Rocks and Minerals

Welcome to Rocks & Minerals! In this event, participants will demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals.

The information below should not be interpreted as an extension of the rules. You can find free online copies of the current rules for download on the 2023 Rules page of the Science Olympiad website. The official rules in the current Rules Manual take precedence.

Resources & Links

• Rules Clarification (Issued 10/19/22)
• Rocks and Reference Table
• Minerals, Ores and Gems Sheet
• Igneous Formations
• Mineral ID Chart
• Mineral Flow Chart
• Mineral and Gemstone Kingdom
• Mineralogy Database
• Mineral Resources Database
• Recommended textbook - Physical Geology

SO Store & Ward's Science Materials

• New! 2023 Rocks & Minerals Starter Pack
• 2023 National Test Packet
• Official Ward's Science Science Olympiad kit for Rocks & Minerals
  • Ward's Specimen List - This list matches the specimens in the Ward's Science Rocks and Minerals Kit with their location so they can be easily identified.
• 2019 National Test Packet 

Practice Problems & Tests

• Practice Test - 2021 UT Austin Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 Troy High School Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 BirdSO Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 National Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 UChicago Invitational
• Sedimentary Environments Quiz and Key
• Rock Cycle Quiz
• Minerals, Ores and Gems Sheet
• Igneous Rock Quiz

Event Supervisor Resources 

In addition to the resources on the Event Supervisors page, Rocks & Minerals Event Supervisors should be sure to use the following resources:

• Event Logistics Manual (Updated 10/25/22 to fix an error with Can't Judge a Powder)

Career Connections

• STEM Session on Rocks & Minerals with Guest Tova Peltz, geotechnical engineer at ODOT
• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Career Cluster Information
• CareerOneStop - Geoscientists
• CareerOneStop - Mining and Geological Engineers
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Petroleum Engineers
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Outlook: Anthropologists and Archeologists