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.