Field Guides & Identification Tools

Intro:
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been rockhounding for decades, a good field guide can turn a mystery find into a confirmed specimen. This section highlights the most useful tools for identifying rocks, minerals, and fossils—both on-site and at home.

General Field Guides & Tools

These are excellent resources for rockhounds anywhere, covering a wide variety of rocks, minerals, and fossils.

Books:
Rocks & Minerals: The Definitive Visual Guide
Peterson Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals
Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals

Apps:
– Rock Identifier
– Mindat.org Mobile
– Geology Toolkit

Tools:
– Streak plate
– Mohs hardness picks
– Hand lens (10x–20x)
– UV flashlight

These are tailored to rockhounds in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.

Rockhounding Oregon (by Lars Johnson) – Detailed locations, GPS data, and specimen types across the state.