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Shiny Brown Rocks & Minerals

A shiny brown rock is one of the most common identification questions. The shine is the first clue: 11 of the 83 candidates below have a true metallic luster (Bornite, Bronze, and Cassiterite), while 53 are glassy like broken bottle glass (Smoky Quartz, Andalusite, and Axinite).

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 green rocksShiny pink rocksShiny yellow rocksShiny red rocksShiny blue rocksShiny purple rocksShiny orange rocks

Metallic shiny brown rocks (11)

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 · 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 shiny brown rocks (53)

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 · 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 · 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 · commonCryolite specimen: colorless and white mineralCryoliteMohs 2.5–3 · Vitreous to greasy or pearly · 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 · 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 · commonGrossular specimen: colorless and green mineralGrossularMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous to resinous · 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 · commonQuartz specimen: colorless and white crystalQuartzMohs 7 · Vitreous, greasy on fracture surfaces · commonRhodochrosite specimen: pink and rose red mineralRhodochrositeMohs 3.75 · vitreous · uncommonSchorl specimen: black and bluish black mineralSchorlMohs 7 · vitreous · 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 · uncommonVesuvianite 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 shiny brown rocks (19)

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 · uncommonJet 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

Frequently asked questions

Is my shiny brown rock a meteorite?

Almost never. Meteorites are rare, heavy, magnetic and usually have a dull dark fusion crust rather than a bright shine. Shiny brown finds are far more likely to be Tiger's Eye, Smoky Quartz, and Desert Rose.

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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