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EISCO ESNGKIT0003 (tools + 9 mineral samples)
Our starting choice if you need tools and known minerals to practice with. EISCO lists seven tools, nine small labeled samples and a specimen key. Choose the reference set instead if scratch comparisons are your main aim. We compared published contents; we have not tested these kits ourselves.
Choose it for
Learning several mineral tests with labeled samples and basic tools in one package.
Look elsewhere if
You already own practice specimens, need larger reference pieces, or want numbered hardness picks.
Tool review
Choose between tools with practice samples, mineral references, and tools alone.
Table of Contents
Of these three mineral identification kits, we would choose the EISCO ESNGKIT0003 for a first set with practice samples.It pairs seven basic test tools with nine small labeled minerals, so you have known samples to practice on. Want bigger reference minerals to compare a find against? Pick the ESNGKIT0012 Mohs set. Already own specimens? The tools-only ESNGKIT0001 covers the basics.
All three come from one brand, EISCO. We compared them on what Eisco and the exact Amazon listings say is inside. We have not tested them by hand. None of them includes hardness picks, which are metal points stamped with a Mohs number.
A kit gives you the tools. Our Mohs hardness field guide shows how to run a careful scratch test with them. This page helps you pick the right box.
As an Amazon Associate, The Rockhounding Hub earns from qualifying purchases. If you buy through a product link, we may earn a commission. Amazon sets the checkout price; our link does not add a separate fee.
Best Mineral Identification Kit: Quick Answer
Choose by what you already have. If you own nothing yet, start with samples and tools together. If you want a set of known minerals to compare against, get the reference set. If your shelf is already full of finds, the tools alone may be enough.
For a first kit with practice samples
EISCO ESNGKIT0003
Seven tools plus nine labeled minerals of about half an inch, with a key. You can see real results on known pieces before you test a find.
Main trade-off: The samples are small. Only five of the nine are on the Mohs chart, so it is not a full hardness set.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — we may earn a commission. You pay no extra.For labeled reference minerals
EISCO ESNGKIT0012
Nine reference minerals of about 1 inch, a white and a black streak plate and a key card. Most of the names match the classic Mohs chart.
Main trade-off: It has no magnet, nail, glass plate or lens. Amazon and Eisco name the softest piece differently.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — we may earn a commission. You pay no extra.If you already have specimens
EISCO ESNGKIT0001
The same seven basic tools in a zip-lock bag, for testing minerals you already own.
Main trade-off: No minerals at all. The dropper bottle comes empty, and Eisco says the acid is not included.
Check price on AmazonAffiliate link — we may earn a commission. You pay no extra.Compare the three kits side by side
| Kit | Tools | Minerals | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESNGKIT0003 | Seven: streak plate, glass plate, nail, magnet, copper square, lens, dropper bottle | Nine labeled samples, about 0.5 inch, with a key | A first kit when you have no known samples | Small pieces. Box or bag? The listings say both. |
| ESNGKIT0012 | Two streak plates (white and black) and a key card | Nine reference minerals, about 1 inch | Comparing a find with known minerals | 12 pieces, not 12 minerals. Talc or soapstone label differs. |
| ESNGKIT0001 | Same seven tools; the bottle comes empty | None | Testing specimens you already own | No acid or practice samples included. |
How we chose:we read each maker page and the exact Amazon US listing on October 20, 2026, and matched the model number in Amazon's item details. We picked by use, not by rating or commission. These are three EISCO kits, not a test of every kit on the market.
How to Choose a Mineral Identification Kit
Start with one question: what do you already own? A kit holds tools, known minerals, or both. Buying a second set of something you have wastes money. Missing the part you need leaves you guessing.
Tools, reference specimens and hardness picks
- Test toolsare things like a streak plate, a magnet, a nail and a glass plate. They help you check a mineral, but they don't tell you its name.
- Reference specimens are labeled pieces of known minerals. You compare an unknown find against them.
- Hardness picks are metal points stamped with a Mohs number. None of the three kits here has them.
What Mohs hardness and streak mean
Mohs hardness is a 1-to-10 scale for how well a mineral resists scratching. Talc is 1 and diamond is 10. If your mineral scratches a known one, it is the harder of the two.
Streakis the color of a mineral's powder. You see it when you rub the mineral across an unglazed porcelain tile, called a streak plate. The powder color can differ from the color of the stone itself.
A scratch test means comparing which of two materials leaves a lasting groove on the other. Each result is one clue. You still need other clues, like luster (shine) and shape, to name a mineral.
Limits to know before you buy
- Rough tools, not calibrated ones.A nail, a copper square and a glass plate tell you “softer” or “harder,” not an exact Mohs number.
- No certified standards.Nothing we read from Eisco calls these minerals certified or calibrated, so don't treat them as lab standards.
- Few written steps online. The Eisco resource sections we checked showed no downloadable instructions. The ESNGKIT0001 page has a short outline of how to use the tools.
- Check bottle contents.Eisco says the ESNGKIT0001 bottle comes empty, for a fizz test, and the acid is not included. We don't cover that test here.
What Each Mineral Identification Kit Includes
Each kit below links to Eisco's own product page for the contents. Where the maker page and the Amazon listing disagree, we say so.
EISCO ESNGKIT0003: Tools Plus Nine Practice Minerals
Eisco's ESNGKIT0003 page lists seven test tools and nine raw mineral samples:
- Tools: streak plate, glass plate, nail, magnet, copper square, retractable hand lens and a dropper bottle.
- Minerals: calcite, quartz, gypsum, hematite, magnetite, microcline, pyrite, fluorite and talc. Each is labeled and about half an inch across, with a specimen key.
Known samples are why this is our beginner choice. You can see what a real streak or a real scratch looks like before you test a find. Hematite, magnetite and pyrite are three of the streak examples in our rock identification guide, so you can check those results on labeled pieces.
It is a practice set, not a hardness scale. Only five of the nine appear on the Mohs chart: talc, gypsum, calcite, fluorite and quartz.
Choose it when
You are new, have no labeled minerals yet, and want tools and practice samples in one order.
Skip it when
You want larger pieces for scratch comparisons, or you already own labeled samples.
Limits:half-inch pieces are small, so there is less surface to test. One part of Eisco's page says “reusable box,” another says “zip-lock bag,” and the Amazon listing has the same mix-up. Don't count on a hard case. The page lists a dropper bottle but doesn't say whether it is empty.
EISCO ESNGKIT0012: Nine Mohs Reference Specimens
Eisco's ESNGKIT0012 page lists nine specimens of about 1 inch, a white and a black unglazed porcelain streak plate, and a key card. Amazon calls it a 12-piece kit. That means nine minerals plus three other parts, not 12 minerals.
The minerals are soapstone, gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, microcline, milky quartz, corundum and topaz. Compare the supplied names with the classic Mohs chart, which lists talc and orthoclase where Eisco lists soapstone and microcline. There is no diamond, so the set stops below 10.
The softest piece has two names. Amazon's listing says talc. Eisco's current page says soapstone. Treat it as the soft reference in the set, not as a pure talc standard. Eisco's page also gives no hardness numbers, so keep a Mohs chart beside it.
Choose it when
You want labeled reference minerals to compare against your finds, close to the classic Mohs list.
Skip it when
You also want a magnet, nail, glass plate and lens in the box, or you need certified standards.
Limits:Eisco doesn't describe the packaging. Reference minerals can scratch each other if they rattle together, so store them apart. A divided box from our rock display case guide is one option. Eisco's older ESNG0001 set is marked discontinued; this is a different, current model number.
EISCO ESNGKIT0001: Seven Tools, No Specimens
Eisco's ESNGKIT0001 page lists a streak plate, a glass plate, a nail, a magnet, a copper square, a retractable lens and an empty dropper bottle. It comes in a zip-lock bag. There are no minerals.
Eisco says the bottle is for a fizz test and the acid is not included. The page gives its size in two units that don't match, so we don't list one. The lens is a basic extra. For a dedicated loupe, see our hand lens guide.
Choose it when
You already own finds or labeled specimens and only need basic tools.
Skip it when
You have nothing to practice on yet. The ESNGKIT0003 adds nine samples.
Compare the complete package on both live listings before choosing tools alone. If you also need known practice minerals, the ESNGKIT0003 supplies those in the same order.
None of these kits includes a hammer or chisel. They are small test kits, not the hammer-and-accessory bundles beginners are often told to skip. Plan the rest of your gear with our first rockhounding field kit guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the kit. EISCO's ESNGKIT0001 has seven test tools and no minerals. The ESNGKIT0003 has the same kind of tools plus nine small labeled samples. The ESNGKIT0012 is nine larger reference minerals with a white and a black streak plate and a key card.
No. Eisco lists nine specimens of about 1 inch, two streak plates and a key card. That makes 12 pieces, not 12 minerals. There is no diamond in the set.
Don't count on it. Eisco says the ESNGKIT0001 dropper bottle comes empty and the acid is not included. The ESNGKIT0003 page lists a dropper bottle but does not say what is in it.
No. A nail, a copper square and a glass plate are rough comparisons, not calibrated standards. They can show that a mineral is softer or harder than the tool. Labeled reference minerals help you narrow the range, and the result is still one clue among several.
Your next step
Give each find a name and a place in your collection.
Recommended next step
Identify the stones in your collection
Use our field identification guide before labeling your specimens.
Sources & References
- Mineral Test Kit with 9 Raw Mineral Samples and Testing Tools, ESNGKIT0003: contents and packaging (checked October 20, 2026) — Eisco Labs
- Moh's Hardness Kit, 9 Specimens & 2 Streak Plates, ESNGKIT0012: contents (checked October 20, 2026) — Eisco Labs
- Mineral ID Kit, 7 Pieces, ESNGKIT0001: contents, bottle and packaging (checked October 20, 2026) — Eisco Labs
- EISCO ESNGKIT0003: exact listing, model number and contents (checked October 20, 2026) — Amazon US product listing
- EISCO ESNGKIT0012: exact listing, model number and contents (checked October 20, 2026) — Amazon US product listing
- EISCO ESNGKIT0001: exact listing, model number and contents (checked October 20, 2026) — Amazon US product listing
Founder and editor, The Rockhounding Hub
Marvin runs this site and is still learning rockhounding. He builds each guide from maker specs, safety rules, and public sources.
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