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, 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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