FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Maxilos]

Hi,

I'm placing this question here cause I could't find the right one and this was most suitable one.

This year my holiday is to Ireland. This is my first time in Ireland, but it wil also be my first time to search minerals. Yes I did find some before, but those were more like accidentaly finding a nice piece of muscovite. The question is now: What stuff do I need while seaching/finding? I already got a list with what I can find and where.

Regards,

Mark

[Peter Megaw]

What you take depends a lot on what makes sense to carry for how far. If you're quarry collecting a sledge hammer can be useful, but carrying it more than a few hundred meters is tiresome.

A good beginners book...like Pough's Field Guide to Minerals or even the little Golden book of minerals have checklists of what you might want. My list is similar...focused on being safe and getting the best rocks back hime intact

1. A good stout hammer...preferably with integral handle;;;like an Estwing crack hammer. A classic geologists rock pick is OK, but neither heavy enough to break rocks efficientely nor really suitable for pounding on to open cracks.

2. A stout chisel for opening cracks or breaking beds. You might want both a chisel and moil depending on what you're breaking

3. A gad-pry bar is superb if you can find one. Estwing stopped making them, but someone else has the license. These let you pry, chisel and open cracks...possibly the most versatile tool ever made for rock collecting. In combination with a crack hammer you can do almost anything..and they're light!

4. A standard screw-driver...useful for gentle prying and cleaning out pockets. Don't expect to use it for screws again, the corners will get worn off.

5. Safety glasses, gloves and steel-toed boots...you won't get much enjoyment out of minerals if you can't see, blisters are a bore, and crushed toes are hard to walk home on. All this is not only for your protection...it's for the landowners and other collectors...if you screw up and get hurt the locality might be closed.

6. A good hand lens and mineral identification book. Good to know what you're finding and whether you should work harder and get more.

7. Wrapping materials and boxes. Any fool can break out a great specimen, but getting it home intact is another story. Toilet paper, cleaner's bags and newspaper are old stand-bys. Plastic packing boxes are nice...especially if you're someplace where cardboard could get soggy and fall apart. Don't be shy about using a LOT of wrapping on your treasures, the paper is cheap compared to the cost of collecting. Beer flats are excellent too, or something of a similar shape...broad and relatively shallow so you can put in a single layer of specimens, leaving the crystals standing upright and protected from damage from the sides...or things piled on top. A stack of 3, 10 cm tall flats beats a single 30 cm tall box anyday...unless you're collecting huge crystals. A lot of folks like to use 20 litre plastic buckets...hand to carry tools in, easy to put rocks in and hardy. They can get heavy though.

8. Not likely to be a problem in Ireland, but where we live, a broad brimmed hat, long sleeve shirts, long pants, sunglasses and a boatload of sunscreen are a good idea too

[Maxilos]

Thank you Peter.

The trip that I'm going to do includes only one that is called Quarry, so I don't take one. And besides, a sledge hammer doesn't fit in the car when we're on holiday! So I guess that thay probably have one.

I found a place where I can buy these Estwing hammers and I belief we have a gad-pry bar at home. We have some chisels which we do never use and we probably have some old screwdrivers. Safety glasses (maybe safety helmet), good gloves and steel-toed boots I need to buy I think. The rest I can get in Ireland I think. By the way, do you have any good advice for taking them home by car for about 1000 kilometers (± 621.5 mile) that includes two boat trips?


Mark

[Mike Wood]

Don't forget the midge repellent ! And maybe a midge hood, combined with a wide-brimmed hat.
Mike

[Maxilos]

Thanks for the advice, somehow I atract musquitos.

Mark