Golden & Stone is an English-language reference covering minerals and the basics of geology. It is written for beginners and amateur collectors, with a focus on the practical realities of the hobby in Germany.
What this site covers
The articles concentrate on three areas: recognising minerals by their physical properties, understanding the common species that build everyday rocks, and getting started with field collecting responsibly. The aim is to explain established, widely accepted ideas clearly, rather than to present new research.
How the articles are written
The texts describe standard mineralogical concepts — hardness, streak, lustre, cleavage and habit — that appear in introductory geology references. Where exact figures are not central to a beginner's understanding, the writing keeps to descriptive language rather than quoting numbers out of context. External links point only to recognised public references such as national geological surveys and established community databases.
Images
Photographs on this site are sourced from Wikimedia Commons and are used under their respective Creative Commons licences. They were chosen to show representative specimens rather than idealised examples.
Scope and limits
This is an educational reference, not a substitute for professional analysis. Identifying minerals by hand is a useful skill, but physical tests give a provisional result. For specimens where accuracy matters, laboratory methods or a qualified mineralogist should confirm the identification.