Materials Identification Guide

Nevada Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details                    Primary found in: Associated             Formation / Member
Agate Jasper
(Generic Type)
  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. Western North America  
Agort Chert Light gray Northeastern Nevada Noh Formation
Amargosa Valley Obsidian   Black Southern Nevada Tolicha Wash / Sarcobatus Flats Float
Andesite
Generic Type
    North America Varies
Arcturus Chert Light purple Northeastern Nevada Arcturus Formation
Argillite
(Generic type)
  Light to dark green, but may range to various shades of gray North America  
Badger Creek Obsidian   Bluish gray Northwestern Nevada  
Basalt
(Generic Type)
  Ranges from black to gray Western North America  
Battle Mountain Chalcedony   White with light greenish white inclusions  North central Nevada  
Battle Mountain Jasper   Ranges from a white to tan or purple North central Nevada  
Beacon Flat Chert Light Gray Northeastern Nevada Beacon Flat Formation
Beacon Peak Dolomite / Chert Ranges from a light gray to brown. Northeastern Nevada Beacon Peak Dolomite Formation
Beaver Dam Agate / Petrified Wood   Primarily white with shades of orange, pink, and red. Southeastern Nevada  
Beaver Dam Jasper   Shades of red Southeastern Nevada  
Beaver Dam Wonderstone / Banded Rhyolite   Banded with colors of cream, brown, red, and yellow Southeastern Nevada  
Bluepoint Chert Gray Southeastern Nevada Bluepoint Limestone Formation
Bodie Hills Obsidian
AKA: Grove Hill Obsidian
  Ranges from black to almost clear. California, Nevada  
Bordwell Springs Obsidian
AKA: Dolly Varden, Fox Mountain Obsidian
  Black West central Nevada  
Box Springs Obsidian   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Browns Bench Obsidian
AKA: Goose Creek, Hudson Ridge, Jackpot Obsidian
  Black Northeastern Nevada Bruneau / Jarbidge Volcanic Field
Buckskin Mountain Chert
AKA: Carlin Canyon Chert
  Brown Northeastern Nevada Buckskin Mountain Formation
Butte Mountain Obsidian   Black East central Nevada  
Cap Winn Jasperoid Chert Red and grayish green. Northeastern Nevada Cap Winn Member of the Schoonover Formation
Carlin Canyon Chert Ranges from a dark brown to black Northeastern Nevada Carlin Canyon Formation
Carnelian
Generic Type
  Translucent and varies in shades from reddish brown to reddish orange. North America Varies
Cave Springs Obsidian / Vitrophyre   Black Southwestern Nevada  
Cherry Creek Petrified Wood   Shades of red and pink, tans, browns, and black.  Wood grain or rings are present. East central Nevada  
Cherry Springs Chert Ranges from a greenish gray to an emerald green North central Nevada Cherry Springs Chert Formation
Chicken Track Jasper   Shades of brown, blue, and white Northwestern Nevada  
Chimney Creek Reservoir Obsidian   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Clayton Ridge Obsidian
AKA: Montezuma Range Obsidian
  Black Southwestern Nevada  
Cloverdale Canyon Obsidian   Black West central Nevada  
Coaldale Chert   West central Nevada  
Condor Chert Black Southeastern Nevada Condor Member of the Highland Peak Formation
Comus Chert Ranges from a green to a dark gray, brown or black. Northwestern Nevada Comus Formation
Coyote Springs Obsidian
AKA: Nut Mountain Obsidian
  Black Southern Nevada  
Craine Creek Obsidian
AKA: Bug Hot Springs Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Nevada  
Crow Springs Obsidian   Black West central Nevada
 
Dacite
Generic Type
Most commonly a light to dark gray or black Western North America Varies
Devil Peak Obsidian (marekanites)
AKA: Roach Lake, Umpire Obsidian
  Black  with phenocrysts inclusion occur on material from the east Devils Peak. Southern Nevada  
Devils Gate Chert Chert is a dark gray.  Light and dark gray striped dolomite also occurs. Central Nevada Devils Gate Limestone Formation
Disaster Peak Jasper   Shaded of brown and tan with darker banding commonly forming "landscapes". Northern Nevada  
Dodge Reservoir Obsidian   gray with phenocysts and inclusions Northwestern Nevada  
Double H Mountains Obsidian   Ranges from black to gray, green or blue. Northwestern Nevada  
Duck Flat Obsidian   Primarily gray to grayish black or black with reddish brown patches or streaking commonly present (mahogany obsidian)
Northwestern Nevada  
Ely Chert Pinkish gray to a dark gray or a cream to brown. Northern Nevada Ely Limestone Formation
Ely Springs Chert Ranges from a dark gray to a smoky brown.
Southern Nevada Ely Springs Dolomite Formation
Emigrant Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black Southern Nevada Emigrant Limestone Formation
Eureka Basalt   Dark gray Central Nevada  
Eureka Quartzite
AKA: Standbury Quartzite
  Ranges from dense white dark gray quartzite to a vitreous tan to brown, milky white, pink, purple, or red orthoquartzite.  Nevada, Eureka Quartzite Formation
Fairview Chalcedony / Opal
AKA: Dixie Valley Chalcedony
  Banded West central Nevada  
Ferguson Mountain Chert Ranges from a white to light brown or gray. Northeastern Nevada Ferguson Mountain Formation
Ferguson Wash Obsidian
AKA: Dead Cedar Wash, Ferguson Flat Obsidian
  Black Northeastern Nevada  
Fish Haven Chert Ranges from a grayish tan to black weathering shades of brown. Northeastern Nevada Fish Haven Dolomite Formation
Fish Lake Valley Obsidian   Black Southern Nevada  
Frenchie Creek Rhyolite   Maroon or black. North central Nevada Frenchie Creek Rhyolite Member (upper member) of the Pony Trail Group
Garfield Hills Obsidian
AKA: Hawthorne Obsidian
  Black West central Nevada  
Gerster Chert Ranges from a tan to a light gray or light bluish gray with a dark rusty brown cortex. Banding was reported in southern Pequop Mountains. Northeastern Nevada Gerster Limestone Formation
Goldfield Jasper
AKA: Gemfield Jasper
  Colors of red, yellow, gray, and a light greenish gray Southern Nevada  
Goodwin Chert Ranges from white to gray South central Nevada Goodwin Limestone Formation
Hales Chert Ranges from a gray to a bluish gray or tan. South central Nevada Hales Limestone Formation
Hanson Creek Chert Dark gray to black dolomite with dark gray to bluish black or black chert nodules and lenses. North central Nevada Hanson Creek Formation
Havallah Chert
AKA: Trenton Canyon Chert
Colors of red, green, purple, and gray North central Nevada Trenton Canyon Member of the Havallah Formation
Havallah Greenstone   Green North central Nevada Havallah Formation
Havallah Mudstone / Argillite   Dark brown with "feathery algae" and worm tracks present. North central Nevada Havallah Formation
Hawks Valley Obsidian   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Hog Ranch Obsidian   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Horse Canyon Spring Obsidian   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Hubbard Basin Petrified Wood   Ranges from a light brown to brown with "wood grain" or rings. Northeastern Nevada  
Humboldt Chert Red, green, and black Northeastern Nevada Humboldt Formation
Joana Chert Ranges from a light brown to a reddish brown or purplish black to black. Eastern Nevada Joana Formation
Kane Springs Wash Obsidian
AKA: Delmar Mountains Obsidian
  Black Southern Nevada  
Kiabab Chert Mottled with whites, light browns, tans, and light grays with a brown cortex Southern Nevada Kiabab Limestone Formation
Kobeh Chert Brownish gray to a light gray Central Nevada Kobeh Member of the McColley Canyon Formation.
Laketown Chert Light gray Northeastern Nevada Laketown Dolomite Member of the Guilmette Formation
Lone Mountain Dolomite / Chert Chert is gray and the dolomite ranges from a light gray to a dark gray. Central Nevada Lone Mountain Dolomite Formation
Massacre Lake / Guano Valley Obsidian
AKA: See list
  Black Northeastern Nevada  
McDermitt Jasper
AKA: Gary Green Jasper
  Scenic jasper with shades of blue, brown and white Northeastern Nevada  
McDermitt Petrified Wood   Shades of dark brown with a white cortex.  Wood grains and rings are present. Northeastern Nevada  
Mendha Chert Ranges from a dark gray to black. Southeastern Nevada  
Modena Obsidian
AKA: Dry Valley, Panaca Summit, Pinon Point Obsidian
  Opaque to slightly translucent black with faint translucent gray banding commonly present. Southeastern Nevada  
Moleen Chert Ranges from a gray to a dark gray weathering brown. Central Nevada  
Mosquito Lake Obsidian
AKA: Mosquito Creek Obsidian
  Milky bluish gray Northwestern Nevada  
Mt. Hicks Obsidian
AKA: Anchorite Hills Obsidian
  Black West central Nevada  
Mt. Majuba Obsidian
AKA: Oreana, Rabbit Hole, Poker Brown Wash, Seven Troughs Obsidian
  Black Northwestern Nevada  
Murdock Mountain Chert Ranges from a light gray to a bluish gray or tannish gray. Northeastern Nevada Murdock Mountain Limestone Formation
Needle Grass Springs Obsidian   Ranges from black to black and red or red. Northwestern Nevada  
Nellie Springs Ignimbrite   Variably colored dark ignimbrite with ash inclusions and crystals. Northwestern Nevada  
Notch Peak Chert Dark colored gray Northeastern Nevada Notch Peak Formation
Nugget Sandstone   Ranges from buff to pink. Southern Nevada Chug Water Formation of the Thrust Belt
Obsidian
AKA: Volcanic Glass
  Black to black with bands of dark reds (mahogany obsidian) or white flakes (snowflake obsidian) Western North America Volcanic
Obsidian Butte Obsidian
AKA: See list
  Black Southern Nevada  
Opal Spring Chalcedony   Red Northeastern Nevada  
Paradise Valley Obsidian
AKA: Black Ridge, Santa Rosa Obsidian
  Black Northeastern Nevada  
Petrified Wood     Color based on the minerals present during the process.  It can range from black green to blue yellow, red, and brown , pink and orange, yellow , or white Nevada Varies
Phosphoria Chert
AKA: Tosi Chert, Big Horn Chert
Ranges from colors of red, maroon, purple, orangish red, green, black and white. Northeastern Nevada Tosi Member of the Phosphoria Formation
Pine Grove Hills Obsidian   Ranges from black to almost clear. West central Nevada  
Pinto Peak Obsidian   Black Northeastern Nevada  
Plympton Chert Ranges from a light milky gray to dark gray weathering brown. East central Nevada Plympton Formation
Pogonip Chert Light gray. East central Nevada Pogonip Formation (group)
Prospect Mountain Quartzite   Brownish white, darker and more ferrous towards the base and lighter towards the top of the formation. Nevada Prospect Mountain Formation
Pumpernickel Argillite   Ranges from a dark red to green North central Nevada Pumpernickel Formation
Pumpernickel Chert Ranges from a reddish gray to brown or black North central Nevada Pumpernickel Formation

Queen Valley Obsidian
AKA: Fish Lake Valley Obsidian
  Black West central Nevada  
Railroad Point Obsidian / Vitropyre   Black Northwestern Nevada  
Rainbow Gardens Chert Ranges from a dark green to black and white. Southern Nevada Rainbow Gardens Member of the Horse Spring Formation
Rex Chert Ranges from a brownish red to purple or an ashy gray to black Northeastern Nevada Rex Chert Member,
Phosphoria Limestone Formation
Rhyolite
(Generic Type)
  Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray North America Volcanic Activity
Riepe Springs Chert Ranges from a brown to an olive gray or pink. Southeastern Nevada Riepe Spring Limestone Formation
Roberts Mountains Chert Light brown North central Nevada Roberts Mountains Formation
Sam Springs Chert
AKA: Clipper Canyon Chert
Varicolored chert. Central Nevada Sam Springs Formation of the Clipper Canyon Group
Scott Canyon Radiolarian Chert Ranges from black to gray or a milky grayish brown, brecciation and recrystallization may be present North central Nevada Scotts Canyon Formation
Sevy Chert / Dolomite Homogenous and ranges from a light or dark gray to an olive gray or pinkish or orangish gray. Eastern Nevada Sevy Dolomite Formation
Silicified Dinosaur Bone         Nevada  
Silverpeak Obsidian   Black West central Nevada  
Slaven Chert
AKA: Slaven Radiolarian Chert,
Ranges from a brown to a grayish green color.
North central Nevada Slaven Chert Formation
Sonora Pass Agate   Agate breccia or banded agate West central Nevada  
South Hanging Rock Obsidian   Emerald Green Northwestern Nevada  
Springtime Jasper
AKA: Lahontanite
  Brecciated jasper with colors of pale blues to pale greens, reds, yellow, and purples with medium green veins commonly present. West central Nevada  
Steamboat Hot Springs Sinter   Gray West central Nevada  
Stirling Quartzite / Jasper   Ranges from pink to gray with veins of white quartz and nodules of red jasper. Southern Nevada  
Stonewall Pass Agatized Wood   Colors of brown, black, white, yellow, orange, and red with wood grain or rings present. Southwestern Nevada  
Sump Petrified Wood   Wood has shades of brown and white.  Limb casts are also present.  Sump Jasper is red and green. Southwestern Nevada Esmeralda Formation
Surveyor Springs Obsidian
AKA: Rock Creek, Twelvemile Canyon Obsidian
  Black and a pinkish black. Northwestern Nevada  
Sutro Springs Obsidian
AKA: Asshole Mountain, Double Springs, Flowery Range Obsidian
  Black West central Nevada  
Swan Peak Quartzite   Ranges from white to gray Northeastern Nevada Swan Peak Formation 
Swarbrick Chert Gray (banded ?) South central Nevada Swarbrick Limestone Formation 
Tempiute Mountain Obsidian
AKA: Butte Valley, Tempiute Range Obsidian
  Black Southern Nevada  
Texas Springs Agate / Chalcedony/ Petrified Wood
AKA: Jackpot Chalcedony
  Primarily pink and white casts of roots rather than limbs. Northeastern Nevada Jarbridge Rhyolite Formation
Tomera Chert Ranges from a gray to a grayish brown or green or red. Central Nevada Tomera Formation
Toquima Chert / Jaspalite Ranges from dark brown to gray and jaspalite is black Central Nevada Toquima Limestone Formation
Tosawihi Chert
AKA: Toshawee Chert, Tosiwhu Chert, Ivanhoe Chert
White North central Nevada Tosawihi Member
Truckee River Basalt
AKA: Boca Reservoir, Martis Creek Basalt
  Ranges from dark gray to black West central Nevada  
Truman Meadows Obsidian
AKA: Truman Canyon Obsidian
  Ranges from a clear to black with reddish brown streaking (mahogany obsidian) to banded black. West central Nevada  
Tuff
AKA: Solidified Volcanic Ash
  Contains greater than 75 volcanic ash and ranges from white to tan, gray or pink. North America Volcanic activity
Tuscarora Petrified Wood   Colors of light cream to tan or brown with red and orange shades.  Wood grain or rings are commonly present. Northeastern Nevada  
Van Duzer Chert Ranges from a light gray to a dark gray or black. North central Nevada Van Duzer Limestone Formation
Valmy Chert Ranges from gray to green or black. Northeastern Nevada Valmy Formation
Vinini Chert Ranges from a very pale green to tan, gray, or black North central Nevada Vinni Formation
Virgin Valley Opalized / Petrified Wood   Opalized wood is primarily white with shades of blue, green, and red occurring.  Petrified wood is shades of brown. Northwestern Nevada  
Wendover Moss Agate   White to bluish matrix with red or yellow dendritic inclusions. Northeastern Nevada  
Windfall Chert Primarily a light to dark gray and may range from homogenous to banded or stripped with light and darker grays.  Brown, green, and white also occurs. North central Nevada Windfall Formation
Woodruff Chert Ranges from a laminated brown to black chert North central Nevada Woodruff Formation
Woodruff Porcelanite   Ranges from white to a pale green.. North central Nevada Woodruff Formation