In this article we will talk about the most important equipment to carry in your backpack for a field trip. If you are not very familiar with the area (like your own backyard) you should have a good map and a compass (see Using Maps). Have someone show you how to use the compass before you go. It looks simple, until you stop to think 'which direction am I going?'

Food and Water

Important Tools

You want a good pocket knife (It doesn't have to be the ultimate Swiss Army knife!). Any good stainless steel pocket knife of a reasonable size, say about 10 or 12 centimetres, is good. Any bigger than that could be against the law. Your knife is a good tool for testing the hardness of any minerals you find, as well as being useful for many other things. Take good care of it. If it has a ring on it attach a good cord or leather thong to it then you can tie it on your belt and carry it in your pocket. That way you don't make the mistake of putting it down and leaving it behind. Another hardness tester to keep in your kit is a copper penny.

If you can find a small piece of ceramic tile to put in your identification kit, it will help you to learn the colour of your specimen's streak. You might find a broken one at one of the building supply stores. The back of the tile is the unglazed side to use for testing so it doesn't matter what colour the top is.

A very useful 'tool' to take with you is a small plastic bottle of vinegar. Vinegar is a very mild acid that is not dangerous. When you put a few drops of vinegar on a piece you think is calcite, it will fizz. That is a sure test to identify calcite and limestone. There are a number of useful small plastic containers you can use for the vinegar – such as from a hair colouring kit for example. Wash the bottle out very well and rinse with clear water. It is best to have a bottle that closes tightly so it won't leak in your kit and that also has a small opening for dripping just a few drops.

You should also have a similar small bottle of water. It is helpful to spray a little water on your specimen to see what colour it is. It is very surprising to wet a rock and see how pretty it is when it is not gray and dusty.

You should have a small notebook with you so you can record the date and the rocks you found at the various stops. It would be like a diary of rockhounding. Even the geologist use small notebooks like this. You could put little sketches of the place you found some rocks and call your sketch a name and number. This will help you remember, when you get home, just where you found that pretty one. This book is known as a fieldbook and you can keep it with your mineral collection and field trip tools.

Another important and inexpensive item you really need, is wrapping paper for your specimens. Old newspapers do just fine for the larger pieces. For very small pieces, I like to carry some empty film containers – the little round plastic boxes with a tight lid. You can put a little toilet tissue in these containers to cushion your find. Do not use cotton wool; it catches on all the tiny rough spots on a specimen and is a devil to clean off.

You need a good pencil or pen for your fieldbook, a good black felt marker to mark on the wrappings of your specimens - to match your fieldbook - No. 1, No. 2, etc. for each place you stopped, for example.

When you get more experience with rock hounding, you may want to get a rock hammer and a couple of cold chisels. Rock hammers are quite expensive [and should be handled with care].

Finding Specimens

Another way to add to your collection is by trading with rockhound pals. Some people have penpals who collect minerals and they trade by mail. This is one way to get minerals from distant places around the world. It is interesting to visit museums to study the specimens there and become familiar with their look.

Rockshops are always very helpful if there is one nearby. You can look at them and ask questions, but it is not a good idea to pick up a specimen without permission. Some are too easily broken.

Check List

1. map
2. compass
3. water bottle for drinking water
4. some snacks or lunch
5. magnifying glass
6. pocket knife
7. copper penny
8. small bottle of vinegar
9. small bottle of water
10. fieldbook
11. pen, pencil and felt marker
12. newspaper for wrapping specimens
13. small film containers for small specimens (with tissue)
14. sun protection – a good hat and sunblock is important
15. jacket, in case the weather turns cool.
16. hard hat – your bicycle helmet would be good (to protect your head from falling rocks.
17. good sturdy boots or strong shoes to protect your feet.
18. safety goggles to protect your eyes from flying bits of rock or dirt.

Safety Notes

Copyright ©1998 Marilyn Fraser
E-mail: silver@tor.axxent.ca

This article may not be copied, distributed or reprinted in any form without the author's permission. To contact the author, please use the e-mail address provided. If you are unable to contact the author, please contact the Canadian Rockhound. Authorized reprints must acknowledge the author, original source and the Canadian Rockhound, and include the website URL address of the Canadian Rockhound.

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