Collecting Equipment In order to enhance your prospecting for gems, minerals, rocks and fossils you will need certain equipment that will allow you to remove your samples from surrounding rock and sediment. The type of materials you will be collecting in, the kind of samples you look for and the surrounding environment will determine how to conduct the collecting and what type of equipment you must bring to the site. Specific locations might require the basic equipment in addition to optional or specialized equipment. Most of the basic and optional equipment can be purchased at your local hardware store, Home Depot or Lowes. Specialty companies include Ward’s Natural Science, Diamond Pacific, Raytech Industries, Amateur Geologist, Kingsley North and Geo Tools.
Basic Equipment: Rock pick or masonry hammer Chisel with 1-1 1/2” wide edge Work gloves Safety goggles or glasses Work boots/sturdy shoes (No sandals or open footwear) Bucket or knapsack for samples Newspapers for wrapping samples Small container or plastic bag for holding crystals First aid kit Insect repellant Sunscreen Water Magnifying glass or 10x loop Streak plate Glass square Hat Optional Equipment: Hardhat Crack hammer Sledge hammer 8+ lbs Crow bar or pry bar Screen sieves 1/4” mesh Shovel Rake Long shaft chisels Brush/whisk brush for removing sand & dirt Garden kneeling pad or strap on knee pads Cart or wagon Reflective safety vest Rubber boots/rain gear Specialized Equipment: Ultraviolet light to detect fluorescent minerals HCL acid for testing for carbonate minerals Geiger counter to test for radioactive minerals Metal or plastic gold mining pans X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzers Metal detector Helpful Suggestions: Colored Coded Equipment Some collectors paint part or all of their collecting equipment with a bright color so it is easier to see and retrieve them. If you loan out your equipment it is easier to distinguish your items from those of other collectors. GPS Positioning More collectors are now using GPS technology to locate the exact position of a collecting site. Having accurate directions and precise location coordinates helps to find the site faster and increases valuable collecting time. GPS technology is available on cell phones, built in car navigation systems and systems such as Garmin, Magellan and Tom Tom.Collecting_Equipment_files/Pry%20bar.docx