sedimentary
Moqui Marble
Iron Oxide Concretion
Hardness: 5-6 (outer shell); Color: Dark brown to black (hematite/goethite shell) with tan/ochre sandstone core; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Spherical or ellipsoidal concretion; Cleavage: None (fractures irregularly).
- Hardness
- 5-6 (outer shell)
- Luster
- Dull/Earthy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5-6 (outer shell); Color: Dark brown to black (hematite/goethite shell) with tan/ochre sandstone core; Luster: Dull/Earthy; Structure: Spherical or ellipsoidal concretion; Cleavage: None (fractures irregularly).
Formation & geological history
Formed through the precipitation of iron oxide minerals from groundwater around a nucleus within porous Jurassic-aged Navajo Sandstone. They are roughly 20-25 million years old.
Uses & applications
Primarily used as metaphysical 'shaman stones' or as geological collectibles. They are protected in national parks and have no major industrial use.
Geological facts
Also known as Moqui Balls or Shaman Stones. Legend says the spirits of the ancestors (Moqui) come to play with these marbles at night. They are famous for being terrestrial analogs to the hematite 'blueberries' found on Mars by the Opportunity rover.
Field identification & locations
Identify by their distinct spherical shape and hard metallic-looking outer crust. Found primarily in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and southern Utah. Collectors should look for 'weathered out' specimens on the ground surface.
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