Materials Identification Guide

Oregon Lithic Material

 











Name              Natural                              Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details                  Primary found in: Associated             Formation / Member
Agate Jasper   Ranges from yellow to brown or green.  Part if the material will be banded and be translucent while the remaining material will be mottled and opaque. Oregon  
Andesite
Generic Type
    Oregon Varies
Baird Chert Light gray Southwestern Oregon Baird Limestone Formation
Basalt   Ranges from black to gray Oregon Volcanic
Bat Cave Jasper
AKA: Rim Jasper
  Dense banded high quality jasper with colors of light to dark brown, tans, and black.  Light blue, reds, and greenish yellow may occur Central Oregon  
Bear Creek Moss Agate
AKA: Bear Creek Plume Agate
  Mottled clear to light gray or light blue matrix with inclusions of red, yellow, or brown or white plumes. Central Oregon  
Beatys Butte Obsidian     Ranges from a dark gray to black with reddish brown streaking and patches occurring. Southeastern Oregon  
Belverdere Jasper
AKA: Belvade Jasper
  Colors of greens, yellows, reds, oranges, and grays Southeastern Oregon  
Big Obsidian Flow Obsidian
AKA: Buried Obsidian Flow Obsidian
  Black with dark gray banding with small phenocrysts occasionally occurring. Central Oregon  
Big Stick Obsidian   Black Central Oregon  
Blackjack Basalt   Dark gray when freshly fractured weathering black, brown, and red. East central Oregon Blackjack Basalt Member of the Payette Formation
Blue Chert Ranges from blue to greenish blue with white veins commonly present. Southwestern Oregon  
Blue Mountain Jasper   Colors of blue, green, and olive orbs. Southeastern Oregon  
Briggs Jasper
AKA: China Hollow Jasper, Dolphite Jasper
  Primarily brown with light to dark brown, yellow, tan, blue, or grayish brown "landscaping" patterns or lines bands and arcs. North central Oregon John Day Formation
Broken Top Obsidian   Primarily black, but ranges to varicolored with streaks. East central Oregon  
Brooks Canyon Obsidian   Black South central Oregon  
Buck Springs Obsidian
AKA: See page for list
  Black East central Oregon  
Buena Vista Overlook Obsidian   Black Southeastern Oregon  
Burns Butte Obsidian   Ranges from black to a light to medium grayish green.  Darker banding may be present. Southeastern Oregon  
Butte Creek Obsidian   Black Northwestern Oregon  
Carlon Obsidian
AKA: Bald Butte Obsidian
  Black Central Oregon  
Carver Flow Obsidian
AKA: : Demaris Lake, Ludwig Quarry, Squaw Creek.
  Ranges from a dark gray to black with abundant small phenocrysts Central Oregon  
Carnelian
Generic Type
  Translucent and varies in shades from reddish brown to reddish orange. Oregon Varies
Chandler Mountain Carnelian   Ranges from red to orange or yellowish orange.  Banding may be present. Northwestern Oregon  
Chickahominy Obsidian   Black East central Oregon  
Chicken Track Jasper   Shades of brown, blue, and white Southeastern Oregon  
China Hat Obsidian   Ranges from gray to black. Central Oregon  
Clackamas River Obsidian
AKA: Mill Creek Buttes Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Oregon  
Cleetwood Obsidian   Black with reddish brown streaking and patches Southwestern Oregon  
Coglan Buttes Obsidian   Black South central Oregon  
Colebrooke Metachert     Southwestern Oregon Colebrook Formation
Condrey Mountain Quartzite / Chert   Gray recrystallized chert forming a "sugar quartz" Southwestern Oregon Condrey Mountain Formation
Cougar Mountain Obsidian   Ranges from a medium gray to black, occasionally reddish brown streaking occurs. West central Oregon  
Coyote Butte Argillaceous Wackestone   Yellowish Tan Northwestern Oregon Coyote Butte Formation
Coyote Butte Chert   Ranges from gray to black with translucent patches.
Northwestern Oregon Coyote Butte Limestone Formation
Coyote Wells Obsidian
AKA: Buckboard Reservoir Obsidian, Mesa Reservoir Obsidian
  Black East central Oregon  
Crater Lake Flower Jasper   Bright red or yellow plumes in a clear to milky white or bluish white matrix Southwestern Oregon  
Crooked River Moss Agate / Carnelian
AKA: Eagle Point Agate
  Light gray banded chalcedony with brown dendritic inclusions or limbcasts.  Carnelian is delicate colors.  Eagle Point agate is red and black. Northwestern Oregon  
Curtis Creek Obsidian   Black East central Oregon  
Dacite
Generic Type
Most commonly a light to dark gray or black Oregon Varies
Deer Creek Obsidian
AKA: Burnt Butte Obsidian
  Black Central Oregon  
Delintment Lake Obsidian
AKA: Holmes Canyon, Wright's Point Obsidian
  Black Central Oregon  
Deschutes Jasper
AKA: Dechutes Canyon Jasper
  Brown tones, but has tight banding not forming "landscape" patterns  North central Oregon  
Devils Hill Obsidian   Ranges from a dark gray to black commonly with fine banding and spherulitic. Central Oregon  
Devils Point Obsidian   Black Northwestern Oregon  
Disaster Peak Jasper   Shaded of brown and tan with darker banding commonly forming "landscapes". Southeastern Oregon  
Double O Obsidian   Black East central Oregon  
Drews Valley Ranch Obsidian
AKA: Drews Creek, Drews Reservoir Obsidian
  Ranges from a light to dark gray or black. South central Oregon  
Eagle Point Carnelian / Moss Agate   Carnelian is a salmon color and the moss agate has a light white or gray matrix with black dendritic inclusions. Southwestern Oregon  
Eagle Rock Plume Agate   Colors or plumes of blue, pink, red, brown and black, commonly has a gray matrix. Central Oregon  
East Butte Obsidian   Black Central Oregon  
East Lake Obsidian   Ranges from dark gray to black with gray and colorless banding with small rod shaped crystallites and small grains of magnetite, feldspar, and microlites. Central Oregon  
Elkhorn Ridge Argillite
AKA: Haida Stone
  Ranges from a light gray to a dark or greenish gray. West central Oregon Elkhorn Formation
Enhydro Agate   Varies in color, but has tiny air bubbles inside the material. Oregon  
Frieda Agate   Banded and ranges from colors of gray to white with green chlorite between the matrix and cortex. North central Oregon  
Glass Buttes Obsidian
AKA: Aurora Borealis  Obsidian, Rainbow Obsidian, Northern Lights Obsidian
  Banded with colors of black, and grays most commonly but may have bands of greens and purples. South central Oregon  
Grassy Mountain Petrified Wood   Colors of tan, brown, red blue and white with wood grain and rings commonly present. Southeastern Oregon  
Graveyard Point Plume Agate   Plume agate with colors of red, yellow, and brown with a matrix of white to a bluish or grayish white. Idaho, Oregon  
Gregory Creek Obsidian
AKA: Jonesboro, Sugar Butte Obsidian
  Black East central Oregon  
Guyer Creek Obsidian   Black Southwestern Oregon  
Hager Mountain Obsidian
AKA: Auger Creek Obsidian
  Black South central Oregon  
Hampton Butte Jasper   Layered with colors of tans, reds, browns, and light bluish greens. Central Oregon  
Hampton Butte Petrified Wood   Shades of light to dark bluish green, gray, tans, yellows, reds, and white. Central Oregon  
Hampton Butte Obsidian   Black with a sheen of blue and green occurring Central Oregon  
Harney Lake Chert
AKA: Malheur Chert, Mud Lake Chert
  Brownish red Southeastern Oregon Harney Formation
Hart Mountain Jasper   Colors of light to medium greenish gray, shades of pink to red, tannish or golden yellow to orange. South central Oregon  
Hart Mountain Obsidian
AKA: Deer Creek Obsidian
  Black South central Oregon  
Hawks Valley Obsidian   Black Southeastern Oregon  
Hell's Canyon Agate / Petrified Wood
AKA: Herringbone
  Agate has colors of brown, blue, gray, and green.  Hells Canyon Petrified Wood is a light tan with darker brown wood grain or rings. Northeastern Oregon  
Hawks Valley Obsidian   Black Southeastern Oregon  
Hidden Valley Jasper   Shades of red, brownish yellow, and white Southeastern Oregon  
Holley (Holly) Blue Agate
AKA: Ames Creek, Calapoola Purple, Sweet Home Agate
  Varying shades of blue, light shades of purple or lavender may be seen. West central Oregon  
Holleywood Ranch Petrified Wood   Shades of tans, browns, and black with wood rings and grain present. West Central Oregon  
Hoodoo Petrified Wood
AKA: Hoodoo Creek Petrified Wood
  Shades of reds, orange, tans and white with wood grain and rings present.. Northeastern Oregon Hoodoo Formation
Horse Heaven Hills Wood   Shades of white, tans, and browns with wood grain and rings present. Central Oregon  
Horse Mountain Obsidian
AKA: Alkali Lake Obsidian, Poverty Basin Obsidian
  Black Central Oregon  
Indian Creek Obsidian
AKA: Dooly Mountain Obsidian, Wallowa Obsidian
  Black Northeastern Oregon  
Inman Creek Obsidian
See list
  Black Western Oregon  
Interlake Obsidian   Medium gray to black Central Oregon  
Juniper Butte Plume Agate   Has brushes and plumes of black, brown, and red. Central Oregon  
Little Garden Obsidian   Black Central Oregon  
Llao Obsidian   Black with reddish brown or a chocolate brown streaking and banding commonly occurring Southwestern Oregon  
Lowell Vitrophyre
AKA: Upper Winberry Creek Vitrophyre
  Obsidian like glossy black West central Oregon  
Lucky Strike Agate   Matrix that ranges from a translucent white to light gray or brown with inclusion of white, pink, yellow, black, and green. North central Oregon  
Marston Jasper
AKA: Christmas Agate
  Brecciated or mottled with colors of red, green, yellow, and white. North central Oregon  
Marston Petrified Wood   Jasper replaced wood with colors of red, yellow, brown and white.  Wood grain and partial rings are present. North central Oregon  
Massacre Lake / Guano Valley Obsidian
AKA: See list
  Black Nevada, Oregon  
Maury Mountain Moss Agate / Jasper   Translucent grayish white matrix with very dense dendritic inclusion of green to brown, yellow, or rarely red. Southeastern Oregon  
McComb Butte Obsidian   Black Central Oregon  
McDermitt Jasper
AKA: Gary Green Jasper
  Scenic jasper with shades of blue, brown and white Southeastern Oregon  
McDermitt Petrified Wood   Shades of dark brown with a white cortex.  Wood grains and rings are present. Southeastern Oregon  
McKay Butte Obsidian   Dark bluish gray with streaking commonly occurring. Central Oregon  
Mohawk Jasper   Primarily green with shades of red, yellow, and white commonly present. West central Oregon  
Morrisonite
AKA: Morrison Jasper, Carrisite Jasper
  Commonly brecciated with colors of green, red, yellow, blue, white, and black. Southeastern Oregon  
Negro Rock Petrified Wood     Southeastern Oregon  
Newberry Obsidian   Ranges from a dark gray to black with banding and phenocysts and small gains of magnetite, felspar, and microliotes occurring. Central Oregon  
Obsidian
AKA: Volcanic Glass
  Black to black with bands of dark reds (mahogany obsidian) or white flakes (snowflake obsidian) Oregon Volcanic
Obsidian Cliffs Obsidian
AKA: North Sisters, Obsidian Ridge, Three Sisters Obsidian
  Ranges from a pale gray to black Northwestern Oregon  
Ochoco Agate   Light pea green to olive green matrix with darker inclusions. Central Oregon  
Ochoco Carnilian   Ranges from pink to dark red Central Oregon  
Ochoco Chalcedony   White tubes and eyes in a clear to gray chalcedony matrix
Central Oregon  
Ochoco Brilliant Jasper   Ranges in shades of red, yellow, and brown with a brilliant luster. Central Oregon  
Opal Butte Jasper   Shades of yellow, browns, and reds and commonly had seams and inclusions of translucent gray chalcedony. North central Oregon  
.Owyhee Jasper
AKA: Antelope Jasper
  Scenic jasper with colors of brown, tan and cream.  Colors of reds, blues, and greens may also occur Southeastern Oregon  
Owyhee Obsidian
AKA: Brown's Castle Obsidian, Oreana Obsidian, Toy Pass Obsidian
  Primarily black reddish brown patches and streaking may occur Southeastern Oregon  
Paiute Moss Agate   Black and white to light yellow dendritic inclusions in a matrix that is nearly opaque. East central Oregon  
Palomino Picture Jasper   Colors of brown, cream, and tan with sky blue inclusions.  Reds may occur.
Southeastern Oregon  
Paulina Lake Obsidian   Black with banding commonly occurring. Central Oregon  
Paulina Peak Obsidian   Almost colorless with very small microlites. Central Oregon  
Petrified Wood
AKA: Agatized Wood, Opalized Wood
  Vary in color based on the minerals present during the process Oregon Varies
Polka Dot Agate   Matrix white to blue and light beige to brown with spherical inclusions of white, red, orange, brown, or black. North central Oregon  
Powell Butte Agate   Clear to red or yellow translucent matrix with black or black to yellow plumes. Central Oregon  
Priday Agate   Matrix white to blue or light beige with patches of brown and dendritic plumes and moss occurring North central Oregon John Day Formation
Quartz Mountain Obsidian   Black Central Oregon  
Radar Hill / Skull Creek Obsidian   Ranges from a pale green to black with colors of smoky gray, turquoise, silver, orange, blue, and red occurring. 
 
Southeastern Oregon  
Rhyolite   Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray Oregon Volcanic Activity
Riley Obsidian   Black East central Oregon  
Rock Mesa Obsidian
AKA: South Sisters Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Oregon  
Rocky Butte Jasper   Shades of brown, tans, pink, yellow, blue, and green Northwestern Oregon  
Rogers Mountain Petrified Wood   Outer cortex of white with white to tan along the outer edges and a darker center ranging from gray to black.  Wood grain and rings are present. Northwestern Oregon  
Roosevelt Petrified Wood   White outer cortex with shades of white, tan and brown.  Wood rings and grains are present. Washington, Oregon  
Shasta Valley Agate   Ranges from a pure milky white to a rich cream color Oregon  
Sheep Creek Moss Agate   Opaque white matrix with dendritic inclusions and plumes. Central Oregon  
Silver Lake / Sycan Marsh Obsidian
AKA: Carlon Ranch, Long Creek Obsidian
  Two types, the first is a glossy black and the other is a rough tar-like luster gray to black. South central Oregon  
Skaggs Green Jasper   Ranges from a bluish green to green Oregon  
Spodue Mountain Obsidian'
AKA: Black Hills, West Horton Obsidian
  Black South central Oregon  
Spotted Ridge Chert Radiolarian chert with colors of black, green, and red. Oregon Spotted Ridge Formation
Spring Mountain Jasper   Colors of brown, yellowish brown, blue and green and commonly has scenic patterns or color illustrations. East central Oregon  
Squaw Butte Obsidian   Black Southeastern Oregon  
Squaw Ridge Obsidian
AKA: Button Springs, Fort Rock, Hooda Ridge Obsidian
  Black with closely spaced sperulites Central Oregon  
Stinkingwater Agate   Transparent white to bluish white matrix with darker colored plumes.  East central Oregon  
Stinkingwater Jasper   Shades of yellow, orange, red, and green. East central Oregon  
Stinkingwater  Petrified Wood   Primarily Golden Oak and has a lighter cortex and edges with shades of white tan and brown in the interior.  Wood rings and grain is present. East central Oregon  
Succor Creek Agate   Transparent white to bluish white matrix with darker colors of red, brown and black occurring towards the exterior. East central Oregon  
Succor Creek Jasper
AKA: Qwyhee Jasper
  Scenic jasper with colors of tan, brown and blue East central Oregon  
Sunflower Flat Agate
AKA: Sunset Agate / Jasper
  Red and yellow jasper agate.  Commonly has a translucent matrix with yellow, brown, or red streaks with yellow splotches.
Northwestern Oregon  
Surveyor Springs Obsidian
AKA: Rock Creek, Twelvemile Canyon Obsidian
  Black South central Oregon  
Swartz Canyon Petrified Wood   White cortex with shades of white, tan, brown, gray, and black in the interior.  Wood grain and rings are present. Central Oregon  
Tucker Hill Obsidian   Black South central Oregon  
Tuff
AKA: Solidified Volcanic Ash
  Contains greater than 75 volcanic ash and ranges from white to tan, gray or pink. Oregon Volcanic activity
Venator Obsidian
AKA: Horseshoe Bend, Shumway Ridge Obsidian
  Black East central Oregon  
Wagontire Obsidian   Black East central Oregon  
Wascoite Jasper
AKA: Bedded Japser, Wasco Lake Bed Agate
  Mottled or banded yellow, pinks, brown and white, concentric red banding may be present. North central Oregon  
 Wasco Agate   Colors of tan, white, and red. Oregon  
Whitehorse Obsidian   Ranges from black to gray or with a brownish green tint. Southeastern Oregon  
Whitewater Ridge Obsidian
AKA: Bear Valley, Foster Springs, Little Bear Creek Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Oregon  
Wildhorse Jasper   Scenic jasper with colors of brown, tan, and blue. Northeastern Oregon  
Winter Ridge Obsidian
AKA: White Rock Obsidian
  Black South central Oregon  
Witham Creek Obsidian
AKA: School Creek Obsidian
  Black Central Oregon  
Yamsay Obsidian   Black with faint banding South central Oregon  
Yreka Butte Obsidian   Black Central Oregon