Panning ID Guide
Congratulations on hitting paydirt!
Use The Panning ID Guide to identify the shiny gems and sparkling crystals you have found. As you sift through your panning bag, use this guide to match what you find, learn cool crystal names, and become a rock-hunting expert with fun facts and easy pictures.
Amethyst Druze / Rough Points
a variety of Crystalline Quartz, Amethyst varies in colour from deep purple to light violet. Amethyst Druze is formed in geodes in Hydrothermal Basalt deposits.
Fuchsite
is a green variety of the Mineral Muscovite, with it clour being caused by the presence of Chromium.
Rose Quartz
a variety of Crystalline Quartz with a pink colouration. Formed by the slow cooling and crystallization of magma in pegmatites often at high tempratures between 400°C and 700°C.
Clear Quartz
The variety of Crystalline Quartz without impurities also known as Rock Crystal Quartz.
Pyrite
is an Iron sulphide mineral with a gold metallic luster, often called 'Fools gold' due to its visual resemblance to gold.
Smoky Quartz
a variety of Crystalline Quartz with a black to brown colouration caused by presence of Aluminium along with natural or artifical irradiation.
Green Aventurine
a variety of polychrystalline quartz, the green colouration is caused by varying amounts of bright green mica (fuchsite) inclusions.
Black Obsidian
is a natural volcanic glass. which is formed from rapidly cooled volcanic lava due to the silica-rich melt cooling to quickly for minerals to crystallize.
Satin Spar Selenite
s a translucent variety of Gypsum with a fibrous habit that gives it a chatoyant (cate-eye) effect.
Agate Slices
Agate is a type of chalcedony, a fine-grained quartz, known for its distinctive banding patterns and a range of natural colors ranging from light brown to greyish black. Bright pink, purple, blue and green colouration is caused by dying
Black Tourmaline
the black variety of Tourmaline known gemologically as Schorl.
Lepidolite
the lilac-gray or rose-colored Lithium rich variety of Mica. It is the most common lithium-bearing mineral and serves as a minor ore of lithium metal.
Calcite
Calcite is a polymorph of Calcium carbonate with a trigonal crystal system, often seen as cleaved calcite rhombs. Calcite comes in a variety of colourations such as blue, green and orange it is also often banded.
Amazonite
is the green to bluish-green variety of Microcline Feldspar, it often has white streaks and small reflections caused by cleavage. Typically translucent to near opaque
Chevron Amethyst
a variety of crystalline quartz with alternating colour zoning of transparent amethyst and opaque white quartz.
Rubellite Tourmaline
The blood red to pale pink variety of elbaite tourmaline, getting its name due to initially being mistaken as ruby.
Kyanite
s a polymorph of Aluminum Silicate (Al2SiO5 ), Kyanite occurs in metamorphic rocks. Kyanite is unique in that it has 2 hardness's, it has hardness of 4.5 to 5 parallel to the length of the crystal (long edge) while having a hardness of 6.5 to 7 across the crystal (short edge).
Carnelian
is the reddish orange variety of chalcedony (fine-grained quartz) coloured by iron oxide. also known as Cornelian.
Sodalite
is a complex sodium aluminium silicate, that is blue and usually veined with white or pink, it is one of the components of Lapis Lazuli.
Serpentine
is a magnesium silicate, and is an ornamental material. Its name is thought to be derived from the resemblance to snakeskin due to its often multi-coloured mottling and veining.
Citrine
a variety of Crystalline Quartz with a yellow colouration. Natural citrine is not common and most stones are produced by heat-treatment of amethyst