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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.

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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

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