Rock Collecting

Rubies, garnets, jaspers, bixbites and tourmaline are examples of precious and semi-precious red gemstones. Other natural red stones that can be valuable when properly identified, polished and cut...

Agate is a gemstone that's found through out the world, in country's such Germany, Brazil, Uruguay, Scotland and many others . Fortunately its also found in the good old USA, in fact the agate...

Have you ever stopped to investigate or admire a beach stone on a walk along the shore? Among the pebbles and stones that lay at the water's edge, one catches your eye. Maybe it's the shape or...

Rock crystals are better known as quartz. They are hard minerals, and are also known as semi-precious gems. Crystals are used for aesthetic purposes, often for jewelry or decoration. They have a...

Fossil collecting is a popular pastime that requires specialized tools and care. Fossil collecting can be dangerous, and safety equipment is necessary when working in the field. In addition, tools...

Rhodochrosite derives its name from the combination of two Greek words; rhodon meaning rose, and chroma, meaning color. The mineral is typically found in various shades of pink, a deep rose and...

Rock tumblers simulate the natural process of erosion, but on an accelerated time line. The first stage of rock tumbling is the "coarse grind," where a coarse rock powder, called pumice, and water...

If you are a rock and mineral collector, you are probably already aware of how beautiful properly cleaned mineral specimens can be. If you are just getting started, beware. Once you clean one...

Since before written history, man has coveted gold. He has used it to adorn his body, as currency and molded it into the shape of his gods. Gold is heavy, heavier than most other elements that can...

Many helpful field guides to fossils, rocks and minerals in the Eastern part of the United States have been published both from professional, respected sources and online, via blogs from actual...

While buying a geode is always a guessing game, there are a few simple tricks you can use to increase your odds of finding one that is filled with beautiful crystals. Rather than randomly hunting...

There are many ways to use beautiful stones, or you can just collect them to display. Some people enjoy having jewelry made with their particular birthstone. Mothers may wear a ring sporting the...

Rose quartz is a type of quartz that is colored pink due to trace deposits of iron, titanium or manganese. It is a distinct addition to any mineral collection or jewelry collection. But to bring...

The mineral beryl is valuable in both industry and fashion. Its various forms are found everywhere from the aerospace industry to the rare gemstone market. Both beautiful and toxic, this mineral...

Kyanite gets its name from the Greek word kyanos, which means blue. Although blue is the most commonly found color and the most sought, kyanite can be found in green, colorless, white, gray and...

You can polish stones using grinders and sanders if you choose to not use a rock tumbler. The benefit of a tumbler is that you can set the machine up, start it and walk away while the stones are...

Tourmaline forms in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is found all over North and South America. Pink, or rubellite, tourmaline, along with green, blue, orange, purple and many other shades, is...

Polished cut rocks can be used to make all kinds jewelry. This has become a good hobby or it can actually be a nice paying profession. Rock polishing is done with a tumbler and other supplies....

A geode is a rock with a special surprise inside. From the exterior, a geode appears to be a boring round-shaped rock with little to capture one's attention. If a rock like this is broken open,...

Since prehistoric times, caves have provided humans shelter and locations for rituals. With the passage of time, everyday tools and cultural items were buried beneath the cave floor. With a little...

Apache tears are a type of obsidian. They are dark black, and when polished correctly, take on a deep, brilliant sheen. You can polish Apache tears in a rock polisher, but because obsidian is an...

Cape May diamonds are not actually diamonds at all. They are quartz crystals that have washed up on Sunset Beach in Cape May Point, New Jersey. These stones are clear. You can see through them,...

The chemical formula for quartz is SiO2, also known as silicon dioxide. The earth contains a large amount of silicon dioxide, since it is more common in the earth's crust than other more complex...

Polished rocks can take on a different appearance than their raw counterparts. For an avid rock collector, knowing how to identify polished rock can be important and can increase your ability to...

To prospect for gold, you need to know a little about it. There are two kinds of gold prospecting. Difficult to find is hard rock gold. The flakes are so small they have to be crushed and leached...

Rock collecting can be a very enjoyable hobby for both adults and children. It's inexpensive to do and a great way to get out and enjoy nature. And if you have young ones, its also a nice way to...

Rock collecting can teach you about the Earth's history. Not only can rocks be aesthetically interesting, but many may include fossils or layers that tell the viewer something about the world and...

Pet Rocks were a very popular fad in the 1970s and 80s, when Gary Dahl began marketing and selling plain rocks as the ultimate pet. Within six months, his idea, coupled with inventive marketing...

Collecting rocks is a fascinating hobby, enjoyed by people of all ages, cultures and social classes. Because rocks reveal what happened millions of years ago, telling the Earth's story, they not...

Turquoise, which first became popular in the 14th century, is one of the oldest gems known to man. The stone has been used in tiles, Aztec masks and jewelry. With its opaque, bluish-green hue,...

Gem-O-Rama is an annual event held every second weekend in October in the town of Trona, California. At the event they have a Gem & Mineral show and three field trips. The first field trip...

The study of geology reveals the history of the earth. Curious "rock hounds" enjoy the beauty of natural rock formations and collecting interesting and beautiful specimens. These include a...

There are three types of rocks. Igneous rocks form deep underground. Metamorphic rocks are formed by high pressure, heat or both. Sedimentary rocks form when other rocks break into small pieces...

Painting Rocks is a great craft for all of the family. Make designs on rocks by finding smooth rocks of all shapes and sizes. They can be found in gardens, or at the seaside. Wash and dry the...

Finding and polishing your own rocks can be a fun hobby or even a lucrative business. Anyone who spends a lot of time using a rock tumbler eventually works out their own variations to the process...

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