Collecting Rocks &
Minerals
RocksForKids.com
Everywhere
you look there are rocks. You can start your rock collection from rocks in your
driveway, along the side of the road or along a stream. Once
you are hooked by the rock bug though, you might want to start collecting a
little more seriously and start going on field trips.
Field trips are trips planned to collect special rocks.
Collections
Want to Join a Club? Safety
Where to Get Rocks & Minerals Road Cuts Field Trips
Displaying You Collection Identifying Your Rocks - What books should you have?
Most kids collect things - rocks, stamps, coins , postcards -
just to name a few. Being a collector is great fun and many adults started out
collecting things when they were kids too. To read about what other kids
collect, check out a web page published by the Smithsonian Museum at
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/idealabs/amazing_collections.html
You can learn how to start & care for your own rock collection or you can
find out about other collections real kids have.
Want to Join
a Club?
If you live in the Toronto, Ontario area and are between 9
and 15, check out
The Young Toronto Mineralogists Club YTMC
is the club for you if you are crazy for rocks.
They meet monthly and go on
field trips to collect rocks. Many rockhounds and geologists started out as
young "pebblepups" just like you.
Want to know if there is a club
near you?
Most clubs are run by adults, but some of these clubs also have
programs for young people - often called Pebble Pups or Junior
Rockhounds. When you contact a club, ask:
Do they have other young people
who come to their meetings?
Do they have activities for young people?
Do they have
field trips that young people can go on?
If you like their answers, then get you parents to take you to a meeting or two
so that you can decide if this is a club that you would like to join.
Some of the most common aspects of this hobby are:
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field collecting - collecting rocks & minerals by digging them
up (not buying them)
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micromounting - mounting small mineral samples that exhibit
crystal formations in order to study them under a microscope
-
wireworking - making jewelry with wire and polished minerals
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soapstone carving
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mineral identification & collection
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fossils
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lapidary - the cutting and polishing of rocks and semiprecious
stones and minerals
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sphere making - polishing a rock or mineral into a sphere shape
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"stained glass" making with agate and stone slices
-
intarsia - placing thin pieces of polished rocks into metal
channels to make a picture like a mosaic
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geology - the study of how the earth was formed, rock formation
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landscaping "rock" gardens
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viewing stones - the use of individual stones to evoke a mood
and meditative state
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lectures and study groups - get together with others and learn
new interesting scientific information
-
faceting - the cutting and polishing of gemstones
-
silver smithing - making "findings" of silver that can then be
used to showcase minerals & stones - mainly in jewelry & decorative arts
When
you collect rocks, you have to make sure you don't get hurt. Rockhounds
know all about that & so should you.
- Never try to break a rock without wearing safety goggles.
- Breaking rocks takes practice. Have an experienced rockhound show you how.
Each rock has a different way of breaking.
- You will also need a proper sledge. Never try to break a specimen by
hitting it with the pointed end of a geologists pick.
- Do not use regular tools like hammers, chisels, woodworking chisels, axes
etc. to break your rocks. They weren't designed for this, you will damage
them and you will hurt yourself when the tool breaks.
- Wear gloves. Sometimes rocks can give you slivers and quartz is sharp
enough to give you a nasty cut.
- Rocks are hard and often rough. They can scratch you as well as any
furniture you put it on.
- Wash you hands thoroughly after handling rocks and before eating. Some
minerals can make you sick.
- Don't wash your rocks in the sink at home. You could scratch the sink and
the dirt could clog up your pipes. Wash your rocks in a tub of water and
dump the water on your flowerbed outside.
- MSHA
Kid's Page
Safety tips for kids around quarries & mines. Maintained by Mine Safety and Health Administration, USA
-
Rock
Hound Collection Safety
Where to get Rocks & Minerals
Collectors of rocks & minerals buy, trade or go on field trips
to collect their specimens.
Buying Minerals
If you want to buy specimens, they are generally
available at:
Going on Field Trips
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There are rocks & minerals all
around you. In nature, minerals and rocks can be found anywhere you
see the rocks peeking out from the soil. For young people, it is
hard to go collecting rocks because of safety concerns and need for
transportation. Creeks and river beds
are among the easiest places to find rocks that have already been
broken up. To start going on
field trips, it is easiest to join a
local rock & mineral club. Members of
the club know what locations nearby are accessible and have
interesting rocks. You
can also start learning about rocks when you are in the car with
your parents. Take a look at the scenery that you drive through.
Sooner or later you will see rocks, especially at road cuts. |
One of the best places to get started in collecting rocks is
at road cuts. A road
cut is where the rock has been cut to let the road go through. This is
usually done so that the road doesn't go up & down. When you are on the road
in the countryside and go by a road cut, look for veins of different coloured materials, vugs (holes) or sparkles. |
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As you're driving along the road, keep you eyes open for road
cuts. This is where the rocks in the hills have been cut to let the road go
through in a more straight line. The road cuts are made by blasting the rocks
with dynamite. The rock that gets blasted out is used to fill in the valleys
where the road will pass, so that the road is more flat. If you look closely,
you will be able to see interesting designs in the rocks and many different
colours. Ask your parent to stop sometimes if the rocks look especially
interesting. Remember to be safe when you are on the side of the road. There are rules about collecting along road cuts so be sure
that you know if you are allowed to collect. Different provinces have
different rules. You also need to be sure that you are safe and that the
cars driving by are safe from falling rocks. |
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Be careful of broken glass, especially if you kneel down to
get a better look at the rocks. You'll be surprised by the amount of garbage that you will
find by the side of the road. Do your part & try to pick up a few pieces
whenever you stop to look at a road cut. Consider it part of doing your bit
for the environment. |
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A
Geologist's Lifetime Fieldtrips
This a list of essential or desirable locations for geologists or
travelers to visit. It contains many of the interesting geological wonders of
the world, with links for most of them. Other interesting natural phenomena are
also presented.
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Brampton Club Members underground
at the David Bell gold mine near Marathon, Ontario. |
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CCFMS Club members on Summer 2000 trip to Atikokan, Ontario at
the Calland Mine. |
Bancroft, Ontario is known as the
Gem Capital of Canada. It has
a great variety of minerals in a small area. The town encourages amateur rockhounds by having a geologist on staff during the summer to lead field trips.
Kids are welcome on these trips. There are also local businesses that cater to
amateur rockhounds.
Start off by having a shelf where you can put your rocks.
Remember to keep a label with it which tells you where you collected the rock
and the date.
Don't worry if you don't know the name of the rock because later
you might find that rock in an identification book. You can always add that
information later.

Identifying Your Rocks - What books should you have?
There are many books on rocks & minerals to choose from.
Whatever book you get should have lots of coloured pictures because rocks are so
beautiful to look at. To start, we suggest you get 1 field guide and 1 general
reference book. In our opinion, the best books to start with are:
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Simon & Shuster's Guide to Rocks and Minerals
ISBN 0-671-24417-5Field Guide |
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Eyewitness Books
Rocks & Minerals
ISBN 0-7737-2180-0Reference Book |
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Eyewitness Books
Crystal & Gem
ISBN 0-7737-2463-XReference Book |
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Eyewitness Books
Fossil
ISBN 0-7737-2346-3Reference Book |
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