About

Are you looking for a great rock and mineral for kids that will help them learn about science and have fun along the way?

Well, you are in the right place. Mini Me Geology is dedicated to kids and science. My name is Tracy Diane Jones. I am a Professional Geologist and I want your kids to love geology as much as I do. I designed all of our kits, books, and activities with kids in mind. Everything you see on our site was developed by me for kids just like mine.

About Tracy

I was originally born and raised in Princeton, West Virginia where I graduated from Princeton Senior High School7. A swimmer through most of my childhood, I left to attend college at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and join the varsity swim team. (Go Paladins!) Four years later, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geology and headed to Columbia to attend the University of South Carolina as a graduate student. (Go Gamecocks!) 

At USC, I studied hydrogeology, focusing on groundwater modeling. Between my first and second years, Mobil Oil Corporation offered me the opportunity to work in New Orleans, Louisiana for the summer. I jumped at the chance to live in New Orleans for three months! I graduated from USC with a Master of Science in Geology.

(Yes, that's me at a tin mine on a college geology field trip. Don't you love the safety glasses and hard hat?)

My Hydrogeology Career

Right after graduate school, I took a job as a hydrogeologist in an environmental firm in Greenville, South Carolina then later decided to move to Charleston to be near the beach. In Charleston, I work with an environmental firm where I perform groundwater modeling, soil and groundwater assessments, remediation system design for contaminated sites, and work with new property owners to identify potential environmental concerns.

Mini Me Geology was Born

When my son was in kindergarten, the teacher asked that the parents come to speak to the class during career week. I took a bunch of rock samples and the kids when crazy! Later I went to the store to try to find some rock kits for my kids and there wasn’t anything on the market that I really liked and thought would not only teach him about geology but also make him interested in science. That’s when the idea for Mini Me Geology was born. My goal with the business is to develop products that will help children learn to love science. Even if they don’t become a scientist in the future, I want kids to enjoy science because it affects every aspect of their lives.

A New Chapter Begins…Literally!

When I was at Furman, I took some fascinating English classes. One that I loved in particular was Poetry, Plays and Short Stories. The professor introduced me to the works of John Malkovich. Okay, he isn’t a writer but an actor who I just LOVE! Anyway, because of this class, I got interested in writing. So far, I’ve written several geology activity books that are both stand-alone and come with our kits and a book for home school parents and teachers who need to teach rock and mineral identification but have no geology background.

I also branched out and wrote a non-fiction book about how I started Mini Me Geology and how you can quickly launch a product-based business too.

Crystal Cave Adventures - a "science" fiction series for kids

My first series is a “science” fiction series for kids ages 9-12. The Crystal Cave Adventure series is a little bit geology, a little bit time travel and a whole lot of adventure. You can see more about the series and my other books here. You can get Books #1 through #4 in eBook or paperback form from our website or anywhere books are sold. Each of the novels in the Crystal Cave Adventures has a companion Activity Book that has fun story quizzes, games, scavenger hunts, puzzles, and behind-the-scenes fun facts to help kids enjoy the series even more!

The Crystal Cave Adventures includes four novels and four companion activity books. Each story stands alone but there are themes running through the series which bring you to an exciting conclusion at the end of book #4. The Crystal Cave Adventures books are:

#1 – Blue John’s Cavern (travel to 1775 England in search of the rare Blue John Fluorite)
#2 – Rusher’s Gold (travel to the1850 California Gold Rush in search of pure gold)
#3 – Black’s Opal (travel to 1925 Australia in search of a perfect Black Opal)
#4 – Egeran’s Mountain (travel to 2050 Mount Vesuvius volcano in Italy in search of a rare vesuvianite!)

Penelope Lake - a new cozy mystery series

My next series, launching in 2024, is a cozy mystery series. I'm super excited to introduce you to Penelope Lake, a kick-butt geologist who solves crimes! My fiction is published under the name Tracy Diane. I hope you enjoy the stories.