With Brittany Burkhardt
Rock Talk 1.
This class will cover the basics: What are rocks? What are minerals? How do they form? How do we identify them? What are fossils? How do we know how old they are? Where can we look around here for specimens? How does a person get into the rockhounding loop?
Kids old enough to sit through a couple-hour lecture are welcome. Cost is $25 per person. Kids under 18 are $10.
@ the McReavy House Museum of Hood Canal
Th., April 14th, 6-9PM, or Sun., April 24th, 9AM-Noon.
The Sunday class will be followed by a Rock and Fossil Swap from 1 to 4PM. There will be displays of specimens with an opportunity to buy and trade. This is open and free to everyone.
Register by contacting Brittany at rareearthspecimens@gmail.com.
Rock Talk 1 – Outline
Part 1. Introduction to Rocks
A. Igneous
1. Basalt
2. Rhyolite
3. Andesite
4. Associated minerals
B. Metamorphic
1. Foliated
2. Non foliated
3. Associated minerals
C. Sedimentary
1. Mechanical
2. Chemical
3. Associated minerals
D. Rock Cycle
Part 2. Introduction to Minerals
A. What is a mineral?
B. How do they form?
1. Periodic Table of Elements
2. Structure of an atom
3. Ionic, covalent bonds
4. Group activity
C. Mineral Properties: Identifying minerals
1. Hardness
a. Moh’s hardness scale:
1. talc
2. gypsum
3. calcite
4. fluorite
5. apatite
6. orthoclase feldspar
7. quartz
8. topaz
9. corundum
10. diamond
b. scratch test demo
2. Cleavage
a. examples
b. cleavage demo
3. Fracture
a. concoidal
b. uneven
c. splintery
d. earthy
4. Luster
a. metallic
b. vitreous
c. resinous
d. waxy
e. greasy
f. earthy
5. Streak
a. streak test demo
6. Crystal form (crystallography)
a. Isometric
b. Tetragonal
c. Hexagonal
d. Orthorhombic
e. Monoclinic
f. Triclinic
7. Mineral/mineral aggregate habits
a. acicular (needle like)
b. bladed
c. dendritic (branching)
d. equant (roughly same size in every direction)
e. prismatic (elongated in one direction)
f. striated (shallow, parallel grooves on faces)
g. tabular
h. globular/botroidal
i. radiating
j. stalactitic
k. fibrous
l. amorphous (no recognized crystal structure)
D. Other Properties
a. odor
b. taste
c. magnetism
d. specific gravity
e. transparent/translucent/opaque
f. fluorescence
g. temperature responsiveness
h. chemical responsiveness
i. color
E. Washington Mineral Localities
Part 3. Introduction to Fossils
A. What is a fossil?
B. How do they form?
C. Types
1. molds
2. casts
3. skeinkern
4. petrification
5. carboniferous
6. trace
D. How do we know how old they are?
1. Relative Age Dating
2. Absolute Age Dating
E. How do we classify them?
F. Washington Fossil Localities