The Illustrated Guide to Rocks and Minerals: How to Find, Identify and Collect the World's Most Fascinating Specimens, Featuring Over 800 Stunning Photographs and Artworks

This title shows you how to find, identify and collect the world's most fascinating specimens, featuring over 800 stunning photographs and artworks. This is the ultimate visual encyclopedia of rocks and minerals, with a directory of over 300 specimens. It instructs the amateur geologist on how to identify and extract samples safely, clean and store specimens, and build and present their own unique collection. It provides step-by-step guidance on simple home testing techniques, to gauge shade, hardness, cleavage, lustre, tenacity, transparency and more. A photographic directory enables the reader to identify samples by sight, and includes artworks demonstrating shapes and structures. It offers practical information on the wider relevance of precious rocks and minerals to the environment. This is the ultimate photographic guide to the world of rocks and minerals, and how to build a collection. A comprehensive introduction explains the formation and classification of the many types of rock and mineral. Expertly written text describes the impact of factors such as time, weather and water erosion on external character. In the second part of the book specimens are grouped according to their chemical composition and characteristics, and all entries include quick-reference identification checklists to aid recognition. Featuring over 800 photographs and artworks, this is a one-stop reference, visual encyclopedia and field guide on a richly consuming and endlessly intriguing subject.