Savannah River Agate is a variety of chalcedony found as water-worn nodules in the alluvial gravels of the Savannah River region. It is highly prized by lapidary artists for its warm color palette and distinctive banding, which often features vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows formed by iron oxide inclusions.
Is this savannah river 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 savannah river agate with a known reference. Savannah River 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. Savannah River Agate leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Savannah River Agate typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, orange, yellow, brown, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: nodular.
Often confused with
Savannah River Agate vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside savannah river agate
Minerals reported to co-occur with savannah river 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
- Nodular
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Gravel Deposits
- Typical price
- $5-50 thumbnail, $20-200 cabinet specimen
Where rockhounds find savannah river agate
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Georgia, USA
- South Carolina, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary gravel deposits country — that is the host setting where savannah river agate typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, hematite, goethite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a nodular habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Georgia — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify savannah river agate?+
Where is savannah river agate found?+
Can I find savannah river agate in the United States?+
How much is savannah river agate worth?+
What rocks look like savannah river agate?+
What minerals are found with savannah river agate?+
What kind of rock does savannah river agate form in?+
What is savannah river agate used for?+
Find savannah river agate on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
