Turritella Agate is a silicified sedimentary rock containing abundant fossils of the marine gastropod Elimia tenera. It is highly valued by lapidaries for the striking, high-contrast patterns created by the darker shell spirals set against a lighter, translucent-to-opaque chalcedony matrix.
Is this turritella 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 turritella agate with a known reference. Turritella 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. Turritella Agate leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Turritella Agate typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, tan, gray, cream.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Turritella Agate vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside turritella agate
Minerals reported to co-occur with turritella 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
- 2.55-2.70 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Rock
- Typical price
- $5-50 depending on specimen size and pattern clarity
Where rockhounds find turritella agate
7 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Green River Formation, Wyoming, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary rock country — that is the host setting where turritella agate typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, calcite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Wyoming, Texas — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find turritella agate on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
