Rock collecting can be addictive

Author: jangkrikjr

2 Aug

A rock collection may be boring to look at for some but it gets more interesting once they heard the stories behind each find. I always see storytelling as part of rock collecting. I just can’t help telling them that one time when I almost fell off a cliff in pursuit of a piece of rock. Rock collecting can be quite addictive once you get the hang of it. It’s an interesting hobby that is quite hard to quit.

This hobby appeals to both adults and kids alike. This can be a father and son activity thing. It is quite challenging as a matter of fact. This is because even if rocks are practically everywhere, finding a unique sample of each rock type can lead you to searching for all your life. Well, maybe not that long but some perfectionists might actually spend that long before finishing their masterpiece rock collection. The hobby differs to each person so don’t fret too much about it.

Rocks can be classified into three types: the sedimentary, igneous, and the metamorphic rocks. Each type have several kinds and knowing the characteristics of each one will help you a lot in identifying which type is which.

Sedimentary rocks are formed just like the word says, through the formation of sediments. Sand, silt, fragments of rocks, and even animal and plant remains can all add together and form sedimentary rocks when the pressure and heat is right. It will take years before the rock is formed but one of the characteristics of the rock is that you can see the layers of sediments packed as lines across the stones cross section.

Igneous rocks on the other hand are formed through volcanic activity. The rising magma from the Earth cools down as it goes up and the magma that cooled down will create rocks of an igneous nature. The third type, the metamorphic rock, is pretty much like a sedimentary rock. However, this time the rocks are changed due to immense heat and pressure.

One type of rock collecting is focused more on getting minerals, gems and crystals. Hunting for pure minerals and gems are commonly included in rock collections even though the composition of minerals and rocks are different. Some examples of minerals include pyrite which is also known as fool’s gold and the quartzite which a novice can easily mistake from the real diamond.

A probably addictive nature of rock collecting is the fact that you can visit different places in search of various rock samples. You can get to enjoy nature this way. Okay, the title rock collecting can be addictive is a bit of an exaggeration. Having this hobby is quite interesting and because all you need is some basic equipment and the passion to learn, rock collecting is a hobby for all.

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