Geology and Earth Science News and Information

Rock & Mineral Kits The best way to learn about rocks and minerals is with specimens!

Chalk is a variety of limestone formed from fine-grained marine sediment known as ooze.

Hydraulic Fracturing increases well yield by fracturing the reservoir rock with fluid injection.

Geology.com News contains news about geology and earth science from around the world.

Ant Hill Garnets - tiny gems that ants haul to the surface and discard on their anthill. Honest!

Canadian Diamond Mines produce some of the largest and highest quality diamonds!

Ilmenite - The primary ore of titanium and source of most titanium dioxide.

Landslides A USGS fact sheet about landslides and events that trigger them.

Fire Opal is a transparent to translucent opal with a yellow, orange or red background color.

California Earthquake Maps - A collection of isoseismal maps for earthquakes in California.

Portable UV Lamp - Short and long wave UV for fluorescent mineral viewing.

Wall Maps - Wall maps of the world, continents, states and the USA.

Mount Etna - The most active volcano in Europe continues an eruption that started in 2001.

Talc is a soft mineral used in cosmetics, paper, paint, ceramics and many other products.

Hardness Picks - Mohs hardness testing with precise and easy-to-use hardness picks.

The Acid Test - Geologists use dilute hydrochloric acid to identify carbonate minerals.

Gem Silica is a blue chalcedony colored by copper. It is the rarest and most valuable chalcedony.

Frac Sand - A specialty sand used to maintain porosity in hydraulic fracturing.

Meteorites - Rocks that were once parts of planets or large asteroids.

Geology Dictionary - contains thousands of geological terms with their definitions.

Debris Flows are moving masses of loose mud, sand, soil, rock and water.

Rocks - Galleries of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rock photos with descriptions.

Mohs Hardness Scale is a set of reference minerals used for classroom hardness testing.

Free Google Earth software allows you to browse seamless world satellite images. Free.

Minerals - Descriptions, photos, articles, properties and uses for common minerals.

Volcanic Explosivity - Rating volcanic eruptions based upon the volume of tephra ejected.

Geology Tools Rock hammers, field bags, hand lenses, maps, hardness picks, gold pans.

The Rock Used to Make Beer - Geologists are beer experts and should know about this rock.

Rhodonite - a manganese silicate used as a minor ore of manganese and as a gemstone.

Obsidian - the volcanic rock that cools so quickly that it becomes a natural glass.

Extraterrestrial Gems - A number of materials from space are used as attractive gems.

Gemstones - Colorful images and articles about diamonds and colored stones.

Granite - The intrusive igneous rock that underlies continents and countertops.

Sliding Rocks Mystery - What causes these rocks to slide across a playa in Death Valley?

Ethiopian Opal - The new opal heavyweight that might give Australia a run.

Moldavite is a gem material born about 15 million years ago when a pair of asteroids struck Europe.

100+ Gems - Photos of over 100 beautiful gems ranging from the popular to the obscure.

Geodes look like ordinary rocks on the outside but can be spectacular inside!

Diamonds - Learn about the properties of diamond, its many uses, and diamond discoveries.

Soapstone is a metamorphic rock with properties that make it suitable for a variety of projects.

Fool*s Gold is a name used for pyrite when its brassy color fools people looking for gold.

Teacher Resources - K-12 resources for teaching about earth science.

Geology Books - A variety of books for reference, field trips, reading and more.

Crater of Diamonds - The only diamond mine in the world where you can be the miner.

Topo Maps - The DeLorme Atlas is an entire state of topo maps in one convenient book.

Know the Rules before removing rocks, fossils or minerals from public or private property.

What Is The Moho? The Mohorovicic Discontinuity is the mantle/crust boundary.

Solar System Volcanoes - Earth is not the only location of volcanic activity.

Utica Shale is confirmed as a major source of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids.

Arctic Ocean Seafloor Map - The ridges, basins, shelves and rifts defining the Arctic seafloor.

How Are Hurricanes Named? There is a plan for naming tropical storms.

Tallest Tsunami - A wave with a run-up height of 1720 feet occurred in Lituya Bay, Alaska.

Largest Earthquake ever recorded - Magnitude 9.5. Chile, 1960.

Labradorite is a feldspar mineral that sometimes exhibits an iridescent play-of-color.

Rare Earths - Special materials used in electronics, defense, medical & many other products.

Hand Lens A 10-power folding magnifier in a metal case. A frequently used lab and field tool.

Fluorescent Minerals and rocks glow with spectacular colors under ultraviolet light.

Ammolite is a fossil and a gemstone. It is shell material from fossil ammonites.

United States Gemstones Small mines in the U.S. produce a diversity of gemstones.

Emerald is the most popular green gemstone in the United States and most of the world.

Bear Attacks - Knowing how to react to a bear encounter or attack could save your life.

Rock Tumblers - All about rock tumblers and rock tumbling. Read before you buy a tumbler.

Types of Volcanic Eruptions - A description of the most common eruption types.

Olivine - Abundant in Earth*s mantle. A constituent of meteorites. The gem peridot.

Ruby and Sapphire are the 2nd and 3rd most popular colored stones in the United States.

Volcanoes - Articles about volcanoes, volcanic hazards and eruptions past and present.

Cave of the Hands is a cave where ancient people painted hands about 9000 years ago.

Salt Domes - Salt structures that are often associated with oil and natural gas accumulations.

Azurite Granite ? A white granite with blue orbs of azurite. A new material from Pakistan.

The Many Uses of Gold - Unique properties make gold one of the most useful metals.

World Record Lightning - this lake has more lightning than any other place in the world.

The Richest Meteorite Field - More meteorites found here than anywhere else on Earth.

The East Africa Rift System - The extensive fault system that is tearing Africa apart.

Coal Through a Microscope - Coal is more than a black rock. It is THE most interesting rock.

Largest Volcano - That title is shared by Tamu Massif, Mauna Kea and Ojos del Salado.

Rock-Forming Minerals - most of Earth*s crust is made-up of a small number of minerals.

Troglobites are creatures that have adapted to a permanent life in the darkness of a cave.

Spectacular Diamonds have an exceptional size, color, clarity, crystal form or other property.

Dowsing is a method used to find underground water that is rejected by most geologists.

Sand is a diverse material. This gallery includes photos of sand from around the world.

What Is Earth Science? The study of Earth and its neighbors in space. Learn more!

Mineral Rights - Who owns the minerals under your land? Who wants to buy them?

Blue Flames and the largest highly acidic lake in the world at Kawah Ijen Volcano.

Homeowners Insurance might not cover the types of damage that you think it should.

US Diamond Mines - Did you know that diamonds have been mined in the United States?

What is a Geyser? Photos and information about geysers in many parts of the world.

Shale - The rock that has quickly transformed the oil and gas industry.

Quartzite is metamorphic rock formed when sandstone is subjected to heat and pressure.

Vanadinite is an important ore of vanadium and a minor source of lead.

Tanzanite was unknown until a few decades ago but it has erupted into wide popularity.

Kyanite is a metamorphic mineral used to make porcelain, abrasive products and gems.

Green Diamonds - one of rarest and most valuable diamond colors.

What is LNG? The use of LNG as an energy source is growing rapidly. Learn more about LNG.

Largest Hurricanes Are they determined by wind speed, value of damage, most deaths?

How did the Hawaiian Islands Form? The power of a moving plate over a stationary hot spot.

Helium is a byproduct of the natural gas industry. Its most important use is in MRI.

Herkimer Diamonds Doubly-terminated quartz crystals used as specimens and gems.

Lapis Lazuli - a metamorphic rock and the most popular blue opaque gemstone in history.

Ticks are a problem for geologists in some areas. Learn to recognize and avoid them.

Petrified Wood is a fossil that forms when silica replaces and infills the cavities of wood.

Tallest Mountain - Everest has rivals in tallness, altitude and distance to the center of Earth.

Rock Art - People have been marking on rocks for thousands of years.

Mount Vesuvius - geology, history, maps, facts and more about the Vesuvius eruptions.

Zircon is the primary ore of zirconium and a gemstone that is available in many colors.

Facts About Copper - Information about copper uses, production, resources and more.

Turquoise - A bluish-green gem material that has been used for over 6000 years.

What are Glaciers? Learn how glaciers form, flow, advance, retreat, and change over time.

Variscite is a yellowish green to bluish green mineral. It is similar to turquoise and cut as a gem.

Diamond Misconception - Many people think that diamonds form from coal. Not True!

What is a Maar? The second most common volcanic landscape feature on Earth.

Azurite - Used as an ore of copper, a pigment, ornamental stone and gem material.

Kilauea Eruption - photos of the 2018 eruption in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea Volcano.

Waterproof Paper - Don't take chances with your field notes and maps. Use waterproof paper.

Corundum is the third hardest mineral. It is also the mineral of ruby and sapphire.

Hematite - The most important ore of iron. A source of mineral pigment since prehistory.

Pele*s Hair and Pele*s Tears are two unusual types of lava found at Kilauea and other volcanoes.

Chalcopyrite - The most important ore of copper for over five thousand years.

Garnet is best known as a red gemstone. It occurs in any color and has many industrial uses.

Eagle Ford Shale - One of the most prolific oil and gas producers in the United States.

The Uses of Marble are numerous and diverse. You will be surprised by how it is used.

June 6, 1912 - The most powerful volcanic eruption of the 20th century.

Mount Cleveland is an active volcano in the Aleutian Islands and a threat to air traffic.

Crushed Stone - About four tons per person is used each year in the United States.

What is Geology? The study of Earth materials, structures, processes and life over time.

Oil Fields from Space - Night views of Earth show the distribution of oil field activity.

Rhyolite An extrusive igneous rock with a high silica content, produced from granitic magma.

Abandoned Mine Accidents kill several people every year. Education can prevent deaths.

Range of Bear Species - Where you might encounter different types of bears.

Peridotite is a chromite host rock, a source of diamonds and a possible carbon dioxide sink.

Tourmaline - an extremely colorful mineral and gem material.

Sunstone - A gem feldspar with aventurescence caused by light reflecting from platy inclusions.

Storm Surge can be the most damaging and deadly aspect of a hurricane.

Gold Pans and Panning Kits - classifiers, snuffer bottles. Learn how to pan for Gold.

Rhodochrosite - a manganese mineral used as an ore, a pink gem and an ornamental stone.

Expansive Soil causes more damage than floods, hurricanes & tornadoes combined.

Field Courses - Over 80 field courses for undergraduate geology students.

Methane Hydrate deposits contain more fuel value than all other fossil fuels combined.

Lightning Strikes Map by NASA shows the worldwide distribution of lightning activity.

Mineraloids are amorphous naturally-occurring inorganic solids that lack crystallinity.

Diamond Production leaders include: Botswana, Russia, Angola and Canada.

Horizontal Drilling has opened new resources and significantly improved productivity.

Plate Tectonics - Articles and maps about plate tectonics and the interior of Earth.

Steamboat Geyser - The world*s tallest geyser has erupted three times this year.

The Next Hawaiian Island could be growing in the Pacific Ocean right now. Its name is Lo'ihi.

Pictures of Opal - A collection of different types of opal from all around the world and Mars too!

Oil and Gas - Articles about oil and natural gas in the US and around the world.

Pavlof Volcano - one of the most active volcanoes in North America and a threat to air traffic.

Fossils - Learn about fossils and discoveries around the world.