Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals

From the dust jacket:

Three earlier editions of this authoritative guide have been used all over the world to identify rocks and minerals in the field. The beginner will find here both the stimulus and the information to start a good basic collection, and for the experienced collector who lacks a perfect memory there is no more practical pocket reference. Descriptions cover all rocks that can be identified in their rough state and all of the common minerals, as well as some of the exceptional species that so intrigue those lucky enough to come upon them.

In this revised edition 268 photographs are now conveniently grouped at the center, 156 of them in color and 143 entirely new, including a plate of photomicrographs. As before, each mineral pictured has corresponding drawings of its crystal forms on the facing legend page. The localities of occurrence have been updated and expanded in the text, and an additional number of rare minerals are discussed and illustrated.

The first part of the book suggests where and how to find specimens and how to arrange them in a collection. There is a summary of the various kinds of rocks, followed by brief chapters about the physical attributes of minerals, their chemical and crystal classifications, and certain home-lab- oratory techniques that aid in their identification.

In the second and larger section 270 minerals, grouped according to chemical composition, are individually treated. For each entry the emphasis is placed on recognition by geographical area and geological environment, important physical properties and crystal outlines, and by other distinguishing characteristics revealed through a few relatively simple tests. With these methods the process of identification is quickly narrowed to a handful of similar species and the collector is spared the effort of separating one from hundreds of others.

For the serious naturalist who has not been trained in mineralogy, this Field Guide opens up a fascinating area for observation, study, and esthetic enjoyment.

As Curator of Geology and Mineralogy at The American Museum of Natural History, FREDERICK H. POUGH (pronounced "Poe") was in charge of one of the world's most famous collections. He is a widely acknowledged authority on gemstones and currently conducts mineral- hunting tours abroad. Among the books he has written are The Story of Gems and Semiprecious Stones and All About Volcanoes and Earthquakes.