Novaculite is a dense, hard, cryptocrystalline sedimentary rock composed primarily of microcrystalline quartz. It is famous for its use as a high-quality sharpening stone due to its uniform texture and abrasive nature, often found in the Ouachita Mountains of North America.
Is this novaculite?
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 novaculite with a known reference. Novaculite sits at Mohs 7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Novaculite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Novaculite typically shows a dull luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, gray, black, yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Novaculite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside novaculite
Minerals reported to co-occur with novaculite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 7
- Density
- 2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Dull
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Industrial
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Novaculite Beds
- Typical price
- $5-30 per piece
Where rockhounds find novaculite
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Arkansas, USA
- Oklahoma, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary novaculite beds country — that is the host setting where novaculite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Massachusetts, Oklahoma — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find novaculite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
