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natural history page title
Identifying rocks, minerals and fossils
Introduction
What is a rock?
What is a mineral?
What is a fossil?
Rock, mineral or 
    fossil?

Rock key
    Sedimentary
    Igneous
    Metamorphic
    Unknown

Mineral key
Fossil key
 Helpful books
     

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 Rock Key

Read the descriptions below and choose the one that most closely describes the rock you are trying to identify. 
 

thumbnail image of fossiliferous sandstone linking to the deimentary rock key

thumbnail image of granite linking to igneous rock key

thumbnail image of gneiss linking to metamorphic rock key

thumbnail of the mineral sulphur (not a rock!) linking to the unknown rock page suggesting users try the fossil and mineral keys
Is the rock made of grains (including bits of fossil) stuck together?
Is the rock made of different coloured crystals mixed together? Does the rock have crystals separated into bands, or white sugary crystals? My rock doesn't fit any of the other descriptions!