Rocks & Minerals - (DK Handbooks) Annotated by Chris Pellant (Paperback)

About the Book

"Unearth a treasure trove of knowledge about the rocks and minerals beneath our feet--from their formation to collecting them. Make identification easy and accurate with this compact visual guide, packed with photographs and details on formation, distinguishing features, and much more. Over 600 high-quality photographs capture the unique characteristics, colors, and attributes of more than 500 rocks and minerals. Each specimen's entry includes annotated photographs to highlight the rock or mineral's distinguishing features, and concise details about its texture, origin, formation, and chemical composition to help identify it. Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, the introduction explains what rocks and minerals are, how they are classified, what equipment is needed for specimen collection, and how to start and organize a collection"--

Book Synopsis

Unearth a treasure trove of knowledge and discover the spectacular array of rocks and minerals on Earth!

Learn how to identify more than 500 rocks and minerals of the world through stunning photographs, detailed characteristics, and quick, accessible text.

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

From igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks to sparkling minerals, SI Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals leaves no stone unturned. Over 600 high-quality photographs highlight over 500 rock or mineral's distinguishing features. Explore concise details about each rock or mineral's texture, origin, formation, and chemical composition to help you with accurate identification.

Discover a mine of information at your disposal! Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, this mineralogy book explains what rocks and minerals are, how they are classified, and what equipment is needed for specimen collection. It's the ultimate gift for rock collectors - both beginners and enthusiasts, or anyone studying geology and earth sciences.

Don't stop exploring!

Before you go, there are many more SI Handbooks to explore! Discover the cleanest-cut photographic field guide to over 130 gemstones from around the world in SI Handbooks: Gemstones. Learn all about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and the world they inhabited millions of years ago in SI Handbooks: Dinosaurs.

Review Quotes

"Beautiful and useful." -Library Journal

About the Author

Chris Pellant has been writing earth science books since the 1980s. These include The Complete Book of Rocks and Minerals, Fossils of the World, and Discover Science: Rocks and Fossils. In addition to his authorial work, he runs a photographic library with his wife, Helen, and is a dedicated researcher and conservationist.