It’s a great big world of rockhounding out there, and there’s a lot to explore. Here, we provide some links we recommend to further your quest for more rocks and more knowledge about them.
Beginners
This is a special set of links for rockhounds and other mineral enthusiasts who are new to the hobby.
| Rocks and Minerals of Pennsylvania |
| John H. Barnes |
| Although this 2004 booklet focuses on the state of Pennsylvania, it provides a great overall primer on geology for young people and adult novices that’s useful no matter where you live. |
| Beginner’s Guide to Rockhounding |
| Lori Hodel |
| This helpful introduction suggests sources for finding places to dig, rules to follow when you’re collecting, and what tools to bring. |
| A Glossary for New Rockhounds |
| Carl Quesnel |
| For those new to the hobby, here’s a list of some of the terms you might hear, concentrating on the most essential general terms, along with odd things rockhounds have come up with over the years. |
| Every Rock Has a Story |
| Ethan Baxter |
| Boston College geology professor Ethan Baxter gets down to earth in dozens of short videos about rocks, minerals, and geology for kids and the young at heart who are new to rock collecting. |
| Mineral and Educational Articles |
| John Betts |
| Veteran field collector and mineral specimen vendor John Betts provides articles about mineral photography, specific gravity testing, how to clean mineral specimens, tools to use for field collecting, and more! |
Other Mineral Clubs
Mineral clubs in general are very collaborative with each other, and it’s common practice to belong to more than one club, depending on your regional interest or your desire to have many field trip options. As a part of that collaboration, most clubs in the U.S. are part of an umbrella organization, the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS), and clubs in the Northeast also belong to a regional chapter, the Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies (EFMLS). Check out the clubs listed below, and join the ones that spark your interest!
| North Shore Rock and Mineral Club |
| Burlington, MA, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1958 that holds an auction and a May show each year, publishes the Mineral Matter newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $10 for an individual or $15 for a family. |
| Southeastern Massachusetts Mineral Club |
| Rockland, MA, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1968 that publishes a monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual or $20 for a family. |
| Worcester Mineral Club |
| Shrewsbury, MA, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1938 that holds a show each November, publishes the New Diggings monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual or $20 for a family (or up to $30 for a large family). |
| Connecticut Valley Mineral Club |
| Springfield, MA, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1940 that holds a show in March every year, publishes a semi-monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $20 per adult and $5 per child (under 18). |
| Maine Mineralogical and Geological Society |
| Portland, ME, USA |
| Anchoring the team of mineral clubs in the collecting paradise of Maine, this club holds a show in April every year, publishes the monthly Rockin’ Around newsletter, sponsors a large number of field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual or $20 for a family. |
| Oxford County Mineral & Gem Association |
| Bethel, ME, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1948 in the heart of the Maine pegmatite district that holds a show in July every year, publishes the monthly The Pegmatite newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual or $20 for a family. |
| Kennebec Rocks & Minerals Club |
| Chelsea, ME, USA |
| Mineral club that holds a show in September every year, publishes the monthly Kennebec Rockhounder newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual or $20 for a family. |
| Southeastern New Hampshire Mineral Club |
| Dover, NH, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1956 that holds a show in April every year, publishes the monthly Granite Chips newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $10 per person, with family members age 17 and under free. |
| Keene Mineral Club |
| Keene, NH, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1948 that holds an auction every May and a swapping space at the Gilsum Rock Swap in June, publishes the Collector’s Corner monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $12 for an individual or $14 for a family (or $20 for mailed newsletters). |
| Capital Mineral Club |
| Canterbury, NH, USA |
| Mineral club that holds a show in August every year, publishes the Crystals and Cabs monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $10 per adult member (no fee for “Junior” members). |
| Burlington Gem and Mineral Club |
| Burlington, VT, USA |
| Mineral club formed in 1966 that holds a show in July every year, publishes an award-winning monthly newsletter, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $12 for an individual or $20 for a family. |
| New Haven Mineral Club |
| North Brandford, CT, USA |
| Mineral club that holds a show in April every year, publishes a monthly bulletin, sponsors field trips, and has annual dues of $15 for an individual, $20 for a family, or $6 for students. |
| The Micromounters of New England |
| Chelmsford, MA, USA |
| Mineral club for those interested in micromount specimens that holds a symposium in April every year, publishes a monthly newsletter, sponsors select field trips, and has annual dues of $12 for an individual or $16 for a family. |
Mineral Shows
Mineral clubs and exhibition companies sponsor shows, auctions, swaps, and other public events locally, across the country, and worldwide. Here are links to a few of the bigger shows. See the Other Mineral Clubs section above for shows by local clubs.
| Boston Mineral Club Annual Auction |
| Newton, MA, USA |
| This annual event, currently held in June (previously held in January), presents attendees with a wide range of voice auction mineral specimens suitable for all levels of collectors, along with a silent auction area with over 100 flats of mineral specimens and mineral-related items. |
| East Coast Gem, Mineral, and Fossil Show |
| Springfield, MA, USA |
| Also known as “the Springfield Show,” this is the largest mineral show on the East Coast of the U.S. It happens every August and has a separate wholesale section open to mineral dealers. |
| Tucson Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Show |
| Tucson, AZ, USA |
| Once a small local show, now one of the largest in the world, with several dozen separate shows running from January through February. Sponsored by the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society. |
| Denver Gem & Mineral Show |
| Denver, CO, USA |
| This is the second largest mineral show in the U.S. and happens every September. |
| Munich Show |
| Munich, Germany |
| Vying for the title of largest mineral show in the world, this huge show lures a worldwide audience every October. |
| Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines Mineral & Gem Show |
| Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France |
| Another premier European mineral show, this show lures its worldwide audience every June. |
Massive Repositories of Mineral-Related Information
There are a few go-to websites where rockhounds in-the-know go to research localities and minerals, share their finds, and communicate with others.
| Mindat |
| Founder: Jolyon Ralph; Sponsor: Hudson Institute of Mineralogy |
| This is the most important source of mineral-related information for any mineral collector. Includes mapped localities for nearly all known mineral occurrences worldwide, lists of species and photos of specimens from most localities, scientific information about all known mineral species, articles, mineral show information, bulletin boards, forums, and more. |
| New Hampshire Mineral Species |
| Founder: Tom Mortimer |
| The most complete compendium of mineral species occurring in New Hampshire, with lists by species, locality, and “Best of New Hampshire” photos of each species. Includes detailed information—with one or more photos—about every specimen catalogued on the site. |