Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

 Stilbite crystals

Page: 1

Flourite

Hemimorphite in
Scoria

Tourmaline Crystals:
Red, Black & Green

Identify That Rock!: A

Basic Tutorial for Beginners
Created by Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Apache Tear in
Perlite

This lesson shows how to identify stones and

determine whether or not they are appropriate
for use in jewelry and how you will prepare them.
Variety of Igneous Rocks

MATERIALS and TOOLS :

Vanadinite

Random selection of stones

Grossular
Garnet

2 variety of Topaz
Gypsum Crystals

Fibrous Malachite

Wulfenite

Molybdenum

Agates & jaspers from Haida

Gwaii (a.k.a. The Queen
Charlotte Islands, British
Columbia, Canada)

Rock ID Kit:
One piece of shatter proof glass (about 1-2
inches in length, with no sharp edges, at
least 1/8 of an inch thick)
1-ceramic, unglazed white tile (2x2 square)
1-ceramic, unglazed black tile (2x2 square)
Jewelers Loupe (usually 10x magnification)
Steel nail or small fragment of steel
Vinegar in a small vial
Small eyedropper
Container to hold all of the above
Notepad to record your findings
Paper or cloth towels to wipe up spills
Container to hold your rock samples while
you are working with them
Table cover I use pieces of felt to cover my
table. I strongly suggest this so you can
avoid scratching your furniture.
Legal Stuff: By using and viewing the content of this
tutorial, you agree not to distribute, lend or copy any
portion of this document; to not mass produce this
document and to hold Skeena Storm Stones and
Shelby Raymond and Skeena Rocks! free of any and all
claims. This content is provided AS IS. If you wish to
use this in a classroom setting, please contact the
author for written permission prior to use.
*Children should always be supervised by a responsible
adult.
Whew! Got it all? Agree to the terms? Then please,
read on, be safe and have FUN!

River stones from on the shore of the Skeena River near

Terrace, British Columbia, Canada

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact

me.

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Page: 2

STEP 1: ROCK TALK

1
7

8
6
3

Well start with a couple of definitions so that

we are all talking the same language!

3 Main Categories of Rock:

1. Igneous
2. Sedimentary
3. Metamorphic
Igneous
Igneous rocks are formed when melted
rock, from deep inside the earth or a
volcano, makes it way to the surface
and then cools quickly. e.g. granite
and obsidian

4
(clockwise from top center): (1)gabbro, (2)diorite,
(3)scoria, (4)basalt, (5)pumice, (6)granite, (7)tuff, (8)
obsidian

2 Types of Igneous Rocks:

a. Intrusive = magma that cools
beneath the surface (i.e. granite)
b. Extrusive = magma that cools
above the surface, i.e. lava, basalt

Sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks are formed when
stuff piles up like stones, shells,
plant material, etc. As these items
pile up on top of one another, they put
pressure on the bottom layer, which
causes the items to stick together
eventually forming a solid rock. Quite
frequently youll be able to see the
layering effect.

19

10

18

20
17

16

11
13

14

12

15

(clockwise from top, center) (9)oil shale, (10)breccia,

(11)shale, (12)conglomerate, (13)limestone, (14)arkose,
(15)lignite coal, (16)fossiliferous limestone, (17)
brachiopod limestone,(18) travertine, (19)sandstone,
(20)calcareous tufa

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Sedimentary rocks can be used in

making jewelry, however, most are
very soft and need to be stabilized or
placed in epoxy to protect them from
every day bumps and even weather!
You will find fossil evidence in
sedimentary rocks more frequently
than the other two types. This is
because the heat involved in the
creation of igneous stones usually
destroys the object. Heat and pressure
frequently destroy potential fossil
objects during the creation of
metamorphic stones.

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Page: 3

Metamorphic
A metamorphic rock is created when other
rocks, igneous or sedimentary, are heated
or squeezed. This usually happens inside
the earth and the heat and squeezing
makes the rocks form into something that
can be completely different. You can see
this effect in some stones or even on the
sides of some mountains when there is a
folding effect. e.g. slate, gneiss

22
21
28
23
29
27

26

25

24

The crystals in metamorphic rocks are still

somewhat easy to see, though they are
more finely grained than their
sedimentary counterparts.
i.e. limestone  marble,
clusters of quartz quartzite
To the left are pictures of some of the
commonly found metamorphic rocks.

(Clockwise from top, center): (21)hornfels, (22)gneiss,

(23) marble, (24)phyllite, (25) quartzite, (26) slate, (27)
anthracite coal, (28) phyllite, (29) amphibolite

Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Cleavage &

Fracture
Another identity helper is to find out the
shapes formed on a rocks surface when
that rock breaks.

Mica var. Biotite Perfect Cleavage

To the left is a picture of Mica. This is

commonly found, especially in granitic
rocks. Mica breaks into layers of thin
sheets. Dark Mica, like you see here, is
dark because it contains iron &
magnesium. You can use mica in jewelry,
but it would be best supported in a gel or
epoxy because it is extremely fragile. As a
component in another stone it doesnt
usually pose problems, but the stone may
be more likely to fracture in mica planes.

Common Types of Fracture/Cleavage:

Perfect Cleavage as in mica, thin
sheets along a plane
Snowflake obsidian conchoidal fracture

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Conchoidal fracture-the break

curves, kind of like a seashell or bowl
shape could fit into the curve of the
fracture.

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Amethyst is a type of Quartz (both pictured above) and is

considered a semi-precious stone.

To the left is a fluorite crystal; fluorite

crystals are octahedral (they have 8
sides). Most minerals have a typical
crystal formation and this can help you
identify stones.

Grossular garnet, var. Hessonite in

metamorphosed impure limestone matrix

 garnet (gem)

MOHS Scale of Hardness

1. Talc
2. Gypsum
3. Calcite
4. Flourite
5. Apatite (turquoise, lapis lazuli)
6. Orthoclase feldspar (epidote,
labradorite)
7. Quartz (amethyst, aventurine)
8. Topaz (spinel, zirconia)
9. Corundum (ruby, sapphire)
10. Diamond
Quickie MOHS
2.5 = fingernail
3.5 = penny

Rev. 7-18-09

5.5 = pocket knife

6.5 = steel file

All Rights Reserved

Page: 4

Crystal:
A crystal is the form a mineral takes
on as it grows. You have probably
seen crystals such as rose quartz or
amethyst. The biggest crystals are
usually found in areas where there is
room to grow crevices and caves. Do
a search on the internet for the giant
selenite gypsum crystals found in the
Naica mine, Cave of Swords, south of
Chihuahua City, Mexico
M
you WILL be
amazed!

Gem:
Its kind of challenging to define what
a gem is. Usually gems are the hardest
stones, such as diamonds and ruby although opals give lie to that
definition! Gems are also usually
formed in igneous or metamorphic
rock. They are also usually quite rare
in fact, the rarer the stone, the more
valuable it tends to be. Gems are
usually brighter and contain fewer
impurities than their semi-precious
semi
cousins.
Mineral:
Minerals are the building blocks of the
universe. Most rocks are made up of
minerals. Each mineral has a clearly,
scientifically defined chemical content
and the atoms are put together,
arranged, in a very specific way.

MOHS Scale of Hardness

The MOHS Scale of Hardness is a quick and
easy guide to help you figure out how hard a
rock is and it also aids you in identifying the
rock. The softest stone is Talc at number 1,
with diamond being the hardest at number
10.
Harder minerals (higher numbers
number on the
scale) will scratch softer ones (the ones with
smaller numbers). i.e. quartz will scratch
orthoclase, apatite, fluorite, calcite, gypsum
and talc, but it will not scratch topaz,
corundum or diamond!

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

This is a great book

that was written by a
local geologist. With
this knowledge in
hand, combined with
information on what
formations are likely
to contain specific
stones, my rock hunts
are usually
successful.

Page: 5

STEP 2: KNOW YOUR PLACE

Learn about the area in which you live, or
places you can easily visit. Usually its
possible to find a rockhound group,
lapidary or mineral society. They are
wonderful sources of information.
Government websites also have
information on the geography and
geology of most regions. Its easy to
download maps or brochures that detail
what kinds of minerals and rocks may be
nearby.
Take a class in geography, geology or
rockhounding. Not only will you meet
people with similar interests, but you may
also learn of some new collecting sites!

STEP 3: MIND YOUR MANNERS

Map of world showing the distribution of major deposits plotted on digital
elevation model with draped geology from Geological Survey of Canada,
Open File 2915d, 1995.Data from the synthesis of ore deposits. Data
plotted and diagrams prepared by W.D. Goodfellow.

Whenever you are out looking for rocks,

have a rockhounding buddy with you and
make sure others know where you are
going and approximately when you will
return.
Always get permission before entering
private land. When in doubt, check with
local authorities.
Be careful. Take a first aid kit and know
the local numbers for emergency
assistance. Avoid active slide areas no
matter how great the find! Remember
that caves can be dangerous only enter
with a trained spelunker.

The Skeen River, Terrace, British Columbia, Canada

Know the type of rocks and minerals you

will encounter beforehand. You want to
avoid handling dangerous rocks and
minerals. Galena (grey and very heavy)
and sulfur (usually BRIGHT yellow) should
only be handled with gloved hands.
Finally, leave the places you rockhound as
you found them. Pick up litter and debris;
fill holes, respect landowners and others
who use the area.

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Page: 6

4. WHERE IN THE MOHS IS IT?

By placing a rock within the MOHS scale, you
are able to estimate the hardness of that
rock. This can be helpful in identifying a
stone.
When testing for MOHS, you dont need to
scratch with all of your strength. Using
normal pressure, like what you use when you
are writing with a pencil, scrape the testing
stone or tool across your rock.
zircon

Repeat this until your stone is scratched. If

your stone is special, dont use these tests, or
do them in an area you wont notice.

5. LOOKS DO COUNT
Colour is extremely important in the
identification of many rocks. Once you have
seen the green of malachite you will always
remember it.

Fibrous malachite

The appearance, or luster, of rocks is also

helpful in their identification. Some will look
some will look dull like chalk (slate has a
chalk dullness), glassy like a drinking
glass (think of quartz or obsidian); greasy
(graphite has a greasy feel); silky like silk
(asbestos types look silky).

6. IT AINT HEAVY ITS JUST TALC

When you look in rock identification books,
they usually provide the specific gravity (SG)
of a rock or mineral. This is basically a
comparison of the mineral or rock compared to
the weight of an equal volume of water. Water
has a SG of 1.
The mineral sample above is galena. This is a
toxic mineral you should avoid handling with
bare hands. It, and lead, are noticeably
heavier than most rocks.

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Rocks that seem heavy for their size usually

have a high density. The density of a stone
generally refers to how tightly packed the
crystals are. i.e. Galena has an SG of~7.47.6 and is quite dense, whereas sulfur weighs
in at ~2-2.1 and isnt nearly as dense as the
galena.

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Common Streak Colours

Page: 7

7. STREAKING IS ALLOWED

Limonite = Yellow-brown
Hematite = Red-brown
Gold = yellow
Galena = grey
Graphite = black
Pyrite = black
Magnetite = black
Chalcopyrite = black

When it comes to rock & mineral identification

streaking is allowed! In fact, it is
encouraged! This is where the ceramic streak
plates in your kit will come in handy.

Below are a couple of examples where knowing

the streak colour of stones can be quite useful.
The colour streak for gold is yellow and Fools
Gold (Pyrite) has a red streak!
Hematite (a popular jewelry making stone) has
a read streak, while galena (a toxic stone with
similar outward features) has a grey streak.

To find out what colour streak your rock has,

you will scratch it across both plates the
white and the black unglazed ceramic.
Sometimes youll be surprised, as the streak
left by a stone may be completely different
than the colour of its actual physical
appearance! Minerals harder than the plate
will not leave a streak.
It is important to note that most silicates
(most of the stones we use in jewelry fall into
the silicate class) have a white streak and this
may not help identify them.

8. POP, POP, FIZZ, FIZZ

Next we will play with the vinegar and the
nail. This tiny experiment can help you find
out if there is calcite (calcium carbonate)
present in your rock. Calcite is one of the
most common minerals on earth - ~4% of the
earths crust (by weight).
Holding your rock firmly in your hand, scratch
the surface with either a pocket knife or the
nail in your ID kit. If you cant scratch up a
little bit of shavings, you definitely dont
have a rock that contains calcite.
Now, drop one drop of vinegar onto the pile of
shavings. If it fizzes, calcite is present. If it
doesnt, you probably dont have calcite in
your rock.

Rocks that contain calcium carbonate:

Calcite (it IS calcium carbonate!)
Limestone
Marble (it is compressed limestone)
Carbonatite
Mexican Onyx
Iceland Spar

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Some folks use Muriatic (hydrochloric) acid in

10% dilution for this test. Because Muriatic
acid can be extremely dangerous to handle,
its not something I suggest. Handling
Muriatic acid requires special training and
hazard containment procedures.
Calcite can be the glue in:
Sandstone
Slate

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Page: 8

THANK YOU!
I hope this tutorial will help you identify some of
the basic stones in your world. Remember, even
experts have times when they cant identify a
rock specimen and need have it examined under
a special microscope or have a chemical analysis.

The rock above is the one well identify in this tutorial.

9. WHAT IS IT?
Take out your first rock and give it a good lookover. You might already have a good idea if you
are using a rockhound guide or map of deposits.
Can you tell if it is Igneous, Sedimentary or
Metamorphic?
My sample at left is Igneous it looks
like it cooled quickly because I dont see
any specific crystal formations.
What kind of fracture or cleavage does it have?
The fractures are conchoidal. With my
jewelers loupe I can see little dishes
or bowl shapes.

The best way to learn about

rocks is to meet with other
enthusiasts and explore as
many different stones as
possible. One of the best
ways I learn about stones is
through The Mineral of the
Month Club.
I wish you a future filled
with fascinating and
beautiful rocks and
minerals! In my humble
opinion, even a plain old basalt river rock is
gorgeous enough to be used in making jewelry;
in fact it is one of my favourites!

Where in the MOHS is this rock? Now well use

the MOHS scale to test my rock. Will #1 on the
MOHS scale scratch it?
No
In fact, this stone isnt scratched until
we get to #8 on the MOHS scale. I tested
it with zircon and it does scratch my
stone. I also dragged my stone across
the glass plate, just a little pressure is
necessary. It scratched the plate. Now I
know my stone is softer than #9.
I tried scratching it with my nail and couldnt get
any shavings.
This tells me two things: 1. I dont have
calcium carbonate present in my rock
and my rock is harder than the knife so
the MOH is greater than~5.5.
I know by observation that my stone is pink in
appearance, as well as translucent and glassy. I
also know that the area is known for quartz;
specifically rose quartz is frequently found. I
looked in my mineral book and sure enough,
everything matches up to rose quartz.
With all of the information I now have, I
know that my stone is rose quartz.

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

For comments or
questions, please go to
JewelryLessons.com
Please do not distribute
or copy.
Copyrights 2008, Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm
Stones, http://skeenastormstones.com
All photos contained within this tutorial are the
exclusive property of Shelby Raymond.
Map photo on page 5 is the property of the
Government of Canada, do not use without their
express permission.

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones

Identify that Rock: a Basic Tutorial for Beginners

Page: 9

SUGGESTED REFERENCES
A Field Guide to the Identification of Pebbles. Eileen Van der Flier-Keller. Harbour
Publishing.2006. ISBN-10:1-55017-395-2 (This is an AWESOME little reference for identifying river
rocks and regular stones!)
Rocks & Minerals. DK Publishing.2003. ISBN-13: 978-0-7894-9587-7
Guide to Minerals, Rocks & Fossils. A.C. Bishop, A.R. Woolley, W.R. Hamilton. Firefly Books.
ISBN: 1-55407-054-6
National Audobon Society - First Field Guide: Rocks and Minerals. Edward Ricciuti, Margaret
W. Carruthers. Scholastic Inc. 1998. ISBN: 0-590-0584-8
Mineral of the Month Club, http://mineralofthemonthclub.org (Please tell them Shelby Raymond
referred you! Thanks.)
The Mineral and Locality Database, http://mindat.org
Amethyst Galleries' Mineral Gallery, http://mineral.galleries.com/

Rev. 7-18-09

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2008 Shelby Raymond, Skeena Storm Stones