Where
Where shall we start in making a collection? Near home. Get the local minerals and rocks first, and then range as widely as possible. The best places are bare and exposed rocks, especially where fresh and un-weathered surfaces are available. Quarries and where there has been blasting along roads offer fine opportunities. Fissures and cavities in the rocks are especially likely to have fine crystals, and in all localities continued search will reveal a surprising number of different minerals. The greatest variety occur in metamorphic rocks, or where igneous rocks come in contact with other rocks, but even the sedimentary rocks have a goodly range of minerals. All through the glaciated regions of the northern United States lie scattered boulders brought from afar, which will yield a surprising number of minerals and variety of rocks.