From the Nature Nook Bookshelf - Field Guides to Rocks and Minerals

Field Guides to Rocks and Minerals

Book Review by Jean Flick

The marvelous geodes in the Nature Nook and the large decorative crystal in the butterfly garden are both favorites of children visiting Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  Kids know:  rocks are fun!!   Beyond fun, Rachel M. Barker, with the US Geologic Survey (USGS) reminds us that rocks “tell the story of the Earth.”

Most rocks at the Earth’s surface are formed from only 8 elements (oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium), but these elements are combined in various ways to make rocks that are very different.  Geologists classify rocks into the three major groups (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), according to the major Earth processes that formed them (USGS website).  HNWR is located where the gently rolling black land prairies meet the more hilly terrain of the eastern cross timbers, providing us a glimpse into the geologic footprint that began millions of years ago when northern Texas was covered by a huge, warm, shallow sea.

               

There are three different rock and mineral field guides available in the HNWR Nature Nook.  Each offers unique features for the beginning or experienced geologist to explore and learn about a wide variety of geologic phenomena.  As you wander the refuge, by car or foot, be sure to take a rock and mineral field guide with you and discover more about “the story of the Earth” right here in our corner of that Earth.

The National Geographic Pocket Guide:  Rocks and Minerals of North America by Sarah Garlick.

This compact field guide, published in 2014 by the National Geographic Society, is lightweight and will fit easily in a backpack, pocket, or fanny pack.   The guide features 160 geologic forms and phenomena and is organized into the categories of minerals, rocks, fossils, and structures and landforms.  Each page contains high-quality photos of individual specimens for close-up comparison and photos of larger formations that might be viewed from a trail or road.  Key facts are presented in an interesting manner, making this an excellent guide for a family outing that will include a look at geologic features.

Use as a first guide for young and old to share in the discovery of the wonders of geology.

Smithsonian Nature Guide:  Rocks and Minerals by Ronald Louis Bonewitz

This guide, published by DK Publishing (first American edition 2012), offers full-page profiles of 270 rocks and minerals.  Each profile includes a large photo of each specimen, along with small photos of variants and a concise description of key features.  The guide begins with general information about minerals, crystals, gems, and rocks and includes several pages of helpful hints for beginning collectors.  At 350 pages, this guide is still small and light enough to carry in a backpack, but loaded with large photos for easy identification.

Use to delve more deeply into the world of rocks and minerals and as a reference when beginning your own rock collection.

Peterson Field Guides:  Rocks and Minerals by Frederick H. Pough

This fifth edition, published by Houghton-Mifflin Co. in 1988, offers more in-depth information.  Photos of individual specimens, as well as various landforms, are grouped together in the middle of the book for convenience in identification and comparison.  Individual rocks, minerals, and other geologic phenomena are discussed in greater depth with comprehensive information on each specimen or topic.  At almost 400 pages, the guide packs in a wealth of information but is still well-sized to be carried in a backpack.

Use to glean the most in-depth information when learning about geologic specimens.

Photo Collage - Rocks at HNWR, by Jean Flick

The Nature Nook is run by Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  All proceeds are used for projects and activities at HNWR.