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Shiny Blue Rocks & Minerals

A shiny blue rock is one of the most common identification questions. The shine is the first clue: 5 of the 66 candidates below have a true metallic luster (Covellite, Aura Quartz, and Bismuth), while 53 are glassy like broken bottle glass (Sapphire, Tanzanite, and Lapis Lazuli).

Metallic-looking stones are usually sulfides, oxides or native metals and feel heavy; glassy ones are typically silicates, quartz varieties or volcanic glass. Hardness and streak settle most cases.

Also browse:Shiny black rocksShiny white rocksShiny gray rocksShiny brown rocksShiny green rocksShiny pink rocksShiny yellow rocksShiny red rocksShiny purple rocksShiny orange rocks

Metallic shiny blue rocks (5)

Covellite specimen: indigo blue and blue-black mineralCovelliteMohs 1.5–2 · Metallic to submetallic/resinous · commonAura Quartz specimen: iridescent and blue materialAura QuartzMohs 7 · metallic · commonBismuth specimen: silvery white and pinkish iridescent tarnish (yellow, red, blue hues) mineralBismuthMohs 2–2.5 · Metallic · commonBornite specimen: copper red to brownish bronze (fresh) and iridescent purple-blue tarnish (peacock ore) mineralBorniteMohs 3–3.25 · Metallic · commonChrome specimen: mirror silver and blue-gray metalChromeMohs 8.5 · metallic · common

Glassy shiny blue rocks (53)

Sapphire specimen: blue and pink gemstoneSapphireMohs 9 · adamantine · rareTanzanite specimen: blue and violet gemstoneTanzaniteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · legendaryLapis Lazuli specimen: deep blue and blue mineralLapis LazuliMohs 5.5 · vitreous · uncommonAquamarine specimen: light blue and blue-green gemstoneAquamarineMohs 7.5 · vitreous · uncommonAmazonite specimen: blue-green and turquoise mineralAmazoniteMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonAzurite specimen: deep blue and azure blue mineralAzuriteMohs 3.5 · vitreous · uncommonChrysocolla specimen: blue-green and cyan mineralChrysocollaMohs 2.5 · vitreous · commonKyanite specimen: blue and green mineralKyaniteMohs 5 · vitreous · uncommonSodalite specimen: blue and blue with white veins mineralSodaliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonIolite specimen: violet-blue and blue gemstoneIoliteMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonBlue Goldstone specimen: dark blue and navy materialBlue GoldstoneMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonSlag Glass specimen: blue and green materialSlag GlassMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonBenitoite specimen: blue and colorless mineralBenitoiteMohs 6–6.5 · Vitreous · commonCavansite specimen: bright blue and deep blue mineralCavansiteMohs 3–4 · Vitreous · commonChalcedony specimen: blue-gray and white mineralChalcedonyMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to vitreous · commonCordierite specimen: blue and violet-blue mineralCordieriteMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous · commonDumortierite specimen: blue and violet-blue mineralDumortieriteMohs 7–8.5 · Vitreous, silky when fibrous · commonHauyne specimen: blue and sky blue mineralHauyneMohs 5.5–6 · Vitreous to greasy · commonLazulite specimen: blue and sky blue mineralLazuliteMohs 5.75 · vitreous · rareLazurite specimen: blue and deep blue mineralLazuriteMohs 5.25 · vitreous · rareSmithsonite specimen: blue green and green mineralSmithsoniteMohs 4.5 · vitreous · uncommonVivianite specimen: blue and green mineralVivianiteMohs 1.75 · vitreous · uncommonDiamond specimen: colorless and yellow gemstoneDiamondMohs 10 · adamantine · legendaryOpal specimen: white and black gemstoneOpalMohs 5.5 · vitreous · uncommonLabradorite specimen: gray and blue flash mineralLabradoriteMohs 6 · vitreous · commonMoonstone specimen: white and gray gemstoneMoonstoneMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonFluorite specimen: purple and green mineralFluoriteMohs 4 · vitreous · commonTopaz specimen: colorless and blue gemstoneTopazMohs 8 · vitreous · uncommonSpinel specimen: red and pink gemstoneSpinelMohs 8 · vitreous · uncommonOpalite specimen: milky white and blue materialOpaliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonZircon specimen: colorless and blue gemstoneZirconMohs 7.5 · adamantine · uncommonCalcite specimen: colorless and white mineralCalciteMohs 3 · vitreous · commonGlass specimen: green and brown materialGlassMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonLarvikite specimen: dark gray and blue gray igneous rockLarvikiteMohs 6 · vitreous · commonAlbite specimen: white and colorless mineralAlbiteMohs 6–6.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonAnhydrite specimen: colorless and white mineralAnhydriteMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage surfaces · commonApatite specimen: green and blue mineralApatiteMohs 5 · Vitreous to subresinous · commonAragonite specimen: colorless and white mineralAragoniteMohs 3.5–4 · Vitreous to resinous · commonAventurine specimen: green and blue mineralAventurineMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous, aventurescent (glittery) · commonAxinite specimen: clove-brown and violet-brown mineralAxiniteMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous · commonBaryte specimen: colorless and white mineralBaryteMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonBeryl specimen: green (emerald) and blue (aquamarine) mineralBerylMohs 7.5–8 · Vitreous · commonBrucite specimen: white and pale green mineralBruciteMohs 2.5 · vitreous · uncommonCelestine specimen: colorless and pale blue mineralCelestineMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonCerussite specimen: colorless and white mineralCerussiteMohs 3–3.5 · Adamantine to vitreous/resinous · commonCorundum specimen: red (ruby) and blue (sapphire) mineralCorundumMohs 9 · Adamantine to vitreous · commonDiopside specimen: light to dark green and white mineralDiopsideMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous · commonElbaite specimen: pink and green mineralElbaiteMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous · commonHalite specimen: colorless and white mineralHaliteMohs 2–2.5 · Vitreous · commonHemimorphite specimen: white and colorless mineralHemimorphiteMohs 4.5–5 · Vitreous, silky when fibrous · commonTourmaline specimen: black and green mineralTourmalineMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous · commonVesuvianite specimen: green and brown mineralVesuvianiteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · uncommonZoisite specimen: green and pink mineralZoisiteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · uncommon

Waxy, silky or pearly shiny blue rocks (8)

Turquoise specimen: blue and blue-green mineralTurquoiseMohs 6 · waxy · uncommonBlue Lace Agate specimen: pale blue and white mineralBlue Lace AgateMohs 7 · waxy · uncommonBlueschist specimen: blue and blue gray metamorphic rockBlueschistMohs 5.5 · silky · uncommonAmber specimen: yellow and orange gemstoneAmberMohs 2.5 · resinous · uncommonAgate specimen: blue and brown mineralAgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonAnorthosite specimen: white and gray igneous rockAnorthositeMohs 6 · pearly · commonAurichalcite specimen: pale green and blue-green mineralAurichalciteMohs 1–2 · Silky, pearly · commonVariscite specimen: green and blue-green mineralVarisciteMohs 4 · waxy · uncommon

Frequently asked questions

Is my shiny blue rock a meteorite?

Almost never. Meteorites are rare, heavy, magnetic and usually have a dull dark fusion crust rather than a bright shine. Shiny blue finds are far more likely to be Chrysocolla, Sodalite, and Blue Goldstone.

How can I tell a metallic rock from a glassy one?

Metallic luster reflects light like polished metal and the stone is opaque even at thin edges; glassy (vitreous) luster looks like glass and thin edges often let light through. Metallic minerals also tend to leave a colored streak on unglazed porcelain.

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