Below are some of our favorite websites for specimen identification, education, general rock hounding knowledge, and places to visit. We hope you will take time to browse through these sites as we feel there is a lot of information that can be gained from them.
If you have site that you think our members and visitors might find useful, please feel free to let us know. Just drop us a line in our Contact Form and we'll see about adding it to the list.
As always - Keep on rockin' with the MGMC!
Federation Sites
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American Federation of Mineralogical Societies - The AFMS is composed of seven similar regional organizations of gem, mineral, and lapidary societies.
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Rocky Mountain Federation of Mineralogical Societies - The RMFMS is a member of the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. It was organized in 1941, and one of the original four founders of the AFMS in 1947.
Minerals
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Mindat.org - Mindat is the world's largest open database of minerals, rocks, meteorites, and the localities they come from.
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Minerals.net - This site has been providing detailed information and photos of hundreds of mineral and gemstone specimens since 1997, and is one of the leading education resources on the subject.
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Mineralogy Database - Complete, up-to-date, mineral database containing 4714 mineral species descriptions and comprehensive picture library of images.
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Mineralogical Society of America - The Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) is professional membership organization open to any person interested in mineralogy, crystallography, geochemistry, petrology, or any allied science.
Fossils
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The Fossil Forum - The worldwide community of fossil collectors, enthusiasts, and paleontologists sharing their knowledge about fossils.
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Oceans of Kansas Paleontology - Award winning website about fossils from the late Cretaceous Western Interior Sea, especially those found in Kansas.
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The Paleontology Portal - Explore paleontology in North America by state and time period. Check the collection of fossil images searchable by taxon and time. This site is a resource for anyone interested in paleontology, from the professional in the lab to the interested amateur scouting for fossils to the student in any classroom.
Lapidary
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Kreigh's Homemade Lapidary Equipment - Great site for multiple homemade lapidary equipment ideas.
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RockTumbler.com - The Internet's most popular source of information about rock tumbling.
Fluorescent Minerals
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Fluorescent Mineral Society - A non-profit member driven organization of folks who love fluorescent minerals.
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Nature's Rainbows - A non-commercial Fluorescent Mineral SuperSite maintained entirely by volunteer hobbyists and contributors.
Mineral Collecting Software
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Minerals.exe - a free yet powerful database software for managing your mineral collection.
Educational
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A Career in Geology - From the U.S. Career Institute this page gives a brief description of what it takes to have a career in geology. It has many useful links from various sources to help the aspiring geologist learn about the earth sciences.
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All About Rocks and Rock Collecting - A blog page with links to all sorts educational websites that contain a lot of great information as well a puzzles, quizzes, and other activities. Especially useful for the beginner in the hobby.
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Gemological Institute of America - Established in 1931, GIA is the world's foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls.
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Geology.com - One of the world's leading portals to geology and earth science news and information.
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John Betts Fine Minerals - Dealer and author of numerous educational articles for the collector.
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Kansas 4-H Geology - This site is to provide 4-H members and others with pictures and information so they can better identify the specimens they have collected in Kansas.
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Kansas Geological Survey - Provides geological, water resource, oil and gas, and mineral information for Kansas.
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The Minerals Education Coalition - The Minerals Education Coalition's (MEC) mission is to inform and educate K-12 students and the public about the importance of minerals and mining.
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United States Geological Survey - The USGS provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change.
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American Lands Access Association - ALAA advocates accessible and sustainable consumption of natural resources that comply with current laws and regulations on Federal and State Managed Public Lands by Amateur Rock, Mineral and Fossil collectors.
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Special Congress Representing Involved Bulletin Editors- S.C.R.I.B.E. is an international organization of bulletin editors of amateur gem, mineral, and earth science societies.
Museums and Entertainment
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Field Station: Dinosaurs - A one-of-a-kind, prehistoric experience featuring over 40 life-sized, moving and realistic dinosaurs that’s thrilling, educational, and fun!
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Fick Fossil & History Museum - On display are more than 11,000 shark teeth, the world's oldest known mosasaur fossil, a 15 foot Xiphactinus fish fossil, and the folk art of Vi Fick who used the fossils she found to make her art.
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Johnston Geology Museum - Included among the 45 displays in the museum are the world famous Hamilton Quarry Fossil Assemblage, a Tri-State Mining Display, petrified tree stumps, and the Hawkins and the Calkins Indian Artifact Collections.
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Kansas University Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum - Located on the University of Kansas campus in Dyche Hall, the museum is home to four floors of public exhibits including the historic Panorama, live snakes and insects, a Kansas dinosaur, vertebrate and invertebrate fossils, parasites and microbes, and the flora and fauna of the Great Plains.
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Keystone Gallery - A combination museum, art gallery, and gift shop. The museum section contains an extensive, scientific collection of local Kansas fossils including a 20-foot mosasaur and a 14-foot Xiphactinus. Many other fish, turtle, and bird fossil specimens are also on display.
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McPherson Museum & Arts Foundation - Skeletons of a giant ground sloth and saber-tooth cat from the famed La Brea "Tar Pits" collected by the first graduate of McPherson College, Kansas fossils, and meteorites with information about Harvey Nininger - the "Father of American Meteoritics" are on display.
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Post Rock Museum - Housed in a native limestone house the museum includes an authentic stone quarry re-creation illustrating the methods used to cut posts for fencing as well as tools and items depicting the history of the post rock unique to Kansas.
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Sternberg Museum of Natural History - Fossils from the Cretaceous Chalk Beds of western Kansas including the world-famous fish-within-a-fish and dioramas of ancient life including an life-sized animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex are on display.
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STRATACA: Kansas Underground Salt Museum - A combination museum and working salt mine 650 feet below the earth's surface and built within one of the world's largest deposits of rock salt.
Member's Pages
Some of Our Favorite Links
Rockhound Organizations
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Works in Stained Glass/Lapidary/Photomicroscopy - Personal webpage of MGMC member Mark Heidebrecht showcasing his talents in lapidary and stained glass art. Mark also displays several pictures of agates taken through the microscope.