Rocks, Gems and Minerals: A Guide to Familiar Minerals, Gems, Ores and Rocks

This handy identification guide to the most common kinds of rocks and minerals offers concise and fascinating information on:

• Physical and chemical properties
• Origins and geologic significance
• Gems and semiprecious stones
• How to find and collect specimens

Illustrated in full color throughout, Rocks, Gems and Minerals is a gem of a guide for rockhounds and mineral collectors!

Includes information on collecting and identifying minerals, and sections on metallic, nonmetallic, gem and rock-forming minerals, and on igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.

This handy identification guide to the most common kinds of rocks and minerals offers concise and fascinating information on;

Physical and chemical properties Origins and geologic significance Gems and semiprecious stones How to find and collect specimens

Illustrated in full color throughout, this is a gem of a guide for rockhounds and mineral collectors!

Golden Guides first appeared in 1949 and quickly established themselves as authorities on subjects from Natural History to Science. Relaunched in 2000, Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press feature modern, new covers as part of a multi-year, million-dollar program to revise, update, and expand the complete line of guides for a new generation of students.