As a child in Cornwall, Simon Camm came across a man-made grotto lined with mineral crystals. He was captivated by their diverse colours and forms, and this fascination never left him. He became a professional geologist, working in Cornwall and later, as a consultant on base and precious metals as well as diamonds, in Europe, Asia, the Far East and Africa. He then spent several years as Honorary Research Fellow of the Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, and Visiting Fellow in Mining Geology, University of Greenwich. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London, author of 'Gold in the Counties of Cornwall and Devon', and author, or co-author, of numerous scientific papers.