Banded agate is a cryptocrystalline variety of silica characterized by distinct, curved, or concentric banding patterns resulting from rhythmic deposition in rock cavities. Collectors prize it for its unique color zones and banding, which are best displayed when polished by lapidary hobbyists.
Is this banded agate?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch banded agate with a known reference. Banded Agate sits at Mohs 6.5-7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Banded Agate leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Banded Agate typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, gray, blue, red, yellow, brown, black.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: banded, botryoidal, massive.
Often confused with
Banded Agate vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside banded agate
Minerals reported to co-occur with banded agate. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.59-2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Banded, Botryoidal, Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
- Host rock
- Volcanic Vesicles and Sedimentary Cavities
- Typical price
- $5-50 for hand specimens, higher for gem-grade cabochons
Where rockhounds find banded agate
27 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Brazil
- Mexico
- USA
- Botswana
- India
U.S. states with banded agate
Each link opens a state-specific list of mapped rockhounding spots that produce banded agate.
Field-hunting tip
Look in volcanic vesicles and sedimentary cavities country — that is the host setting where banded agate typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, calcite, zeolites in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a banded, botryoidal, massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in New Jersey, Georgia, California — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify banded agate?+
Where is banded agate found?+
Can I find banded agate in the United States?+
How much is banded agate worth?+
What rocks look like banded agate?+
What minerals are found with banded agate?+
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Find banded agate on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
