mineral

Dendritic Agate

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) with Manganese or Iron Oxide inclusions

Hardness: 6.5-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Translucent white to gray base with black/brown tree-like patterns; Luster: Waxy to vitreous; Crystal Structure: Trigonal (Microcrystalline); Cleavage: None; SG: 2.58-2.64

Hardness: 6
Luster: Waxy to vitreous

Identified April 26, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed when mineral-rich groundwater (containing manganese or iron) seeps into fractures and cavities of rhyolite or chert, precipitating out in branching patterns known as dendrites.

Uses & applications

Primary use is in jewelry (cabochons), lapidary arts, and as a collector's specimen. It is highly valued in metaphysical communities as the 'Stone of Plenitude.'

Geological facts

Despite its name, it is technically a chalcedony rather than a true banded agate. The 'plant-like' patterns are purely inorganic mineral growths and not actual fossils.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its translucency and characteristic branch-like 'fern' inclusions. Commonly found in Brazil, India, Madagascar, and the USA (notably Montana and Oregon).

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Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

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Nephrite Jade

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Mineral/Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)

Metamorphic Rock

Green Apatite on Albite

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mineral