Orange Agate is a microcrystalline variety of quartz characterized by its vibrant orange banding and waxy luster. It typically forms within volcanic rock cavities, often presenting as botryoidal or layered masses that take a high polish for lapidary work.
Is this orange 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 orange agate with a known reference. Orange 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. Orange Agate leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Orange Agate typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: orange, red-orange, yellow-orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: botryoidal.
Often confused with
Orange Agate vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside orange agate
Minerals reported to co-occur with orange 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
- 2.58-2.64 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Botryoidal
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Volcanic Vesicles and Sedimentary Cavities
- Typical price
- $5-50 for slabs and polished pieces
Where rockhounds find orange agate
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Mexico
- USA
- India
Field-hunting tip
Look in volcanic vesicles and sedimentary cavities country, the host setting where orange agate typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, amethyst, goethite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a botryoidal habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Vermont. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find orange agate on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
