The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems - by Rupert Hochleitner (Paperback)

About the Book

"The practical and comprehensive on-the-go nature guide."--Page [4] of cover.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

A scholarly survey of mineralogy, this manual will appeal to the serious specimen collector with its stunning photos and erudite detailing. A color chart in the fold-out cover divides sections into blue, red, yellow, brown, green, black, and white rocks. A matching back cover categorizes and diagrams 28 crystalline forms. Each entry identifies the mineral by chemical formula and lists succinct details of cleavage, hardness, luster, density, fracture, and tenacity. Some contain common names (fool's gold, desert rose). Descriptors specify types -- vitreous, aggregate, metamorphic, igneous, radial -- and catalogue geometric shapes with such terms as isometric, monoclinic, tetragonal, rhombic. Commentary links minerals with geological formation in Alpinetype fissures, sedimentary rock, and hydrothermal veins and identifies some locales, such as Iceland, the Canary Islands, and Silverberg in the Bavarian Forest. A knowledgeable historian as well as mineralogist, Hochleitner notes anecdotal particulars; for example, the fact that Goethe was a rock hound, aegirite bears the name of the Nordic sea god, and copper working began in the Stone Age. A book for serious students of geology and earth elements, this work comes highly recommended for public, high-school, and college libraries.--Mary Ellen Snodgrass "Booklist" (1/30/2020 12:00:00 AM)

Hochleitner's pocket-size field guide is detailed and precise. Arranged by streak color, it includes abundant, details photos of specimens in naturel states and, often, close-ups after cutting or polishing, as well as key features for identification. Brief descriptions and information on chemical composition, crystal structure, and location aid in usefulness. Consider for all libraries when updating earth sciences or mineralogy sections.-- "Library Journal" (11/1/2019 12:00:00 AM)

Packed with beautiful photographs of earth's many rocks, minerals and gems... An ideal instructional reference for geology students, amateur mineralogists and collectors alike -- making it unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library collections.-- "Midwest Book Review" (12/1/2019 12:00:00 AM)

The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems is a field guide designed for quick and easy identification, and appears in a compact paperback take-along tote format that lends to this use. Photos of rocks and gems are accompanied by notes on crystal forms, hardness, density, and more. Each photo captures both typical views and close-ups of the rock's shape in comparison to others which may be closely related. This eliminates many problematic identification obstacles, making The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems an essential reference for rock hounds actively working in the field.--Diane Donovan "Donovan's Literary Services" (12/1/2019 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

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.