STONE CHIC

How Earth-Inspired Decor Brings Comfort to our Home

Training the World to Facet Gemstones

The lapidary world continually expands as we experience a resurgence in people faceting colorful gemstones. Encompassing all demographic groups, this enduring artistic medium is accessible to everyone willing to spend the time to learn.

Gems with Heart

The History of a Lovable Motif

12 Minerals to Collect in 2025

For 2025, if building or adding to a mineral collection is on your list, here are 12 minerals (one for each month of the year) that could grace any collection at any level.

The Widow Jane Mine & Snyder Estate

Resonant History in New York's Hudson Valley

Rockhounding Ohio's Lake Erie Islands

A short ferry boat ride three miles from Ohio’s Lake Erie coastline is South Bass Island, better known as Put-in-Bay or the “Key West of the North.”

Iowa's Hidden Treasures

Exploring Keokuk Geodes: How They're Made & What's Inside

Agatized CORAL

Florida's Collectible State Stone

Rockhounding Florida's Beaches

Beachcombing serene stretches of Florida can reveal fascinating finds like fossilized shark teeth, sea glass, quartz, agate and even coral fragments.

Collecting Staurolite

Hot Spots In Virginia & Georgia

Pecos Valley Diamonds

New Mexico's Ancient Attraction

12 Tips for Rockhounding Tucson's Greatest Shows

Tucson in February becomes the international hub for buying and selling colored gems, rocks, minerals and fossils.

Turquoise in the American Southwest

A Water & Sky Souvenir

Touring Colorado's MINERAL BELT

It's a Showcase of Mining History & Minerals

Geology &Colorado's Taurish Traiks

Most of Colorado’s tourist trains today were originally constructed in the late 1800s to serve the state’s lucrative mining operations.

MONTANA Sapphires

What They Are & Where to Dig

Exploring the Caves of National Parks

Where to Go & What to Expect

This Trip Fits Like a Glove: Michigan's Salty Mitten

Michigan has long been known as the home of Motown and the birthplace of the Model-T automobile.

Herkimer Diamonds

New York's State Mineral & Popular Quartz Dig Sites

Polished to Perfection

The Yale Peabody Museum Has Reopened Stunning New Halls of Earth, Minerals and Space

Reading Sienna Mine

A Former Pigment Mine on Neversink Mountain

A Rockhound Roadtrip Planning Guide

8 Tips To Follow for a Successful Adventure

This News is for the Birds

The amazing range of the would-be birds!

CALIFORNIA MAGNESITE PLASMA AGATE

California magnesite plasma agate is a kaleidoscope of minerals. Much like its neighbor from Clear Creek, it contains chalcedony, serpentine, jadeite and chromite.

HOW TO CREATE A CABBING MATERIAL

Even though Mother Nature creates almost unbounded types and numbers of beautiful materials for cabbing, often I struggle to find a slab that will work for the project that I want to do.

PINWHEEL - VIET GEMS 149

I am frequently asked what my favorite gemstone designs are and where to find them. After my trip to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, I updated my list of favorites to include gemstone designer, Phan Thanh Trung.

Copper Minerals: My Favorite

I have lived in the “Copper State” of Arizona for 65 years so it should not surprise readers that copper minerals are among my favorites to collect.

OPPENHEIMER, TRINITY SITE AND TRINITITE

The widely acclaimed, 2023 Hollywood biographical movie Oppenheimer recently won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor (Cillian Murphy).

Clearing ,Smudging & Setting Intentions for Stones

Why do you believe what you believe? Are your beliefs true because you choose to believe them? Whether it is religion, science or the metaphysical, your belief and faith make it real to you in mind, body and soul.

Rhode Island's Hobbit Stone Age

Rhode Island may be 22nd out of 30 states in miles of total coastline but when you compare coastline length to land acres, it ranks second only to Maryland.