The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems

Step-by-step Questions and Answers with detailed color photographs for easy identification.

The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems is designed for easy and reliable identification of minerals, gems and rocks. The identification process begins with the stone's streak color, which is how the book is organized: Blue, Red, Yellow, Brown, Green Black and White. Using a sequence of straightforward questions and answers -- aided by over 1,000 photographs and drawings -- the book narrows down the possibilities among 350 minerals, gems and rocks to reach the conclusive classification.

Identification is then further narrowed down with respect to Crystal form, Hardness, Luster, Density, Cleavage, Break and Tenacity. Each rock's main photograph shows the general or typical view, and identification tips about features are noted in the margins of the respective page.

Similar stones are presented for comparison and tips are provided that can eliminate imposters. Drawings show the mineral's crystal shape. The chemical formula reveals the elements from which the mineral is composed. There is also information about where the stone is typically found and some of the ways that humans have utilized it.

Packed with beautiful photographs of earth's many rocks, minerals and gems, The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems is perfect for amateur mineralogists and collectors.

Rupert Hochleitner has a PhD in Mineralogy. His area of specialization is systematic mineralogy. Other research areas are meteorites, in particular those of the planet Mars, oxidation minerals, and pegmatitic phosphate minerals. He has published numerous scientific articles and was for a long time editor-in-chief of the journal LAPIS, a specialist magazine for mineral collectors and mineral lovers. Since 1993, he has been deputy director of the Mineralogical State Collection Munich.