Looking For A Very Detailed, Extensive, Illustrated, And Complete Guide To Rocks, Gems, And Minerals Book.

[Phoenixflood]

I’m looking for the best, most complete and illustrated rocks, gems, and minerals book out there. I’m talking everything. I have not been able to find a book that contains all the rocks gems and minerals. Does anyone know if one exists or of one that contains most of them?

[Kratos]

I’m looking for the best, most complete and illustrated rocks, gems, and minerals book out there. I’m talking everything. I have not been able to find a book that contains all the rocks gems and minerals. Does anyone know if one exists or of one that contains most of them?

The best one I've ever found is the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals" it will cost you about 15 to 20 bucks. I also own several of the "Gem Trails of ______" books which are ok for finding sites. Altough most of the sites are pretty picked over. Hope this helps.

[Bill]

I very much doubt if there is such a monster. Mindat "statistics" lists 4,359 names recognised as valid mineral or mineraloid names. Here Then there are thousands of rocks.

[Kratos]

The best one I've ever found is the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals" it will cost you about 15 to 20 bucks. I also own several of the "Gem Trails of ______" books which are ok for finding sites. Altough most of the sites are pretty picked over. Hope this helps.

I just found the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals" selling for 13.57 on amazon.com, you can also click on the link to look through the actual book before you buy it. This book is has great specimen photos and is by far my favorite mineral guide.

[PaleoRon]

The realm of rocks and minerals is so vast that you will not find a single book that covers everything. Go to a couple of libraries and bookstores and check out what they have available. If you have a local college with a geology department check to see what they have. Don't buy until you have seen what's available or you might end up unhappy with your purchaces. There are a lot of books out there on the subject.

[Phoenixflood]

Thanks to all

[tracer]

phoenix - my head almost exploded when i tried to mentally imagine such a tome. you can find giant books on just one

mineral. i could imagine an encyclopedia on quartz. you didn't say what you wanted to accomplish by finding such a book. as kratos mentioned, a field guide would probably be a good start if you're wanting something to have when you're not near a computer.

[mommabetts]

The best one I've ever found is the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals" it will cost you about 15 to 20 bucks. I also own several of the "Gem Trails of ______" books which are ok for finding sites. Altough most of the sites are pretty picked over. Hope this helps.

I have this book and it is a really good one to have.

[Phoenixflood]

I have this book and it is a really good one to have.

Thanks to everyone. Yes, I do know it would be a herculean effort to amass such information in one book, but I didn't know if one was out there or not. I do have this book already, which I have found helpful

A Pocket Guide to Rocks and Minerals

by James Lagomarsino

I will look at the books you all have suggested

[screweduptexan]

Yes, I heard the audobon field book is a good one too from a mineral dealer in Little Elm. He seemed to know what he was talkig about when I visited the Mineral and Gem show in Dallas last year.

[Guest solius symbiosus]

The Audubon Society field manuals are decent(I probably own most of them), but Simon and Schusters "Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals", I feel, is a much better product.

[Phoenixflood]

The Audubon Society field manuals are decent(I probably own most of them), but Simon and Schusters "Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals", I feel, is a much better product.

Thanks for the input! I will check that one out as well