Early access
The RockhoundID app is on its way
Snap a rock, see the likely candidates, and confirm the answer with one quick test. iPhone first, then Android.
What it will do
- Likely matches from a photo. Ranked candidates for rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils, each with the properties that fit and the ones that do not.
- The next test, not a guess. When the top matches look alike, the app tells you which simple test separates them: a scratch, a streak, a magnet or a drop of vinegar.
- Meteorite reality checks. Possible meteorites get the same honest checklist as the free meteorite checker, plus advice on who can confirm one.
- A field journal. Each find saved with the place and date, and a reminder of the collecting rules for that kind of land.
What it will not do
It will not promise a certain identification or put a price on your rock. A photo cannot show hardness, streak or weight, so the app will ask for a quick test when it matters, and it will point you to a museum, a rock club or your state geological survey when a find deserves an expert.
Try the free tools today
You do not have to wait for the app. The rock identifier works from a few quick answers, the Mohs hardness scale shows what scratches what, and the meteorite checker gives honest odds on a possible space rock.
Fun fact
Hardness is the clue a photo can never see. A glassy white chunk could be quartz, calcite or glass, and a copper coin and a piece of window glass tell them apart in seconds.