Rock, Mineral and Fossil Collecting
Imagine a pleasant day at the local park. Or maybe you have a favorite beach you like visiting? Perhaps you're walking along the sidewalk in your neighborhood or back yard, when low and behold, you spy treasure! It's not a pot of gold though; no, what you found is one more interesting addition to your prized collection: a new rock!
Rock and mineral collecting, or 'rockhounding,' is a time honored hobby going back to prehistoric times. Humans, like many other animals, have fascinations with shiny and interesting things, rocks included. There are rather large industries around for our love of diamonds, gold, and other precious stones and minerals, and rock collecting is how some people enjoy their own love for shiny things.
While there are people out there who make a living hunting for precious stones and valuable rocks in quarries and on mountains, many people are simply interested in expanding their collection. Maybe you have a shelf or box in your room to display your collection?
You can also find rock and mineral collections at museums, where you can find some terrific specimens on display. Some of these collections are private but many are open to the public.
As with many other topics and subject matter, the St. Tammany Parish Library has a wealth of books and movies available on the topic. Here are some suggestions below:
The Science of Rocks and Minerals
Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals
Looking to start a rock collection of your own? Be sure to find a rock or gem collecting chart. You can find them in many places, including in books or on the Internet.
Rock collection charts can be very useful to help identify and categorize the rocks and minerals you find. Once you know what kind of rock you have, you can then search on your own through a book or website to see if your rock is particularly popular or valuable.
There are even places you can go specifically to look for rocks. Crater of Diamonds, opens a new window State Park in Arkansas is renown for the tourists who frequently visit and gather their own diamonds. Every now and then you might even see someone in the news who has stumbled across a large one all on their own! There are other places you can go, publicly or privately owned, where you can gather or mine your own gemstones.
Not find what you're looking for? As always, the St. Tammany Parish Library is happy to offer our catalog, opens a new window to find more items on this and other topics. Happy hunting!
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