How to Focus a Hand Lens / Hand Magnifier

Hand lens (also called hand magnifiers) are tools that geologists use to see fine details of rock and mineral samples. The Mini Me Geology hand magnifier has two different strengths – 3X and 6X. The large area has a 3X magnification which means that the object you are looking at will appear to be three times its normal size. The smaller area has a 6X magnification which means that the object you are looking at will appear to be six times its normal size.

To use your hand magnifier start by choosing a mineral sample. Hold the mineral on the opposite side of the hand magnifier from your eye. Start by looking through the larger, 3X, area of the hand magnifier. You can move the mineral or the hand magnifier until you can see clearly through the lens. If you want to see certain part of the sample even more closely, use the smaller 6X area and focus the lens the same way described.

Hand lenses are included in the My Rockin Collection Minerals kit, the My Rockin Collection Igneous Rock kit, the My Rockin Collection Metamorphic Rock kit, the My Rockin Collection Sedimentary Rock kit, the Rock Cycle kit, the Colossal Rock and Mineral Kit and all six of the Rock Detectives kits You can also purchase hand lenses individually or in groups of 6 or 12.