Railroad cuts, rock pits, dump piles around mines, building
sites--they'll all yield specimens. Some of the best mineral
specimens collected in New York City came from skyscraper and subway
excavations. Help a New England farmer clear his field and you'll
have more rocks than you know what to do with.

As for reference books, many states publish guides to mineral
deposits. Mineralogical magazines list mineral localities.


Tips For The Field

Don't try to collect too much at once. Work early in the day or
late in the afternoon. A hot sun on bare rock can make you
sizzle--especially if you're loaded with equipment and samples.

Here's the equipment to take: newspapers for wrapping samples,
notebook and pencil, geologist's pick, cold chisel, magnifying
glass, compass, heavy gloves, a knife, and a knapsack. Later on,
you may want a Geiger counter for spotting radioactive rocks.

Be selective. Hand-sized specimens are best. If your sample is
too large, trim it to size, showing its most striking feature
to best advantage. When you wrap the sample in newspaper, include
a note telling when and where you found it. This information will
be transcribed to a filing card when you add the specimens to your
display, so make it as complete and accurate as you can.

When you get home, clean specimens with soapy, warm water, applied
with a soft brush. Soluble minerals like halite can't be washed,