What is Rockhounding?
It sounds very simple and it is, in many ways, but the term can mean different things to different people. For many, it means simply walking shorelines, riverbanks and streams for interesting shaped, or brightly coloured rocks, its heading out to “beachcomb”, or travel forest hiking paths.
Others want to search out fine crystalline examples of minerals, (the components that make up rocks), searching out rock outcrops and digging into weathered veins or pockets.
Some rockhounds are in search of materials that can be cut and polished into colourful and pleasing shapes. We call these people lapidarists, (working in the lapidary arts).
Many are in search of past life on earth, prospecting and digging for fossils, or looking for extra-terrestrial rocks: meteorites that have survived space and the fiery descent through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Read on below for why people rockhound and additional resources.
Why do people Rockhound?
Rockhounding can be many different things, from seeking out fine mineral specimens for collections and displays, to seeking fossils and artifacts, or to comb beaches and open spaces to create a rock & mineral collection.
People get into Rockhounding for many different reasons. Here's our Top 5:
1. The Curiosity: Exploring what the world around us holds and how it operates.
2. The Ease: There are no expenses to start rockhounding at its most basic level - searching for interesting rocks, minerals and fossils. No particular clothing is required. You want to be comfortable and dressed appropriately for the outdoors, and you can start with your recreational clothes. Some expenses can be incurred by purchasing equipment, and if you are after mineral specimens and fossils, you will require proper hammers, chisels, safety glasses or goggles, etc., but this equipment, if quality tools are purchased and maintained, can last a lifetime.
3. The Chase: Treasure finding is an innate drive and thrill for most of us. Locating and recovering fine mineral specimens or fossils is quite a thrill. It is not so much collecting and holding onto specimens but rather being the first to uncover and set eyes upon them. The detective work to seek out likely sites, doing the diligent work to uncover specimens and bring them out to the world. Some collectors admire their treasures for a time, and then will sell, trade or donate their finds.
4. The Exploration: Some individuals revel in identifying different crystal systems and habits of minerals, or to find new, previously unidentified minerals. They look to push forward the limit of scientific knowledge, for themselves, and for the world in general. It is important to know that just about all new minerals and fossil organisms are found by amateur collectors who have them scientifically verified at academic institutions or museums.
5. The Beauty: Some rockhounds search out the beauty in the colour and form of rocks, minerals and gemstones, cutting and polishing, or possibly faceting to enhance the natural features of stone. For some collectors, the beauty of fine natural crystalline mineral structures gives comfort to them that there is order in an otherwise chaotic world. The building of pleasing crystalline structures, atom by atom, from the fiery birth of molten rock and swirling elements or molecules. It's making order from chaos.
Whatever the reason, rockhounding is the hobby promotes knowledge and appreciation of the natural world, and prompts you to get fresh air, exercise and to expand your horizons.
Additional Resources
The Tweed Ministry of Mines, Ontario Geological Survey - Resident Geologist Program is located in Hastings County. Watch for their Open Houses each year, the date for this summer coming soon! More details can be found here: Ontario Geological Survey | ontario.ca. For search tools for database/literature, visit GeologyOntario.
To get in touch, call 613-243-0739 or visit them during their office hours at 126 Old Tory Road, Tweed, ON K0K 2J0. We recommend calling the office before visiting.
For more information or to read up more on why people rockhound, visit these resources:
www.mindat.org and www.webmineral.com
Visit our partners websites at Ontario Highlands: https://comewander.ca/story/find-hidden-gems-rockhounding-beginners and Destination Ontario: https://www.destinationontario.com/en-ca/articles/rockhounding-ontario
Book a group or private tour with Lakeside Gems: www.lakesidegems.com or visit Princess Sodalite Mine & Rock Shop: https://www.princesssodalitemine.ca/
Read Next: Why Hastings County is known as the Mineral Capital of Canada? and our Rockhounding Checklist.