mineral

Polished amber-brown agate or jasper

Microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony), SiO₂, likely iron-oxide-bearing

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness about 6.5–7 Mohs; translucent to opaque brown, honey, and cream colors with a waxy to glossy luster. It has cryptocrystalline quartz structure, no obvious cleavage, and conchoidal fracture; the wet-looking surface appears polished or naturally smoothed.

Identified August 28, 2026More mineral →

Explore Polished amber-brown agate or jasper in the encyclopedia →

Identify your own rocks.

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

App Store Google Play

Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Forms when silica-rich groundwater fills cavities and fractures, depositing chalcedony and quartz in layers, often colored by iron oxides. Agates and jasper occur in volcanic rocks from many ages, commonly Cenozoic to Paleozoic.

Uses & applications

Used for cabochons, carvings, beads, ornamental objects, and lapidary collections; tougher pieces may serve as decorative stone or tumbling material.

Geological facts

The specimen’s irregular cream-and-brown pattern is more consistent with brecciated or mossy agate/jasper than with uniform jasper. Precise identification requires testing translucency, hardness, and possibly thin-section or chemical analysis.

Field identification & locations

Common sources include Brazil, Uruguay, Madagascar, Mexico, India, and the western United States. Field clues are quartz-like hardness, lack of cleavage, conchoidal fracture, and translucency at thin edges; it should not scratch easily with a steel knife.