Granodiorite is an extremely common rock type, but many people have never even heard of it. Chances are good that you have seen and touched granodiorite many times in your life, whether or not you were aware of it at the time. Because of its innate strength, beauty, and variety, it is also one of …
Syenite is a rock that most people aren’t that familiar with. In many ways, it is very similar to granite, but it varies significantly in its composition and appearance. Identifying syenite can sometimes be a challenge, especially since it is relatively rare and you may not be familiar with what it looks like. However, identifying …
Pegmatite is one of the most unique and varied rock types you can find. Most people who aren’t that into rocks aren’t even familiar with it but, for those in the know, it is one of the coolest rocks out there. Pegmatite is very popular with collectors and hobbyists because it often contains very large …
Flint is a very popular rock with collectors, myself included. It can be found in locations all over the world, sometimes even as gem-quality material that is highly sough-after by enthusiasts. Despite its popularity, there are a lot of misconceptions about flint. I thought it would be helpful to go over what flint is, how …
Chert is a very popular rock with collectors, myself included. It is relatively common and can be found all over the world, yet it comes in almost limitless varieties and colors. Despite its popularity, there are a lot of misconceptions about chert. I thought it would be helpful to go over what chert is, how …
Dolomite, or dolostone, is a rock that many people aren’t familiar with, even though chances are good that they have seen or even held it at some point in their lives. It is not as widespread as most other sedimentary rock types, but if you know what to look for you might discover that it …
Almost everyone is familiar with limestone in some way or another. Chances are you have seen and held it yourself, even if you didn’t realize what it was at the time. It is one of the most common sedimentary rock types in the world and it comes in many different varieties. I thought it would …
Coquina is a rock that many people have never even heard of, but it’s one of my favorite rocks because it is so unique and fun to look at. It is particularly interesting because, unlike most rocks, it is almost entirely made up of shell fragments. Because it is so unique, identifying coquina can sometimes …
Siltstone is a rock that many people have never even heard of. It is often confused for other, more well-known rock types, and it is a relatively uncommon rock. Identifying siltstone can sometimes be more difficult than you might think, so I thought it would be helpful to go over how to identify siltstone and …
Sandstone is one of the most common sedimentary rocks on Earth, so naturally, almost everyone has heard of it and has a pretty good idea of what it looks like. However, identifying sandstone isn’t always as straightforward as you might think. Having seen dozens of varieties of sandstone myself, I thought it would be helpful …