Geological specimens include rocks, minerals, surface process samples, and soils. These specimens document the presence of geological materials, their mineral composition, structure and texture, and the processes that created them.
Mineral and rock collections from Rock Creek Park and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park include aplite (quartz and feldspar), galena, lead sulfide, gold, garnet, mica schist, ilmenite (a titanium-iron oxide mineral that is weakly magnetic), hematite (iron(III) oxide), quartz, rose quartz, and granite.
Canals constructed along the Potomac River, including the waterways of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Patowmack Canal, were lifelines for people living along the Potomac River from 1831-1924. Locks controlling water flow allowed the efficient transport of coal and other materials to and from these communities. Lands surrounding these areas are also rich in natural resources, triggering the start of commercial gold mining operations in Montgomery County in 1865.
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