across Australia and more recently in Africa. He has spent time across open pit and underground mining, as well as greenfields and brownfields exploration. Peter currently works as Senior Technical Geologist, based in Sandfire Resources’ Perth office.
When not spending time with his partner, Kim, and daughter, Tallulah, Peter’s passion for minerals keeps him busy in the shed, prepping, or out in the bush, searching. On the rare occasion when there’s not a rock in his hand, Peter also enjoys surfing and playing music in down time
As a graduate, Peter worked at Regis Resources in open cut mining, across four contrasting orogenic gold deposits, and in exploration across nine deposits and prospects. Peter has worked in underground mining at Sandfire Resources since September 2017, including secondment as a Geotechnical Engineer. He used his combined knowledge from underground Geology and Geotechnical activities to build a structural model for DeGrussa, which has become an integral entity for the Technical Services team.
Peter has a passion for mineralogy and is both president of MinSocWA and of PGMS Sub-Committee. Evidently, he has become the head of the Perth Gem Mineral Show & team. He also represents one third of The Outback Gem Co., sourcing and selling mineral specimens from around Australia.
John
Mill
Treasurer 2022-2023
John is a retired mining and exploration geologist with over 40 years experience in the mining industry.
John gained his Fellowship Diploma from RMIT in 1970 and a Master of Geoscience from Macquarie
University in 1984. He has lead exploration programs for gold, nickel, tin and base metals in Australia and held senior mining positions at Rosebery Pb/Zn Mine, Tasmania, and Luanshya Cu Mine, Zambia as well as leading the prefeasibility study of the Golden Grove base metal deposit, WA and a scoping study at Macrae’s Flat Au Deposit N.Z. Along the way, John also established two large tree plantations in
Tasmania and owned and managed a large bedding franchise store in Perth for 20 years.
John is Hon. Treasurer of the Mineralogical Society of WA Inc and Marketing Manager of the Australian Journal of mineralogy.
John’s current interests are landscape photography, which sees him travelling to the four corners of the globe, and mineral collecting.
Apart from that, John’s four gorgeous grandchildren keep him occupied in his spare time.
Norton Kalleske
2024 Vice-President
Norton is a Geologist currently working as a Senior Mine Geologist for Anglogold Ashanti here in Western Australia. Moving to WA after completing B.Sc Hons at The University of Adelaide in 2010 Norton has worked in the gold industry for 10+ years at several sites across WA. He has also been time collecting, prospecting and mining different locations across Australia. Targets includes specifically Opal, Zircon, Amethyst, Smokey Quartz, Topaz, Sapphire, Gold, Fossils, Garnets, Emeralds, Malachite, Tourmaline, Agates.
Having been a Lapidarist for 16+ years cutting Opal and recently taking up faceting other gemstones through @Norty_gems.