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White Rocks, Minerals & Gemstones

Found a white rock and want a name for it? This guide lists all 89 white rocks, minerals and gemstones in the StoneSnap database, from common finds like Marble, Opalite, and Dendritic Agate to collector specimens.

Color alone rarely identifies a specimen, so start with luster (44 glassy, 23 dull or earthy, 15 waxy, silky or pearly, and 7 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 rocksGray rocksBrown rocksGreen rocksPink rocksYellow rocksRed rocksBlue rocksPurple rocksOrange rocksClear rocksMulticolored rocks

Metallic white rocks (7)

Arsenopyrite 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 · commonCobaltite specimen: silvery white with pink/reddish tint and steel gray mineralCobaltiteMohs 5.5 · Metallic · commonSilver specimen: silver white and gray mineralSilverMohs 2.75 · metallic · rareWhite Gold specimen: white silver and pale gold metalWhite GoldMohs 3 · metallic · commonMarcasite specimen: pale brass yellow and tin white mineralMarcasiteMohs 6 · metallic · commonSterling Silver specimen: silver and white silver metalSterling SilverMohs 2.7 · metallic · common

Glassy white rocks (44)

Opal specimen: white and black gemstoneOpalMohs 5.5 · vitreous · uncommonMoonstone specimen: white and gray gemstoneMoonstoneMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonMarble specimen: white and gray metamorphic rockMarbleMohs 3.5 · vitreous · commonOpalite specimen: milky white and blue materialOpaliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonAlabaster specimen: white and cream mineralAlabasterMohs 1.5–2 · Vitreous (crystalline); waxy to dull (massive) · commonBrucite specimen: white and pale green mineralBruciteMohs 2.5 · vitreous · uncommonDolomite specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockDolomiteMohs 3.5–4 · Vitreous to dull · commonGibbsite specimen: white and gray mineralGibbsiteMohs 2.5–3.5 · Vitreous, pearly on cleavage, dull when earthy · commonHowlite specimen: white with gray veining mineralHowliteMohs 3–3.5 · Subvitreous to dull · commonMicrocline specimen: white and cream mineralMicroclineMohs 6 · vitreous · commonMigmatite specimen: pink and black and light and dark layered metamorphic rockMigmatiteMohs 5–7 · Vitreous to dull (banded) · commonMilky Quartz specimen: milky white and white crystalMilky QuartzMohs 7 · Vitreous, greasy · commonOnyx specimen: mineralOnyxMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to vitreous · commonPumice specimen: white and light gray igneous rockPumiceMohs 5–6 · Dull to glassy · commonQuartzite specimen: white and gray metamorphic rockQuartziteMohs 7 · Vitreous to sugary/granular · commonScapolite specimen: white and pink mineralScapoliteMohs 6 · vitreous · uncommonSillimanite specimen: white and gray mineralSillimaniteMohs 7 · vitreous · uncommonStilbite specimen: white and pink mineralStilbiteMohs 3.75 · vitreous · commonTravertine specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockTravertineMohs 3–4 · Vitreous to dull, sometimes pearly · commonTremolite specimen: white and gray mineralTremoliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonSapphire specimen: blue and pink gemstoneSapphireMohs 9 · adamantine · rareGranite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockGraniteMohs 6.5 · vitreous · commonSodalite specimen: blue and blue with white veins mineralSodaliteMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonRed Coral specimen: red and pink gemstoneRed CoralMohs 3.5 · vitreous · rareSlag Glass specimen: blue and green materialSlag GlassMohs 5.5 · 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 · commonCharoite specimen: lilac and purple mineralCharoiteMohs 5–6 · Vitreous to pearly/silky · commonChiastolite specimen: gray and brown mineralChiastoliteMohs 6.5–7.5 · Vitreous · commonDiopside specimen: light to dark green and white mineralDiopsideMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous · commonDiorite specimen: salt-and-pepper gray and dark gray igneous rockDioriteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to dull (granular) · commonGabbro specimen: dark gray and black igneous rockGabbroMohs 5–6.5 · Dull to vitreous (in crystals) · commonGneiss specimen: gray and pink metamorphic rockGneissMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to glimmering (mica-rich bands) · commonGranodiorite specimen: light gray and gray igneous rockGranodioriteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous to dull (mixed mineral grains) · commonHauyne specimen: blue and sky blue mineralHauyneMohs 5.5–6 · Vitreous to greasy · commonJadeite specimen: green and white gemstoneJadeiteMohs 6.75 · vitreous · rarePegmatite specimen: pink and white igneous rockPegmatiteMohs 6–7 · Vitreous (large crystal faces) · commonPrehnite specimen: green and yellow-green mineralPrehniteMohs 6.25 · vitreous · uncommonRhyolite specimen: pink and gray igneous rockRhyoliteMohs 5.5–7 · Dull to vitreous (glassy groundmass) · commonSmithsonite specimen: blue green and green mineralSmithsoniteMohs 4.5 · vitreous · uncommonSnowflake Obsidian specimen: black and black and white igneous rockSnowflake ObsidianMohs 5.5 · vitreous · commonSyenite specimen: gray and pink igneous rockSyeniteMohs 5.5–6.5 · Vitreous (feldspar crystals) · commonTuff specimen: light gray and tan igneous rockTuffMohs 2–5 · Dull to earthy; glassy shards may show vitreous luster · commonWavellite specimen: green and yellow mineralWavelliteMohs 3.75 · vitreous · uncommon

Waxy, silky or pearly white rocks (15)

Pearl specimen: white and cream gemstonePearlMohs 3 · pearly · uncommonDendritic Agate specimen: white and gray mineralDendritic AgateMohs 7 · waxy · commonDalmatian Jasper specimen: cream and white mineralDalmatian JasperMohs 7 · waxy · commonAnorthosite specimen: white and gray igneous rockAnorthositeMohs 6 · pearly · commonPyrophyllite specimen: white and gray mineralPyrophylliteMohs 1.5 · pearly · commonTalc specimen: white and pale green mineralTalcMohs 1 · Pearly to greasy/waxy · commonBlue Lace Agate specimen: pale blue and white mineralBlue Lace AgateMohs 7 · waxy · uncommonDesert Rose specimen: tan and brown mineralDesert RoseMohs 2 · pearly · commonMookaite specimen: yellow and red sedimentary rockMookaiteMohs 6.5 · waxy · uncommonGreenschist specimen: green and gray green metamorphic rockGreenschistMohs 4.5 · silky · commonMylonite specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockMyloniteMohs 5.5 · silky · uncommonChert specimen: gray and white sedimentary rockChertMohs 6.5–7 · Waxy to dull · commonMimetite specimen: yellow and orange mineralMimetiteMohs 3.75 · resinous · uncommonSerpentine specimen: green and yellowish green mineralSerpentineMohs 3.5 · greasy · commonSoapstone specimen: gray and green metamorphic rockSoapstoneMohs 1–2.5 · Greasy to pearly/waxy · common

Dull or earthy white rocks (23)

Limestone specimen: white and gray sedimentary rockLimestoneMohs 3 · dull · commonDiatomite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockDiatomiteMohs 1.5 · dull · commonOolite specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockOoliteMohs 3 · dull · commonCaliche specimen: white and cream sedimentary rockCalicheMohs 3 · dull · commonTonalite specimen: white and gray igneous rockTonaliteMohs 6 · dull · commonAplite specimen: white and pink igneous rockApliteMohs 6 · dull · commonChalk specimen: white and pale gray sedimentary rockChalkMohs 1–2 · Dull, earthy · commonCoquina specimen: white and tan sedimentary rockCoquinaMohs 3–4 · Dull · commonKaolinite specimen: white and cream mineralKaoliniteMohs 2 · earthy · commonSandstone specimen: tan and brown sedimentary rockSandstoneMohs 6 · dull · commonDolostone specimen: tan and gray sedimentary rockDolostoneMohs 3.5 · dull · commonAmphibolite specimen: black and dark green metamorphic rockAmphiboliteMohs 5.5 · dull · commonHornfels specimen: gray and black metamorphic rockHornfelsMohs 6 · 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 · commonIgnimbrite specimen: tan and pink igneous rockIgnimbriteMohs 6 · dull · commonSkarn specimen: green and brown metamorphic rockSkarnMohs 5.5 · dull · uncommonMetaconglomerate specimen: gray and white metamorphic rockMetaconglomerateMohs 6.5 · dull · uncommonMonzonite specimen: gray and pink igneous rockMonzoniteMohs 6 · dull · commonNorite specimen: black and dark gray igneous rockNoriteMohs 6 · dull · commonPhonolite specimen: gray and greenish gray igneous rockPhonoliteMohs 6 · dull · uncommonBauxite specimen: reddish brown and tan mineralBauxiteMohs 1–3 · Dull, earthy; slight luster on pisoliths · common

Frequently asked questions

What is a white shiny rock most likely to be?

Shiny white rocks are usually Marble, Opalite, Dendritic Agate, and Dalmatian Jasper. Check whether the shine is metallic or glassy, then test hardness against glass to narrow it further.

How do I identify a white 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 white candidates on this page, or scan it with the StoneSnap app for an instant match.

Are white rocks valuable?

Most white rocks are common and worth a few dollars as specimens, but gem-grade material such as Sapphire, Pearl, and Opal can be worth far more. Each page lists a typical value range.

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