Table of Contents
Introduction 7
Part 1 How to Rockhound 9
Chapter 1 The Basics of Rockhounding 11
A Brief History of Rockhounding 12
Why Rockhounding? 17
What Do You Want to Collect? 19
Safety First 20
Rules and Regulations 25
Next Steps 26
Chapter 2 Rockhounding Equipment and Tools 27
Attire and Safety Gear 28
Navigation and Record-Keeping Tools and Equipment 31
Identification Tools and Equipment 34
Collecting Tools and Equipment 35
Readying Your Toolbox for the Field 41
Chapter 3 Where to Look in the Field 43
Tools and Tips for Every Setting 44
Packing and Transporting Your Treasure 56
Chapter 4 Preparing and Showing Off Your Finds 59
How to Clean Your Finds 60
How to Prepare Your Finds 61
The Lapidary Process 62
Storage, Display, and Artisanal Uses 65
Where to Start 68
Part 2 Rocks, Gems, Minerals, Mineraloids, and Fossils of North America 69
Defining Headers and Terms 71
Aegirine 76
Agate 77
Albite 78
Amazonite 79
Amber 80
Amethyst 81
Ammolite 82
Ammonoid 83
Analcime 84
Andalusite 85
Anglesite 86
Apatite 87
Apophyllite 88
Aquamarine 89
Aragonite 90
Arfvedsonite 91
Augite 92
Aventurine 93
Azurite 94
Babingtonite 95
Barite 96
Bauxite 97
Belemnite 98
Benitoite 99
Biotite 100
Calcite 101
Carnelian 102
Carnotite 103
Cassiterite 104
Cavansite 105
Celestine 106
Cerussite 107
Chabazite 108
Chalcedony 109
Chalcopyrite 110
Chert 111
Chlorastrolite 112
Chrysocolla 113
Cinnabar 114
Citrine 115
Coal 116
Copper 117
Covellite 118
Crinoid 119
Cuprite 120
Danburite 121
Diamond 122
Diopside 123
Dioptase 124
Dolomite 125
Emerald 126
Epidote 127
Eudialyte 128
Fluorite 129
Fulgurite 130
Galena 131
Garnet 132
Geode 133
Goethite 134
Gold 135
Goshenite 136
Granite 137
Gypsum 138
Halite 139
Hematite 140
Hemimorphite 141
Herderite 142
Heulandite 143
Hornblende 144
Hypersthene 145
Inoceramus 146
Jade-Jadeite 147
Jade-Nephrite 148
Jasper 149
Jet 150
Kornerupine 151
Kyanite 152
Labradorite 153
Lapis Lazuli 154
Lepidolite 155
Limestone 156
Limonite 157
Magnetite 158
Malachite 159
Marble 160
Mesolite 161
Mimetite 162
Molybdenite 163
Morganite 164
Muscovite 165
Natrolite 166
Nautiloid 167
Neptunite 168
Obsidian 169
Okenite 170
Opal 171
Orpiment 172
Pearl 173
Pectolite 174
Peridot 175
Petoskey Stone 176
Petrified Wood 177
Phenakite 178
Platinum 179
Prehnite 180
Pyrite 181
Pyromorphite 182
Quartz Crystal 183
Quartzite 184
Red Beryl 185
Rhodochrosite 186
Rhodonite 187
Rhyolite 188
Rosasite 189
Rose Quartz 190
Ruby 191
Rutile 192
Sandstone 193
Sapphire 194
Scapolite 195
Scheelite 196
Shale 197
Shattuckite 198
Silver 199
Slate 200
Smithsonite 201
Smoky Quartz 202
Sodalite 203
Sphalerite 204
Spinel 205
Spodumene 206
Staurolite 207
Stilbite 208
Sunstone 209
Talc 210
Thomsonite 211
Thunder Egg 212
Titanite 213
Topaz 214
Tourmaline 215
Turquoise 216
Ulexite 217
Vanadinite 218
Variscite 219
Vesuvianite 220
Wardite 221
Wavellite 222
Wulfenite 223
Zircon 224
Zoisite 225
Appendix: Additional Resources 226
Websites 227
Books 227
Rock Shops 227
Rockhounding Shows/Events 227
Rockhounding Organizations 228
Glossary 229
Index 235
