Study the properties of rocks.

During your lifetime, you will use more than a million pounds of rocks, minerals, and metals. Dig through this web site and find out how.

Click on the shelves in this virtual exhibition to learn about the many rocks and minerals that we use in our everyday lives.

Though rock candy seems to be a simple enough treat, it is also pretty interesting to make. Crystallized sugar that can be grown from a sugar-water solution is just how rock candy is made. In this experiment, you will learn to make your...

Learn about various rock types and the rock cycle.

This site explores the classification of igneous rocks. Content addresses classification based on color and texture, mineral composition, and chemical composition.

There are six common minerals most often found in rocks. They are quartz, feldspar, olivine, mica, pyroxene, and amphibole. This website provides photos and information on each, and discusses their importance when identifying rocks.

Second graders are introduced to rocks and their physical properties.

Second graders will sort rocks according to hardness, texture, layering, and particle size.

A nonfiction article where students read about Julie Codispoti, assistant curator at the United States Polar Rock Repository, located at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar Research Center. The article provides an overview of Antarctic...

Learn about the different types of igneous rocks and how they are classified.

Basic information about the volcanic glass perlite. Find out where perlite got its name, where it comes from, and the many uses of perlite.

Investigate the subject of minerals including characteristics, properties such as luster and streak, types of minerals, and fun facts on this site.

This chart shows the mineral production of Canada by province and territory.

Learn about the uses of rocks.

Read about the geography and natural resources of Ohio in your study of this state. Discusses geology, rock and mineral resources, geologic time, and glaciation.

This resource provides a description of the mineral quartz, including physical characteristics and color images.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Presents the classifications of igneous rocks based on silica content.

Students complete field and museum observations and work with local geologists to collect information on various types of rocks. Each student then creates a trading card with an original illustration of the rock on the front and the...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about rocks and their properties. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.

Search the database of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History for gems & minerals, meteorites with images, or petrology & volcanology.

A detailed description of amethyst, including its physical properties and the more noteworthy locations it is mined.

This resource provides general information on zircon, including hardness, color, and uses.

An interactive activity for you to find out how much your lifestyle depends on mining. Students select household items and learn facts about their chemical nature, properties and uses, their origins in the Earth, mining, and production.