Disclaimer
Last updated: July 26, 2026
General Disclaimer
The information and tools provided by RockHoundry (“https://www.colemanite.com”) are for general hobby and educational purposes only. Everything here is offered in good faith, but we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, or completeness of any information or result on the site.
Any use of the information or tools is entirely at your own risk. It is your responsibility to ensure the results meet your specific requirements and to verify them before acting.
A Field-Craft Aid, Not a Lab Identification or Appraisal
RockHoundry’s calculators — the Mohs hardness estimator, the specific gravity calculator, the crystal system identifier, the tumbling grit schedule calculator, the UV fluorescence guide, and the specimen weight and size estimator — are designed to help you narrow down a mineral’s identity in the field and plan hobby projects like rock tumbling. They do not constitute a certified mineral identification, a gemological appraisal, or professional geological advice. RockHoundry does not provide, and this site should never be used for, valuation of a specimen for sale, insurance, collateral, or investment purposes. For a definitive identification of an unusual or valuable specimen, or for any appraisal or investment decision, consult a qualified mineralogist, gemologist, or accredited laboratory with proper equipment.
Results Are Estimates, Not Guarantees
The tools apply standard mineralogical formulas and reference data to the values you enter and round their output for readability. Field tests such as scratch-hardness comparisons and hydrostatic weighing are inherently approximate — impurities, inclusions, surface coatings, and measurement error can all shift a result. A displayed value or shortlist of candidate minerals is a starting point for further research, not a certified conclusion.
Why a Result May Look Off
A calculator can return a surprising or unhelpful answer when:
- A specimen weighing includes moisture or debris: a wet or dirty specimen throws off both the air weight and the water displacement used for specific gravity.
- Scratch tests are inconsistent: a worn reference tool, a coated surface, or testing along a cleavage plane can give a false scratch reading.
- Cell parameters don’t match a standard system cleanly: measurement error can place a specimen near the boundary between two crystal systems.
- A specimen is a mixture or an aggregate: many field specimens are not a single pure mineral, so no single hardness, density, or crystal system will describe the whole piece.
No Warranty
RockHoundry expressly disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory, or otherwise, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that our tools, calculations, or information are error-free or complete, or that the website will be available without interruption.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, RockHoundry shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages — including a misidentified specimen, a damaged tumbling batch, or other losses — arising out of or related to your use of our tools and services.
External Links & Advertising
The site may link to third-party websites and displays advertisements from networks including Google AdSense. We do not investigate, monitor, or endorse third-party content, and the presence of a link or ad is not an endorsement of any product or service.
Changes to This Disclaimer
We may modify this disclaimer at any time. Changes are posted here with an updated revision date, and your continued use of the site indicates acceptance of the changes.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Disclaimer, please visit our Contact page or email us at support@colemanite.com.