RFP for Rock/Mineral Description

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What’s This Content for？

You are selected to write creative content on rocks and minerals. A list of rocks and/or minerals will be given and we would like to have a general description for them.

In our mobile phone app, we will give identifications of rocks and minerals based on photographs. Besides telling users the results, we would like to give the users comprehensive information about it. The descriptions we create this time will be displayed in the front row.

Giving readers a solid first impression is our purpose in writing them. The key is narrow down the gap between an unfamiliar name and our daily life (although it can be difficult at times). Let’s try to find the connections!

1. Requirments
  1. Word Count: about 50 words (40~60 words ideal. It is OK to run a bit longer when you find all the facts listed are interesting, but 90 words is the upper-limit);
  2. Interesting Facts: each description should have 2 or more interesting facts (goto section 2. What is a Piece of Interesting Information);
  3. Easy to Read: Avoid using complex mineralogical terms, use simple words, and make the description readily understandable. If some terms are inevitable, try to use some words to explain them. Remember most readers are amateurs.
  4. Referential: Attach your references in the comments.
  5. Formats: All words other than English (Latin, Greek, German, France, etc.) should be italicized (most likely in the name story section). Book names should be italicized. Other quotations should be put inside double quotes (“word”.).
2. What is a Piece of Interesting Information

Try to find interesting information on the minerals! Special appearance, usage, history, and daily use are welcomed. Daily life relationships are generally considered to be interesting.

Here are some typical examples of what we consider interesting information:

  1. Current or historical uses – both directly (garnet used to make garnet papers, sapphire used for gemstones) and indirectly (hematite used during ironmaking, kaolinite used in porcelain making).
  2. Unusual or notable appearance (alexandrite would show different colors under different light conditions).
  3. Cultural significance or symbolic meaning (especially for those gemstones, birthstones, etc.)
  4. Location of origin – when it is not widely distributed. (such as phosphophyllite in Potosí, Bolivia, and benitoite in Benito, California).
  5. Record holders, common associations, confusion with some of the most popular minerals/gems, or other interesting geological info.

Do remember to highlight the uniqueness of these minerals.

3. Special Attention
  1. Avoid any unfalsifiable information including metaphysics, crystal energy, and mineral healing.
  2. Avoid medical usage and edibility information that have a chance to induce users try.
  3. Make sure the references you cite are reliable.
  • Educational websites (*.edu) and govermental websites (*.gov) are generally considered reliable, mindat.org is reliable, research papers are reliable, textbooks for geology, mineralogy and gemology are reliable;
  • Single reliable source could support your content;
  • But if you can not find a reliable source, cross-validation is needed. Descriptions with only one non-reference site (based on the rule above) will be directly rejected;
  • Wikipedia is not a reliable source, but it is a good place to find ideas. The citations on Wikipedia will be a good reference if it is reliable.
4. Examples

Zircon (84 words)

Zircon is a naturally-occurring crystal that can be used for radiometric dating of the rocks in which it is found. Small grains of this mineral occur in rocks of all types around the world. When it forms larger, transparent crystals, they come in a variety of colors and can be cut into truly brilliant gemstones. Heat treatments are used to produce even more colors, but these gems are not to be confused with the man-made cubic zirconium. Zircon is the modern birthstone for December.