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Collecting rocks and minerals begins with a keen interest in the “debris” that, in nature, litters our planet. Holding a rock in one’s hand reveals many characteristics, such as texture, color and size. To even start a rock and mineral collection implies the willingness to delve into simple characteristics such as these so that underlying processes towards their formation may be revealed.
To begin collecting rocks and minerals, one must first know what a “rock” is, and what a “mineral” is. Rocks are actually solid mineral deposits. Thus, all rocks are minerals, but not all minerals are rocks. A mineral, on the other hand, is a substance composed of one or two elements. It is neither alive nor is it a direct biological product of something that is alive. Many valuable metals that exist as ore within the earth are minerals, like gold, silver and copper. Crystals, which we often see in jewelry, are also minerals. Strictly speaking, even water and oil are minerals. Oil is ultimately derived from living creatures, but is not a direct derivative, as many processes have occurred, prior to it becoming the energy-filled substance that it is.
The distinction between rocks and minerals becomes clearer when one considers the processes that turn minerals into rocks. As earlier said, beginning a rock collection should imply an interest in these processes. Summarized, there are four processes or factors hat act on minerals to turn them into rocks: pressure, temperature, erosion and friction. Acting in varying degrees depending on the environment and origin peculiar to a mineral, it may become three different kinds of rock as a result of these processes: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. As their name implies, sedimentary rocks are formed from sediment that have settled, usually within or near bodies of water, upon which the different processes mentioned above have acted. The different layers of sediment become fused together, creating a compact layer-by-layer conglomeration of minerals. Igneous rocks are derived from molten lava that has cooled. Metamorphic rocks, as their name suggests, have changed or “metamorphosed” from one form of rock to another, as a result of any of the four processes earlier stated. For example, a rock turned into a crystal by extreme pressure is a metamorphic rock. A beginning rock and mineral collector must constantly read on the various processes mentioned above, and how their varying interactions form the many different rocks and minerals he or she will encounter.
Choosing the place of collection has great bearing on the kinds of rocks and minerals that will be found. The best places to look for good specimens are places where the ground has been disturbed or is constantly disturbed, like in digging or construction sites, beside bodies of water, or wind-worn locations. Needless to say, one must be careful in collecting specimens, and must not subject himself or herself to needless peril by climbing rock surfaces, or hammering beneath an overhanging rock.
To begin with rock and mineral collecting, one must have basically two pieces of equipment: a hammer, and a pair of light-weight plastic goggles. The hammer used in rock and mineral collecting is somewhat different from the carpenter’s hammer. They may come in many different forms, but the basic hammer has a square surface on one side and a chisel edge or pick on the other side. Quite obviously, the hammer is used to free rocks and minerals of interest from their embedded condition, while the goggles are meant to protect the eyes from rock splinters or ground debris. The goggles also permit the collector to closely examine where he is directing his hammer blows, despite the materials flinging about. When a good specimen is found, the hammer may be used to hit the material around it, so as to loosen its attachments. The specimen must break away as neatly as possible, and the collector must make sure not to make accidental breaks on the specimen, particularly if it is a crystal. The specimen has to be marked with a felt-tipped pen, or a piece of tape may be attached to it, and the marker may be used on the tape. For the purpose of remembering where a particular specimen was found, the specimen numbers may be listed in a small field notebook, with notations on their appearance prior to extraction, and the locations at which they were found. The date of collection must also be included in each specimen notation.
Upon return from the field, it is suggested that the collector permanently label his or her specimens. For this purpose, small pieces of white paper marked in waterproof ink with the specimen numbers may be glued onto the back of the specimens.
Identification of the specimens is the next step, and for this purpose, the consultation of rock and mineral picture compilations, or of rock and mineral specimen collections, is quite inevitable. Upon comparison and identification, the different specimen numbers may now be correlated with the actual names of the rocks and minerals. The collector may opt to adopt a particular system of logically arranging the specimens, once they have all been named.
Storing rock and mineral collections usually requires shallow trays or boxes, preferably with cardboard compartments and foam per specimen compartment. This will prevent the specimens from scratching each other or bumping too hardly against the box when it is being carried.
A neatly-made collection is a great help for schools and museums, and often, these institutions may offer payment for its purchase. Thus rock and mineral collection might not only be a form of stimulation for the intellect, but a money-making scheme as well.
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