Annual Meeting Rockbound 2022 Annual Meeting The 2022 meeting in Albuquerque explored Rio Grande rift geology, with a desert-rose selenite field lab and the first confectionery geolo…
Safety Standards Heat, Hydration, and Desert Fieldwork Standard Water minimums, turnaround times, and buddy checks for playa, desert, and high-sun outings.
Certification Specimen Documentation and Photography Specialist An advanced track in defensible specimen records: labeling, locality data, and photography fit for the identification database.
Identification Sphalerite Identification Sheet The principal zinc ore and a notorious deceiver: brilliant adamantine to resinous luster, six-direction cleavage, and a pale streak that …
Identification Beryl (Aquamarine and Emerald) Identification Sheet The beryllium silicate behind emerald, aquamarine, and morganite: long hexagonal prisms, harder than quartz, in pegmatites.
Identification Talc Identification Sheet The Mohs 1 anchor at the bottom of the scale: so soft a fingernail scratches it, with a greasy, soapy feel no other common mineral shares.
Identification Azurite Identification Sheet The deep azure-blue copper carbonate, malachite's constant companion, confirmed by its light blue streak and acid reaction.
Identification Magnetite Identification Sheet The strongly magnetic iron oxide: black streak, octahedral crystals, and a pull on the pocket magnet no lookalike can match.
Identification Halite (Rock Salt) Identification Sheet Common rock salt: cubic crystals, perfect cubic cleavage, and the only identification sheet where the taste test is the approved test.
Identification Corundum (Ruby and Sapphire) Identification Sheet The Mohs 9 anchor at the top of every field kit: ruby and sapphire are the same mineral, identified by extreme hardness and barrel-shaped…
