Covers quartz, feldspar, calcite, mica, pyrite, and garnet with side-by-side cues for hardness, streak, luster, cleavage, and crystal habit. Each entry pairs a plain-language description with a "do not confuse with" note and a safe testing reminder.
Field Guide to Common Minerals
A pocket reference to the rock-forming and collectible minerals Rockies meet most often, organized by the properties you can test in the field.
Pocket reference
Examples drawn from Western US road cuts, stream gravels, and pegmatite dumps; always confirm collecting permissions before visiting.