sedimentary
Green Onyx (Commercial Name) / Banded Calcite
Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness of 3 on Mohs scale, pale green and white coloration, vitreous to waxy luster, and massive to rhombohedral crystal structure.
Identified More sedimentary →
Explore Green Onyx (Commercial Name) / Banded Calcite in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness of 3 on Mohs scale, pale green and white coloration, vitreous to waxy luster, and massive to rhombohedral crystal structure.
Formation & geological history
Formed through the precipitation of calcium carbonate in limestone caves or hot spring environments over thousands of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used for decorative carvings, ornamental figurines, interior tiles, and high-end sculpture work.
Geological facts
Often commercially marketed as onyx, true onyx is actually a banded chalcedony, making this ornamental stone a variety of travertine or calcite.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified by its soft nature, acid reaction with vinegar, and translucent banded appearance; commonly sourced from Pakistan, Mexico, and Iran.
More like this
Other sedimentary specimens
Fossil-bearing concretion, possibly containing a fossil shell or other organic inclusion
Calcareous concretion; exact fossil and host-rock composition are not identifiable from the image
fossil
Fossiliferous Sedimentary Rock
Sedimentary limestone with invertebrate fossil imprint
fossil
Sandstone or Siltstone
Arenite (if sandstone)
Sedimentary
Sandstone
Arenite
sedimentary
Shale
Shale (clastic sedimentary rock)
sedimentary
Shale (or Mudstone/Siltstone)
Sedimentary Mudrock (SiO2, Al2O3 base with clay minerals)
sedimentary