I keep my rocks just about everywhere. I keep then in my room on shelves, in display cases, and even outside in my rock garden. The best thing about rock collecting is that it is a very good hobby. It doesn't turn you into a couch potato. Most importantly, it's fun! Some rocks are valuable and hard to find. That is why I think it will be a lifelong hobby for me.

Now if you want to look for rocks and minerals, you must have the right tools. If you don't already have some of these things around your house, you should be able to buy them at your local hardware store or from a rock and mineral dealer.

Rockhounding Tools
Tool	Description
Rock Hammer	Should have a square head and a pointed end for breaking off small rock specimens to bring home
Chisel	A good tool for helping to loosen and break off rock pieces
Magnifying Glass	To help you take a closer look at the different mineral crystals and other structures in the rocks.
Safety Goggles	To protect your eyes from rock fragments that may fly up when you are loosening rock and mineral specimens
Notebook and Pencil	To jot down notes about the rock specimens that you are collecting - the date and place found
Newspaper	To wrap each specimen so that the rocks don't hit against each other and break
Bucket or Canvas Bag	For carrying your rock and mineral specimens home in

Now that you have all the right tools to get started rock hunting, you are probably asking yourself "where should I look for specimens?" Look for areas where there is exposed rock. Along stream beds, hillside ledges, and road cuts are good places to begin your rockhounding adventures. If you know that you will be collecting on someone's private property, ask their permission first. ALWAYS take along a friend. Let your family know where you will be exploring. BE CAREFUL!

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Copyright March, 2000