I Feel the Earth Move
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Welcome to Bob's Rock Shop
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- An Extensive Listing with Contact Info for Over 900 Mineralogical, Lapidary, Fossil and Just About Anything to Do with Rocks Clubs in the United States.
 References for Rockhounds  |
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| Need More Input? Check Out the Shop's Extensive Catalog of Books for Rockhounds! | |||
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Bead Work
Buyer's Guides Casting Chain Making Collecting Guides |
Designs & Patterns
Faceting Gemstones Geology & Earth Science Gold & Mining |
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Lapidary Rocks & Minerals Rockpups Smithing |
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The Photo-Atlas of Minerals DVD V2.0
New Low Low Price - Now Only $19.95 !!!
Order The Photo-Atlas of Minerals DVD
Version 2.0 DVD-ROM for Windows
Sample Photo-Atlas DVD Screens:
Formerly sold at $59.95, the Photo-Atlas of Minerals DVD is simply the most comprehensive mineral reference available. It principle features include:
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- Nearly 16,000 high-resolution mineral specimen images
- Mineralogical data for all known mineral species (over 4,100) - Mineral specimen images from over 3,500 localities - Users can add their own images - Comprehensive descriptive mineralogical and crystallographic data - Audio mineral name pronunciations - Origins of mineral names - Mineral name synonyms and varieties |
- Searchable by properties, locality, chemistry, etc.
- User controlled crystal form drawings - User controlled atomic structure drawings - Includes both Dana & Strunz mineral classifications - Glossary of mineral terms - Users can print the mineral images and data - Generates random and user defined slide shows - Includes a mineral identification game |
- Greetings from Tucson
- Our Shows, Museums, Clubs, Rock Shops, and Other Attractors
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- Alone No More
- Martian Meteorite ALH84001 Harbinger of Extraterrestrial Life
- Check out Bob's Martian Touchdown - A Rockhound's Cosmic Encounter with Three Extraterrestrials
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The Mars Phoenix spacecraft has successfully landed on Mars farther north than any previous mission at 68 degrees north latitude, equivalent to that of northern Alaska, where water is believed to exist in the form of ice just below the Martian surface. Phoenix is equipped with some of the most sophisticated and advanced technology ever sent to Mars. The complement of the Phoenix spacecraft and its scientific instruments are ideally suited to uncover clues to the geologic history and biological potential of the Martian arctic. During the course of its three-month mission, a robust robotic arm will dig through the soil to the water ice layer underneath and deliver soil and ice samples to the mission's experiments. On the deck, miniature ovens and a mass spectrometer will provide chemical analysis of trace matter. A chemistry lab-in-a-box will characterize the soil and ice chemistry. Sophisticated maging systems will provide an unprecedented view of Mars spanning 12 powers of 10 in scale. A meteorological station will record the daily weather of the Martian northern plains using temperature and pressure sensors and will play an important role by providing information on the current state of the polar atmosphere and how water is cycled between the solid and gas phases in the Martian arctic. |
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Phoenix Mars Lander in the News
- Pay Dirt: Martian Soil Fit for Earthly Life: Martian soil around the Phoenix lander is slightly alkaline and has enough different minerals that it could support Earth plants and more to the point - microbes - beneath the Martian surface
- Mars OK For Life, So Far: "You could grow asparagus".
- Martian Soil Hints At Water, Nutrients: The first analysis of Red Planet dirt by the Phoenix lander shows what may be some of the requirements for life.
- Our Eyes On Mars: How The Phoenix Lander Sees: If you leave your camera at home on a long vacation, you can buy a disposable one. But that's not an option if you have traveled 422 million miles to another planet.
- Phoenix Touches Martian Ice: NASA's "follow the water" approach to finding life - or evidence of past life - on Mars has finally hit pay dirt.
- Ice On Mars : The Red Planet's white stuff is ice after all.
- Phoenix Finds Ice On Mars: The Mars Phoenix Lander has found ice on the surface of the red planet, a key discovery for the spacecraft as it searches for water and signs of life.
- Disappearing Bright Specks Show Mars Has Ice: Bright crumbs that were visible in one of the trenches dug by the Phoenix Mars Lander are no longer there - leaving mission scientists with only one conclusion: the material was ice that vaporized directly from the solid form in the dry, frigid Martian polar atmosphere.
- Phoenix Probes Martian Soil: The first soil sample baked in the Phoenix Mars Lander shows no signs of water.
- Phoenix Makes First Trench In Science Preserve: The Phoenix Mars Lander has begun digging in an area called "Wonderland", taking its first scoop of soil from a polygonal surface feature within the "national park" region that mission scientists have been preserving for science.
- Phoenix Lander Has An Oven Full Of Martian Soil: The lander's robotic arm delivered a partial scoopful of clumpy soil from a trench informally called "Baby Bear" to the number 4 oven on TEGA 12 days after landing.
- Phoenix Gets Shake-up After Failing Test: The Phoenix Mars Lander has flunked its first test with dirt scooped from the planet's surface failing to fall through a protective screen into an analysing chamber below.
- Dispatch from Mars For Sol 4: It was a good news/bad news day on Mars, with a tentative sighting of ice by the Mars Phoenix Lander, but also a newly discovered glitch in the oven system that will analyze soil samples.
- Phoenix Mars Lander Takes A Look Around: Images from Mars's newest inhabitant document its quest for water.
- Phoenix Spacecraft Commanded To Unstow Arm: Scientists leading the Phoenix Mars mission from the University of Arizona in Tucson sent commands to unstow its robotic arm and take more images of its landing site.
- Phoenix Descends Onto A Strange Land: Rock-strewn but safe "polygonal" terrain was just what the Phoenix team predicted.
- Mars OK For Life, So Far: "You could grow asparagus".
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| Microscopic view of small clumps of fine, fluffy, red soil particles collected in a sample called 'Rosy Red' at the tip of the robotic arm scoop as seen by the robotic arm camera. Some of the Rosy Red sample was delivered to Phoenix's Optical Microscope and Wet Chemistry Laboratory for analysis. |
- Rocks in the News
Detailed Silver Price Historical Chart Detailed Gold Price Historical Chart - Planetary Line-up Excites The Sun: Australian astronomers may have found a solution to how far-away Jupiter and Saturn drive the sun's solar cycle.
- Voyager 2 Finds Lopsided Solar System: Hurtling through space 31 years after its launch, the Voyager 2 spacecraft has sent back the most detailed view yet of the shock wave that marks the thinning of the solar wind, the charged particles streaming from the sun.
- Rain On The Martian Plain?: A new soil analysis suggests a drizzly past for the Red Planet.
- Huge Impact Caused Mars's Split Personality: After more than 30 years, space scientists may have resolved one of the greatest enigmas in the solar system: why does Mars have two faces?
- Fossils Of Extremely Primitive 4-Legged Creatures Close The Gap Between Fish And Land Animals: New exquisitely preserved fossils from Latvia cast light on a key event in our own evolutionary history when our ancestors left the water and ventured onto land.
- Rising Seas Threaten West Antarctic: There's a big gorilla hiding the closet whose collapse could have a dramatic effect on sea levels.
- Plan To Build Telescopes From Moon Dust: Rather than flying one there, a NASA scientist believes we should build a telescope on the moon using the lunar soil.
- Mars Air Once Had Moisture: A new analysis of Martian soil data suggests that there was once enough water in the planet's atmosphere for a light drizzle or dew to hit the ground, leaving tell-tale signs of its interaction with the planet's surface.
- Largest Crater In Solar System Revealed: New analysis of Mars' terrain using Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Global Surveyor observations reveals what appears to be by far the largest impact crater ever found in the solar system.
- Impact May Have Transformed Mars: New mapping of planet unveils the solar system’s largest known impact structure.
- Ancient Mineral Reveals Earth's Watery Past: An analysis of elements in ancient mineral crystals suggests liquid water existed on Earth as long as 4.3 billion years ago.
- Diamonds Offer Cool Computer Solution: Quantum computers made using diamonds are a practical way to achieve a massive boost in computing power without generating more heat.
- Ocean Review Finds Warming On The Rise: A long-standing difference between climate models and observations has been resolved with researchers finding that the world's oceans have been warming faster than previously thought.
- Large Hadron Collider Probably Won't Destroy Earth: Our planet is not at risk from the world's most powerful particle physics experiment, a report has concluded. The document addresses fears that microscopic black holes produced by the Large Hadron Collider could have unforeseen consequences.
- Ice Core Reveals How Quickly Climate Can Change: Weather patterns can permanently shift in as little as a year, according to the records preserved in an ice core from Greenland.
- Britain's Last Neanderthals Were More Sophisticated Than We Thought: An archaeological excavation at a site near Pulborough, West Sussex, has thrown remarkable new light on the life of northern Europe’s last Neanderthals.
- Scientists To Mimic Earth's Spinning Core: A 26-ton steel sphere will be filled with boiling metal and spun, attempting to create a miniature version of the Earth's core and in the process discover why its effect is waning.
- One in Three Stars May Have "Super" Earths: The most detailed survey yet of planets orbiting nearby stars indicates that a full 30 percent of them may harbor jumbo versions of our own planet.
More Rocks in the News
- Voyager 2 Finds Lopsided Solar System: Hurtling through space 31 years after its launch, the Voyager 2 spacecraft has sent back the most detailed view yet of the shock wave that marks the thinning of the solar wind, the charged particles streaming from the sun.
Letters to the Editor
- Say NO to Akaka Governed Public Land: A bitter legislative battle is raging over collecting fossils on public lands.
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Chambers Fit For A Queen - A Quest For English Ammonites
- Rock&Gem Feature Article
- More Rock&Gem Online Features:
- A Day in the Life of a Gemologist
- Into the Caves - "California's Underground" at the Oakland, California Museum
- Bingham Canyon Copper - Finding Chalcopyrite at "The Richest Hole on Earth"
- Rockhound in Greece - A Great Destination for Geology... and Humanity
- Honoring Mr. Jones - Our Senior Editor Gets What He Deserves
- Faceting Fascinates - With an Experienced Guide, You, Too, Can Bring Gemstones to Life!
- Tonopah and Goldfield - They Were the Hub of Nevada's Gold Rush
- Agates from the Land of Pumas and Craters
- Mexico's Mystery Stone
- A Lesson in Channel Work
- New England Pegmatites: They Have Been Mined Since America's Earliest Days
- Turquoise: Blue Sky...Blue Stone
- Faceting by Hand: Jack Lahr's Lap-Lap Relies on Primitive Power
- More Rock&Gem Online Features:
- Rock&Gem Magazine Article Search
- Search Back Issues for Articles with Topics of Interest
- Rock&Gem Writer's Guidelines
- An Extensive List of Upcoming Gem and Mineral Shows
- Submit Your Own Club's Show for Publication in Rock&Gem Magazine
Rock&Gem Magazine Show Calendar
- Rock&Gem Craftsman of the Month Contest
- Got a Pet Project Your're Proud of and Want to Show Off?
- Win and Rock&Gem Magazine will Feature Your Work and Throw in a Dremel Tool to Boot
- Entry Details - Browse the Current and Prior Contest Winners
- Win and Rock&Gem Magazine will Feature Your Work and Throw in a Dremel Tool to Boot
- Subscribe to Rock&Gem Magazine
- Enjoy and Learn from Rock&Gem Magazine for less than $1.00 per Issue!
- Need to Change Your Address for a Rock&Gem Magazine Subscription?
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- Software for Rockhounds
- Mineral Database and Identification Software: Photo Atlas of Minerals - Lithos - MinSearch - MDI Mineral Database - Geolib - Topaz - Minrls - Digital Rockhound's Companion
- Freeware Screen Savers for Rockhounds: Tucson Show V2001 - Grand Hikes - Minerals V1.0
- Freeware Faceters Companion CD!: Featuring Over 250 Faceting Patterns
- GemCad: Gemstone Design Software
- Ososoft Mineral Label: Freeware Specimen Labeling Software for Rock Collectors!
- RockWare Freeware: Erupt - GeoTrig - Mineral Mastery - Seismic - Magnetic
- Freeware Mars Map: High Resolution Orbiter Camera Global Mosaic
- Freeware Screen Savers for Rockhounds: Tucson Show V2001 - Grand Hikes - Minerals V1.0
- Rock Identification Key
- A Beginner's Guide and Key to Help You Identify and Put a Name on That Rock!
- Learn to ID and Distinguish Basalt, Diabase, Diorite, Gabbro, Granite, Obsidian, Pumice, Rhyolite, Scoria, Gneiss, Marble, Quartzite, Schist, Serpentinite, Slate, Breccia, Conglomerate, Limestone, Sandstone, Shale...
- Mineral Identification Key
- An Online Guide and Key to Aid in the Identification of Field Collected Mineral Specimens
- Covering Several Hundred of the Most Commonly Occurring and Collected Species
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- Crystallography and Mineral Crystal Systems
- An Illustrated, Nine-Part Primer on Crystallography and Mineral Crystal Systems
- Mineral Nomenclature: Naming New Minerals
- So You've Discovered a New Mineral and Want to Name It "Spottite" After Your Dog...
- Changes In Mineralogical Nomenclature: Varieties
- Why Rock Scientists Won't Understand the Question When You Ask "What mineral is amethyst a variety of"?
- Grand Hikes
- A Virtual Tour and Rockhound's Hiking Guide for the Grand Canyon
- Stromatolite Fossils in the Hakatai Shale - A Day Hike from Phantom Ranch
- Comanche Point Vicinity - An Overnight Hike to Spectacular Grand Canyon Supergroup Views
- Genesis V2.0 - God's Grand Work Week - A Grand Canyon Geology Primer
- The 1869 Expedition - An Account of the First Grand Canyon Float Trip
- Grand Hikes Screen Saver V1.0 - A Complimentary Grand Canyon Screen Saver
- Bob's Grand Canyon Backcountry Equipment Checklist - Don't Leave Home Without It!
- Stromatolite Fossils in the Hakatai Shale - A Day Hike from Phantom Ranch
- Alcyone
- A Faceted Gemstone Design for CZ Inspired by the Pleiadians - Designed by Bob Keller
Perfect Transfer
- Interested in Faceting? Check Out this Feature for Faceters!
- Currently Featured Cut: Spinning Wheel 40
- Gateway to Gemstone Designs on the Internet - Download Over 300 Faceting Diagrams with Cutting Instructions!
- Browse and Download the Freeware Faceters Companion CD
- Currently Featured Article: A Graphical Presentation of Brightness in the Standard Round Brilliant
- Index of Online Faceting Articles - Faceting How-to and Tips from Many Facetors and Gemstone Designers!
- Online Tangent Ratio and Gem Weight Calculators
- Content and Information for Faceters
- Currently Featured Cut: Spinning Wheel 40
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- Tucson Gem and Mineral Show Reports
- Browse the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show with Bob!
A unique gift for a rock and mineral-loving friend or relative!
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- How to Wirewrap
- A Step-by-Step Pendant Design for Faceted Stones that Does Away With Claws
- Featured Articles by John Betts
Advice for Beginners
Anthony's Nose, New York
A Field Guide to Mineral Collectors
Mineral Prices: Why so High?Dealing with Dealers
Mineral Cleaning
Largest Mineral Crystals on Record
Display Lighting of Minerals
The Great Fresnoite Discovery of 1998
- Scott's Big Score in California's San Benito Mountains
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- Rockhounding Graves Mountain
- Collecting Rutile and Other Minerals at this Famous Georgia Locality
- Collecting at the Bunker Hill Mine
- Ron and Rose-Marie's Most Excellent Bunker Hill Mine Adventure
- Gypsum Rosettes
- Collecting at the Red River Floodway in Winnipeg, Canada
- Micromounter's Mecca
- A Visit to the Micromounter's Swap Room at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show
- Check Out Tim Jokela's The Top Ten Reasons to Get Into Micromounting
- Anatomy of a Three-Headed Sphere Machine
- Interested in Rolling Your Own?
- Cabochon Making 101
- Cabbing with Tucson's Old Pueblo Lapidary Club
- Heating Treating Rock
- Why They've Been Heat Treating Rocks Since Man Domesticated Fire and How You Can Try It Yourself at Home
- Feldspar
- An Introduction to the Feldspar Minerals by Anita D. Westlake
- Purple Passion Prospect
- Wulfenite Collecting near Wickenburg, Arizona
- Rock and Fossil Stamps of the United States
- A Preview Page of the Shop's Topical Stamp Catalog for Rockhounds
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- Mineralogical Meanderings
- The Hardness of Minerals and Rocks
- Streaking Minerals - Streak Testing
- Collecting Micrometeorites
- Identifying True Amber
- Some Surefire Signs You're a Rockhound
- Collecting Rock Stamps
- Gem and Mineral Phonecards
- The Mysterious Power of Gemstones and Crystals
- Streaking Minerals - Streak Testing
- Bob's Rock Shop 1st WWW Specimen Image Contest Results!
- Do You Take Pictures of Rocks? If So, You'll Appreciate These - Check Out the Winning Entries!
- Winners competed for custom specimen mounting, mineral specimens, rockhound magazine and newsletter subscriptions, specimen labeling and mineral database software and more... These and other outstanding entries will also be featured in a new version of the Shop's ever popular freeware specimen image screen saver!
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- Product Reviews
- The Photo-Atlas of Minerals CD
- OsoSoft MineralLabel 5.0 - Now Freeware!
- Belomo 10x Loupe: An Inexpensive Russian Triplet
- GemOro Stereo Microscope
- Meiji Techno Binocular and Trinocular Stereo Microscopes
- Raynox Video MicroExplorer
- $8 BIRI Russian Radiation Detector
- OsoSoft MineralLabel 5.0 - Now Freeware!
- Book and CD Reports
- Dana's New Mineralogy, Eighth Edition
- Encyclopedia of Mineral Names, Special Publication 1 of The Canadian Mineralogist
- Gallery of Mineral Specimen Images
- George Campbell
- Ken Colosky
- Martin Friedlander
- Bob Keller
- David Michaels
- D.E. Russell
- Tim Schmanski
- Stuart Wilensky
- Wayne State University
- Ron Zeilstra
- Ken Colosky
Cut Rocks
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| Index to Advertisers | ||
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Alpine Minerals
Arizona Mineral Company Berg's Rock Shop Cabbers.com CabbingMachines.com DesignerStones.com John Betts Fine Minerals Lawrence H. Conklin, Mineralogist CR-Scientific Element 51 Microminerals Extinctions Fossils Faceters.com FacetingMachines.com FacetingRough.com |
Gemart Services
Gems By Mail Gold N Rocks GreatCabochons.com GreatRough.com GreatSlabs.com Mineral Exploration Services Mineral of the Month Club MineralsWeb African Minerals The Mineralogical Record Magazine PrettyRock RocksandGems.info Rocks and Minerals Magazine |
RockWare Earth Science Software
Simkev Micromounts Shannon & Son's Minerals Silver Supplies The Sunnywood Collection TumblingMachines.com TurquoiseBeads.com TurquoiseRough.com Tysons' Fine Minerals UC Minerals Dan Weinrich Fine Minerals Wilensky Mineral Video Wright's Rock Shop |
- The Shop's Link List
- The Shop's Pick and Links to Thousands of Other Websites of Interest to Rockhounds
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Email Lists and Discussion Groups for Rockhounds |
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Rockhounds List
Lapidary List Sphere Makers and Collectors USFG Faceters List |
Paleolist
Lost Wax Casting Group Grand Canyon Hikers Rough for Sale |
Minerals for Sale
Fossils for Sale Meteorites for Sale Gemstones for Sale |
Bob Keller