Travertine is a terrestrial sedimentary rock formed by the rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot spring or in a limestone cave. It is characterized by its distinct banded appearance and porous structure, making it a popular material in both geological collections and architectural finishings.
Is this travertine?
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 travertine with a known reference. Travertine sits at Mohs 3-4, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Read the textureLook at a fresh break with a hand lens. Texture: Dense; sometimes massive but more commonly banded or fibrous; fresh travertine 10 to 70 percent porous.
- 3Pick out the mineralsComposition: Calcium carbonate (calcite or aragonite) deposited around mineral springs. Identify the two or three most abundant grains.
- 4Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: dull to earthy.
- 5Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, tan, cream, brown, yellow.
Often confused with
Travertine vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads dull to earthy on Travertine and vitreous on Calcite Onyx.
How to tell apart: Luster reads dull to earthy on Travertine and vitreous; pearly on cleavages and {0001} on Calcite.
Often found alongside travertine
Minerals reported to co-occur with travertine. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 3-4
- Density
- 2.5-2.7 g/cm³
- Luster
- Dull to earthy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Decorative, Architectural, Collector
- Host rock
- hot springs and limestone caves
- Texture
- Dense; sometimes massive but more commonly banded or fibrous; fresh travertine 10 to 70 percent porous
- Composition
- Calcium carbonate (calcite or aragonite) deposited around mineral springs
Where rockhounds find travertine
6 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Tivoli, Italy
- Yellowstone National Park, USA
- Pamukkale, Turkey
- Hierapolis, Turkey
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: hot springs and limestone caves. If you start seeing calcite, aragonite in float, you are in the right ground. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in West Virginia, Wyoming, New York. Start trip planning there.
More travertine photos
Common questions
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Find travertine on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
