Preliminary: Rocks and Minerals

[tuftedtitmouse12]

ok thanks...i was just going to ask, in general, which guidebooks would you recommend?

[Wadhk]

The Smithsonian one's pretty good (for quick info and iding).

[salcedam]

Is it safe to assume that the list that will be used is the one from 2008?

[RespectTheBlade]

Is it safe to assume that the list that will be used is the one from 2008?

I have no idea, but my general guess would be no, as the lists change a bit.

EDIT: As far as guidebooks, I have a nice DK one that is sorted bhy color for minerals and rock type for rocka (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary.) also has a key for identifying rocks, and info on specific gravity, luster, chemical formulas for minerals, and Moh's scale.

[pjgscioisamazing]

The last time Rocks was an event, I used the Simon and Schuster guide of Rocks and Minerals. I thought it was good... did pretty well with it too.

[salcedam]

I have no idea, but my general guess would be no, as the lists change a bit.

EDIT: As far as guidebooks, I have a nice DK one that is sorted bhy color for minerals and rock type for rocka (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary.) also has a key for identifying rocks, and info on specific gravity, luster, chemical formulas for minerals, and Moh's scale.

What's the name of the guidebook that you have?

[Mimsie]

I did R&M my 8th grade year (only once, at state, got 2nd) It is by far my favourite event ever. We used the audubon book. I am SO excited that it's coming back

I actually identify by looks (not color, looks - biotite, malachite, muscovite, etc), feel (Graphite, talc), and crystal structure (Almandine, that one is my favourite).

[Paleofreakazoid]

SO excited for R&M! I'm named after a mineral That is, if I make the team next year . . .

EDIT: I mean, I'm still named after a mineral even if I don't make the team . . . just, I won't be as excited . . .

[Infinity Flat]

Grabbed two field guides from my school today - Audubon and Peterson. Haven't looked at them too thoroughly yet, but the Audubon one seems better to me - lots of nice pictures and clearly laid out information.

[gneissisnice]

I did R&M my 8th grade year (only once, at state, got 2nd) It is by far my favourite event ever. We used the audubon book. I am SO excited that it's coming back

I actually identify by looks (not color, looks - biotite, malachite, muscovite, etc), feel (Graphite, talc), and crystal structure (Almandine, that one is my favourite).

Almost every mineral can be identified just by look if you get enough practice looking at samples. The rest can be narrowed down and you can tell them apart by hardness or streak, or some other methods (for example, olivine and epidote are generally the same color, weight, and hardness, and they have the same streak, so you basically have to see that olivine can be "suchrosal", or having a texture that's kind of like sugar, and epidote often occurs with hornblende and rhodonite, so if you see any black or pink, it's probably epidote).

Also, I would recommend making a binder rather than using a field guide. Even if you tab it, guides aren't as easy for finding the information you want right away (they typically have the picture and the info in different sections, if I'm not mistaken). You can use a binder and a field guide together if the rules haven't changed, but in all honesty, the only use I ever got from my field guide was letting another team borrow it because they forgot theirs (and I'm pretty good at the event, got 3rd at Nationals when I was in 9th grade).