Rock Identification.
Finding a stone that shines like a big piece of glass. Is it Glass or a gemstone. some gemstone don’t sparkle until you put water on them. The Sapphire is a rock in dirt until you put it in water, then it looks like glass.
Find a rock with shinning gold sparkles. Is it gold or fools gold.
The price of gold today.
Sand that has so many shining glitters in it.
Any good Rockhound/ Fossicker is bound to come across a rocks that he or she has trouble identifying.
The location of where the rock was found, can help Identify it, some times.
How to Look at a Rock.
People don’t usually look at rocks closely. So when they find a stone/ rock that intrigues them, they don’t know what to do, except to ask someone what it is, or they just forget about it.
Your local Lapidary Club.
I never new about our local Lapidary Club. The Members there can help you.
This is what you need to know before you can identify rocks and give each one its proper name.
Where did you find it.
There are simple clues all around. Does your area contain coal mines? Volcanoes? Granite quarries? Fossil beds? Caverns?
Birds Like Gemstones.
Birds carry some gemstones miles away from where the bird first seen that sparkle. You have glass, gemstones that sparkle like glass that I have come across are opals, sapphire, crystals, topaz. Plus there would be more.
Fossicking Trips or Going Rock hounding
When you go on a Fossicking trip or Rock hounding you normal plan where you are going and you know what you are looking for. I have picked up rocks that I like, and I still don’t know what they are called. Learning more about rock will help me identify that Stone or Rock.
Make Sure Your Rock Is Genuine.
If you find your rock your self it has to be real/genuine , it is your stone.
Buying rock/stones you do not know , there is to many cheats out there .
If it is a crystal or sparkling rock to see straight through it is great. no lines or cracks.
Magnifier Glass.
You’ll need a magnifier. You want a lightweight, powerful magnifier (also called a loupe) that has impeccable optics and is easy to use. Get the best magnifier for demanding jobs like inspecting gemstones and crystals; in the field, for quick looks at minerals, buy a decent magnifier you can afford to lose.
Your local Lapidary Club.
Join your local Lapidary Club.
Most of the information I have got about rocks is from my local Lapidary Club, most of the time you have to ask .
The members are full of information about where to find different rock/gemstones, And most clubs have day trips and weekend trips to find gemstone.
Clubs have rock/gemstones so you can see what you have to look for.
Plus the club have equipment to use to clean/cut/Polish your gemstone/rocks you find.
Rock Information.
Our planet is like a onion, made up of a number of layers.
In the centre is a solid core, which is surrounded by Mantle and the crust.
We live on Earths surface on top of the crust, the tin outer layer that carries oceans and continents.(countries).
During earths formation, denser materials such as iron, sank to the centre, while lighter materials such as silicates and other materials, rose to the surface.
How old are rocks.
Rocks formed when earth was cool enough for them to become solid.
The first rock on earth solidified around 4.2 billion years ago.
Rocks and Minerals have been forming ever since, and are still forming today.
At Earths Surface, In the Crust, On The Ocean Floor, and in the Mantle deep below.
4.2 billion years ago.
The oldest type of rock is Acasta Gneiss, which first formed 4.2 billion years ago.
Rock Identification
Finding that Gemstone is a great way for you to do rock identification your self, understanding all the information out there about different rocks/stone, you never stop learning.
Lots Of Books out there.
There is lots of books out there, about Rocks, Stones and gemstones. Then you have all the different minerals. To kept it interesting and to learn about stones go to your local library and lend books. Then again you can get a lot of information on the internet, and from your local Lapidary Club.
I love going out finding all sorts of stones/rocks, I am lucky I do not have to got far to find something. Camping out under the sky and counting the satellite that pass over a night. So peaceful.
Fossicker- Rockhound love what you do. Enjoy have fun.
Have a great day.
Wendy.
