rockhounds
Amateur geology buffs
Rockhounds are amateur enthusiasts who collect rocks, minerals, gems, and fossils as a hobby.
They hunt for specimens in the field, attend gem and mineral shows, and often tumble or polish their finds.
The term combines the collector's quarry with the persistence of a hound on a scent: The rockhounds spent the weekend searching for agates along the lakeshore.
Representative items for examination
- tumblingAcrobatic rolling and flipping
- polishingSmoothing by friction
- cabochonsPolished, unfaceted gemstones
- facetingCutting angled surfaces
geodes · agates · jaspers · lapidary · beading · identification · labeling · cataloging
Crystalline silicon dioxide
- feldsparSilicate mineral group
- micaLayered silicate mineral
- calciteCrystalline calcium carbonate
- fluoriteCalcium-based cubic mineral
amethyst · turquoise · garnet · opal · agate · jasper · obsidian · pyrite
Removing earth below
- excavationAct of unearthing
- outcropSurfacing native stone
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
- hammersHeavy-headed striking tools
chisels · picks · buckets · sifting · panning · claims · quarries · mines
Parallel geological layers
- igneousFormed from cooled magma
- sedimentaryFormed from deposited material
- metamorphicUndergoing structural change
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
faults · formations · weathering · erosion · crystallization · volcanic · hydrothermal · deposits
Recreational pursuit enthusiasts
- clubsHeavy striking sticks
- societiesOrganized groups of people
- conventionsAccepted social practices
- newslettersPeriodic subscriber communications
forums · mentors · beginners · enthusiasts · collectors · lapidaries · old-timers · outings
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
- amberHardened ancient tree secretion
- dinosaurExtinct Mesozoic reptile
prehistoric · cretaceous · brachiopods · excavation · preservation · casting · matrix
specimens
Representative items for examination
- tumblingAcrobatic rolling and flipping
- polishingSmoothing by friction
- cabochonsPolished, unfaceted gemstones
faceting · geodes · agates · jaspers · lapidary · beading · identification · labeling · cataloging · cleaning
quartz
Crystalline silicon dioxide
fluorite · amethyst · turquoise · garnet · opal · agate · jasper · obsidian · pyrite · hematite
digging
Removing earth below
- excavationAct of unearthing
- outcropSurfacing native stone
- fieldworkResearch conducted on location
hammers · chisels · picks · buckets · sifting · panning · claims · quarries · mines · streambeds
strata
Parallel geological layers
- igneousFormed from cooled magma
- sedimentaryFormed from deposited material
- metamorphicUndergoing structural change
tectonics · faults · formations · weathering · erosion · crystallization · volcanic · hydrothermal · deposits · hardness
hobbyists
Recreational pursuit enthusiasts
- clubsHeavy striking sticks
- societiesOrganized groups of people
- conventionsAccepted social practices
newsletters · forums · mentors · beginners · enthusiasts · collectors · lapidaries · old-timers · outings · workshops
paleontology
Study of ancient organisms
- trilobitesExtinct marine arthropods
- ammonitesExtinct coiled-shell cephalopods
- amberHardened ancient tree secretion
dinosaur · prehistoric · cretaceous · brachiopods · excavation · preservation · casting · matrix
- hobby enthusiastsbirdwatchers, coin collectors, stamp collectors, fossil hunters, shell collectors
- hobbyistshobbyist, hobbyists, enthusiasts, crafters, collectors
- rock enthusiastsgeologists, mineral collectors, fossil hunters, gemologists
- earth scientistsgeologists, geophysicists, geochemists, geoscientists, seismologists