Mineral Identification

Alluvial gold recovery using panning, sluicing, and classification. Covers site reading (geological indicators, stream dynamics, pay streak location), panning technique, sluice box operation, and responsible extraction practices. Use when prospecting in an area with known or suspected alluvial gold deposits, sampling a stream to test for gold presence, maximizing recovery during recreational panning, or assessing a site's gold potential before investing more effort.

Identify gemstones using optical properties, physical tests, and inclusion analysis. Covers refractive index, specific gravity, pleochroism, spectroscopy indicators, and common simulant detection. Use when identifying an unknown gemstone, verifying a seller's claim about species identity, distinguishing natural stones from simulants or synthetics, building gemological literacy through structured observation, or identifying rough material before cutting to ensure safe handling.

Field identification of fungi using morphological features, spore prints, habitat analysis, and seasonal context with a safety-first approach. Covers cap, gill, stem, and spore characteristics, look-alike differentiation, toxicity risk assessment, and the critical rule of absolute certainty before consumption. Use when encountering an unknown fungus, foraging for edible mushrooms and needing to confirm species before consumption, assessing whether fungi in a garden or property are harmful, or differentiating an edible species from a dangerous look-alike.

Identify insects using body plan analysis, dichotomous keys to order, wing venation, mouthpart type, antennae form, leg and tarsal structure, and confidence levels. Covers the fundamental hexapod body plan verification, a simplified dichotomous key to major orders, wing venation and type analysis, mouthpart classification, antennae morphology, leg specialization and tarsal formula, and a structured confidence assessment framework. Use when you need to identify an unknown insect beyond preliminary order placement, are working through a specimen for taxonomic study, want to distinguish between similar orders or families, or need to assign a confidence level to a field identification.

Research a company or person and get actionable sales intel. Works standalone with web search, supercharged when you connect enrichment tools or your CRM. Trigger with "research [company]", "look up [person]", "intel on [prospect]", "who is [name] at [company]", or "tell me about [company]".