cand1978
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2013
Posts: 7
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Post by cand1978 on May 3, 2013 10:12:14 GMT -5
Hey… I was wondering if anyone can recommend books that will help me with identification? I have Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals: Identification, Values and Lapidary Uses and it’s pretty good but I am still getting myself mixed up. Or better yet~ how did you learn? From a class or books? :help: This newbie thanks you! :help:
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Post by mohs on May 3, 2013 10:57:25 GMT -5
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cand1978
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2013
Posts: 7
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Post by cand1978 on May 3, 2013 11:47:46 GMT -5
Thank you... it looks like that book is by the same author as the one I have too, so I will be on the look out. I read somewhere about this book: Steve Hart's Modern Rock Tumbling but haven't had a chance to look further into yet.
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Post by mohs on May 3, 2013 12:20:33 GMT -5
O I'm sorry! That is the same book you mentioned haha
I've scanned lots of those rock hound identification books and thought Polk book was one of the best.
But here's the caveat rock hounding is not my strong point so as far as field tested goes I have no real experience
I'm more of an armchair hunter mohstly
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Post by deb193redux on May 3, 2013 12:35:38 GMT -5
It depends on what you want. The basic idea is to look at lots of pictures whether here or in a book or on ebay ... etc. Also, you want to get in some discussions, or read up on, how types of rock differ. (Recognition/naming is only part of it.)
But, if you want to be able to recognize types and even names of agates and jaspers, most field/collecting guides don't cover that. I would recommend Ron Gibb's Agates & Jaspers, and the very good set of free PDF files members here made, The American Agate Index.
If you want to collect more broadly: agates, jaspers, copper-oxides, feldspars, thunder eggs, granites, marbles, micas, shists, other minerals - well then a good field guide can help a lot.
If you want to get more narrow, such as types of petrified wood, there are good books like Petriified Forests.
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Post by Pat on May 3, 2013 12:43:13 GMT -5
I depend on the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, and
Walter Schumann's Minerals of the World
A class could be helpful. If you have a local gem and mineral society, that would be very helpful.
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Post by jakesrocks on May 3, 2013 13:20:49 GMT -5
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cand1978
off to a rocking start
Member since April 2013
Posts: 7
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Post by cand1978 on May 3, 2013 23:38:44 GMT -5
Thank you all so much... appreciate you taking the time to help.
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Post by susand24224 on May 4, 2013 0:06:19 GMT -5
The recommendations for identification are excellent. Modern Rock Tumbling is excellent as well--in the top two of best tumbling books IMHO. The other is out of print.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on May 4, 2013 8:32:43 GMT -5
I have a pretty extensive library and still have not found books to serve all my needs. ( need more on Pet wood) For agate, I love the three book "Agates" series by lenz. Also really like the three volume " Gemstones of North America" by Sinkankas, "Agates of Northern Mexico" by Cross and " Minerals of California" from The Division of Mines which gives tons of Mineral Information. And then there's a pile of those rockhounding site guides and my personal favorite Southwest Mineral and Gem trails by Zeitner....Mel
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