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, 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.
