If you're scrambling to find the perfect gift for that friend or family member who collects rocks, you're not alone. Luckily, gifts related to rockhounding are plentiful, available at various price points and suitable for rock and gem enthusiasts of all ages. Here are lots of ideas for the rock lover(s) in your life...
GIFTS FOR NEW ROCKHOUNDS
New rockhounds can be easy to purchase a gift for because they're usually still stocking up on the basics.
Rock Hammers: Start with one of the most essential tools, a rock hammer. There's a wide range of rock hammers available with different prices, weights and materials. Good rock hammers are well-balanced and made of a single piece of hardened steel.
Handle grips may be made of rubber or leather for cushioning.
Rock hammers weighing eight ounces or less are suitable for children, while those weighing 16 to 22 ounces are good for adults. The ideal weight depends on the hardness of the rocks. Hammers may have a chisel edge or pointed tip. The pointed-tip rock hammers are usually called rock picks. Either version is bound to be a hit-literally.
Starter Kits: Ready-made starter kits are available or you can customize one just for your favorite rockhound. Items for a well-rounded starter kit include:
• A heavy-duty bag to carry tools and rocks
• Rock hammer
• Two or three rock chisels
• A short-handled or collapsible shovel
• Cleaning brushes
• A jeweler's loupe
• Safety goggles
• Sturdy gloves
Safety items to include are a whistle and compass for emergencies and guidance.
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Rock&Gem Magazine.
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This story is from the December 2022 edition of Rock&Gem Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORGAN HILL POPPY JASPER
In California, there are very few places to collect semi-precious stones. Many locations from the past have been either exhausted of the material or the land has been developed.
THE ACORN
The briolette gemstone has the same design attributes of a regular gemstone, however, the pavilion is elongated and the crown is usually domed. This is perfect for an elegant pendant, earrings or a pendulum.
HOW TO PUT A PROTECTIVE CAP ON A CAB
To protect a specimen cab, often a cap is needed. In my case, I had a slab with the because of the color of the background and the pattern. This background had a more silicified consistency than most sandstones. It had no graininess like most sandstone, so I'm inclined to compare it to a jasper. The pattern was typical of a dendrite.
The Resilient Revival of Anne Brontë & Her Stones
For the first time, the Anne Brontë rock collection underwent complete description and identification, and along with Professor Hazel Hutchison of Leeds University and Dr. Enrique Lozano Diz at ELODIZ (a company specializing in spectroscopy analysis), an analysis of that collaboration, Anne Brontë and Geology: A Study of her Collection of Stones, was published in April 2022 in Volume 47, Issue 2 of the peer-reviewed journal, Brontë Studies & Gazette.\"
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