Breccia is a very unique rock type, with a highly variable appearance. It doesn’t get enough credit for how beautiful it can be, and many people aren’t even familiar enough with it to be able to readily identify it. It is easy to confuse breccia for other rock types, but it is a well-defined and …
Conglomerate is a very unique looking and highly variable rock. It doesn’t get enough credit for how beautiful it can be, and many people aren’t even familiar enough with it to be able to readily identify it. It is easy to confuse conglomerate for other rock types, or even to dismiss it as a rock …
Most people are familiar with obsidian thanks to its distinct glassy appearance. It is very popular with collectors, and it has plenty of practical applications. It can be found in specific locations all around the world, making it relatively accessible to collectors. When most people think of obsidian they picture a black, glassy volcanic rock. …
Rhyolite is a very common igneous rock that can be found all around the world. It’s one of my favorite rocks because it can come in many different colors and varieties and it often has interesting features like inclusions of larger crystals. Despite rhyolite’s relative abundance, many people aren’t all that familiar with it. While …
Identifying minerals can be a challenging process, especially if you’ve never done it before. When I was learning how to identify minerals in college it took me a while to understand the process and remember all the characteristics I needed to know, so I feel your pain! Over the years I have learned that identifying …
It comes as a surprise to many people that you can find gold in Ohio. Like most states, Ohio has seen a few small ‘gold rushes’, but gold has never been found here in large quantities. Still, there are quite a few areas that can be run and productive for recreational gold prospectors. If you …
Virginia is home to some of the best fossil collecting sites in the United States. Millions of years ago, Virginia was covered in a shallow sea that was teeming with life, leaving behind prolific fossil beds. Today, you can find the remains of those ancient life forms in locations all across the state, particularly in …
Ohio is one of the best states in the U.S. for fossil collecting. This often comes as a surprise to people who often associate fossils with desert digging or beaches, but Ohio is home to some of the most prolific fossil beds in the entire world. Millions of years ago, Ohio was covered in a …
Schist is one of the most common metamorphic rocks in the world. It comes in many varieties and can contain attractive gemstone inclusions, and therefore it’s a very popular rock with collectors. As common as schist is, there are a lot of misunderstandings about what it is. Because one schist specimen can look so different …
Shale is a rock that almost everyone is at least fairly familiar with. It is the most common sedimentary rock on Earth and it has a distinct appearance that often makes it easily recognizable. You often see it used for decorative purposes, and it has enormous economic value in the mining, construction, and oil and …