Rock and Mineral Collecting Guide

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Beginning a rock collection  is relatively easy. Most of us pass by rocks  every day without much interest. When you begin to collect rocks, however, you will notice the beauty and subtle differences of stones  and minerals.  The best way to get started is to examine your own backyard. See if you can find any interesting rocks throughout your typical day. They don't need to be rare or extraordinary; just pick up and take a closer look at any rocks that catch your eye.

The Basics

  • The first step in rock collecting is deciding the basis of your collection. Will you collect rocks from special places you've visited? Will your collection aim to have all rare rocks?  Some people base their collection on sentimentality, while others are based on rarity or aesthetics.
  • Decide where you are going to keep your rock collection. If you are collecting rare rocks, you may want to keep them in a glass case  and use index cards  to label the name of the rock, the type, and where and when you found or purchased it. You may want to keep your rock collection outside if you aren't collecting the most priceless of stones. Some people line their driveway or garden with special stones they have collected. Smaller rocks can line window sills indoors or outdoors. Some people keep their rock collection in a dresser  drawer or a decorative box  rather than keeping it on display.
  • Figure out how you are going to acquire rocks. Rocks can be purchased or collected from outside for free. Some books on rock collecting  come with a few stones like turquoise  or rose quartz  to start your collection.
  • Do your research. Sure, you could just pick up rocks that you think are pretty or that are sentimental to you. It's fun to read about rocks though. You may realize that a stone you have is rare or originated from magma!

The Three Species of Rocks

The Three Species

Sedimentary Rocks 

These rocks formed when sediments such as sand  were pressed together under their own weight or the weight of water and eventually formed into a solid. Sedimentary rocks cover 75-80% of the Earth's land area. They usually appear as if many tiny particles were glued together.

Examples: Sandstone,  chalk,  limestone,  dolomite,  conglomerate  and shale. 

Igneous Rocks 

These rocks form from the cooling of magma. Most form beneath the surface of the Earth's crust. There are over 700 different igneous rocks on record. These rocks are among the most interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

Examples: Granite,  basalt,  obsidian  and puimsteen. 

Metamorphic Rocks 

These rocks form from pre-existing rocks (called the protolith) that are transformed from being subjected to intense heat and pressure.

Examples: Schist,  gneiss,  slate,  quartzite  and marble. 

Minerals

The main difference between minerals  and rocks  are that minerals are required to have a specific chemical makeup, while rocks are not. Minerals must have a specific crystalline structure. Many rocks are composed of one or more minerals.

  • There are 4,000 known minerals. Of these, 100 are considered common, 50 are "occasional", and the rest are either "rare" or "extremely rare".
  • Most of our jewelry  is made from minerals, not rocks. Diamonds,  sapphires  and turquoise  are all minerals. Your birthstone is probably a mineral too!
  • Minerals are classified by the Dana classification system.

Related Guides

Lots of Sparkle!

Gemstones

Birthstones

 

External Links

  • Minerals.net-- Glossary of important terms and a list of minerals from A-Z.
  • WebMineral.com-- A comprehensive database of everything mineral related.
  • Mindat.org-- A site dedicated to creating a community of mineral lovers.
  • Geol.lsu.edu-- A flow chart for the classification of igneous rocks.
  • Csmres.jmu.edu-- Basic sedimentary rock classification.
  • Geo.ua.edu-- Metamorphism and metamorphic rocks.
  • MineralCollecting.org-- Everything about beginning your own mineral collection.
  • Pubs.usgs.gov-- Interesting article on collecting rocks.