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

• Every Rock has A Story Video Series - In this video series, Professor Ethan Baxter, Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Boston College, and a past Rocks and Minerals participant, showcases a variety of rocks and shares the unique information about climate change, natural hazards, natural resources, Earth history, fossils, human impacts, urban geology, and even outer space that the rock contains.
• 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

• 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.

Practice Problems & Tests

• Practice Test - 2023 Sierra Vista Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 University of Michigan Invitational
• Practice Test - 2023 University of Chicago Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 UT Austin Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 Rickards Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 Highlands Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 BullSO Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 National Invitational
• Practice Test - 2022 UChicago Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 UT Austin Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 Troy High School Invitational
• Practice Test - 2021 BirdSO 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 

Career Connections

• Exploring Opportunities: Careers in the Mineral Industry - In this book created by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME) you can learn about the different careers that connect with your passion for Rocks and Minerals.
• 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