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List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones facts for kids

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Leaders of states in the U.S. which have significant mineral deposits often create a state mineral, rock, stone or gemstone to promote interest in their natural resources, history, tourism, etc. Not every state has an official state mineral, rock, stone and/or gemstone, however.

In the chart below, a year which is listed within parentheses represents the year during which that mineral, rock, stone or gemstone was officially adopted as a state symbol or emblem.

Table of minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones

State, federal district, territory Mineral Rock or stone Gemstone
Alabama
HematiteUSGOV
Hematite (1967)
MarbleUSGOV
Marble (1969)
Statestarquartz
Star blue quartz (1990)
Alaska
GoldNuggetUSGOV
Gold (1968)
 
Jadestein
Nephrite jade (1968)
Arizona
Wulfenite-240670
Wulfenite (2017)
Turquoise with quartz
Turquoise (1974)
Arkansas
USDA Mineral Quartz Crystal 93c3951
Quartz (1967)
BauxiteUSGOV
Bauxite (1967)
Star of murfreesboro
Diamond (1967)
California
GoldNuggetUSGOV
Gold (1965); California's nickname is the Golden State
SerpentineUSGOV
Serpentinite (1965)
Benitoite new
Benitoite (1985)
Colorado
The Searchlight Rhodochrosite Crystal
Rhodochrosite (2002)
DSCN2642 marbleblocksinmarble 600
Yule marble (2004)
AguamarinhaEZ
Aquamarine (1971)
Connecticut
GarnetCrystalUSGOV
Almandine garnet (1977)
 
Delaware
Sillimanite
Sillimanite (1977)
Florida
MoonstoneGem
Moonstone (1970)
Georgia
Staurolit, Madagaskar
Staurolite (1976)
Quartz rose GeorgiaHoggMine13
Quartz (1976)
Hawaiʻi
Blackcoral colony 600
Black coral (1987)
Idaho
Idahostargarnet
Star garnet (1967)
Illinois
Fluorite with Iron Pyrite
Fluorite (1965)
Dolomite rock01
Dolostone (2022)
Indiana
Iowa
Geode from Keokuk County Iowa
Geode (1967)
Kansas
GalenaFromKansas
Galena (2018)
Greenhorn Limestone on Interstate 70 in Kansas
Greenhorn Limestone, from which the Kansas Stone Posts were cut. (2018)
Altamira Ambre MHNT.PRE.2012.0.615
Jelenite, a form of amber (2018)
Kentucky
Coal
Coal (1998)
Freshadama
Freshwater pearl (1986)
Louisiana
Unknown Polished Rock Macro 2
Agate (2011)
Lapearlite
Lapearlite (Eastern oyster shell) (2011)
Maine Granitic pegmatite (2023)
Elbaite maine
Tourmaline (1971)
Maryland
Agatetumbledriverstone
Patuxent River stone agate (2004)
Massachusetts
Babingtonite avec Prenite USA
Babingtonite (1971)
Roxbury conglomerate
Roxbury puddingstone (1983)
Rodonita2EZ
Rhodonite (1979)
Michigan
Petoskey stone Hexagonaria percarinata 2
Petoskey stone fossilized coral (1965)
Greenstone2
Chlorastrolite (aka Isle Royale greenstone) (1972)
Minnesota
Mississippi Opal (2023)
Missouri
Galena-MCG 90810-P4150809-white
Galena (1967); Missouri's nickname is the Lead State
Mozarkite
Mozarkite (1967)
Montana
Sapphiremontanarockcr
Sapphire (1969)
and
Montana Moss Agate
Montana Agate (1969)
Nebraska
Agatetumbledmidwest
Prairie agate (1967)
Agatenebraskablue
Blue chalcedony (1967)
Nevada
SilverUSGOV
Metal: Silver (1977); Nevada's nickname is the Silver State
Sandstone(quartz)USGOV
Sandstone (1987)
Virginvalleyblackopal
Precious Gemstone: Virgin Valley black fire opal (1987)

Turq mcGuin bunker
Semiprecious Gemstone: Nevada turquoise (1987)
New Hampshire
Beryl variety Vorobievite Beryllium cesium aluminum silicate Raymond New Hampshire 2194
Beryl (1985)
Old Man of the Mountain 4-26-03
Granite (1985); New Hampshire's nickname is the Granite State
Quartz smokey New Hampshire15
Smoky quartz (1985)
New Jersey Franklinite
New Mexico
Turquoise.pebble.700pix
Turquoise (1967)
New York
Garnet Group-Pyrope Iron aluminum silicate Barton Mines, Gore Mountain, Warren County, New York 2861
Garnet (1969)
North Carolina
GoldNuggetUSGOV
Gold (2011)
Granite softgreen
Granite (1979)
Béryl var. émeraude sur quartz (Carnaiba Mine Bahia - Brésil)
Emerald (1973)
North Dakota
Ohio
Flintohio
Ohio flint (1965)
Oklahoma
Gfp-Gypsum-v-selenite
Crystal: Hourglass selenite (2005)
Sandrose 2004 03
Barite Rose (1968)
 
Oregon State Twin Minerals:
Oregonite-Awaruite-642275
Oregonite (2013)
and
Awaruite-117868
Josephinite (2013)
ThundereggOR
Thunderegg (1965)
Labradoriteoregonsunstone
Oregon sunstone labradorite (1987)
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Serpentine-bowenite
Bowenite serpentine (1966)
Cumberlandite
Cumberlandite (1966)
South Carolina
Granite Yosemite P1160483
Blue granite (1969)
Améthystre sceptre2
Amethyst (1969)
South Dakota
Rose quartz (079)
Rose quartz (1966)
Fairburn Agate (ultimately derived from the Minnelusa Formation, Pennsylvanian-Permian; collected east of the Black Hills, western South Dakota, USA) 34 (44632240865)
Fairburn agate (1966)
and
State Jewelry: Black Hills Gold
Tennessee
Tennesseepaintrock
Agate (2009)
Limestone with fossils01
Limestone (from 1979 to present)
and formerly
Tennesseepaintrock
Tennessee agate (from 1969 until 2009)
Freshadama
Tennessee River Pearl (1979)
Texas
SilverUSGOV
Precious Metal: Silver (2007)
Fossilpalmsouthernusa
Oligocene petrified palmwood (1969)
TOPAZE4
Gemstone: Texas blue topaz (1969)

Texasstargem
Gem Cut: "Lone Star Cut" (1977)
Utah
CopperMineralUSGOV
Copper (1994)
Coal anthracite
Coal (1991)
Topas - Utah-USA
Topaz (1969)
Vermont
Talc block
Talc (1991)
Granite detail
Granite (1992)
and
Vermont State Capitol
Marble (1992)
and
SlateUSGOV
Slate (1992)
Grossularite09
Grossular garnet (1991)
Virginia
Nelsonite (rock)
Nelsonite (2016)
Washington
West Virginia
Agatized lithostrotionella coral07
Mississippian Lithostrotionella fossil coral (1990)
Wisconsin
Galena-MCG 90810-P4150809-white
Galena (1971)
Itu granite
Red granite (1971)
Wyoming

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Minerales, rocas, piedras y gemas símbolos de los estados de los Estados Unidos para niños

Endnotes

  1. In 1965, California became the first state to name an official state rock. A 2010 effort led by State Senator Gloria J. Romero, a Democrat from Los Angeles, sought to remove serpentine from its perch as the state's official stone. Organizations such as the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization have supported the move as the olive green rock is a source of chrysotile, a form of asbestos that can cause mesothelioma and other forms of cancer. Geologists have rallied to oppose the bill, arguing that there is no way to be harmed from casual exposure to serpentine. The bill did not reach a final vote and died in committee at the end of August 2010. In 1986, California named benitoite as its state gemstone, a form of the mineral barium titanium silicate that is unique to the Golden State and only found in gem quality in San Benito County.
  2. Colorado is the only state whose geological symbols reflect the national flag's colors: red (rhodochrosite), white (yule marble), and blue (aquamarine).
  3. Florida's state gem, moonstone, was adopted to highlight Florida's role in the United States' Lunar program, which landed the first astronauts on the Moon.
  4. Since 1983, Massachusetts has had 3 other official state rocks: State Historical Rock (Plymouth Rock), State Explorer Rock (Dighton Rock), and State Building and Monument Stone (Granite). In 2008, a State Glacial Rock (Rolling Rock) was designated as well.
  5. A measure passed the Oregon Senate in March 1965 naming the thunderegg as Oregon's state rock, in a move that was supported as a way to stimulate tourism in the state. The thunderegg, a nodule-like geological structure, similar to a geode, that is formed within a rhyolitic lava flow, were said by the Native Americans of Warm Springs to have been created by thunder spirits that lived in the craters of Mount Hood and Mount Jefferson.
  6. In 2009, West Virginia named bituminous coal as its official state rock, in a resolution that noted that the coal industry plays an "integral part of the economic and social fabric of the state". West Virginia joined Kentucky and Utah, which also recognize coal as a state mineral or rock. The drive to name coal as an official state symbol was initiated by a high school student from Wharncliffe, West Virginia, who initiated her project at a school fair and collected 2,500 signatures on a petition that was submitted to legislators.
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