Where to find minerals

Some are well over a mile deep. Quarry - Cliff which has been created by continuous digging into a mountain or hill for ore extraction. Dump - Area where left over material is placed after being brought out of the mine. If no new material is brought to a dump, the material can eventually become exhausted by collectors. Alluvial deposit - Area in a stream or a river bed where collectible material is found. In such an area, boots and sieving apparatuses are required for collecting, unless collecting is done on the banks.

View All Videos View Minerals. Collecting Procedures Mineral collecting requires certain tools which can be purchase in hardware and hobby stores. Advertising Information. About Minerals. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads.

Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Andrew Alden. Geology Expert. Andrew Alden is a geologist based in Oakland, California. He works as a research guide for the U. Geological Survey. Cite this Article Format.

Alden, Andrew. Rock Hunting for Beginners. How to Look at a Rock Like a Geologist. Rock Provenance by Petrologic Methods. Geodes are very organic shaped rocks, so avoid pointy or narrow rocks.

Before you break it open, one last way to identify a geode is to tap it on the ground. Since geodes are hollow with crystals, it should sound and feel hollow when you tap it on the ground. Just make sure not to break it open quite yet!

While you can find some gemstone types in your backyard or even on your walk around the block , there are several other locations you can also find them. These tend to be the more popular means of hunting gemstones because they're a lot easier than finding them randomly in the yard. They include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.

A mineral is a homogeneous solid that can be made of single native element or more usually a compound. Minerals make up Earth's rocks and sands, and are an important component of soils. Nonsilicate minerals: A mineral without silicon Si. Silicate: Refers to the chemical unit silicon tetroxide, SiO4, the fundamental building block of silicate minerals. Silicate minerals make up most rocks we see at the Earth's surface. Hardness: A measure of a mineral's resistance to scratching.

This is measured by scratching it against another substance of known hardness on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Luster: The reflection of light from the surface of a mineral, described by its quality and intensity. Luster is described as metallic, glassy, dull, earthy, etc. To many, the National Park System is one of America's favorite mineral collections which can be viewed in the various rock formations and features around the country.

Natural objects, such as rocks and minerals, contribute to the beauty and wonderment of the National Parks and should be left, as they were found, so that others can experience a sense of discovery.

Quartz is one of the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. It is made of silicon dioxide SiO2 , otherwise known as silica. Varieties of quartz based on color include: amethyst purple , smoky quartz grey , rose quartz pink , and citrine yellow-green.

Quartz has a glassy luster and a hardness of 7. Quartz occurs in all three rock types and and can be seen in parks such as:. Potassium feldspar or alkali feldspar or K-spar is a member of the feldspar mineral family and is a silicate mineral. It contains a considerable amount of potassium and is typically pink-salmon to white in color.

Potassium feldspar has a hardness of 6.