During this time, train yourself to spot unique rocks that you would normally overlook. Keep your eyes peeled for old stream beds, ditches, road cuts, and other areas with lots of exposed rocks.
Some popular places to look for rocks include mountain ranges, beaches, lowland plains, natural cliffs, outcrops, and quarries. A map of popular collection sites. [3] X Research source
For some parks and monuments, such as the Grand Canyon, you need a full geological permit to excavate rock samples.
Even if they don’t have any rocks for sale, rockhound clubs can point you in the direction of interesting excavation sites.
Igneous rocks are firm, crystalline specimens formed out of magma. Popular variants include basalt, obsidian, and gabbro. Sedimentary rocks are layered specimens formed by water, ice, or wind. Popular variants include sandstone, limestone, and shale. Metamorphic rocks are igneous and sedimentary rocks that were transformed and flattened by extreme heat. Popular variants include slate, marble, and gneiss.
If you’re going to a popular collecting destination like the Appalachians, search online for region-specific rock guides to see what specimens exist in the area.
Before using your hammer, put on safety goggles to protect your eyes from debris. You can purchase geologist’s hammers from most home improvement stores.
If you can, take a picture of the exact spot you get each rock from. That way, if you have trouble identifying a rock later on, you can look at its photo for further clues.
If you don’t know what type of rock you have, consult the Mineralogical Society of America’s Rock Identification Key at http://www. minsocam. org/msa/collectors_corner/id/rock_key. htm. [10] X Research source
You can cut your rocks using the pick end of a geologist’s hammer, a slab saw, or a trim saw.
To keep your rocks from getting mixed up, try sorting them by type or location.
