Learn how to identify more than 500 rocks and minerals of the world through stunning photographs, detailed characteristics, and quick, accessible text. Its the ultimate gift for rock collectors - both beginners and enthusiasts, or anyone studying geology and earth sciences. Inside the pages of this comprehensive book about rocks and minerals, you'll discover:
- A clear visual key distinguishing different rocks and minerals to make identification easy and accurate
- Entries that include at-a-glance technical details, for quick reference
- Stunning photographs that show close-ups of key details and unique attributes
- Highlights of the key features of minerals: chemical group and composition, hardness, specific gravity, crystal cleavage, and fracture
- Highlights of the key features of rocks: group, origin, pressure and temperature, grain size and shape, classification, and fossils
- All you ever wanted to know about rocks and minerals - and then some
