Related Organizations:
American Federation of Mineralogical Societies, http://www.amfed.org
Eastern Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societies, http://www.amfed.org/efmls/
Interesting Links:
NOTE: The links listed here are ones we have found to contain interesting information.
Their inclusion is not intended as an endorsement of any related business.
Volcano Photography, http://www.photovolcanica.com
By Dr. Richard Roscoe of Munich, Germany. A wonderful site, not only with photographs,
but also with meaningful explanatory text. Check out the day time and night time pictures,
lava, hot springs, fumaroles, volcanic destruction, and volcanic landscapes.
Earth Science Picture of the Day, http://epod.usra.edu/blog/
A service of NASA’s Earth Science Division, the EOS Project Science Office at Goddard, and the
Universities Space Research Association. To appreciate the diversity of the site, visit the
archives going back to 2000. Check out: Categories, About EPOD, Frequently Asked Questions,
and Links. You may subscribe to receive the picture of the day on your computer. As a footnote,
you may vie to have one of your own pictures published.
Alan Guisewhite's Minerals Collection Images, http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~adg/adg-piimages.html
This site is the work of a man who is a senior research technician at Carnegie
Mellon University in Pittsburgh. PA. See his collection pages and select what you
would like to view. Clicking on the specimen shown will give you an enlarged view
and, sometimes, multiple pictures.
Deepest Under Sea Erupting Volcanoes, http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=116098
This National Science Foundation site reveals the very newest geology. View a couple of intriguing videos of live
action 4000 feet below the surface of the sea plus some still photos. Scientists found a type of lava never before seen erupting from an active volcano,
and for the first time observed molten lava flowing across the deep ocean seafloor.
Micromount Section of the Georgia Mineral Society, http://www.gamineral.org/Micromount_Section.htm
Dr. Dave Babulski who is the Section Chair maintains this web site. Scroll down for articles by members which cover nearly all aspects of micromounting.
You may even be prompted to pursue this phase of mineral collecting. There are a few pictures and a link to a separate web site on mineral art by the
Section Chair.
Maryland Mining, http://wamu.org/programs/mc/09/12/11.php#30831
This is an audio program of Andrew Hiller who conducts the Metro Connection series on WAMU, 88.5 FM. This is a 6 1/2 minute program featuring our members
Jeff Nagy and Fred Parker (and Al DeMilo of the GLMSDC as well.) Give it a listen. You will need Real Player or Windows Media Player or equivalent to hear this one.
US Topographic Maps, http://nationalmap.gov/ustopo
This site has USGS Topo maps available free for download. File size for each digital 7.5-minute quadrangle is about
15-20 megabytes. You can view maps or print them out. Zoom in and click on the “My Topo” button. This is a work in progress with but 17 states listed but will be a
good one to bookmark for future reference.
Pennsylvania Geology Online, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/pageolmag/pageolonline.aspx
This site is a handy way to get what was formerly a hardcopy publication. Find an archive dating from Spring/Summer 1997 to present. You may wish to subscribe to receive it regularly by email.
Meteorites and Their Properties, http://meteorites.lpl.arizona.edu/
This website is an online version of a book by David Kring of the University of Arizona. Go to the Table of Contents and step through the Introduction,
and about meteorites' Origins, Structure and Composition, Impacting and Craters, Frequency of Falls, Appearance when Freshly-Fallen, Hunting, Tests, Articles
and Books, and a Glossary.
Eye on Tiger Eye, http://www.lapidaryjournal.com/feature/jul00str.cfm
This website is a feature story from the July 2000 Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist magazine. Play 20 questions with authors
Si and Ann Frazier to learn a multitude of things about the stone.
FREE BOOK (FROM “DIAMOND DAN”): Treasured Minerals, http://www.russbehnke.com/book.html
Mr. Russ Behnke is a mineral dealer and collector from Meriden,
CT. He has field collected minerals since his childhood when he would go out collecting
with his father. He has put together a beautiful book of his life in mineral collecting
called Treasured Minerals. This one is outstanding. Download a free copy as a PDF
document from his website.
Fluorescent Minerals,
http://users.telenet.be/axel.emmerman/FiatLux/About_me.html
A web site about Fluorescent minerals is maintain by
Axel Emmermann. Read his bio on this page. A member of Mineralogische
Kring Antwerpen (MKA) from Belgium, he has dealer links where you may
see a few Fluorescent mineral dealer’s sites. Better yet, click on Minerals and
select English. There is a data base of a few minerals. Select a URL and get
all the minerals in that class. On some pictures moving the cursor on and off
the picture will give a white light or UV effect. An interesting side light is his
reporting to authorities lunar samples for sale illegally.
Dinosaur State Park, http://www.dinosaurstatepark.org/index.html
Dinosaur State Park is in Connecticut not far from Bristol and Hartford. 200 million year old Jurassic fossil tracks are preserved
by a dome structure in Rocky Hill CT. A nice museum circles around the perimeter under
cover. Click “What’s at the Park” to see dino footprints. They have a feature outdoors where you may make plaster casts if you have half an hour (and it is not raining.)
Mineralogy of Wisconsin, http://www.uwex.edu/wgnhs/MinIndexIntro.htm
WI Geological and Natural History web site that lists 300 or so minerals of Wisconsin. It is by Dr William S. Cordua, Professor of Geology/Mineralogy at the
University of Wisconsin, River Falls WI. The database is cross-referenced by
county and mineral. There are links to fluorescent minerals, meteorite ID, uses of
minerals, properties, Wisconsin Geology Related Attractions and others.
Rock Tumbling Hobby, http://www.rocktumblinghobby.com
A useful start for beginners going into the hobby or the more advanced telling what it’s all about, equipment used, stones, pitfalls,
and tips.
3D-Museum, http://test.3dmuseum.org
A new test site maintained by the Vertebrate Paleobiology Lab of the University of California, Davis.
The current gallery index is on the main page on the right. Currently about 50 living and fossil specimens can
be viewed and rotated at any angle you wish.
The Corunduminium, http://www.corunduminium.com
by William Heirerman, a Math teacher at Wharton County Junior College in Wharton TX.
American Mineralogist, http://www.minsocam.org/msa/ammin/toc/
has their articles from 1916 to 1999
available for free on this site. (Full text articles published in 2000-2008 are restricted to
Subscribers and Members but you can view the abstracts.)
Weird Geology Room, http://unmuseum.mus.pa.us/weridgeo.htm
by Lee Krystek explores
some geological features. Quicksand, Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, Tsunamis,
Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone Super Volcano, Ringing Rocks (listen to the sounds), Geysers
(watch the movies), and Crystals are revealed.
Napoleon Diamond Necklace, http://mineralsciences.si.edu/collections/napoleonnecklace.htm
Research on the necklace by E. Gaillou & Jeffrey E. Post as described in
"Gems and Gemology" can be viewed at this site. The Smithsonian
National Museum of Natural History site tells the history of the piece,
details about the necklace, and describes the intriguing infrared spectrometry and
fluorescence studies performed along with fine accompanying photographs.
Mimetoliths, http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/dietr1rv/mimetoliths/
A real site for sore eyes. Put together by Dr. R. V. Dietrich, Professor Emeritus at Central Michigan University,
it is up to you to have a vivid imagination. After you figure out what a mimetolith is,
explore all the venues of this one.
Great Basin Minerals, http://www.greatbasinminerals.com/
A commercial posting by Scott Kleine who concentrates on mineral specimens from
Nevada, there are minerals for sale (this is not an endorsement.) The enjoyable part is the
excitement of seeing collecting at various places for quartz, benitoite, gold, amazonite,
smoky quartz, heulandite and others. The archive page has pictures from his
many show visits.
Geology of National Parks by the USGS, http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/
Here you will find photographic tours of over 60 National Parks and Monuments
and other park related resources. You will need to obtain red and cyan 3-D viewing
glasses to get the stereo effect. Featured are both standard and 3D photographs along
with written information describing what you are visualizing. Perhaps you have some
cardboard glasses left over from a 3D movie you have seen. Plastic framed glasses may be
purchased but are not any better for viewing. There are instructions for making your own.
Making and viewing Anaglyphic (3D) photographs is explained. The tours describe park
geology and natural history.
Free Gemology Course, http://www.bwsmigel.info/
This site is by Barbara Smigel, PhD, GG, who is a professor emeritus at the
College of Southern Nevada. There are 10 lessons, 10 essays, audio pronunciation guide,
and a 5.66 MB pdf pictorial survey, among other attributes.
Mammoth Site of Hot Springs SD, http://www.mammothsite.org/
This is the world’s largest mammoth research facility south of the Black Hills where you can tour an
active paleontological dig site and view Ice Age fossils exhibited as they are found. There is a 60 ft.
deep Karst sinkhole where they invite you to drop in sometime! The operation is run by a nonprofit
group. Discovered in 1974, you may pay an actual visit there (download a brochure) or take a virtual
tour, learning about the paleontology and geology.
Geology.com, http://geology.com/
This website by Hobart King is a compendium of earth science news, maps,
dictionary, articles and jobs. You can even sign up for daily email messages
about earth science news. The section on meteorites (http://geology.com/meteorites/) is particularly timely,
with the recent meteorite fall near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in Canada
on Nov. 20 and a fall in Colorado on December 5th.
Benitoite, http://www.benitoite.com/benitoite/index.shtml, by John Veevaert, is
This is actually a subset of the Trinity Mineral Company, Weaverville CA. In the site
he shows his personal collection, which is not for sale. Additionally there are
excellent articles about benitoite and neptunite from the world wide famous San
Benito Co., CA locality, how to clean the specimens, and past mining news. The
mine is being operated commercially for specimens. Sale specimens are also shown.
The Quartz Page, http://www.quartzpage.de/index.html
is by Amir Akhavan in Germany. This site is a compendium of information about all
varieties of quartz. Learn about the mineralogy of Quartz, its properties, crystals,
and varieties. The section on growth forms is fascinating. Learn something about faden
and gwindel quartz, for example. Nicely illustrated, you will note the European
viewpoint. Do not overlook the enlargements which are activated by clicking the
pixel sizes under the photographs. References include not only a bibliography but
also useful links. An index offers quick shortcuts to site content.
Utah Geological Survey, http://geology.utah.gov/
offers lots of learning possibilities. On the main page, work through the
subheadings at the left. Clicking "open all" reveals a multitude of topics, among
which are Geology, Dinosaurs and Fossils, Rocks & Minerals, and Great Salt Lake.
Geosights allows you to vicariously visit some outstanding spots.
How Volcanoes Work, http://science.howstuffworks.com/volcano.htm
Magma and Plate Tectonics, Forming of Volcanoes, Types of Eruptions, Shapes and Sizes,
and Eruption Frequency are covered in an educational, non-technical way.
Links lead to lots more information. Do not miss the videos and motion clips.
Black River Fossils, http://www.blackriverfossils.org/
was begun by a guy going by the name of "diTchweEzil." It originally covered only the
(lonely?) low country of SC but has expanded now, due to contributors, to far reaching
places like CA, HI, SD, TX, and even Belgium., France, and Germany. There are a number
of subjects including fossil hunting, forum, articles, cartoons, excursions, and image
gallery.
Fossil Fishes of Bear Gulch, http://www.sju.edu/research/bear_gulch/
gives a peek at an assortment of 130 fishes and other species being collected from a
lagerstätte there. Find out what that term means. Bear Gulch is a Mississippian
formation in central Montana, about 14 km by 9 km wide, and up to 30 meters deep.
See the results of nearly four decades of study by the authors, Lund, Richard, and
Grogan, E.D., 2005.
Herkimer Diamonds, http://geology.com/articles/herkimer-diamonds.shtml
Those NON-diamonds (quartz) found in central NY are featured here. Read about
collecting techniques, location and geology, and the collect-for-a-fee commercial
mines.
Totems to Turquoise, http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/totems/?src=e_f
from an American Museum of Natural History (NY) exhibit in 2004-5 is still
an attraction to people who find Jewelry Arts and especially Native American
craftsmanship of interest. There are sections about cosmology, society, artists,
history, and a gallery.
All About Gemstones, http://www.allaboutgemstones.com/
By parent company KHI, Inc., this is an intriguing site with over
700 images and 2500 photos, diagrams, and illustrations. A virtual
encyclopedia, it covers a lot of ground and touches on gemstones,
gemology, grading, cleaning, mining, history, cutting, equipment,
precious metals, reference books, and several aspects about jewelry.
Aurora Fossil Museum, http://www.aurorafossilmuseum.com/
Gives an overview of fossils of the PCS Phosphate mine and other
sources. There is information about their location, hours of
operation, cost (free!), collections, and gift shop. "Shark tooth mound"
is a dig site open to all ages, and events like the upcoming Aurora
Fossil Festival on May 22-23 are featured. Very useful fossil identification
photographs and an article about the geology of Aurora help to educate.
A Guide to Common Mineral Fakes, http://www.the-vug.com/TheVugQuarterly/Munich2008web.pdf
This is an issue of the "The-Vug Quarterly Magazine" interspersed
with many commercial ads. The editor is Justin Zzyzx of Los Angeles CA
who brings you tales of seemingly unending "Caveat Emptor." Count the
ways I love thee: Minerals heated, irradiated, dyed, bleached, painted,
chemically treated. Glued, repaired, substituted, matrix added! Wrongly
identified species or locality. Manufactured, cast crystals, and more!
Similar fakes of fossils are described. Be aware.
Zeolites of the World, http://www.mindat.org/article.php/507/Mindat's+15th+Birthday+and+a+present+for+everyone
This book, by Rudy W. Tschernich is available free for the 15th
anniversary of Mindat’s website: Click to download the book, a very
thorough treatise. Warning! It is 237 Mb, so it will take some time to
download the 565 page book. How zeolites are formed, cleaning specimens,
industrial uses, and details of the approximately 41 species are covered
in this technical work.
Glossary of Glacier Terminology, http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1216/index2.html
This is by Bruce Molnia of the USGS. "Types of Glaciers", well illustrated,
shows Alaskan glaciers and land forms. The Glossary, though somewhat obtuse
because you have to work your way through the alphabet, gives you very
informative content.
Fossils of Nova Scotia, http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/
Read about geologic history, amazing discoveries, 8 important sites,
early and contemporary collectors, and the N.S. rules about protecting
the past.
World’s Largest Cave, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090724-biggest-cave-vietnam.html
Son Doong, in the Vietnamese jungle, concerns the discovery of what is purported to be
the world’s largest cave. It is no less than 262 X 262 feet and is at least 2.8 miles
long. The cave was known to locals but was thoroughly explored by scientists
from Britain and Viet Nam in April 2009. View the images shown on this National
Geographic web site.
A Geologist's Lifetime Field List, http://www.uc.edu/geology/geologylist/
A modification of an original work by Lisa A. Rossbacher in the April, 1990
issue of Geotimes. The University of Cincinnati in Ohio modified and extended
it and it offers a fun site showing places for geologists or travelers to
visit or experience. Unfortunately, many of the links are broken but you
could "Google" the topics. It covers far-ranging localities listed under
general geology topics as well as specific places to visit worldwide.
Ginko Petrifed Forest State Park, http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=7396
An overview of the Park, its geology, and other things of interest. Find nice
YouTube videos by the State Parks and Recreation Commission, each nearly 8 minutes
in length, with in-depth information:
Ice Age Floods in Washington, http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8449
A comprehensive cyber tour. Start with "Click here to start the tour." At
http://www.nps.gov/iceagefloods/d.htm is part of a conservation study,
with another overview on the floods and biography of two of the key people
involved with discovering the Floods.
Stonerose Interpretive Center and Eocene Fossil Site, http://www.stonerosefossil.org/
Presents information about the Center, far from any major metropolitan
cities, which has a small but nice museum, a study center, and oversees
a fee-for-dig collecting site at Republic WA. They reserve the right to
retain anything of high scientific importance and you may only keep three
fossils per day. The quality of fossils is outstanding and the site is well
known. The stone rose isn’t a rose at all! Read about it.
