Rockhounding requires a mix of basic and specialized tools to help identify, extract, and clean specimens. While club members have access to the club lapidary shop, eventually some may want to purchase a piece of equipment for their own.
In this section, you will find information about tools needed, tips for the beginner, recommendations for buying or making lapidary equipment, advice from experiences club member, or ideas on how to save money on supplies and equipment .
If you have a recommendation, please send them along to communications@southernutahrockclub.org.
Here are some of the basic tools used by a rock hounder.
Rockhounding requires a mix of basic and specialized tools to help identify, extract, and clean specimens and to do it safely. Here are some of the most common tools and their uses:
- Rock Hammer (geologist’s hammer) – for breaking rocks and extracting specimens.
- Crack Hammer (sledgehammer) – to break larger rocks.
- Chisels – used with a hammer to split rocks or remove specimens.
A good starter kit that has a couple different hammers and a couple different chisels with hand guards like this one is less expensive than buying them separately. - Pickaxe or Mattock – to loosen compact soil and break apart larger formations.
- Shovel & Trowel – for digging in soil or gravel beds.
- Pruning Shears or Folding Saw – for clearing vegetation around dig sites.
- Classifier Screens – to sift through sand, gravel, and soil to find smaller gemstones or fossils.
- Gold Pan – for searching creek beds for gemstones, fossils, or even gold.
- Hand Lens (aka loupe, 10x or 20x magnification) – for close-up inspection of minerals and fossils.
- Field Guide & Notebook – to identify rocks and minerals for recording finds.
- Blacklight (UV Light) – to identity those minerals that fluoresce under UV light
- Hardness Testing Kit – to determine mineral hardness.
- Sturdy Backpack or Rock Bag – for carrying tools and specimens.
- Gloves & Safety Glasses – to protect hands and eyes when hammering or chiseling.
- Knee Pads – for comfort while working on the ground.
- Plastic or Cloth Sample Bags – to keep specimens organized.
- Labels & Permanent Marker – for labeling finds with location and details.
- Brushes & Toothbrushes – for cleaning dirt and debris off specimens.
- Spray Bottle with Water – to clean rocks for better identification.
- Dremel Tool or Rock Tumbler – for polishing and finishing specimens
Rock Pick 22oz Hammer
Masons Hammer 20oz
Gad Pry Bar – 18″ Forged Geologist Tool / Chisel
Burpee Rock Pick – 17″ BP500
Geo/Paleo Rock Pick – 25″ GP100