Rocks & Minerals

by Chris Pellant, Smithsonian Institution (Contribution by)

Overview

Unearth a treasure trove of knowledge and discover the spectacular array of rocks and minerals on Earth! 

Learn how to identify more than 500 rocks and minerals of the world through stunning photographs, detailed characteristics, and quick, accessible text.

Inside the pages of this comprehensive book about rocks and minerals, you’ll discover:

   • A clear visual key distinguishing different rocks and minerals to make identification easy and accurate
   • Entries that include at-a-glance technical details, for quick reference
   • Stunning photographs that show close-ups of key details and unique attributes
   • Highlights of the key features of minerals: chemical group and composition, hardness, specific gravity, crystal cleavage, and fracture
   • Highlights of the key features of rocks: group, origin, pressure and temperature, grain size and shape, classification, and fossils

All you ever wanted to know about rocks and minerals - and then some

From igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks to sparkling minerals, SI Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals leaves no stone unturned. Over 600 high-quality photographs highlight over 500 rock or mineral's distinguishing features. Explore concise details about each rock or mineral's texture, origin, formation, and chemical composition to help you with accurate identification.

Discover a mine of information at your disposal! Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, this mineralogy book explains what rocks and minerals are, how they are classified, and what equipment is needed for specimen collection. It’s the ultimate gift for rock collectors - both beginners and enthusiasts, or anyone studying geology and earth sciences. 

Don’t stop exploring! 

Before you go, there are many more SI Handbooks to explore! Discover the cleanest-cut photographic field guide to over 130 gemstones from around the world in SI Handbooks: Gemstones. Learn all about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago in SI Handbooks: Dinosaurs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781465497741
Publisher:	DK
Publication date:	08/03/2021
Series:	DK Handbooks
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	483,203
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	12 - 14 Years

About the Author

Chris Pellant has been writing earth science books since the 1980s. These include The Complete Book of Rocks and Minerals, Fossils of the World, and Discover Science: Rocks and Fossils. In addition to his authorial work, he runs a photographic library with his wife, Helen, and is a dedicated researcher and conservationist.

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

Collecting rocks and minerals 6

Field equipment 8

Home kit 10

Organizing your collection 12

How this book works 14

Mineral or rock? 16

Mineral formation 18

Mineral composition 20

Mineral characteristics 22

Mineral identification 28

How rocks are formed 30

Igneous rock characteristics 32

Types of metamorphism 34

Metamorphic rock characteristics 36

Sedimentary rock characteristics 38

Rock identification key 40

Minerals 46

Native elements 46

Sulfides and sulfosalts 52

Halides 70

Oxides and hydroxides 76

Carbonates, nitrates, and borates 98

Sulfates, chromates, molybdates, and tungstates 110

Phosphates, arsenates, and vanadates 120

Silicates 132

Rocks 180

Igneous rocks 180

Metamorphic rocks 208

Sedimentary rocks 222

Glossary 250

Index 252

Acknowledgments 256

Editorial Reviews

"Beautiful and useful." –Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2022

Chris and Helen Pellant update the 1992 handbook Rocks and Minerals: A Photographic Guide; this newest iteration has fresh typeface, excellent use of white space, and more than 600 detailed photographs. Initial pages discuss tips for collecting specimens, notes on organizing a collection, and equipment, along with mineral composition and characteristics and rock formation basics. Mineral identification notes (listed by main chemical group), followed by information on rock identification (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary), comprise the bulk of the book. Concise, pithy entries explore composition, formation, hardness, cleavage, fracture, color, and texture. Taylor's detailed photographs round out the work. VERDICT Beautiful and useful. A necessary addition when updating or enhancing a library's 549 section.

Library Journal