Collecting Gems & Minerals

by Chris Pellant

Published 31 August 1999
Imagine Earth as a giant treasure chest with priceless jewels, glittering gems, and valuable minerals--and unlock that box with this full-color guide to safe, environmentally sound ways of collecting these riches. Understand the properties of these stones, decode the secrets of crystals, and discover how gems and minerals are formed and identified. Examine famous gems in history and see how gems and minerals are used in jewelry and industry. Go on your own to search for precious stones with the information on where to look and what equipment and techniques to use. An identification guide help you classify your finds, and breathtaking photographs showcase exquisite examples from amber and amethyst to quartz and zircon.