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

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

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. 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.

State Mineral Rock or Stone Gemstone
Alabama[1]
Hematite (1967)
Marble (1969)
Star Blue Quartz (1990)
Alaska[2]
Gold
  
Jade
Arizona[3]
Copper[4] (Arizona's nickname is "the Copper State")
  
Turquoise
Arkansas[5]
Quartz
Bauxite (1967)
Diamond
California[6]
Gold California's nickname is the Golden State
Serpentine (1965)
Benitoite (1985)
Colorado[7]
Rhodochrosite (2002)
Yule marble (2004)
Aquamarine (1971)
Connecticut[8]
Almandine Garnet (1977)
Connecticut's nickname is the Brownstone State
  
Delaware[9]
Sillimanite
    
Florida[10]  
Agatized Coral (1979)
Moonstone (1970)
Georgia[11]
Staurolite (1976)
  
Quartz (1976)
Hawaiʻi    
Black coral[12]
Idaho[13]    
Star garnet (1967)
Illinois[14]
Fluorite (1965)
    
Indiana[15]  
Salem Limestone (1971)
  
Iowa[16]  
Geode (1967)
  
Kansas      
Kentucky[17]
Coal (1998)
Kentucky Agate (2000)
Freshwater pearl (1986)
Louisiana[18]    
Agate (1976)
Maine[19]    
Tourmaline
Maryland[20]    
Patuxent River Stone (2004)
Massachusetts[21]
Babingtonite (1971)
Roxbury Puddingstone (1983)
Rhodonite (1979)
Michigan[22]  
Petoskey stone fossilized coral (1965)
Chlorastrolite (aka Isle Royale greenstone 1972)
Minnesota[23]    
Lake Superior agate (1969)
Mississippi[24]  
Petrified wood (1976)
  
Missouri[25]
Galena (1967) Missouri's nickname is the Lead State
Mozarkite (1967)
  
Montana[26]    
Montana Sapphire

and
Montana Agate
Nebraska[27]  
Prairie agate (1967)
Blue agate (1967)
Nevada[28]
Silver Nevada's nickname is the Silver State
Sandstone (1987)
Precious Gemstone: Black fire opal

Semiprecious Gemstone: Turquoise
New Hampshire[29]
Beryl (1985)
Granite (1985) New Hampshire's nickname is the Granite State
Smoky quartz (1985)
New Jersey[30]      
New Mexico[31]    
Turquoise (1967)
New York[32]    
Garnet (1967)
North Carolina[33]  
Granite (1979)
Emerald (1973)
North Dakota[34]      
Ohio[35]    
Ohio flint (1965)
Oklahoma[36]  
Rose Rock (Barite)
  
Oregon[37]  
Thunderegg (1965)
Oregon sunstone (1987)
Pennsylvania[38]      
Rhode Island[39]
Bowenite (1966)
Cumberlandite (1966)
  
South Carolina[40]  
Blue granite (1969)
Amethyst (1969)
South Dakota[41]
Rose quartz
  
Fairburn agate (1966)
Tennessee[42]  
Limestone (1979)

and
Tennessee Paint Rock Agate (1969)
Tennessee River Pearl (1979)
Texas[43]
Precious Metal: Silver (2007)
Oligocene petrified palmwood (1969)
Gemstone: Texas blue topaz (1969)

Gem Cut: "Lone Star Cut" (1977)
Utah[44]
Copper (1994)
Coal (1991)
Topaz (1969)
Vermont[45]
Talc
Granite (1992)

and
Marble (1992)

and
Slate (1992)
Grossular garnet
Virginia[46]      
Washington[47]    
Petrified wood (1975)
West Virginia[48]  
Coal (2009)
Mississippian Lithostrotionella fossil coral (1990)
Wisconsin[49]
Galena (1971)
Red granite (1971)
  
Wyoming[50]    
Wyoming Nephrite Jade (1967)
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Did you know

California was the first state to designate an official State Rock. Colorado is the only state whose geological symbols reflect the national flag's colors of red (rhodochrosite), white (yule marble), and blue (aquamarine). Massachusetts also has a State Historical Rock (Plymouth Rock), State Explorer Rock (Dighton Rock), and State Building and Monument Stone (Granite).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Alabama Emblems". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. 2001-07-12. http://www.archives.state.al.us/Emblems/emblems.html. Retrieved 2007-03-19. 
  2. ^ "State of Alaska". Alaska Symbols. State of Alaska. http://www.dced.state.ak.us/oed/student_info/student.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  3. ^ "State of Arizona Secretary of State". Arizona Symbols. State of Arizona. http://www.azsos.gov/public_services/Kids/kids_state_symbols.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  4. ^ Blair, Gerry. 2008. Rockhounding Arizona, A Guide to 75 of the State's Best Rockhounding Sites. Giulford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing, LLC, p. xii. ISBN 978-0-7627-4449-7
  5. ^ "State of Arkansas Secretary of State". Arkansas Symbols. State of Arkansas. http://www.soskids.arkansas.gov/k-4-history-state-symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  6. ^ "State of California Symbols". California Symbols. State of California. http://www.library.ca.gov/history/symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  7. ^ "State of Colorado Symbols". Colorado Symbols. State of Colorado. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/history/symbemb.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  8. ^ "State of Connecticut - Sites, Seals and Symbols". State of Connecticut. http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=885&q=246586. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  9. ^ "Delaware Facts and Symbols". State of Delaware. http://portal.delaware.gov/delfacts/default.shtml. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  10. ^ "State of Florida Symbols". Florida Symbols. State of Florida. http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/kids/symbols.cfm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  11. ^ "Georgia State Symbols". Georgia Secretary of State Archives. State of Georgia. http://sos.georgia.gov/archives/state_symbols/state_symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  12. ^ "Black Coral". Waikiki Aquarium. http://www.waquarium.org/MLP/root/pdf/MarineLife/Invertebrates/Cnidarians/BlackCoral.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  13. ^ "Idaho Symbols". State of Idaho. http://gov.idaho.gov/fyi/symbols/symbols_index.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  14. ^ "Illinois Facts - Symbols". State of Illinois. http://www.illinois.gov/facts/symbols.cfm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  15. ^ "IHB: Emblems and Symbols". State of Indiana. http://www.in.gov/history/2329.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  16. ^ "Iowa General Assembly - Iowa State Symbols". State of Iowa. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/Pubinfo/StateSymbols/. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  17. ^ "Kentucky State Symbols". State of Kentucky. http://www.kdla.ky.gov/resources/KYSymbols.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  18. ^ "Louisiana Symbols". State of Louisiana. http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/217/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  19. ^ "Maine Symbols". State of Maine. http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/about/symbols/symbols.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  20. ^ "Maryland Symbols". State of Maryland. http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/00list.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  21. ^ "Massachusetts Symbols". State of Massachusetts. https://www.sec.state.ma.us/sec/cis/cismaf/mf1a.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  22. ^ "Michigan's State Symbols". State of Michigan. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mhc_mhm_statesymbols2002_47909_7.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  23. ^ "Minnesota Symbols". State of Minnesota. http://www.sos.state.mn.us/student/symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  24. ^ "Mississippi State Emblems and Symbols". State of Mississippi. http://www.sos.state.ms.us/ed_pubs/Publications/Souvenir_Booklet/MS_Booklet_Symbols.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  25. ^ "Office of the Secretary of State, Missouri - State Symbols". State of Missouri. http://www.sos.mo.gov/symbols/. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  26. ^ "Montana Symbols". State of Montana. http://travel.mt.gov/virtualvisitor/faq.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  27. ^ "Nebraska Symbols". State of Nebraska. http://www.sos.ne.gov/ne_symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  28. ^ "Nevada Symbols". State of Nevada. http://firstlady.state.nv.us/NevadaSymbols.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  29. ^ "Fast New Hampshire Facts". State of New Hampshire. http://www.nh.gov/nhinfo/fastfact.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  30. ^ "Official Symbols of the State of New Jersey". State of New Jersey. http://www.state.nj.us/njfacts/njsymbol.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  31. ^ "New Mexico Symbols". State of New Mexico. http://www.sos.state.nm.us/KidsCorner/StateSymbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  32. ^ "New York State Information". State of New York. http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/reference/emblems.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  33. ^ "The State Symbols". State of North Carolina. http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/nc/symbols/SYMBOLS.HTM. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  34. ^ "State Symbols". State of North Dakota. http://www.nd.gov/category.htm?id=75. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  35. ^ "Ohio Symbols". State of Ohio. http://www.governorsresidence.ohio.gov/children/symbols.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  36. ^ "Oklahoma State Icons". State of Oklahoma. http://www.state.ok.us/osfdocs/stinfo.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  37. ^ "Oregon Symbols". State of Oregon. http://bluebook.state.or.us/kids/symbols/symbols02.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  38. ^ "Rocks and Minerals". Pennsylvania Geological Survey. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/collecting/rocks.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  39. ^ "Facts and History". State of Rhode Island. http://www.ri.gov/facts/factsfigures.php. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  40. ^ "South Carolina Symbols". State of South Carolina. http://www.scstatehouse.gov/studentpage/coolstuff/symbols.shtml. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  41. ^ "South Dakota Symbols". State of South Dakota. http://www.state.sd.us/state/sdsym.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  42. ^ "Tennessee Symbols". State of Tennessee. http://state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/07-08/46-Symbols%20&%20Honors.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  43. ^ "Texas Symbols". State of Texas. http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  44. ^ "Utah Symbols". State of Utah. http://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_symbols/. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  45. ^ "Vermont Emblems". State of Vermont. http://libraries.vermont.gov/general/emblems. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  46. ^ "Virginia General Assembly Capitol Classroom". State of Virginia. http://legis.state.va.us/1_cap_class/9-12/9_12_emb_symb.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  47. ^ "Washington Symbols". State of Washington. http://www.leg.wa.gov/Symbols/Pages/default.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  48. ^ "State Facts". State of West Virginia. http://www.wvcommerce.org/travel/requestinformation/statefacts.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  49. ^ "Wisconsin State Symbols". State of Wisconsin. http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/wisconsin_state_symbols.html. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
  50. ^ "Wyoming Emblems". State of Wyoming. http://soswy.state.wy.us/SecretaryDesk/StateInfo_Symbols.aspx. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
v • d • e
U.S. state insignia
Amphibians • Beverages • Birds • Butterflies • Colors • Crustaceans • Dances • Dinosaurs • Fish • Flags • Flowers • Foods • Fossils • Grasses • Horses • Insects • Instruments • License plates • Mammals • Minerals, rocks, stones, and gems • Mottos • Nicknames • Poems • Poet Laureates • Reptiles • Route markers • Seals • Shells • Ships • Slogans • Soils • Songs • Sports • Tartans • Toys • Trees
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_minerals,_rocks,_stones_and_gemstones"
Languages