Gneiss Rock
Gneiss is one of the planet’s most incredibly common and recognizable metamorphic rocks which means it’s pretty much everywhere. So, you’re probably wondering why I’m focusing on gneiss when it doesn’t have a lot of value and most people don’t collect random, everyday rocks. If you’re a die-hard rockhound then you need to get good […]
Limestone
Rockhounds don’t collect limestone because there’s nothing great about it when you look at it through the lens of a rock and mineral collector. Now, if you own a house or commercial building then you probably love limestone because it’s used in the construction of these buildings and landscapers use it to build outdoor living […]
Red Coral And Other Varieties
Corals are well-known gemstones among jewelers and lapidary artists but rockhounds and minerals collectors don’t pay much attention to it. I guess they don’t give it much attention because you don’t dig for it and most people collect it on the beach. In the right markets, coral cabochons and jewelry bring a decent premium and […]
Fluorite
Fluorite naturally occurs in all colors across the spectrum and is one of the most varied colored minerals within the mineral kingdom. Fluorite’s colors can be very intense and nearly electric. If you’re wondering if I’ll be talking about the Fluorite in your toothpaste then you’ll be sadly disappointed. Instead, I’m going to focus on […]
Best Books About Rockhounding
There are various reasons why people like to dig and collect rocks, minerals, and crystals but the one experience everyone has in common is the initial dopamine rush when you find an amazing specimen. It’s been in the ground for thousands of years. People and animals have walked by it and they never knew it […]
Gold Ore
Gold is and has been one of the most popular metals worldwide. If you’ve never seen a nugget in person then you’ll never understand the allure of gold. There really is something about the metal when seen in person that affects your mental state. You want to hold it, roll it in between your fingers, […]
Calcite
Calcite is fairly abundant, easy to source at a local rock and mineral show and it comes in different sizes, shapes, and varieties. Its most common form is in rough form with no crystal faces or edges. It looks like a colored rock you would find at a construction site or in your backyard. These […]
Epidote Mineral
Epidote is a silicate mineral commonly found in regionally metamorphosed rocks of low-to-moderate grades. Within these rocks, Epidote is frequently associated with amphiboles, Quartz, chlorite, and Feldspars. It occurs as replacements of mineral grains altered by metamorphism. You’ll typically find Epidote as an inclusion in a host mineral. For example, the Quartz crystal below is […]
Benitoite Values and Pricing
Benitoite is a rare gemstone and thus demands a premium price, sub 1-carat to 3-carat stones will sell for $250.00 to $2,200.00 per carat. Most of the faceted stones will have inclusions and high dispersion with a blueish-purple hue. More than likely you won’t see faceted stones on a regular basis and specimens are a […]
How To ID a Meteorite
The rarest types of rocks on Earth are Meteorites because they don’t come from Earth. Instead, they were formed in space and crash-landed on Earth. As you can imagine, thousands of rock specimens are sent to laboratories annually by individuals who think they’ve found a Meteorite. I receive a fair share of emails asking me […]