Collections
Reading collections
A collection is a path through the guide for a specific task. Instead of leafing through sections at random, you get a few pages in a handy order: the basics first, then practice, and at the end something for those who want to dig deeper. Every link leads to a page that is already published, so you can work through a collection in a single evening.
Kids don't need to be told why stones are interesting. Just give them a hand lens, a wet pebble and a little time, and the questions will come on their own.
Collections include only finished pages of the guide. We don't add links to shops, clubs or expeditions, and we don't include material that is still in progress. The tag next to each link shows what to start with and what to save for later.
First rock-hunting trips
For anyone heading to a riverbank or beach intending to come back with finds without breaking any rules.
- Where you can and can't collectStart here
Answers about nature reserves, private land, cliffs, quarries and safety goggles for hammer work.
- Five steps to examine a findStart here
A checking routine for the field or at home: hand lens, streak, scratch, fresh break and a note.
- A collector's glossaryGo deeper
Terms that help you describe finds more precisely: gravel bar, spoil heap, specimen, fracture.
Stones with kids
A child's first finds are a chance to play explorer: look at a stone through a hand lens, compare it with others and come up with a label for it.
- Five steps as a gameStart here
Simple tests a child can do on their own with an adult watching, then offer a guess.
- A first box of stonesStart here
How to make labels together and arrange finds in compartments so a child can be proud of their collection.
- The “guess the rock” gameGo deeper
The glossary of properties helps you come up with clues: shines like metal, leaves a dark streak, scratches glass.
A collection on the shelf
When you have more finds than your jacket pockets can hold, it is time to think about order and careful storage.
- How to set up your first collectionStart here
A step-by-step article: numbers, labels, a log, divided boxes and choosing a spot.
- Answers about storageStart here
What to do with fragile, water-soluble and very small specimens.
- Guide sectionsGo deeper
A map of all the topics, if you want to see what your collection is still missing.
What to read next
- Guides
How to set up your first collection: labels, boxes and a field log. The article catalog lives here too.
- Sections
Four topics: minerals and rocks, identifying finds, searching and the law, and your collection at home.
- Questions
Short answers about identifying a find, searching safely and storing specimens.
Sources
- Nkku guide materials
- Introductory mineralogy textbooks and handbooks
This information is accurate as of the date the page was prepared. Rules for visiting a particular area can change, and they differ from country to country, so before you head out for stones, check them with whoever manages or owns the land.