Rock And Gem Identification Guide

Gemstones in the rough look more like rocks than the polished stones used in jewelry.

Rock and gem identification guide.

It is strongly magnetic. Anyone interested in seeking out and identifying rough gemstones should start by buying an illustrated guide or looking up images online of rough gemstones. Interactive guide to hundreds of rocks and minerals. Our mining rough contains gems and minerals that were mined in countries as far away as brazil peru mexico india and madagascar.

This site has been providing detailed information and photos of hundreds of mineral and gemstone since 1997 and is one of the leading education resources on minerals and gemstones. Hematite is one of the most prevalent and useful forms of iron on our planet. It has a hardness of 3 4. Positive identification requires much more than looking at a photo.

Impurities may cause the marbel to be green red blue yellow etc. Marble is a crystalline rock composed predominantly of calcite dolomite or serpentine minerals. It was used by the ancient chinese to make the first magnetic compasses. If your specimen is a rock you will need to identify the individual minerals that compose it by following the mineral identification guide below.

Picture identification guide for polished stones and tumbled rocks these photos will give you some idea of what various stones look like but other types of stones can have a very similar appearance. Rock identification chart once you ve determined what type of rock you ve got look closely at its color and composition. The chemical formula is fe 3 o 4. Rock identification guide complete with photos and information about each rock s distinguishing characteristics this rock identification guide has been designed to assist you in identifying the rocks provided in the deeper and deeper and mining matters ii kits.

It is a common iron ore and is often used in jewelry and other decorative items. Printable tumbled stone identification chart. An interactive reference guide to rocks minerals and gemstones. Soft rock does not scratch steel but will scratch fingernails mohs scale of 3 to 5 5 while very soft rock won t even scratch fingernails mohs scale of 1 to 2.

The highest grade calcite marble is pure white. The mineral and gemstone kingdom is a free informational and educational guide to rocks minerals gemstones and jewelry. The colors of marble vary depending on the impurities within the marble. Once you have identified the relative abundance of different minerals in your rock you can come see examples of common upstate rocks at the museum or you can refer to an online or other reference.