State Gems, Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks, etc.

Official State Gemstone & State Gems, Minerals, Rocks, Etc

State symbols represent things that are special to a particular state. Some of these symbols are the Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks. Of the 50 states, 19 have adopted a state gemstone and all have adopted some sort of earth symbol.

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 the year during which that mineral, rock, stone or gemstone was officially adopted as a State symbol or emblem.

Difference

Minerals: Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic elements or compounds that have an ordered internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties. For example, quartz is a mineral as is copper.

Rocks: Minerals combine to form rocks like granite, basalt, and sandstone. Rocks can also be composed of solid organic matter, coal is an example.

Gems: Gems are especially fine ("gem quality") mineral specimens that have few flaws in their internal structure and exhibit superior color. These high-quality minerals are typically cut and used in jewelry.



State Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks

State Symbols

Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks, etc. - Adopted

Alabama Star Blue Quartz
Alabama State Gemstone - 1990
Alabama Hematite (Red iron ore)
Alabama State Mineral - 1967
Alabama Marble
Alabama State Rock - 1969
Alaska Jade
Alaska State Gemstone - 1968
Alaska Gold
Alaska State Mineral - 1968
Arizona Turquoise
Arizona State Gemstone - 1974
Arkansas Diamond
Arkansas State Gemstone - 1967
Arkansas Quartz crystal
Arkansas State Mineral - 1967
Arkansas Bauxite
Arkansas State Rock - 1967
California Native Gold
California State Mineral and Mineralogic Emblem
- 1965
California Benitoite
California State Gemstone - 1985
Colorado Aquamarine
Colorado State Gemstone - Apr 30, 1971
Colorado Rhodochrosite
Colorado State Mineral - 2002
Colorado Yule marble
Colorado State Rock - 2004
Connecticut Garnet
Connecticut State Mineral - 1977
Delaware Sillimanite
Delaware State Mineral - 1977
Washington, DC NA
Florida Moonstone
Florida State Gemstone - May 20, 1970
Florida Agatized coral
Florida State Stone - 1979
Georgia Quartz
Georgia State Gemstone - 1976
Georgia Staurolite
Georgia State Mineral - 1976
Hawaii Black coral
Hawaii State Gemstone - Apr 22, 1987
Idaho Star Garnet
Idaho State Stone or Gemstone - Feb 25, 1967
Illinois Calcium flouride (Flourite)
Illinois State Mineral - 1965
Indiana Limestone (Salem limestone)
Indiana State Stone - 1971
Iowa Geode
Iowa State Rock - 1967
Kansas NA
Kentucky Fresh-Water Pearl
Kentucky State Gemstone - Jul 15, 1986
Kentucky Coal
Kentucky State Mineral - 1998
Kentucky Kentucky agate
Kentucky State Rock - 2000
Louisiana Agate
Louisiana State Mineral - 1976; 2011
Louisiana Cabochon cut gemstone
derived from Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica mollusk)
Louisiana Cabochon Cut Gemstone - 2011
Maine Tourmaline
Maine State Mineral - 1971
Maryland Patuxent River Stone (Agate)
Maryland State Gem
- 2004
Massachusetts Rhodonite (Mn++,Fe++,Mg,Ca)SiO3 )
Massachusetts State Gemstone - 1979
Massachusetts Babingtonite
Massachusetts State Mineral - 1971
Massachusetts Granite
Massachusetts State Building and Monument Stone - 1983
Massachusetts Dighton Rock
Massachusetts State Explorer Rock - 1983
Massachusetts Plymouth Rock
Massachusetts State Historical Rock - 1983
Massachusetts Roxbury Puddingstone (Roxbury Conglomerate)
Massachusetts State Rock - 1983
Massachusetts Rolling Rock (Falls River)
Massachusetts State Glacial Rock - Aug 4, 2008
Michigan Chlorastrolite aka (Isle Royale greenstone)
Michigan State Gemstone - Mar 30, 1973
Michigan Petoskey stone
Michigan State Stone - 1965
Minnesota Lake Superior agate
Minnesota State Gemstone - 1969
Mississippi Petrified Wood
Mississippi State Stone - 1976
Missouri Galena
Missouri State Mineral - 1967
Missouri Mozarkite
Missouri State Rock - 1967
Montana Agate (SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)
Montana State Gemstone - 1969
Montana Yogo Sapphire (Al2O3)
Montana State Gemstone - 1969
Nebraska Blue Agate (Blue chalcedony) (SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)
Nebraska State Gemstone - Mar 1, 1967
Nebraska Chalcedony stone, Prairie agate
Nebraska State Rock - 1943
Nevada Precious: Virgin Valley black fire opal
Nevada State Precious Gemstone - May 27, 1987
Nevada Semiprecious: Nevada turquoise
Nevada State Semi-precious Gemstone - May 27, 1987
Nevada Sandstone
Nevada State Rock - 1987
New Hampshire Granite
New Hampshire State Rock - 1985
New Hampshire Beryl
New Hampshire State Mineral - 1985
New Hampshire Smoky quartz
New Hampshire State Gemstone - 1985
New Jersey NA
New Mexico Turquoise
New Mexico State Gemstone - Mar 23, 1967
New York Garnet
New York State Gemstone - 1969
North Carolina Emerald
North Carolina State Precious stone - 1973
North Carolina Granite
North Carolina State Rock - 1979
North Carolina Gold (Aurum)
North Carolina State Mineral - 2011
North Dakota NA
Ohio Flint
Ohio State Gemstone - 1965
Oklahoma Barite Rock aka Rose Rock)
Oklahoma State Rock - 1968
Oklahoma Hourglass Selenite Crystal
Oklahoma State Crystal - 2005
Oregon Thunderegg
Oregon State Rock - 1965
Oregon Sunstone (Plagioclase Feldspar)
Oregon State Gemstone - Aug 4, 1987
Pennsylvania NA
Rhode Island Cumderlandite
Rhode Island State Rock - 1966
Rhode Island Bowenite
Rhode Island State Mineral - 1966
South Carolina Amethyst (SiO2 - Silicon Dioxide)
South Carolina State Gemstone - Jun 24, 1969
South Carolina Blue granite
South Carolina State Stone - 1969
South Dakota Fairburn agate
South Dakota State Gemstone - Feb 11, 1966
South Dakota Rose quartz
South Dakota State Mineral Stone - 1966
South Dakota Black hills gold
South Dakota State Jewelry - 1988
Tennessee Freshwater Pearl
Tennessee State Gemstone - 1979
Tennessee Calcium carbonate (Limestone)
Tennessee State Rock - 1979
Tennessee Agate
Tennessee State Mineral -
2009
Texas Texas blue topaz
Texas State Gemstone - Mar 26, 1969
Texas Petrified palmwood
Texas State Stone - 1969
Texas Silver
Texas State Precious Metal - 2007
Utah Topaz
Utah State Gemstone - Feb 4, 1969
Utah Coal
Utah State Rock - 1991
Utah Copper
Utah State Mineral1994
Vermont Grossular garnet
Vermont State Gemstone - 1991
Vermont Marble
Vermont State Rock - 1992
Vermont Granite
Vermont State Rock - 1992
Vermont Slate
Vermont State Rock - 1992
Vermont Talc
Vermont State Mineral - 1992
Virginia NA
Washington Petrified wood
Washington State Gemstone - Mar 12, 1975
West Virginia Silicified Mississippian fossil coral (Lithostrotionella)
West Virginia State Gemstone - Mar 10, 1990
West Virginia Bituminous coal
West Virginia State Rock
- 2009
Wisconsin Red granite
Wisconsin State Rock - 1971
Wisconsin Galena (Lead sulfide)
Wisconsin State Mineral - 1971
Wyoming Jade (Nephrite)
Wyoming State Gemstone - 1967
State Rocks,
Minerals, & Gems
US State Gemstone or Gems

Gemstone, Minerals, Rocks