I Feel the Earth Move
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Welcome to Bob's Rock Shop
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- Tucson Gem and Mineral Show Reports
- Browse the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show with Bob!
- US Club List
- An Extensive Listing with Contact Info for Over 900 Mineralogical, Lapidary, Fossil and Just About Anything to Do with Rocks Clubs in the United States.
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- Alone No More
- Martian Meteorite ALH84001 Harbinger of Extraterrestrial Life
- Check out Bob's Martian Touchdown - A Rockhound's Cosmic Encounter with Three Extraterrestrials
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Rocks in the News
- From Bountiful to Barren: In a finding that may help scientists better predict the pace of climate change, new research shows how the Sahara Desert went from bountiful to bone-dry over a period of several thousand years.
- Iron 'Snow' Keeps Mercury's Magnetic Field: New scientific evidence suggests that deep inside the planet Mercury, iron "snow" forms and falls toward the center of the planet, much like snowflakes form in Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground.
- Blame It on the Beetles: Voracious insects ruined a whole lot of dinosaur fossils.
- When Did Dinosaurs Go Extinct?: Scientists have pinpointed the date of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary more precisely than ever with refinements to the argon-argon isotopic method of dating rocks and fossils.
- Earth Hums While Making 'Love' Waves: A subtle and mysterious global hum has been detected by seismologists studying records from earth's most boring seismic stations.
- Darwin's Theory Of Evolution Goes Online: The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online project makes his private papers, mountains of notes, experiments and research behind his world-changing publications available to the world for free.
- Signs of Hidden Ocean Underneath Titan's Crust: Slippage in Titan's rotation suggests water between its surface and core, and a higher likelihood of ancient life on Saturn's biggest moon.
- Hopes Fade For Tanzanian Miners: About 65 miners are feared dead after rainfall triggered the collapse of mines in Tanzania, Africa, the source of tanzanite, a valuable blue gemstone found only in a small area near Arusha.
- Google Earth User Discovers Meteorite Crater: The discovery of a meteorite crater in Western Australia's Pilbara has sparked a huge search on the internet for similar geographical features.
- Cassini Tastes Organic Material At Saturn's Geyser Moon: The Cassini spacecraft tasted and sampled a surprising organic brew erupting in geyser-like fashion from Saturn's moon Enceladus during a close flyby.
- Enceladus Hints At The 'L' Word: The latest encounter between the Cassini spacecraft and Saturn's moon Enceladus has come tantalizingly close to revealing the second location in the solar system that could support life.
- Scientists Discover Clue To Delay Of Life On Earth: A deficiency of oxygen and the heavy metal molybdenum in the ancient deep ocean may have delayed the evolution of animal life on Earth for nearly 2 billion years.
- Fossil Sheds Light On The History Of Sex: A long, thin rope-like creature standing erect on the sea floor up to 570 million years ago has been identified as the first animal on Earth with the capacity for sexual rather than asexual reproduction.
- Rare Mummified Dinosaur Uncovered: Using tiny brushes and chisels, workers picking at a big greenish-black rock in the basement of North Dakota's state museum are meticulously uncovering something amazing: a nearly complete dinosaur, skin and all.
- Exploring Mars: Icy Promethei Planum: Latest results from the Mars Advanced Radar for Ionosphere and Subsurface Sounding onboard Mars Express reveal the thickness of the Promethei Planum ice sheet in the Martian south polar region cap exceeds 3500 m.
More Rocks in the News
- Iron 'Snow' Keeps Mercury's Magnetic Field: New scientific evidence suggests that deep inside the planet Mercury, iron "snow" forms and falls toward the center of the planet, much like snowflakes form in Earth's atmosphere and fall to the ground.
Letters to the Editor
- Say NO to Akaka Governed Public Land: A bitter legislative battle is raging over collecting fossils on public lands.
 References for Rockhounds  |
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| Need More Input? Check Out the Shop's Extensive Catalog of Books for Rockhounds! | |||
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Bead Work
Buyer's Guides Casting Chain Making Collecting Guides |
Designs & Patterns
Faceting Gemstones Geology & Earth Science Gold & Mining |
Jewelry Making
Lapidary Rocks & Minerals Rockpups Smithing |
Stone Setting
Videos Wire Work |
Featured Book:
Turquoise - Mines, Mineral & Wearable Art
by Mark P. Block
Explore the fascinating story of turquoise, its history from ancient times to the present, and the influence of native artists in making this gemstone part of popular culture in America. Lavishly illustrated with over 390 dazzling color images, this book shows turquoise from New Mexico to Nevada, China to Iran, and all the important localities in between, in its natural state, cut, polished and set into silver and gold jewelry. Detailed text discusses its values and many mines that have relinquished turquoise over thousands of years. This comprehensive guide introduces more information on turquoise than you have ever anticipated or seen before. More Info on this Book
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Chambers Fit For A Queen - A Quest For English Ammonites
- Rock&Gem Feature Article
- More Rock&Gem Online Features:
- A Day in the Life of a Gemologist
- Into the Caves - "California's Underground" at the Oakland, California Museum
- Bingham Canyon Copper - Finding Chalcopyrite at "The Richest Hole on Earth"
- Rockhound in Greece - A Great Destination for Geology... and Humanity
- Honoring Mr. Jones - Our Senior Editor Gets What He Deserves
- Faceting Fascinates - With an Experienced Guide, You, Too, Can Bring Gemstones to Life!
- Tonopah and Goldfield - They Were the Hub of Nevada's Gold Rush
- Agates from the Land of Pumas and Craters
- Mexico's Mystery Stone
- A Lesson in Channel Work
- New England Pegmatites: They Have Been Mined Since America's Earliest Days
- Turquoise: Blue Sky...Blue Stone
- Faceting by Hand: Jack Lahr's Lap-Lap Relies on Primitive Power
- More Rock&Gem Online Features:
- Rock&Gem Magazine Article Search
- Search Back Issues for Articles with Topics of Interest
- Rock&Gem Writer's Guidelines
- An Extensive List of Upcoming Gem and Mineral Shows
- Submit Your Own Club's Show for Publication in Rock&Gem Magazine
Rock&Gem Magazine Show Calendar
- Rock&Gem Craftsman of the Month Contest
- Got a Pet Project Your're Proud of and Want to Show Off?
- Win and Rock&Gem Magazine will Feature Your Work and Throw in a Dremel Tool to Boot
- Entry Details - Browse the Current and Prior Contest Winners
- Win and Rock&Gem Magazine will Feature Your Work and Throw in a Dremel Tool to Boot
- Subscribe to Rock&Gem Magazine
- Enjoy and Learn from Rock&Gem Magazine for less than $1.00 per Issue!
- Need to Change Your Address for a Rock&Gem Magazine Subscription?
Beading and Bead Making Books
Buyer's Guide Books
Children's Books
Crystal Healing and Enlightenment Books Collecting Guide Books Faceting Books Faceting Machine Manuals Fossil Books Gemstone Books Geology and Earth Science Books Gold Prospecting and Mining History Books Jewelry Making Books Lapidary Books Mineral Books Mineralogical Record Back Issues Stone Setting Books |
- Software for Rockhounds
- Mineral Database and Identification Software: Photo Atlas of Minerals - Lithos - MinSearch - MDI Mineral Database - Geolib - Topaz - Minrls - Digital Rockhound's Companion
- Freeware Screen Savers for Rockhounds: Tucson Show V2001 - Grand Hikes - Minerals V1.0
- Freeware Faceters Companion CD!: Featuring Over 250 Faceting Patterns
- GemCad: Gemstone Design Software
- Ososoft Mineral Label: Freeware Specimen Labeling Software for Rock Collectors!
- RockWare Freeware: Erupt - GeoTrig - Mineral Mastery - Seismic - Magnetic
- Freeware Mars Map: High Resolution Orbiter Camera Global Mosaic
- Freeware Screen Savers for Rockhounds: Tucson Show V2001 - Grand Hikes - Minerals V1.0
- Rock Identification Key
- A Beginner's Guide and Key to Help You Identify and Put a Name on That Rock!
- Learn to ID and Distinguish Basalt, Diabase, Diorite, Gabbro, Granite, Obsidian, Pumice, Rhyolite, Scoria, Gneiss, Marble, Quartzite, Schist, Serpentinite, Slate, Breccia, Conglomerate, Limestone, Sandstone, Shale...
- Mineral Identification Key
- An Online Guide and Key to Aid in the Identification of Field Collected Mineral Specimens
- Covering Several Hundred of the Most Commonly Occurring and Collected Species
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- Crystallography and Mineral Crystal Systems
- An Illustrated, Nine-Part Primer on Crystallography and Mineral Crystal Systems
- Mineral Nomenclature: Naming New Minerals
- So You've Discovered a New Mineral and Want to Name It "Spottite" After Your Dog...
- Changes In Mineralogical Nomenclature: Varieties
- Why Rock Scientists Won't Understand the Question When You Ask "What mineral is amethyst a variety of"?
- Grand Hikes
- A Virtual Tour and Rockhound's Hiking Guide for the Grand Canyon
- Stromatolite Fossils in the Hakatai Shale - A Day Hike from Phantom Ranch
- Comanche Point Vicinity - An Overnight Hike to Spectacular Grand Canyon Supergroup Views
- Genesis V2.0 - God's Grand Work Week - A Grand Canyon Geology Primer
- The 1869 Expedition - An Account of the First Grand Canyon Float Trip
- Grand Hikes Screen Saver V1.0 - A Complimentary Grand Canyon Screen Saver
- Bob's Grand Canyon Backcountry Equipment Checklist - Don't Leave Home Without It!
- Stromatolite Fossils in the Hakatai Shale - A Day Hike from Phantom Ranch
- Alcyone
- A Faceted Gemstone Design for CZ Inspired by the Pleiadians - Designed by Bob Keller
Perfect Transfer
- Interested in Faceting? Check Out this Feature for Faceters!
- Currently Featured Cut: Spinning Wheel 40
- Gateway to Gemstone Designs on the Internet - Download Over 300 Faceting Diagrams with Cutting Instructions!
- Browse and Download the Freeware Faceters Companion CD
- Currently Featured Article: A Graphical Presentation of Brightness in the Standard Round Brilliant
- Index of Online Faceting Articles - Faceting How-to and Tips from Many Facetors and Gemstone Designers!
- Online Tangent Ratio and Gem Weight Calculators
- Content and Information for Faceters
- Currently Featured Cut: Spinning Wheel 40
- How to Wirewrap
- A Step-by-Step Pendant Design for Faceted Stones that Does Away With Claws
- Featured Articles by John Betts
Advice for Beginners
Anthony's Nose, New York
A Field Guide to Mineral Collectors
Mineral Prices: Why so High?Dealing with Dealers
Mineral Cleaning
Largest Mineral Crystals on Record
Display Lighting of Minerals
The Great Fresnoite Discovery of 1998
- Scott's Big Score in California's San Benito Mountains
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- Rockhounding Graves Mountain
- Collecting Rutile and Other Minerals at this Famous Georgia Locality
- Collecting at the Bunker Hill Mine
- Ron and Rose-Marie's Most Excellent Bunker Hill Mine Adventure
- Gypsum Rosettes
- Collecting at the Red River Floodway in Winnipeg, Canada
- Micromounter's Mecca
- A Visit to the Micromounter's Swap Room at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
- Check Out Tim Jokela's The Top Ten Reasons to Get Into Micromounting
- Anatomy of a Three-Headed Sphere Machine
- Interested in Rolling Your Own?
- Cabochon Making 101
- Cabbing with Tucson's Old Pueblo Lapidary Club
- Heating Treating Rock
- Why They've Been Heat Treating Rocks Since Man Domesticated Fire and How You Can Try It Yourself at Home
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Cabochons On Sale:
Cabochon Galleries: Calibrated Cabochons Galleries: |
- Feldspar
- An Introduction to the Feldspar Minerals by Anita D. Westlake
- Purple Passion Prospect
- Wulfenite Collecting near Wickenburg, Arizona
- Rock and Fossil Stamps of the United States
- A Preview Page of the Shop's Topical Stamp Catalog for Rockhounds
The Photo-Atlas of Minerals DVD - New Version 2.0 Available!  
This is the ultimate computerized mineralogical reference for Windows users, providing descriptive data, Dana and Strunz classification for all the known minerals, nearly 16,000 high-resolution specimen images, cross-indexing for searching and specimen ID, a hyperlinked glossary of mineral terms and much more! So, can you say widgiemoolthalite? The Photo-Atlas can... Further Details |
- Mineralogical Meanderings
- The Hardness of Minerals and Rocks
- Streaking Minerals - Streak Testing
- Collecting Micrometeorites
- Identifying True Amber
- Some Surefire Signs You're a Rockhound
- Collecting Rock Stamps
- Gem and Mineral Phonecards
- The Mysterious Power of Gemstones and Crystals
- Streaking Minerals - Streak Testing
- Bob's Rock Shop 1st WWW Specimen Image Contest Results!
- Do You Take Pictures of Rocks? If So, You'll Appreciate These - Check Out the Winning Entries!
- Winners competed for custom specimen mounting, mineral specimens, rockhound magazine and newsletter subscriptions, specimen labeling and mineral database software and more... These and other outstanding entries will also be featured in a new version of the Shop's ever popular freeware specimen image screen saver!
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- Product Reviews
- The Photo-Atlas of Minerals CD
- OsoSoft MineralLabel 5.0 - Now Freeware!
- Belomo 10x Loupe: An Inexpensive Russian Triplet
- GemOro Stereo Microscope
- Meiji Techno Binocular and Trinocular Stereo Microscopes
- Raynox Video MicroExplorer
- $8 BIRI Russian Radiation Detector
- OsoSoft MineralLabel 5.0 - Now Freeware!
- Book and CD Reports
- Dana's New Mineralogy, Eighth Edition
- Encyclopedia of Mineral Names, Special Publication 1 of The Canadian Mineralogist
- Gallery of Mineral Specimen Images
- George Campbell
- Ken Colosky
- Martin Friedlander
- Bob Keller
- David Michaels
- D.E. Russell
- Tim Schmanski
- Stuart Wilensky
- Wayne State University
- Ron Zeilstra
- Ken Colosky
Cut Rocks
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| Index to Advertisers | ||
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Alpine Minerals
Arizona Mineral Company Berg's Rock Shop Cabbers.com CabbingMachines.com DesignerStones.com John Betts Fine Minerals Lawrence H. Conklin, Mineralogist CR-Scientific Element 51 Microminerals Extinctions Fossils Faceters.com FacetingMachines.com FacetingRough.com |
Gemart Services
Gems By Mail Gold N Rocks GreatCabochons.com GreatRough.com GreatSlabs.com Mineral Exploration Services Mineral of the Month Club MineralsWeb African Minerals The Mineralogical Record Magazine PrettyRock RocksandGems.info Rocks and Minerals Magazine |
RockWare Earth Science Software
Simkev Micromounts Shannon & Son's Minerals Silver Supplies The Sunnywood Collection TumblingMachines.com TurquoiseBeads.com TurquoiseRough.com Tysons' Fine Minerals UC Minerals Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals Wilensky Mineral Video Wright's Rock Shop |
- The Shop's Link List
- The Shop's Pick and Links to Thousands of Other Websites of Interest to Rockhounds
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Email Lists and Discussion Groups for Rockhounds |
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Rockhounds List
Lapidary List Sphere Makers and Collectors USFG Faceters List |
Paleolist
Lost Wax Casting Group Grand Canyon Hikers Rough for Sale |
Minerals for Sale
Fossils for Sale Meteorites for Sale Gemstones for Sale |
Bob Keller