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Brown Rocks, Minerals & Gemstones

Found a brown rock and want a name for it? This guide lists all 128 brown rocks, minerals and gemstones in the StoneSnap database, from common finds like Tiger's Eye, Smoky Quartz, and Desert Rose to collector specimens.

Color alone rarely identifies a specimen, so start with luster (68 glassy, 28 dull or earthy, 20 waxy, silky or pearly, and 12 metallic in this list), then check hardness with a scratch test and streak color. Each card links to a full identification guide with tests, look-alikes and value.

Also browse:Black rocksWhite rocksGray rocksGreen rocksPink rocksYellow rocksRed rocksBlue rocksPurple rocksOrange rocksClear rocksMulticolored rocks

Metallic brown rocks (12)

Bornite specimen: copper red to brownish bronze (fresh) and iridescent purple-blue tarnish (peacock ore) mineralBorniteMohs 3–3.25 · Metallic · commonBronze specimen: brown and bronze metalBronzeMohs 3 · metallic · commonCassiterite specimen: brown and black mineralCassiteriteMohs 6–7 · Adamantine to submetallic · commonAstrophyllite specimen: golden-yellow and bronze mineralAstrophylliteMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous to pearly/submetallic sheen · commonBanded Iron Formation specimen: red and reddish brown sedimentary rockBanded Iron FormationMohs 5–7 · Vitreous (chert bands) to metallic/dull (iron oxide bands) · commonBrass specimen: yellow gold and brass yellow metalBrassMohs 3.5 · metallic · commonChromite specimen: black and brownish black mineralChromiteMohs 5.5 · Metallic to submetallic · commonCopper specimen: copper red (fresh) and brown to green-black (tarnished) mineralCopperMohs 2.5–3 · Metallic · commonFranklinite specimen: black and brownish black mineralFrankliniteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Metallic to submetallic · commonIlmenite specimen: black and iron-black mineralIlmeniteMohs 5.5 · metallic · commonIron specimen: silver-gray and dark gray metalIronMohs 4 · metallic · commonMarcasite specimen: pale brass yellow and tin white mineralMarcasiteMohs 6 · metallic · common

Glassy brown rocks (68)

Smoky Quartz specimen: brown and gray crystalSmoky QuartzMohs 7 · vitreous · commonAndalusite specimen: reddish brown and olive green mineralAndalusiteMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous · commonAxinite specimen: clove-brown and violet-brown mineralAxiniteMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous · commonGoethite specimen: brown and yellowish brown mineralGoethiteMohs 5–5.5 · Adamantine to dull/earthy, silky · commonHessonite specimen: orange-brown and cinnamon mineralHessoniteMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous to resinous · commonRutile specimen: reddish brown and black mineralRutileMohs 6.5 · adamantine · commonSiderite specimen: yellowish brown and brown mineralSideriteMohs 4 · vitreous · commonStaurolite specimen: reddish brown and brown mineralStauroliteMohs 7.25 · vitreous · uncommonObsidian specimen: black and brown igneous rockObsidianMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonGarnet specimen: red and orange gemstoneGarnetMohs 7 · vitreous · commonCitrine specimen: yellow and orange crystalCitrineMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonJasper specimen: red and yellow mineralJasperMohs 7 · vitreous · commonCarnelian specimen: orange and red-orange mineralCarnelianMohs 7 · vitreous · commonZircon specimen: colorless and blue gemstoneZirconMohs 7.5 · adamantine · uncommonGoldstone specimen: copper and brown materialGoldstoneMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonSlag Glass specimen: blue and green materialSlag GlassMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonGlass specimen: green and brown materialGlassMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonAegirine specimen: dark green and black mineralAegirineMohs 6–6.5 · Vitreous · commonAlmandine specimen: deep red and reddish brown mineralAlmandineMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous to resinous · commonAndesite specimen: gray and dark gray igneous rockAndesiteMohs 5–6 · Dull groundmass with vitreous phenocrysts · commonAndradite specimen: yellow-green (demantoid) and brown mineralAndraditeMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous to resinous/adamantine · commonApatite specimen: green and blue mineralApatiteMohs 5 · Vitreous to subresinous · commonAugite specimen: black and dark green mineralAugiteMohs 5.5–6 · Vitreous to resinous · commonAventurine specimen: green and blue mineralAventurineMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous, aventurescent (glittery) · commonBaryte specimen: colorless and white mineralBaryteMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonBiotite specimen: black and dark brown mineralBiotiteMohs 2.5–3 · Vitreous to pearly (splendent on cleavage) · commonChalcedony specimen: blue-gray and white mineralChalcedonyMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to vitreous · commonChiastolite specimen: gray and brown mineralChiastoliteMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous · commonChrysoberyl specimen: yellow and greenish-yellow mineralChrysoberylMohs 8.5 · Vitreous · commonCinnabar specimen: red and brownish red mineralCinnabarMohs 2–2.5 · Adamantine to dull/earthy · commonCoal specimen: black and brownish black sedimentary rockCoalMohs 1–2.5 · Dull (lignite) to vitreous (anthracite) · commonConglomerate specimen: variegated and gray sedimentary rockConglomerateMohs 3–7 · Variable; dull matrix to vitreous clasts · commonCryolite specimen: colorless and white mineralCryoliteMohs 2.5–3 · Vitreous to greasy or pearly · commonDacite specimen: gray and light gray igneous rockDaciteMohs 6–7 · Dull to vitreous · commonDanburite specimen: colorless and pale yellow mineralDanburiteMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous · commonDiaspore specimen: colorless and white mineralDiasporeMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous to pearly on cleavage · commonDolomite specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockDolomiteMohs 3.5–4 · Vitreous to dull · commonDumortierite specimen: blue and violet-blue mineralDumortieriteMohs 7–8.5 · Vitreous, silky when fibrous · commonDunite specimen: olive green and yellowish green igneous rockDuniteMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous (olivine grains) · commonEudialyte specimen: red and pink mineralEudialyteMohs 5–5.5 · Vitreous to greasy · commonFlint specimen: black and dark gray sedimentary rockFlintMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to dull, glassy on fresh fracture · commonGrossular specimen: colorless and green mineralGrossularMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous to resinous · commonGypsum specimen: colorless and white mineralGypsumMohs 2 · Vitreous, pearly, or silky (fibrous), earthy when massive · commonHemimorphite specimen: white and colorless mineralHemimorphiteMohs 4.5–5 · Vitreous, silky when fibrous · commonHeulandite specimen: white and colorless mineralHeulanditeMohs 3.5–4 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonHornblende specimen: black and dark green mineralHornblendeMohs 5–6 · Vitreous to silky · commonMagnesite specimen: white and gray mineralMagnesiteMohs 4 · vitreous · commonMoss Agate specimen: colorless and white gemstoneMoss AgateMohs 6.75 · vitreous · commonMuscovite specimen: colorless and silvery white mineralMuscoviteMohs 2–4 · Vitreous to pearly/silky · commonOlivine specimen: olive green and yellowish green mineralOlivineMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous · commonOnyx specimen: mineralOnyxMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to vitreous · commonPumice specimen: white and light gray igneous rockPumiceMohs 5–6 · Dull to glassy · commonQuartz specimen: colorless and white crystalQuartzMohs 7 · Vitreous, greasy on fracture surfaces · commonRhodochrosite specimen: pink and rose red mineralRhodochrositeMohs 3.75 · vitreous · uncommonRhyolite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockRhyoliteMohs 5.5–7 · Dull to vitreous (glassy groundmass) · commonSchorl specimen: black and bluish black mineralSchorlMohs 7 · vitreous · commonScoria specimen: dark red and black igneous rockScoriaMohs 5–6 · Dull, glassy · commonShale specimen: gray and black sedimentary rockShaleMohs 2–3 · Dull to earthy (slightly sub-vitreous if micaceous) · commonSillimanite specimen: white and gray mineralSillimaniteMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonSpessartine specimen: orange and red mineralSpessartineMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonStilbite specimen: white and pink mineralStilbiteMohs 3.75 · vitreous · commonSugilite specimen: purple and violet mineralSugiliteMohs 6 · vitreous · rareTitanite specimen: green and yellow mineralTitaniteMohs 5.5 · adamantine · uncommonTravertine specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockTravertineMohs 3–4 · Vitreous to dull, sometimes pearly · commonTuff specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTuffMohs 2–5 · Dull to earthy; glassy shards may show vitreous luster · commonVesuvianite specimen: green and brown mineralVesuvianiteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · uncommonWavellite specimen: green and yellow mineralWavelliteMohs 3.75 · vitreous · uncommonWulfenite specimen: orange and yellow mineralWulfeniteMohs 3 · adamantine · uncommon

Waxy, silky or pearly brown rocks (20)

Tiger's Eye specimen: golden brown and yellow mineralTiger's EyeMohs 7 · silky · commonFire Agate specimen: brown and orange mineralFire AgateMohs 7 · waxy · uncommonDesert Rose specimen: tan and brown mineralDesert RoseMohs 2 · pearly · commonPhlogopite specimen: brown and yellow mineralPhlogopiteMohs 2.75 · pearly · commonSphalerite specimen: brown and black mineralSphaleriteMohs 3.75 · resinous · commonAmber specimen: yellow and orange gemstoneAmberMohs 2.5 · resinous · uncommonAgate specimen: blue and brown mineralAgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonDendritic Agate specimen: white and gray mineralDendritic AgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonMookaite specimen: yellow and red sedimentary rockMookaiteMohs 6.5 · waxy · uncommonDalmatian Jasper specimen: cream and white mineralDalmatian JasperMohs 7 · waxy · commonMylonite specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockMyloniteMohs 5.5 · silky · uncommonChert specimen: gray and white sedimentary rockChertMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to dull · commonJet specimen: black and dark brown gemstoneJetMohs 3 · waxy · uncommonMimetite specimen: yellow and orange mineralMimetiteMohs 3.75 · resinous · uncommonOrpiment specimen: lemon yellow and golden yellow mineralOrpimentMohs 1.75 · resinous · uncommonPyromorphite specimen: green and yellow-green mineralPyromorphiteMohs 3.75 · resinous · uncommonPyrophyllite specimen: white and gray mineralPyrophylliteMohs 1.5 · pearly · commonSulfur specimen: yellow and bright yellow mineralSulfurMohs 2 · resinous · commonTalc specimen: white and pale green mineralTalcMohs 1 · Pearly to greasy/waxy · commonVanadinite specimen: red and orange mineralVanadiniteMohs 3 · resinous · uncommon

Dull or earthy brown rocks (28)

Sandstone specimen: tan and brown sedimentary rockSandstoneMohs 6 · dull · commonDolostone specimen: tan and gray sedimentary rockDolostoneMohs 3.5 · dull · commonIronstone specimen: brown and red brown sedimentary rockIronstoneMohs 4 · dull · commonIgnimbrite specimen: tan and pink igneous rockIgnimbriteMohs 6 · dull · commonBauxite specimen: reddish brown and tan mineralBauxiteMohs 1–3 · Dull, earthy; slight luster on pisoliths · commonLimonite specimen: yellowish brown and brown mineralLimoniteMohs 4.5 · earthy · commonLimestone specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockLimestoneMohs 3 · dull · commonSiltstone specimen: gray and tan sedimentary rockSiltstoneMohs 3.5 · dull · commonDiatomite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockDiatomiteMohs 1.5 · dull · commonLaterite specimen: red and orange sedimentary rockLateriteMohs 4 · dull · commonBasaltic Andesite specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockBasaltic AndesiteMohs 6 · dull · commonEvaporite specimen: white and clear sedimentary rockEvaporiteMohs 2.5 · dull · commonOolite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockOoliteMohs 3 · dull · commonGraywacke specimen: dark gray and greenish gray sedimentary rockGraywackeMohs 6 · dull · commonHornfels specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockHornfelsMohs 6 · dull · commonCaliche specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockCalicheMohs 3 · dull · commonMarl specimen: gray and cream sedimentary rockMarlMohs 2.5 · dull · commonTrachyte specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTrachyteMohs 6 · dull · commonArkose specimen: pink and red sedimentary rockArkoseMohs 6 · dull · commonSkarn specimen: green and brown metamorphic rockSkarnMohs 5.5 · dull · uncommonMetaconglomerate specimen: gray and white metamorphic rockMetaconglomerateMohs 6.5 · dull · uncommonAplite specimen: white and pink igneous rockApliteMohs 6 · dull · commonNorite specimen: black and dark gray igneous rockNoriteMohs 6 · dull · commonPhonolite specimen: gray and greenish gray igneous rockPhonoliteMohs 6 · dull · uncommonTephrite specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockTephriteMohs 6 · dull · uncommonClaystone specimen: gray and red sedimentary rockClaystoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthy · commonCoquina specimen: white and tan sedimentary rockCoquinaMohs 3–4 · Dull · commonMudstone specimen: gray and brown sedimentary rockMudstoneMohs 2–3 · Dull, earthy · common

Frequently asked questions

What is a brown shiny rock most likely to be?

Shiny brown rocks are usually Tiger's Eye, Smoky Quartz, Desert Rose, and Andalusite. Check whether the shine is metallic or glassy, then test hardness against glass to narrow it further.

How do I identify a brown rock at home?

Rinse it, look at the luster and grain under good light, scratch it against glass and a steel knife to bracket its Mohs hardness, and rub it on unglazed porcelain to see the streak color. Compare the results with the brown candidates on this page, or scan it with the StoneSnap app for an instant match.

Are brown rocks valuable?

Most brown rocks are common and worth a few dollars as specimens, but gem-grade material such as Amber, Garnet, and Fire Agate can be worth far more. Each page lists a typical value range.

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