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AABN:  48802
Title: a book titled, "Where To Find Rocks and Minerals"

"Where to Find Rocks and Minerals", compiled by the Lapidarists Guild,
printed in cooperation with the Smiths Guild. For the Novice and the
Grandmaster alike!

The most obvious goal for any miner is to find loads of ore to process into
valuable metal. You may even dream of striking it rich with packs filled
with gold and silver nuggets. Laudable as these goals may be, a savvy miner
will recognize the value of other substances he may uncover while
prospecting.

The ancient remains of living organisms can be found in several forms,
including solid coal, thick, sticky bitumen and liquid petroleum. You may
also encounter montan wax, oil shale, graphite or ebonite. All of these
substances can be used for brewing potions, though they may impart an
unpleasant odor or taste to the end result. Likewise, high-carbon solids
such coal and graphite are necessary to make all forms of steel. More
curious remnants of long-dead creatures can be found in the form of
fossils, petrified wood and a diatomite, a material made from the shells of
tiny sea creatures that can be processed into diatomaceous earth. These may
be found in any terrain, though they are most common in areas with a karst
geology.

Volcanic fumaroles and lava lakes provide some of the richest deposits of
minerals. Ores such as tenorite, bismuthinite, cotunnite, tealite and
cinnabar can be found in seams near geothermal sources. Gems such as
obsidian, peridot, rutile and even diamonds are found in and around
volcanic rocks. Sulfur is often found in volcanic areas, and sal ammoniac
is only found near lava.

Layers of particles slowly laid down by wind or water may form into
sedimentary rocks. These rocks are often banded, striped or swirled.
Semi-precious varieties of quartz, such as onyx, sard, sardonyx, carnelian,
japser and agate can be found in the gravel of treams and and even
wetlands, where they were carried down from distant mountains by melting
snow. Ores for iron, tin, lead, selenium, nickel, copper and manganese can
all be found in streams and wetlands. "Eye" stones, such as tiger-eye and
hawk-eye, are sometimes found in streams as well, but are curiously also
found in arid regions.

There are many rich deposits of metals, including the tin mine under
Brightstone Keep in the northeastern Ash Mountains, which also has deposits
of lead ore. The mines south of Trinsic also bear tin. A rich source of
zinc can be found in the Halite Caverns on the northern edge of the Salt
Flats, with more scattered deposits in the caves around the Ash Desert. A
few of the most well-known iron mines can be found in the mountains of
central Ramanek, under Mount Glas near Vom and the Mines of Minos near West
Naginag. There are also abundant iron deposits on the isle of Kordan.
Nickel is somewhat more rare, but deposits are known from the Zephyr Forest
west of Ralnoth, and in sea caves along the southeastern shore of Atmir.

Copper ores are the most abundant in arid environments. Malachite, bornite,
chalcopyrite and cuprite can all be found relatively near the surface.
Uncommon halide minerals such as saltpeter, borax, sylvite and halite, as
well as potash and sulfur, are found in deserts. It is not uncommon for
these minerals to be buried under nothing but a thin layer of sand. Gems
such as zircon, tiger-eye, chryoprase and turquoise are found in deserts as
well.

While they can be found deep underground or in the mountains, there are a
few minerals that are most famous for being found in arctic environments.
These include sodalite, jade, and labradorite. Various quartzes such as
rose quartz, citrine and amethyst can also be found in frigid regions.
Crystalline quartzes are also found underground, in rocky hills and even in
forested regions.

If you still must seek after precious metals, silver is the easiest to
find. The most common source is from galena, an ore of lead. The yields are
low and large amounts of the ore must be smelted. Adamantium is rare, but
its few occurances are quite large.  One such motherlode is worked by stone
giants in the Ash Mountain, who produce an adamantine-type alloy called
'titanium' from it, named after the titans of old. Another major deposit
can be found in Suboria, where the ore, called 'loganite', is extracted
from a volcano. The majority of orichalcum comes from Atlantis, but there
are scattered deposits less pure ores scattered across islands in the
Southern Ocean. The primary source of the white metal ziff is a copper mine
within the Aztec Empire, though there a few veins of ore scattered across
southern Atmir. The world's mithril mines are almost all under the control
of dwarves, as deposits of ore tend to be found very deep underground. Gold
ores are rare, but deposits have been found along the Green River south of
Ralnoth, and in the mountains of Ramanek.

Sky iron is only known from rare meteorites, and is highly prized.

The best places to prospect are established mines, where large veins of
minerals are routinely discovered. Other sites include quarries, where
large sections of bedrock have been removed. This can expose mineral
deposits which are often ignored by quarrymen and masons, who are focused
on their stonework. Also, gravel pits can be found by many major roads,
often near settlements. Though not as deep as quarries, these excavations
often expose mineral deposits that would otherwise be buried too deep for
ordinary prospecting. The occasional potter's claypool may also be a good
source for finding various sorts of bog ores, though its not uncommon to
uncover nothing but clay. Much more rare are tar pits, which are reliable
sources of bitumen and petroleum.

Southern Ocean. The primary source of the white metal ziff is a copper mine
within the Aztec Empire, though there a few veins of ore scattered across
southern Atmir. The world's mithril mines are almost all under the control
of dwarves, as deposits of ore tend to be found very deep underground. Gold
ores are rare, but deposits have bee