mineral

Agate

Cryptocrystalline Quartz, SiO2

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 6.5-7. Color: Banded with various colors (white, gray, blue, brown, red, yellow). Luster: Waxy to vitreous. Crystal structure: Trigonal. Cleavage: None. Specific gravity: 2.58-2.64.

Hardness: 6
Luster: Waxy to vitreous

Identified August 19, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Hardness: 6.5-7. Color: Banded with various colors (white, gray, blue, brown, red, yellow). Luster: Waxy to vitreous. Crystal structure: Trigonal. Cleavage: None. Specific gravity: 2.58-2.64.

Formation & geological history

Forms in cavities of eruptive rocks or ancient lavas from siliceous solutions.

Uses & applications

Used in jewelry, ornaments, bookends, coasters, and as a collector's specimen.

Geological facts

Agate was named by Theophrastus, a Greek philosopher, who discovered the stone along the shoreline of the Achates River in Sicily.

Field identification & locations

Identified by its banding patterns and waxy luster. Found worldwide, particularly in Brazil, Uruguay, and the United States (Lake Superior, Oregon, etc.).