mineral

Agate (specifically Botswana or Lake Superior style Agate)

Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) - Microcrystalline Quartz

Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Banded layers of brown, orange, peach, and white. Luster: Waxy to vitreous. Crystal Structure: Hexagonal (microcrystalline). Cleavage: None (conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.64.

Hardness: 6
Color: Banded layers of brown, orange, peach, and white
Luster: Waxy to vitreous

Identified April 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in cavities (vesicles) of volcanic or metamorphic rocks. As mineral-rich silica groundwater seeps into these cavities, it deposits layers of microcrystalline quartz over thousands of years, creating the characteristic banding.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in jewelry (cabochons), interior decoration, precision pendulums, and as metaphysical 'healing' stones. In industry, it is used for mortars and pestles because of its hardness.

Geological facts

Agates are named after the Achates River in Sicily. They are known as the 'earth rainbow' because the concentric bands can represent almost every color that the earth can produce.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for a 'waxy' appearance on broken surfaces and concentric banding patterns. They are frequently found on beaches or in riverbeds where volcanic rocks have eroded.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

Schist

Metamorphic

Epidote

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

metamorphic

Nephrite Jade

Nephrite

Mineral/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