Geology and Earth Science News and Information

Colored Diamonds are diamonds with a noticeable body color. They can sell for over $1M/carat.

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

Tourmaline - an extremely colorful mineral and gem material.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Molybdenite is the primary ore of molybdenum which is used in superalloys and as a lubricant.

Hardness Picks - Test for hardness with precise and easy-to-use hardness picks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Homeowners Insurance might not cover earthquake, hurricane and other geohazard damage.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

World*s Largest Diamonds Records for the largest rough, faceted and carbonado diamond.

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

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

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

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

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

What is the San Andreas Fault? Map, photos and description of the fault.

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

The Unsung Mineral Hero - and the commodity upon which almost everything is built.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mined in America - Small mines in the United States produce a diversity of beautiful gemstones.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coquina - A porous limestone composed almost entirely of fossil debris.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Names Used for Great Britain, British Isles, United Kingdom, and Ireland. What they mean.

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

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

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

Horizontal Drilling has opened new resources and significantly improved productivity.

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

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

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

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

Utica Shale is a major source of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids in PA, OH and WV.

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

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

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

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

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

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