Trail Guide
ROCK & MINERAL ID
Every rockhound starts here, holding an unlabeled rock and wanting a name for it. Streak plates, a hardness kit, and a loupe get you further than a photo ever will. We run the tests in the order that actually narrows things down, and we tell you when the honest answer is to get it in front of a geologist.
Notes in This Collection
THE MOHS HARDNESS SCALE, EXPLAINED WITH THINGS YOU ALREADY OWN
The Mohs scale from 1 to 10, matched to a fingernail, a penny, a knife blade, and glass, so you can scratch test a rock with what's in a drawer.
Read the noteQUARTZ OR CALCITE? THE TWO MOST MISIDENTIFIED ROCKS IN EVERY BEGINNER BUCKET
Quartz and calcite get mixed up constantly. Here's the scratch test and vinegar fizz test that tell them apart in under a minute, no guessing.
Read the noteHOW TO IDENTIFY A ROCK YOU FOUND: THE FIVE TESTS THAT ACTUALLY SETTLE IT
Streak, hardness, luster, cleavage versus fracture, and density: the five tests that narrow down an unknown rock or mineral fastest, run in the order that actually settles the most questions, and honest about when the specimen needs a lab instead.
Read the note