Teepee Canyon Agate is a highly sought-after microcrystalline quartz variety characterized by its intricate, multi-colored banding and vibrant fortification patterns. It is predominantly found in the Black Hills of South Dakota, often occurring as nodules within sedimentary limestone formations.
Is this teepee canyon 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 teepee canyon agate with a known reference. Teepee Canyon 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. Teepee Canyon Agate leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Teepee Canyon Agate typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: red, pink, white, yellow, orange.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: botryoidal.
Often confused with
Teepee Canyon Agate vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside teepee canyon agate
Minerals reported to co-occur with teepee canyon 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
- 2.6-2.65 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Botryoidal
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Limestone Cavities
- Typical price
- $10-100 for slabs and nodules
Where rockhounds find teepee canyon agate
Classic worldwide localities
- Custer County, South Dakota, USA
- Black Hills, South Dakota, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in limestone cavities country — that is the host setting where teepee canyon agate typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, calcite 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.
Common questions
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Find teepee canyon agate on the map
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