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Articles and stories from past issues of the Mineralog and generous contributors and enthusiasts from other clubs and throughout the community.
Amber ... by club-member Tom Taffel.
Demystifying The Mysterious Tahitian Black Pearl ... by club-member Tom Taffel
Down All the Days ...A poetic rememberance of benitoite allure and frustration by club-member Jay Bates.
Facts About Gold... The Truth About Jade... ... by club-member Tom Taffel
Black Coral ...by club-member Tom Taffel
An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide for Wirewrap ...by Junesse Farley, courtesy of McRocks.com
What Is A Mineral ...by Chuck DeFlorin, Minnesota Mineral Club
Meteorites ...from The Natural History Museum of London, Mineralogy Project 4.
The Richness of Color in Minerals ...by Chuck DeFlorin, Minnesota Mineral Club.
The Seven Systems ...from "The Petrograph, May, 1999", (The Mineral & Gem Society of Castro Valley, California).
Staurolites ...from "The Rear Trunk," March, 1999 (The Nebraska Mineral & Gem Club, Inc.)
About Pegmatites ...via "The Mountain Gem" & "The Lithosphere"
Crystal Basics ...by Bill Hubbard, Palomar Gem, April, 1999
Hints for Rock Collectors ...from The U.S. Geological Survey
Lapis Lazuli ...courtesy of "Nature's Bounty," a gem and mineral shop in Carmel, California.
Online Gemology Course ...an off-site link to a useful, comprehensive, and FREE do-it-yourself gemology course by Barbara Smigel, Ph.D, GG, and Emeritus Professor at The College of Southern Nevada.
Online Mineral Identification Key ...an off-site link to step-by-step do-it-yourself mineral identification online by Alan Plante, Donald Peck & David Von Bargen.
The Theo Chronicles
Whits of wit, wisdom, knowledge and tips as dispensed by beloved past Mineralog Editor Theo Steinhauer are compiled here in no particular order. Click here to peruse from the top or click on a topic below to go directly to the desired snippit.
Agates and Jaspers...Best Choice for Beginners
Changing Color in Stones by Heating
Gypsum in its Various Disguises
Habent Sua Fata Libelli (Books have their fate)
Is it a Nodule, Geode or Concretion?
Field Trip Reports
Agates and More at Pescadero Beach, California ...by Kevin Anderson, member SFGMS
Topaz Mountain Area, Utah ...by Jay Bates, member SFGMS
Northern Nevada Opal, Eastern Oregon Sunstone and more ...by Lee Bates
A Montana Trek ...by Jay Bates, member SFGMS.
Benitoite Gem Mine, Spring, 2007 ...by Jay Bates, member SFGMS.
Clear Creak Mines, San Benito County, California ...by Jay Bates, member SFGMS.
Himalaya Tourmaline Mine, San Diego County, California ...by Jay Bates, member SFGMS.