Rock Identifier
Banded Agate (Pink Chalcedony) (Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) - Cryptocrystalline Quartz) — mineral
mineral

Banded Agate (Pink Chalcedony)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) - Cryptocrystalline Quartz

Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, white, and translucent lavender bands; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Microcrystalline; Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.64

Hardness
6
Color
Pink, white, and translucent lavender bands
Luster
Vitreous to waxy
Identified More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

Get a report just like this from any photo, free.

App StoreGoogle Play

Physical properties

Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale; Color: Pink, white, and translucent lavender bands; Luster: Vitreous to waxy; Crystal structure: Trigonal/Microcrystalline; Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture); Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.64

Formation & geological history

Formed through the deposition of silica from groundwater in cavities (vesicles) of volcanic igneous rocks or sedimentary formations. The banding occurs due to changes in the chemistry or pressure of the silica-rich fluids over thousands of years.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in the lapidary arts for jewelry (cabochons, beads), decorative ornaments, metaphysical stones, and industrial precision bearings or mortars and pestles due to its hardness.

Geological facts

Agate was named by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus who discovered the stone along the shoreline of the Achates River in Sicily. It has been used for over 3,000 years by ancient civilizations for seal stones and amulets.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by its characteristic concentric or parallel banding and toughness; it will scratch glass but cannot be scratched by a steel knife. Common locations include Brazil, Uruguay, Madagascar, and the Lake Superior region of the USA.

More like this

Other mineral specimens

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions) (Arenite (SiO2 based)) — sedimentary

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary
Epidote (Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)) — metamorphic

Epidote

Epidote | Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH)

metamorphic
Nephrite Jade (Nephrite) — Mineral/Rock

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/Rock
Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble) (Gneiss (specifically a banded variety often found as a river rock)) — Metamorphic Rock

Banded Gneiss (River Rock/Pebble)

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

Metamorphic Rock
Green Apatite on Albite (Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]) — mineral

Green Apatite on Albite

Fluorapatite [Ca5(PO4)3F] on Albite [Na(AlSi3O8)]

mineral
Epidote (Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)) — mineral

Epidote

Epidote - Ca2(Al2,Fe3+)3(SiO4)3(OH)

mineral