Customer Reviews

A Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the definitive handbook for the rockhound. Nicely updated with more and better pictures to help in identification of rocks and minerals. Too bad that Peterson's decided to save a nickel on the binding -- my copy of "Rocks and Minerals" was splitting out within a week.

I've had other Peterson's Field Guides which were softcover but HARD bound. These are useful handbooks that will last a lifetime.

If you buy a cheap paperback to read once, the binding isn't of much concern. A "field guide" deserves better.

The "Cambridge Guide to Minerals Rocks and Fossils" is just about as good, is about the same price, and has sewn in pages.

This book is arranged according to the mineral classifications, which is good if you know your minerals. The mineral testing section (flame tests, bead tests, etc.) is not found in very many field guides. As a professional Geologist, I would recommend this to other geologists, not to rock hounds. The National Audubon Society's field guide is better for rock hounds; there are more photos and they are arranged by color. The Audubon's minerals are still by classification, but the testing information is not included.