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

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
or territory
Mineral Rock
or stone
Gemstone
Alabama[1]
Hematite (1967)
Marble (1969)
Alaska[2][3]
Gold (1968)
 
Nephrite jade (1968)
Arizona[4][5][6]
Turquoise (1974)
Arkansas[7][8][9]
Quartz (1967)
Bauxite (1967)
Diamond (1967)
California[A][10][11]
Gold (1965); California's nickname is the Golden State
Serpentine (1965)
Benitoite (1985)
Colorado[B][12]
Yule marble (2004)
Aquamarine (1971)
Connecticut[13]
Almandine garnet (1977)
 
Delaware[14][15]
Sillimanite (1977)
Florida[C][16]
Moonstone (1970)
Georgia[17]
Staurolite (1976)
Quartz (1976)
Hawaiʻi[18][19]
Black coral (1987)
Idaho[20]
Star garnet (1967)
Illinois[21]
Fluorite (1965)
Indiana[22]
Iowa[23][24]
Geode (1967)
Kansas[25][26][27]
Galena (2018)
Greenhorn Limestone, from which the Kansas Stone Posts were cut. (2018)[28]
Jelenite, a form of amber (2018)
Kentucky[29]
Coal (1998)
Louisiana[30][31]
Agate (2011)
Lapearlite (Eastern oyster shell) (2011)
Maine[32][33]
Tourmaline (1971)
Maryland[34]
Patuxent River stone agate (2004)
Massachusetts[D][35]
Babingtonite (1971)
Rhodonite (1979)
Michigan[36]
Petoskey stone fossilized coral (1965)
Chlorastrolite (aka Isle Royale greenstone) (1972)
Minnesota[37]
Mississippi[38]
Missouri[39]
Galena (1967); Missouri's nickname is the Lead State
Mozarkite (1967)
Montana[40]
Sapphire (1969)
and
Montana Agate (1969)
Nebraska[41]
Prairie agate (1967)
Blue chalcedony (1967)
Nevada[42][43]
Metal: Silver (1977); Nevada's nickname is the Silver State
Sandstone (1987)
Precious Gemstone: Virgin Valley black fire opal (1987)

Semiprecious Gemstone: Nevada turquoise (1987)
New Hampshire[44]
Beryl (1985)
Granite (1985); New Hampshire's nickname is the Granite State
Smoky quartz (1985)
New Jersey[45]
New Mexico[46]
Turquoise (1967)
New York[47]
Garnet (1967)
North Carolina[48]
Gold (2011)
Granite (1979)
Emerald (1973)
North Dakota[49]
Ohio[50]
Ohio flint (1965)
Oklahoma[51]
Crystal: Hourglass selenite (2005)
 
Oregon[E][52][53] State Twin Minerals:
Oregonite (2013)
and
Josephinite (2013)
Thunderegg agate (1965)
Oregon sunstone labradorite (1987)
Pennsylvania[54]
Rhode Island[55]
Bowenite serpentine (1966)
South Carolina[56]
Blue granite (1969)
Amethyst (1969)
South Dakota[57][58]
Fairburn agate (1966)
and
State Jewelry: Black Hills Gold
Tennessee[59]
Agate (2009)
Limestone (from 1979 to present)
and formerly
Tennessee agate (from 1969 until 2009)
Texas[60]
Precious Metal: Silver (2007)
Gemstone: Texas blue topaz (1969)

Gem Cut: "Lone Star Cut" (1977)
Utah[61]
Copper (1994)
Coal (1991)
Topaz (1969)
Vermont[62][63][64]
Talc (1991)
Granite (1992)
and
Marble (1992)
and
Slate (1992)
Virginia[65][66]
Nelsonite (2016)
Washington[67]
West Virginia[F][68]
Mississippian Lithostrotionella fossil coral (1990)
Wisconsin[70]
Galena (1971)
Red granite (1971)
Wyoming[71]

See also

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.[72] 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.[73]
  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.[74]
  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.[75]
  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.[76][77]
  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.[78]

References

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  3. "Alaska Statutes 2019". Alaska State Legislature. Alaska Legislature. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. "State of Arizona Secretary of State". Arizona Symbols. State of Arizona. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  5. Arizona Facts, Office of the Governor, retrieved 2019-12-19
  6. "View Document". www.azleg.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-29.
  7. https://www.geology.arkansas.gov/docs/pdf/education/arkansas-quartz-crystals.pdf
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  9. https://www.geology.arkansas.gov/minerals/industrial/gemstone.html
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  11. California Government Code, §§ 420-429.8
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  19. Hawaii State Legislature https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol01_Ch0001-0042F/HRS0005/HRS_0005-0015.htm. Retrieved 20 July 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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  65. "SB 352 Nelsonite; designating as state rock, etc". State of Virginia. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
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  72. Steinhauer, Jennifer. "California May Drop Rock, and Geologists Feel the Pain", The New York Times, July 13, 2010. Accessed July 13, 2010.
  73. Hartigan, Elizabeth. "CALIFORNIA FINDS ITSELF A REAL GEM", Chicago Tribune, March 12, 1986. Accessed July 13, 2010.
  74. "State Symbols". Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources. 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2010.
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  76. via United Press International. "Senate Votes Thunderegg State Rock", Eugene Register-Guard, March 6, 1965. Accessed July 13, 2010.
  77. via Associated Press. "House Approves State Rock", Eugene Register-Guard, March 26, 1965. Accessed July 13, 2010.
  78. O'Caroll, Eoin. "West Virginia names coal as its official state rock", The Christian Science Monitor, June 12, 2009. Accessed July 13, 2010.


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