Rock&Gem Magazine - January 2021

In this issue

Mesmerizing Pseudomorphs
Examining “False Form” Specimens...

The Saga of COLORADO GOLD - 53 Million Troy Ounces and Counting

Colorado has been mining gold even before the region became a territory and is still mining it today.

10+ mins

Filling an Empty Space and Enhancing a Cabochon

I often look for a special feature within a slab when choosing the shape to cut into a cab.

2 mins

POPULAR PSEUDOMORPHS - More Common Varieties Enhance Any Collection

In part one of this two-part series, which appeared in the December 2020 issue of Rock & Gem, we explained pseudomorphs as minerals whose normal form has changed, so they may look like the original but are now another mineral.

7 mins

SPECTACULAR NATIVE SILVER - Rarer Than Gold in Specimen Form

When it comes to naturally occurring precious metal specimens on Earth, finding native silver is not as easy as finding native gold.

7 mins

PEARL OF THE PACIFIC - San Diego's Pacific Rim Park

Did you know, the Pearl of the Pacific was created in 1998 as a symbol of friendship and unity between the United States, Mexico, China and Russia?

4 mins

Pterodactyls No Longer Birds of a Feather?

For a couple of decades now, feathered dinosaurs have been all the rage.

3 mins

New Era Gems - CARVING A PATH AND CREATING A LEGACY

Think back to your 20th birthday; what were you doing? How did you celebrate?

4 mins

Black Ilmenite and “Titanium White”

The bright-white color that we see in everything from highway lines, donut icing, and tooth-paste to paint, paper, plastics, and ceramics comes mostly from titanium dioxide, the world’s most widely used pigment.

3 mins

DIAMONDS - A Luxury Gem Steeped in Fact & Fable

The diamond is one fabled gemstone! For example, google “Hope Diamond” to see all the legends associated with just this one stone said to bring misfortune to its owners.

2 mins

Cleaning Without Chemicals

Do you have specimens like desert roses, quartz crystal clusters, or geode halves that sat for eons in the open before being collected?

1 min

Read all stories from Rock&Gem Magazine

Rock&Gem Magazine Description:

Rock & Gem has been the leading magazine for the lapidary and mineral hobbyist. Not a trade journal and not a scientific dissertation, it speaks to the average rock hound, providing just the right blend of entertainment and satisfying information. Armchair hobbyists and diehard diggers alike will find something to enjoy in each issue.

Lifetime hobbyist and Carnegie Award winner Bob Jones heads up a group of experienced and knowledgeable contributors. Bob’s light - hearted style brings readability to in-depth articles on minerals, classic deposits, and collecting trends. His Frugal Collector series helps collectors learn to identify mineral bargains, and his affiliation with the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society provides a behind-the-scenes look at the year’s biggest and best mineral show and sneak previews of the show’s theme and featured exhibits.