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Everything a geologist needs to be successful in the field.

© Geoff Habiger

This week were are going to depart a little from our recent discussions, and focus on something a little lighter in context, but no less important. For centuries, geologists have been making important discoveries about the workings of our earth. While many of these were made in the laboratory, being a geologist means going outside and working in the field to collect samples, make measurements, and just get a basic feel for the geology around you. Before we can venture in the field, whether it's a long expedition into the heart of Mongolia, or just a trip across town to a good outcrop, the geologist needs to make sure they have the proper equipment with them.

I like to divide my equipment into two areas, those items I must have, and those items I should have, but don't always need. We'll first look at the items no geologist should be without, then look at some more specific items that can make going into the field easier, but are not necessary.

Of those items that a geologist must take into the field, probably the most important is the rock hammer. Without a good rock hammer the geologist can only get a look at the surface of the rocks around him or her. Rock hammers are useful for breaking open rocks to get a look at a fresh, un-weathered surface. For prying apart sedimentary layers. And even for digging toe holds in steep outcrops. There are two types of hammers that work best for geologists. The first is a hard rock hammer, and has a blunt head and a point on the other end. This type of hammer is useful for breaking up rocks, and digging into the ground. The other type, a soft rock hammer, also has the blunt head, but has a chisel instead of a point on the other end. This type of hammer is useful for prying slab-like rocks apart. Both of these hammers are available at nearly every hardware store, the best hammers are made by Estwing. They may not be called rock hammers, but you should recognize them by their distinctive shapes.

The next item a geologist must have is a hand lens. A hand lens is a small magnifying lens that is used to look at minerals or fossils up close. The lens usually folds up so it can't be damaged, and can be placed on a loop to be worn around the next. Hand lenses come in different magnifications, the most common being a 10X magnification. A 10X magnification is useful for nearly all field work a geologist will perform.

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