The Firefly Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Gems

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 * 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 * 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 * 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 *