CATEGORIES

THE ROAD REPORT

Arizona’s Humboldt Mining District

FACETING FOCUS

Reveling in Fire Engine Garnet

Going a New Direction

For the last few years that I’ve written the Bench Tips column, I’ve focused on lapidary topics and projects.

Tuzigoot: Ancient Inspirations

Tuzigoot is an ancient village built by the Sinagua people between 1125 and 1400 CE.

The Philippines Faces Fiery Volcano Eruption as Year Begins

Shortly after the New Year began, on January 12, the 1,020-foot high Taal Volcano near the Philippine capital of Manila let loose.

Clear Creek Plasma Agate

Clear Creek Plasma agate is one of those very unique materials found only in San Benito County, California, between Hollister and Coalinga in the Clear Creek Recreation Area, BLM Land.

Spreading the Joy of Rockhounding

Submitted by Dr. David Jordan Program Chair, Helena Mineral Society

Cherishing Chert

A MOTHER ROCK FOR THE AGES

Rockhounding Roots Lead to Inventor Status

Do you know what happens when a life-long rockhound — whose professional background involves product development and academia — encounters the problem of finding an affordable and effective display for fluorescent minerals?

A Glowing Example of Geology Education

Transforming a Personal Passion Into An Impactful Community Service

Enjoying The Hunt For Gold

Using the crevicing technique in river streams

SYNTHESIZING THE PRECIOUS METALS

Gold, silver, and platinum.

GUATEMALAN JADE

THE SACRED MAYA STONE BECOMES A MODERN GEMSTONE

Fruita: The Real Jurassic Park

WESTERN COLORADO‘S DINOSAUR FOSSIL FAME

FAMOUS GOLD

THOUSANDS OF OUNCES OF GOLD COME TO LIGHT ‘DOWN UNDER’

Early Tales From TUCSON

REVISITING ODD, FUNNY, AND UNBELIEVABLE EARLY SHOW HISTORY

Bench Tips

Getting a High Dome on a Cab

Major Specimen Localities, Part IV: Copper From Cornwall To Upper Michigan

This is a superb example of very well crystallized native copper from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Bench Tips

Working Cabs from the Back, Part II

What To Cut- Covellite

Covellite is one of those materials that has no real use, except to a rock collector or lapidary!

A Rockhound's 80-Year Mineral Odyssey

A Visit to the Not-So-Dark Continent

Caribbean Larimar

Larimar is a very beautiful and distinctive-looking stone found in the Caribbean. The stone itself is actually a pectolite (calcium-sodium silicate); however, its blue, blue-green and white hues, as well as the fact that it stems from one location, make it a one-of-a-kind stone.

West Coast Jade

Metamorphic Deposits from Canada to California.

North Carolina's Minerals

Visit a Museum & Rock Shops in Spruce Pine.

Birthstones

Stick with the Standards Or Choose Your Own

On The Rocks

Federation Education

Herkimer Diamonds In Spades

Collectors Rake in Water-Clear New York Quartz Crystals

Malachite, Part II- Banded Beauty From Russia And The Cargo

One of the earliest-known sources of malachite was mined by the Egyptians in the Sinai Desert thousands of years ago. Since that time, this lovely, green hydrous copper carbonate has been mined in quantity all over the world.

Arsenic Family Minerals

Part II: Erythrite, Realgar, Orpiment and Scorodite Add Rich Color to a Collection

What To Cut

Kirinite Acrylic