Rockhounding

Amateur geology or rock collecting is the non-professional study and hobby of collecting rocks and minerals or fossil specimens from the natural environment. In Australia, New Zealand and Cornwall, the amateur geologists call this activity fossicking. The first amateur geologists were prospectors looking for valuable minerals and gemstones for commercial purposes.

Eventually, however, more people have been drawn to amateur geology for recreational purposes, mainly for the beauty that rocks and minerals provide.

Back to Lapidary & Field Craft →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

ROCKHOUNDRY

Read the stone — minerals, crystals, and the rockhound's field craft.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every entry, image, and fact is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.