Rock Collecting for Beginners
A Basic Guide to Rock & Mineral Collecting
What child hasn't plopped down in a pebble-strewn driveway and looked enthusiastically for that “special” rock, often coming home with a pocketful of various “treasures?” Some of them seem to never outgrow their yearning for rock collecting and become rockhounds, someone determined to collect as many different and fascinating gems and minerals as space will allow.
Some might call it rockhound fever; others call it obsession, but once a person starts collecting, there's no stopping them. Rock and gem shows, vacations to places that allow people to dig their own gems, books on rocks & minerals, or joining a rock collecting club are just some of the signs to look for. Some people are so called to it that they turn it into a career.
Types of Rocks
The first step to becoming a rockhound is to learn a little bit about the three different types of rock that make up the planet. The first is igneous rock, which is formed by intense heat such as volcanic activity. Rocks of this type include obsidian, granite, and basalt.
The second type of rock is called sedimentary. This type of rock occurs when layers of dirt, sand, shells, plant matter, or other material settles on top of one another. Over time they become compressed and become hard. Limestone, coal, and shale are an example of sedimentary rock.
Metamorphic rock occurs when there is a combination of heat and pressure that causes a change in the rock material. Diamonds are a good example of this because they are formed under intense heat and pressure. Other examples include gneiss, marble, quartzite and schist.
Where to Collect Rocks, Gems, & Minerals
The great thing about rocks is that a rockhound doesn't have to go far to find one, unless they're searching for a specific type of rock that doesn't occur naturally. Even then, they might be able to purchase it at a local rock show, or even online. But for a true rockhound, it's the hands-on approach that really appeals to them.
Once a rockhound knows what type of rock they are looking for, they can narrow their search down to locations. For instance, fire opals won't be found in Florida, but they can be found in Arizona and Australia where the petrified remains of forests once stood. Pay-to-dig mines are excellent places for rock collectors to visit and greatly improves their chances of finding a great specimen.
Rockhounds will also want to invest in a few tools for collecting such as hammer & chisel, safety glasses, backpack, gps unit, a guide to rocks & minerals, small brushes, and a misting bottle for wetting raw specimens for better identification.
Proper Storage of a Rock Collection
Any collection, whether it's rocks & minerals or comic books, needs to be labeled, organized, and properly stored or displayed. Many rockhounds proudly display their collection in compartmentalized shadow boxes or in lighted display cases. Whichever method is chosen, it's important to make sure that there's some way to identify the individual rock should an accident occur and it become separated from the display.
Many rock collectors paint a small white mark on the bottom of each rock and label it with a number. This number is then placed in a notebook or computer file and lists all of the relevant information that is associated with rock #1, for example. This not only helps the collector to keep track of a large collection, but makes the information easy to retrieve in case he would like to trade a specific rock with another collector.
Rock collecting is not only a fun hobby, but it can be greatly rewarding intellectually and aesthetically. Lucky rockhounds may even strike it rich.
Amethyst and Assorted Gems
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Mineral Collection
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