What this event is about
Hands-on and written ID of minerals and rock types, plus formation environments and the rock cycle.
Study plan
Setup (team of 2, ~50 min, Class II calculator, one magnifying glass, three-ring binder, one commercial field guide (tabbed/annotated OK), one annotated 2027 National Rocks and Minerals List; no specimens brought)
- Identification is 30–50% of points — balance rock vs mineral topics. Practice station timing (no returning to stations).
- Minerals: definition; physical properties (color, hardness, luster, streak, cleavage/fracture, density/heft, diaphaneity, tenacity); other properties (acid reaction descriptions only — no HCl/taste); habits on the limited list; chemistry/color links; polymorphs; families/groups on the 2027 list; formation environments; Bowen’s Reaction Series; uses/gems (listed varieties only).
- Rocks: definition; igneous/sedimentary/metamorphic classification from observable traits.
- Igneous: textures (aphanitic→pegmatitic list), felsic–ultramafic composition, intrusive vs extrusive, formations (batholith, lava flow, pyroclastics), plate-boundary rock associations.
- Sedimentary: clastic/chemical/biochemical; grain size–energy links; depositional environments (alluvial fan through deep marine); primary structures (bedding, crossbeds, ripples, mud cracks, graded bedding, fossil tracks).
- Metamorphic: foliated vs non-foliated; index minerals/grade; protoliths (shale→slate, limestone→marble, etc.); regional vs contact.
- Rock cycle processes and economic uses. Specimens limited to Official 2027 National List for ID (other rocks/minerals may illustrate concepts).
- Binder workflow: tabs for property tables, ID flowcharts, Bowen’s, environments; keep National List accessible (may remove only that list at stations). Weekly timed specimen trays + graph/chart interpretation.
Tips
Don’t jump to a name — eliminate with tests. Bring allowed tools listed in the rules.