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Shiny Gray Rocks & Minerals

A shiny gray rock is one of the most common identification questions. The shine is the first clue: 27 of the 85 candidates below have a true metallic luster (Hematite, Aluminum, and Arsenopyrite), while 47 are glassy like broken bottle glass (Labradorite, Larvikite, and Chalcedony).

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

Metallic shiny gray rocks (27)

Hematite specimen: metallic gray and black mineralHematiteMohs 6 · metallic · commonAluminum specimen: silver and light gray metalAluminumMohs 2.75 · metallic · commonArsenopyrite specimen: silver-white and steel-gray mineralArsenopyriteMohs 5.5–6 · Metallic · commonBismuth specimen: silvery white and pinkish iridescent tarnish (yellow, red, blue hues) mineralBismuthMohs 2–2.5 · Metallic · commonChalcocite specimen: blackish lead-gray and black mineralChalcociteMohs 2.5–3 · Metallic · commonChrome specimen: mirror silver and blue-gray metalChromeMohs 8.5 · metallic · commonCobaltite specimen: silvery white with pink/reddish tint and steel gray mineralCobaltiteMohs 5.5 · Metallic · commonGalena specimen: lead-gray and silvery gray mineralGalenaMohs 2.5 · Metallic, bright · commonIron specimen: silver-gray and dark gray metalIronMohs 4 · metallic · commonLead specimen: bluish gray and dark gray metalLeadMohs 1.5 · metallic · commonMolybdenite specimen: lead gray and bluish gray mineralMolybdeniteMohs 1.25 · metallic · uncommonNickel specimen: silver and gray metalNickelMohs 4 · metallic · commonPewter specimen: dull silver and gray metalPewterMohs 2.5 · metallic · commonPlatinum specimen: silver and gray mineralPlatinumMohs 4.25 · metallic · legendarySilver specimen: silver white and gray mineralSilverMohs 2.75 · metallic · rareStainless Steel specimen: silver and gray metalStainless SteelMohs 5.5 · metallic · commonSterling Silver specimen: silver and white silver metalSterling SilverMohs 2.7 · metallic · commonStibnite specimen: lead gray and steel gray mineralStibniteMohs 2 · metallic · uncommonTin specimen: silver and gray metalTinMohs 1.5 · metallic · commonTitanium specimen: silver and gray metalTitaniumMohs 6 · metallic · commonTungsten specimen: dark gray and steel gray metalTungstenMohs 7.5 · metallic · commonWhite Gold specimen: white silver and pale gold metalWhite GoldMohs 3 · metallic · commonZinc specimen: bluish silver and gray metalZincMohs 2.5 · metallic · commonAnthracite specimen: black and steel gray metamorphic rockAnthraciteMohs 2.5 · submetallic · commonCassiterite specimen: brown and black mineralCassiteriteMohs 6–7 · Adamantine to submetallic · commonPyrolusite specimen: black and steel gray mineralPyrolusiteMohs 6.25 · metallic · commonShungite specimen: black and dark gray sedimentary rockShungiteMohs 3.5 · submetallic · uncommon

Glassy shiny gray rocks (47)

Labradorite specimen: gray and blue flash mineralLabradoriteMohs 6 · vitreous · commonLarvikite specimen: dark gray and blue gray igneous rockLarvikiteMohs 6 · vitreous · commonChalcedony specimen: blue-gray and white mineralChalcedonyMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to vitreous · commonChiastolite specimen: gray and brown mineralChiastoliteMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous · commonGneiss specimen: gray and pink metamorphic rockGneissMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to glimmering (mica-rich bands) · commonSchist specimen: silver-gray and golden (mica-rich) metamorphic rockSchistMohs 2.5–7 · Vitreous to silky/glittery (mica-rich) · commonSyenite specimen: gray and pink igneous rockSyeniteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous (feldspar crystals) · commonMoonstone specimen: white and gray gemstoneMoonstoneMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonSelenite specimen: colorless and white mineralSeleniteMohs 2 · vitreous · commonMarble specimen: white and gray metamorphic rockMarbleMohs 3.5 · vitreous · commonGranite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockGraniteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · commonSmoky Quartz specimen: brown and gray crystalSmoky QuartzMohs 7 · vitreous · commonSodalite specimen: blue and blue with white veins mineralSodaliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonIolite specimen: violet-blue and blue gemstoneIoliteMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonRock Salt specimen: clear and white sedimentary rockRock SaltMohs 2.5 · vitreous · commonActinolite specimen: green and dark green mineralActinoliteMohs 5–6 · Vitreous to silky · commonAlbite specimen: white and colorless mineralAlbiteMohs 6–6.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage · commonAnalcime specimen: colorless and white mineralAnalcimeMohs 5–5.5 · Vitreous · commonAndalusite specimen: reddish brown and olive green mineralAndalusiteMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous · commonAnhydrite specimen: colorless and white mineralAnhydriteMohs 3–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage surfaces · commonAragonite specimen: colorless and white mineralAragoniteMohs 3.5–4 · Vitreous to resinous · commonAxinite specimen: clove-brown and violet-brown mineralAxiniteMohs 6.5–7 · 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 · commonColemanite specimen: colorless and white mineralColemaniteMohs 4–4.5 · Vitreous, adamantine on cleavage faces · commonCordierite specimen: blue and violet-blue mineralCordieriteMohs 7–7.5 · Vitreous · commonCorundum specimen: red (ruby) and blue (sapphire) mineralCorundumMohs 9 · Adamantine to vitreous · commonDiaspore specimen: colorless and white mineralDiasporeMohs 6.5–7 · Vitreous to pearly on cleavage · commonDiopside specimen: light to dark green and white mineralDiopsideMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous · commonFeldspar specimen: white and pink mineralFeldsparMohs 6–6.5 · Vitreous to pearly · commonHalite specimen: colorless and white mineralHaliteMohs 2–2.5 · Vitreous · commonLeucite specimen: white and gray mineralLeuciteMohs 5.75 · vitreous · uncommonMagnesite specimen: white and gray mineralMagnesiteMohs 4 · vitreous · commonMicrocline specimen: white and cream mineralMicroclineMohs 6 · vitreous · commonMuscovite specimen: colorless and silvery white mineralMuscoviteMohs 2–4 · Vitreous to pearly/silky · commonNatrolite specimen: colorless and white mineralNatroliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · uncommonNepheline specimen: colorless and white mineralNephelineMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonPegmatite specimen: pink and white igneous rockPegmatiteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous (large crystal faces) · commonPrehnite specimen: green and yellow-green mineralPrehniteMohs 6.25 · vitreous · uncommonQuartz specimen: colorless and white crystalQuartzMohs 7 · Vitreous, greasy on fracture surfaces · commonQuartzite specimen: white and gray metamorphic rockQuartziteMohs 7 · Vitreous to sugary/granular · commonScapolite specimen: white and pink mineralScapoliteMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonSiderite specimen: yellowish brown and brown mineralSideriteMohs 4 · vitreous · commonSillimanite specimen: white and gray mineralSillimaniteMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonTremolite specimen: white and gray mineralTremoliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonZoisite specimen: green and pink mineralZoisiteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · uncommon

Waxy, silky or pearly shiny gray rocks (11)

Mylonite specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockMyloniteMohs 5.5 · silky · uncommonPhyllite specimen: silvery gray and greenish gray metamorphic rockPhylliteMohs 2.5–4 · Silky to satiny (sericite/chlorite sheen) · commonSoapstone specimen: gray and green metamorphic rockSoapstoneMohs 1–2.5 · Greasy to pearly/waxy · commonAgate specimen: blue and brown mineralAgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonBlue Lace Agate specimen: pale blue and white mineralBlue Lace AgateMohs 7 · waxy · uncommonDendritic Agate specimen: white and gray mineralDendritic AgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonGreenschist specimen: green and gray green metamorphic rockGreenschistMohs 4.5 · silky · commonAnorthosite specimen: white and gray igneous rockAnorthositeMohs 6 · pearly · commonBlueschist specimen: blue and blue gray metamorphic rockBlueschistMohs 5.5 · silky · uncommonPyrophyllite specimen: white and gray mineralPyrophylliteMohs 1.5 · pearly · commonTalc specimen: white and pale green mineralTalcMohs 1 · Pearly to greasy/waxy · common

Frequently asked questions

Is my shiny gray rock a meteorite?

Almost never. Meteorites are rare, heavy, magnetic and usually have a dull dark fusion crust rather than a bright shine. Shiny gray finds are far more likely to be Labradorite, Hematite, and Larvikite.

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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