mineral

Banded Agate (Tumbled)

Agate (Silicon Dioxide, SiO2 - Cryptocrystalline Quartz)

Hardness: 6.5-7 on Mohs scale. Color: Grayish-brown with white/cream banding. Luster: Vitreous to waxy when polished. Crystal structure: Trigonal (microscopic). Cleavage: None (Conchoidal fracture). Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.64.

Hardness: 6
Color: Grayish-brown with white/cream banding
Luster: Vitreous to waxy when polished

Identified March 16, 2026More mineral →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed in cavities of volcanic rocks (basalt or andesite) or metamorphic rocks where silica-rich groundwater deposits layers over thousands of years. Aggregates of microscopic quartz crystals. Geological age varies from 10 million to over 1 billion years depending on source location.

Uses & applications

Commonly used in jewelry (cabochons, beads), as decorative ornaments, in metaphysical healing practices, and industrially for burnishing tools or mortar and pestles due to hardness.

Geological facts

Agate was named by the philosopher Theophrastus after the Achates River in Sicily. It is often dyed to enhance colors, though this specimen appears naturally gray-toned. It belongs to the chalcedony family.

Field identification & locations

Identify by its characteristic banding, hardness (it will scratch glass), and waxy feel. Found globally in places like Brazil, India, Morocco, and the Great Lakes region of the USA. Collectors look for unique patterns and clarity.

Other mineral specimens

See all

Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)

Arenite (SiO2 based)

sedimentary

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

Epidote

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

mineral