Book Description

Montana is a rockhound's dream, where inland seas once depositedfossils and minerals that the forces of geology have since laid bare. Rockhounding Montana, formerly The Rockhound's Guide to Montana, canlead you to the Yellowstone River, where you can comb the gravel forMontana agate, an official state gemstone, or to the badlands alongHell Creek, where paleontologists have found dinosaur remains.Thebook, by rockhound and educator Robert Feldman, contains information onthe sapphire mines along the Missouri River near Helena, the limestonecaves in the Pryor Mountains, as well as brief histories of mining atButte and other locations.Even novices can find their way tocrystals, garnets, geodes, and fossilized wood.You'll discover remotemountain streams where you can pan for gold or hunt for fossils.Rockhounding Montana covers popular and commercial areas as well asmany little known sites on public land.The book gives directions,includes a glossary, maps, and directories to museums, rock shops, androck clubs.The beginner finds a complete introduction to thisfascinating hobby and the expert discovers an excellent sourcebook inRockhounding Montana.Bring it along on your next geological journey. ... Read more

Book Description

Find out where the best gold locations are found in each county of Nevada.In fact, probably more is out there to be found by the determined prospector than at any time in recent years.Amazingly enough, the old diggings are still the best places to look for gold. Ride along with veteran prospector, James Klein, miner and author of numerous books on gold mining, as he discusses the possibilities for you to find gold and gems.Helpful detailed maps make locating gold easy.Learn about the geology of placer deposits, where to pan in the desert, how to stake a claim, and much more!Filled with helpful photos, detailed illustrations, and descriptive text and glossary that will help you on your way to "showing color!" ... Read more

Book Description

Sparkling yet practical, this Tiny Folio is a superb introduction to the museum's collection as well as a concise guide to minerals and gems.

One of the world's fabulous collections of minerals and gems resides at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and this jewel of a book includes more than 300 of the Museum's spectacular specimens. This book is also a guide to minerals and gems, explaining what they are and the qualities that make them outstanding or unique.

Other Details:Now in Hardcover!270 black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

The formation of ore deposits and the patterns of mineral alteration in rocks frequently involves the transport of large amounts of dissolved solids, sometimes transiently, but often over long periods of time.Knowing or suspecting this, we logically seek to resolve several questions:What are the large- and small-scale patterns of flow in geological materials? What is the direction and rate of flow in a given structure?What factors control the rates of chemical reaction within the rocks?What governs the dissolution of materials in some regions and their deposition in other areas that, over eons, leads to the distribution of minerals we see today?The search for answers to these issues involves a combination of approaches and subjects that includes geochemistry, structural geology, and fluid mechanics. In Flow and Reactions in Permeable Rocks, Dr. Owen Phillips provides the first book-length work that connects these different fields of study and applies them to the problem of flow and flow-controlled reaction in rocks. The author begins by specifying the general physical and chemical principles that govern fluid flow and chemical reactions in rocks.He then develops the theoretical underpinnings for a variety of different patterns of flow and for the three basic types of flow-controlled reaction: fronts, gradient reactions, and reactions in mixing zones. In the next chapter he explores some conditions for stability and instability in fluid flow, for instance the conditions under which one state of flow pattern spontaneously evolves into another. Finally, Dr. Phillips describes in detail the two great driving forces of large-scale fluid circulation in rocks:pressure differences and thermal convection. Typical geological examples are given and, wherever possible,compared to numerical results or field observations. The analytical developments require some familiarity with college-level mathematics, but derivations are easy to follow or may even be skipped by the trusting reader. ... Read more

Book Description

Here at last, is the ultimate guidebook to actual locales that can be driven to for collecting rocks, minerals and fossils in Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming. The four volumes, with over 1,200 maps, describe over 5,000 sprecific sites; this Volume 3 includes over 300 to-scale maps marked with over 1,000 collecting sites and detailed directions on getting there, the types of rocks, minerals and fossils to be found at each site, and how and where to search once you've arrived. ... Read more

Book Description

Nevada has long been known for its vast mineral deposits, and, in fact, the state's official nickname is "The Silver State."That mineral abundance is not limited to commercial metals, but also to the plethora of other gemstones that can be gathered within its boundaries.If you choose to visit all of the sites discusses, you will not only be able to gather an incredible variety of minerals and gems, but will also ravel through landscapes with equally as much variety.Detailed travel instructions are provided for each location, with an accompanying map and photo to assist with locating sites.Mileage is as accurate as possible.Detailed text describes where to go and what to look for at over 50 sites throughout the state of Nevada.Includes a mineral locator index for easier rockhounding.The best rockhounding book on the market for collecting, gems, minerals, and stones in Nevada! ... Read more

Book Description

Rockhounding Wyoming is an introduction to a fascinatingtreasure hunt for those seeking jade, agate, bloodstone, fossils,petrified wood, fluorite, or other precious stones.Although therockhounding treasures are many in this vast and sparsely populatedstate, author Kenneth Graham points out that "sometimes the joy is inthe search itself."The 75 sites described in this guide will take youacross the red desert to the high mountain majesty of the Big Horns andWind Rivers as well as the geologic wonders of Yellowstone NationalPark. Graham, a former hardrock miner, developed an interest in rocksat an early age.In Rockhounding Wyoming, Graham shares his enthusiasmfor rockhounding and his appreciation for the diverse Wyoming landscapethat holds the treasure.Each description provides detailedinformation complete with maps on how to find the remote as well aspopular digs, what will likely be found there, the tools to bring, thebest season to visit, the appropriate vehicle to drive, or when to laceup your hiking boots to get to those out-of-the-way places. Be sure totake along Rockhounding Wyoming to plan your next rockhoundingadventure. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

2003 summer review
I have found this book to be a useful tool in exploring sites in Wyoming. I would suggest anyone traveling out to Wyoming read the introduction fully. You do need to prepare for the wide open spaces. The book is copyrighted in 1996 so it's 7 years old at this writing. Many things have changed in the past seven years. Roads have been closed by both BLM and the forest service. Trail signs have been changed or vandalized. If I was traveling a long distance to collect I would check with local rock shops to see if the desired sites were still open. If I could change anything it would be to include GPS coordinates in the driving directions. At least for the main turn-offs and the main site starting point. ... Read more

Book Description

Find gemstones such as garnet, topaz, and opal in West and Central Texas. Fossils, large and small, are abundant statewide, as well as gemstone quality petrified wood and chalcendony in all forms: agate, flint, jasper, chrysoprase, carnelian, and onyx. The vastness and varied terrain of the Lone Star State provides a setting for a rockhound treasure chest. Rockhounding Texas, formerly The Rockhound's Guide to Texas describes 75 of the state's best rockhounding sites. Rockhounding Texas covers the popular and commercial sites as well as numerous little-known areas. It describes where and how to collect specimens as well as where to view premier gem and mineral exhibits. This handy guide includes maps and directions to each site with recommendations for accommodations, camping, and other special attractions. For the beginner, Rockhounding Texas offers a complete introduction to this many-faceted hobby. For the expert, it is an outstanding guide and sourcebook. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Perhaps for someone else.
I have two major points of dissatisfaction, first I found the book lacking in information. Secondly I have some problems with the layout and format: 1.) There is no index, so if you want to go to a site, say, to find topaz, you have to flip through the whole book. 2.) Secondly, the book consists of confusing maps of two, three or maybe even only one line with "to Clarendon" on one end and "to Matador" on the other end; I'm supposed to be able to picture this within the State by referring to the small inset map of Texas with two crossing geology hammers: alas the hammers are by scale so large that I can't understand what's going on. There are no large maps of areas of petrified wood, topaz or agate; instead there are 75 listed sites within the State of Texas with headings: "Cisco fossils," "Toyah Agate," "Frio River Wood." Some of the sites in the book are areas where rock collecting is prohibited. I find little to recommend. Sorry.

No False Adverstising here! It is well worth the money
If your looking for a book, that gives you precise directions, and instructions, on where to locate dozens of great sites for rockhounding, this is it! My family and I can hardly wait to plan our first trip using this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Real estate tips from a proven seller. Presented in a succinct, easy-to-use format, this guide is an entire real estate seminar in book form, written by an expert with more than thirty years in the industry. From prospecting and presentations to negotiations and customer service, these instructions provide a clear map to success in today’s real estate market. Includes sample letters, checklists, and other useful resources. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Engrossing
This is a well-written, and fairly well-illustrated, account of a very obscure, but fascinating chapter in mining history---specifically the Yoga sapphires of Montana, which are arguably the finest blue sapphires in the world

Americana-rich story of Montana's Yogo Gulch sapphire mine.
If you own a sapphire from Yogo Gulch, you own a piece of history, so you might as well know the whole story behind your stone and the mine it came from. Steve Voynick, a bona-fide hard-rock miner and talented writer, tells the whole Yogo story from Pig Eye Basin and J.P. Morgan to the present prospects for this century-old gemstone claim. Detail-rich photographs help you get a better picture of the people and the times. Western mining Americana at its finest ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great field guide for the novice...
I wanted a book that would show me actual field situations of common geologic phenomenon. Being a novice, I needed something that I could easily carry and that would not undermine detail. Maley's excellent book fills the bill very well. The numerous illustrations and photographs in this book are extremely useful if you want to "see" and understand geology. Many of the pictures have inset scale standards, such as quarters and measuring rulers, that give one a good comparasion of the rocks and sediments involved. I also appreciate the black and white pictures. Often geology texts go in for snazzy color pictures that often blurr important detail. If you want a good field guide that you can actually use this book is for you.

Field Geology Illustrated is worth its weight in gold.
Field Geology Illustrated is an excellent, concise introductory guide to recognizing geological features in the field. Its explanations and descriptions of structural geology are especially informative. The photographs and figures are outstanding and clearly display fascinating geological phenomena. Perfect for novice and advanced students. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Learning Names a Plus!
I loved this book! I wasn't bothered at all by the authors teaching the names of geologic processes and phenomena. Being a writer, I found it helpful and interesting to read all the new-to-me labels of things. The language of geology seems to be fascinating, and I enjoyed very much that aspect of the book. Beyond that, I found the book fun to read and easy to understand. It's unassuming cover doesn't convey how much information lies within its pages. I've also used it as a reference several times already in my writing. It's fun to have around, and I recommend it highly!

A geology book I could dig right into
This book is a miracle. I understand the Earth now. The concepts are clearly explained, entertainingly illustrated with remarkably weird experiments, and explored with an unmistakable sense of wonder and delight for the natural world. I highly reccomend this book for teachers, parents-or just your average scientist wannabe.

Too much geo-speak, not much that's engaging or enthusiastic
As an Earth Science teacher, geologist, and director of many summer science camps for K-8 children, I thought this book was interesting for its attempt to clearly describe geologic features, patterns, and phenomena. However, as one who has read nearly all of the Earth Science "discovery" or "hands-on" books currently in print, there are many, many other engaging and wonder-filled books available that you should consider instead. This book is full of projects (42 in a 216 page book), but some are unsafe (Fracturing Glass, heating marbles in a skillet-- marbles often have discrete air pockets and can explode when heated!),some are inappropriate (Soda Pop! involves shaking a can of soda and then pulling the tab--what every parent, caretaker, and teacher loves to clean up), only 1 is illustrated to show you what to expect, none give you age-appropriate guidelines, a few are distinctive (Volcano Tarts), but nearly all are uninspired recitations of time-worn activities associated with geology (vinegar and baking soda volcanoes, examining backyard dirt, plaster casts of "fossils"). If parents, teachers, or curious adults seek to engage themselves or their children in shared discovery, there simply isn't enough creativity or enthusiasm offered to compel discovery of the planet we are all intimately connected to. Discover Nature in the Rocks... is, as Mike Tibby of Booklist asserts, "loaded with facts" and it is a "useful" source of geologic information. Indeed, it reads like a textbook on Physical Geology. But as it excels in competent descriptions, it fails to convey to the reader any sort of passion in knowing--or the excitement of discovering--the Earth's amazing processes, patterns, energy, and beauty. Education experts bemoan the inability--if not indifference--of the general public to grasp basic scientific principles. We need "discovery" books to rekindle and sustain a personal fascination with the Earth. Discover Nature in the Rocks... errs in offering a learning strategy based on proper terminology over useful experiences. This rekindles nothing but indifference. ... Read more

Book Description

An introduction to the use of thin sections in the study of petrography—the scientific description of rocks. It covers all rock types—igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic—and provides readers with an excellent overview of the subject. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Covers polarised and cross-polars nicely
I believe this book is ideal for a second year University student to learn to identify rocks and common forming minerals under the microscope.
Regardless of earlier critics, this book is only intended as a help to identify common minerals and nothing else. I personally found it very useful, the colour images are worth more than a thousand printed words.

Avoid confusion!
I agree with the reviewer from Fairbanks: this book should not be confused with the Mackenzie and Guilford atlas. The Atlas of *Rocks* and Minerals tries to be too comprehensive (by including both rocks and minerals) and in doing so has lost all of the information about less common and accessory minerals that was in the Mackenzie and Guilford text. Of course, much of what's in both books is now available on the Web, but it's still hard to find large format color photos like the ones in Mackenzie and Guilford.

Another (less expensive) alternative is A.R. Philpotts' "Petrography of Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks." In my experience as a student and then a TA in a mineralogy course, Philpotts' book does a better job of pointing out the distinctive characteristics of minerals than do the photographic atlases.

MacKenzie produced a better text with C. Guilford
This book is overpriced and almost useless. It only serves as eye candy for someone with exposure to the petrographic microscope. Outside of pictures it contains terse explanations and alot of blank wasted space. ... Read more

Book Description

Learn Where and How to Dig, Pan and Mine Your Own Gems and Minerals

Northwest

Whether you're an experienced rockhound or "prospector," or digging for the first time, with a simple rock hammer and a little luck, you too can strike it rich...or at the very least, have fun trying.

This guide offers you easy to use information on the ins and outs of "fee-dig" mining, complete with locations, costs, tips on technique, entertaining legends and important information on everything from safety kits to where the nearest restrooms are.

Included are resources for use in identifying your finds, having them made into jewelry, and further pursuing an exciting, and possibly profitable, hobby.

*Equipment and Clothing: What you need and where to find it (or how to make it yourself)

*Mining Techniques: Step-by-step instructions on panning for gold, sluicing for gems and other methods

*Gem and Mineral Sites: Locations of sites with directions and maps, the gems and minerals to be found, hours, fees, and equipment needed. Also includes info on guide services, additional attractions and features at each site, local camping facilities and more.

*Museums and Mine Tours: Where to visit commercial and historical mines, as well as museums with exhibits of gems and minerals (for help in learning what to look for).

*Special Events and Tourist Information: Listings of regional events involving gems and minerals, and sources of general travel and tourism information for every state.

*Other Features: Where to find your birthstone...your anniversary stone...your zodiac stone; Index by State; Index by Gem/Mineral; U.S. State Gems & Minerals Chart; and more! ... Read more

Reviews (10)

SOUTHWEST edition is excellent and useful
Re: SOUTHWEST edition

Some of the other reviews seem to be looking at the NE or a different book. This is about the SOUTHWEST edition, which is excellent!

Sure, there is some information for tourists, special events, museum hours, camping and guide services. But that's not all!

What about the excellent material on mining techniques?! The chapter on "Equipment and Safety Precautions" is very valuable for all newcomers, serious hobbyists, and children.

Other great chapters: Mining Techniques, Notes on Gem Faceting-Cabbing-Mounting, separate Indexes by State and by Gem, State Gem and Mineral Symbols. Some nice map drawings.

More ... Equipment & Clothing: Not only what you need and where to find it, but also how to make it yourself!

More ... the authors ask for your own pesonal "Rockhounding Story" (page 184). How many books do that?

How many books tell you WHERE to find you birthstone?

More ... the back of the book contains eight great pages of advertising for OTHER related source books and also some equipment!

Gem and Mineral Guide ( Northeast)
This book is loaded with useless information. If your looking for someplace to mine gold or gems. This book will not tell you. It does however provide you with guide services contact information.So if your looking for a river or area in your state where you can pan some gold. Don't look in this book! I didn't see anything you can't see in the yellow pages of your local phone book.

Not a good value.
Very few sites listed, and mostly out-of-date info. Of no use in planning a trip. Save your money.

Fee Dig sites and Museums
A real disappointment. I have looked over the "Quadrant" series by Eckart and it was much better. I would recommend a book search for the "Gems and Minerals of America" by Jay Ellis Ransom, it has much more comprehensive information and a lot more than even the "Quadrant" series contains. But of course local "collecting guides" are even better. Contact the clubs in the area you are going to visit and see if they will let you go on one of their field trips or suggest a location. I'm VP of the Montgomery Gem and Mineral Society, we would love to take you on a trip.

Big Disappointment
This book was a Big disappointment. It has useless information. This is not worth your money. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Glow in the Dark" minerals exposed and explained!
This is an outstanding effort in explaining and documenting the science involved in mineral fluorescence. It fills a void in the literature, bridging the gap between technical treatises and gem hunters' field notes. Robbins presents what is known about the causes of fluorescence in minerals, relating it to atomic structure and behavior in a clear fashion for the non-technical reader.

The next chapters detail some of the classic localities and types of fluorescent minerals, with comprehensive summaries of their characteristics. A final chapter describes ideas for investigations into the nature of fluorescence that are easy enough to be carried out with simple equipment. This may be a valuable resource to secondary school Earth Science teachers.

The book is written in an engaging fashion. It reveals many issues that are still unresolved. I wanted to grab my UV light and go collecting as soon as possible! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A good introduction to petrologic processes
I used this text in my petrology course, and I really enjoyed it. Some parts are quite dry, but the descriptions of real-world rocks, such as the Skaergaard intrusion in Greenland, are very interesting. I think this book is superior to any other introductory petrology text out there. ... Read more