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Books : Science : Earth Sciences : Mineralogy
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The Smithsonian Handbook of Rocks and Minerals combines 600 vivid full--color photos with descriptions of more than 500 specimens. This authoritative and systematic photographic approach, with words never separated from pictures, marks a new generation of identification guides. Each entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight the chief characteristics of the rock or mineral and distinguishing features. Color--coded bands provide a clear, at--a--glance facts for quick reference. In addition, each mineral entry features an illustration showing the crystal system to which the mineral belongs. Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, the Smithsonian Handbook of Rocks and Minerals explains what rocks or minerals are, how they are classified, and how to start a collection. To help in the initial stages of rock identification, a clear visual key illustrates the differences between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, then guides the reader to the correct rock entry. A concise glossary provides instant understanding of technical and scientific terms
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Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World, here turns his attention to a common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt. The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the very beginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part of the history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served as currency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspired revolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with an unending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopic history is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
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Gemstones of the World is truly the single volume that every hobbyist, jeweler, jewelry maker, and rockhound needs: it’s the cornerstone of the field. And this updated edition contains a host of new findings on “Gemstones for Collectors,” additional gems in the “Table of Constants,” and the “double fraction” figures that experts have long wanted—a very special new feature.
All the gemstones are treated in their many variations: more than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough, natural, and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on the gemstone’s formation, structure, physical properties, and characteristics, along with the best methods of working, cutting, and polishing it. There are even full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian, and a special section is devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials are also covered, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl. Charts and tables help collectors identify unknown gemstones and check for genuineness.
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Written and designed for the beginner, this book describes and illustrates the most common and interesting rocks and minerals, from simple sandstone to exotic gems. Illustrated with dozens of beautiful color photographs, it tells how these rocks and minerals formed and how to identify them--and includes tips on collecting. 175 color photographs, 12 line drawings.
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Seemingly the simplest of stories—a passing anecdote of village life— Rock Crystal opens up into a tale of almost unendurable suspense. This jewel-like novella by the writer that Thomas Mann praised as "one of the most extraordinary, the most enigmatic, the most secretly daring and the most strangely gripping narrators in world literature" is among the most unusual, moving, and memorable of Christmas stories. Two children—Conrad and his little sister, Sanna—set out from their village high up in the Alps to visit their grandparents in the neighboring valley. It is the day before Christmas but the weather is mild, though of course night falls early in December and the children are warned not to linger. The grandparents welcome the children with presents and pack them off with kisses. Then snow begins to fall, ever more thickly and steadily. Undaunted, the children press on, only to take a wrong turn. The snow rises higher and higher, time passes: it is deep night when the sky clears and Conrad and Sanna discover themselves out on a glacier, terrifying and beautiful, the heart of the void. Adalbert Stifter's rapt and enigmatic tale, beautifully translated by Elizabeth Mayer and Marianne Moore, explores what can be found between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—or on any night of the year.
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Contents: Setting Up a Basic Lab; Proper Lighting; How to Use Each Instrument & What It Will Show; Major Errors and How to Correct Them, and more. Appendixes: Charts & Tables of Gemstone Properties, Schools, Laboratories, Associations and Publications, Readings. Glossary. Index.
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The world’s fascination with the Russian imperial family endures, and with this stunning book a new spotlight is added. Jewels of the Tsars, the first book to examine the family’s unparalleled collection, is illustrated with extraordinary photographs taken under special conditions at the Kremlin’s Diamond Fund, and accompanied by 18th- and 19th-century portraits and photographs of the Tsars, their families, and their court. Prince Michael of Greece, a Romanoff descendant, writes with an insider’s knowledge of his family’s passion for rare and beautiful jewels, and their place in the troubled history of Imperial Russia.
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In this remarkable book, Barbara Freese takes us on a rich historical journey that begins hundreds of millions of years ago and spans the globe. Prized as “the best stone in Britain” by Roman invaders who carved jewelry out of it, coal has transformed societies, expanded frontiers, and sparked social movements, and still powers our electric grid. Yet coal’s world-changing power has come at a tremendous price, including centuries of blackening our skies and lungs—and now the dangerous warming of our global climate. Ranging from the “great stinking fogs” of London to the rat-infested coal mines of Pennsylvania, from the impoverished slums of Manchester to the toxic streets of Beijing, Coal is a captivating narrative about an ordinary substance with an extraordinary impact on human civilization.
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This handy identification guide to the most common kinds of rocks and minerals offers concise and fascinating information on;Physical and chemical propertiesOrigins and geologic significanceGems and semiprecious stonesHow to find and collect specimensIllustrated in full color throughout, this is a gem of a guide for rockhounds and mineral collectors!
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In this book two renowned experts share their lifelong passion for geodes and their extensive knowledge of world-class geode deposits as they present the latest theories on the formation and occurrence of these amazing mineral gifts of nature. Visit the geode mines of Northern Mexico and Southern Brazil with Brad Cross. Learn the geode mining process and how the astonishing treasures hidden inside are uncovered. Travel with June Culp Zeitner as she explores vast geode deposits throughout the Midwestern U.S. that provide a recorded history of the ancient seas that once covered the land. Discover Florida's ocean harvest of unparalleled agatized geodes. Meet the close cousins of geodes--thundereggs, septarians and concretions. See over 140 full-color photos of geodes that defy description!
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Although known for its gold production, California is a virtual haven for rock and gem collectors. With this informative guide, you can explore the mineral-rich desert regions, comb tide-washed beaches for jade, agate, abalone, fossilized whale bone, and prospect in the mountains and hills for gold, copper, and other minerals and gems. It describes 75 of the state's best rockhounding sites and covers popular and commercial sites as well as numerous little-known areas. This handy guide also describes how to collect specimens, includes maps and directions to each site, and lists rockhound clubs around the state. Rockhounding California offers a complete introduction to this many-faceted hobby and is an outstanding guide and sourcebook.
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Newly revised, and completely updated, How to Buy a Diamond is the only book on the market to include wholesalers’ secret pricing charts that you, the public, never get to see! The charts are broken down by carat, clarity and color-including the various grades of color, for the first time ever.
This valuable resource gives the information you need to get a stone that won’t leave you feeling cheated.
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Throughout history, precious stones have inspired passions and poetry, quests and curses, sacred writings and unsacred actions. In this scintillating book, journalist Victoria Finlay embarks on her own globe-circling search for the real stories behind some of the gems we prize most. Blending adventure travel, geology, exciting new research, and her own irresistible charm, Finlay has fashioned a treasure hunt for some of the most valuable, glamorous, and mysterious substances on earth.
With the same intense curiosity and narrative flair she displayed in her widely-praised book Color, Finlay journeys from the underground opal churches of outback Australia to the once pearl-rich rivers of Scotland; from the peridot mines on an Apache reservation in Arizona to the remote ruby mines in the mountains of northern Burma. She risks confronting scorpions to crawl through Cleopatra’s long-deserted emerald mines, tries her hand at gem cutting in the dusty Sri Lankan city where Marco Polo bartered for sapphires, and investigates a rumor that fifty years ago most of the world’s amber was mined by prisoners in a Soviet gulag.
Jewels is a unique and often exhilarating voyage through history, across cultures, deep into the earth’s mantle, and up to the glittering heights of fame, power, and wealth. From the fabled curse of the Hope Diamond, to the disturbing truths about how pearls are cultured, to the peasants who were once executed for carrying amber to the centuries-old quest by magicians and scientists to make a perfect diamond, Jewels tells dazzling stories with a wonderment and brilliance truly worthy of its subjects.
From the Hardcover edition.
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A fascinating guide to the more widely-known precious stones -- from uncut gems to spectacular examples of finished jewelry -- this is the ideal introduction to the glittering world of gems.
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Arizona is known the world over for its rich abundance and variety of geological treasures. Newly revised, the fourth edition of this best-selling guide updates the well-known sites and features twenty new locations for collecting rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils. Situated in landscape as diverse as the minerals themselves, these sites vary from arid desert to pine covered peaks. Includes over 90 collecting sites.Detailed text describes where to go and what to look for at each collecting area. Maps for each site lead the rockhound to an almost limitless supply of specimens. Black and white photographs picture the collecting areas. Color photographs highlight beautiful specimens. A new glossary makes it easier to locate that special specimen for your collection.
Filled with expert advice based on years of experience, Gem Trails of Arizona is an invaluable guide for the rockhound just starting out. For the experienced collector who has searched for Arizona's mineral resources for years, it is an outstanding source for the best collecting sites throughout this scenic state.
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Revered for their beauty, unique electrical qualities, and metaphysical attributes, crystals have been precious to mankind for centuries. Crystals for Beginners explores the universal allure of crystals and demonstrates how to channel their dynamic energies.
Beginning with how crystals were formed in the Earth billions of years ago, this practical guide introduces the history and myth surrounding these powerful minerals. From agates to zoisite, the characteristics of specific crystals are presented, along with advice for collecting, cleansing, and charging them. Readers also learn how to apply crystal energy to meditation, healing, psychic development, magic, divination, astral projection, dream work, and much more.
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From glittering gemstones to fascinating minerals and fossils, Rock and Gem is an incredible celebration of the Earth's buried treasures. Including specially commissioned photographs of more than 450 illustrious specimens and information-rich text, this book illustrates each stone¹s unique characteristics and its relationship to humankind through the ages.
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A concise treatment of the fundamental principles of sedimentology and stratigraphy, featuring the important physical, chemical, biological and stratigraphic characteristics of sedimentary rocks. Emphasized are the ways in which the study of sedimentary rocks is used to interpret depositional environments, changes in ancient sea level, and other intriguing aspects of Earth history. Topics include the origin and transport of sedimentary materials; physical properties of sedimentary rocks; composition, classification and diagenesis of sedimentary rocks and principles of stratigraphy and basin analysis. For individuals interested in one text providing comprehensive coverage of both sedimentology and stratigraphy.