Materials Identification Guide

Wisconsin Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details Primary found in: Associated Formation / Member
Ajibik Quartzite
AKA: Kakabeka Quartzite
Ranges from a light gray to a flesh or tan color.  Commonly  stained spots that range from tan to yellow, or a reddish brown Northern Wisconsin Lower Marquette series
Alma Quartzite
Variations: Buffalo County Quartzite and Lacross County Quartzite
  Range from white to purple (Alma Quartzite), to an off white to a tan (Lacross variation), or tan to brown (Buffalo variation). West central Wisconsin  
Arcadia Ridge Orthquartzite   Ranges in color from a tannish white to a light tan West central Wisconsin  
Banded Jasper   Multi colored with red banding Northwestern Wisconsin  
Baraboo Quartzite   Varying shades of pink to red or maroon banded with lighter pinks and whites Southwestern Wisconsin  
Barron County Pipestone   Ranges in color from a homogenous pink to red. Central to northwestern Wisconsin  
Barron County Quartzite   Ranges in color from a light yellow to a pale purplish pink.  Striping, banding, or staining may be present Northwestern Wisconsin  
Bayport Chert Varies from light brown to a medium gray.  White quartz inclusions can form white clouds or bulls eye forms in the material, Banding may be present. East central Wisconsin Bayport Limestone formation
Bessemer Quartzite     Northern Wisconsin "Nopeming formation", Puckwunge formation, Osier Group
Blair Creek Basalt   Dark gray in color Northern Wisconsin Blair Creek formation, Menominee Group
Blanding Chert
Silurian Chert variant
Ranges from white to gray with faint bands of pale yellow, brown, and orange Southwestern Wisconsin Blanding formation
Bois Blanc Formation Chert
Color ranging from almost white to grays, browns, and blues Northeastern Wisconsin Bois Blanc Formation Limestone
Buffalo County Quartzite
Alma Quartzite variant
Range from a tan to brown West central Wisconsin  
Cedar Valley Chert
Rapid Chert
  Translucent ranging from a light to medium brown Southwestern Wisconsin Cedar Valley Formation, Rapid Member
Cedar Valley Jasper     Southwestern Wisconsin  
Cochrane Chert Ranges in color from a medium tan to a dark brown.  It is often banded or mottled.  Quartz inclusion may be present. West central Wisconsin Reedstown Member
Elwood Chert
Elwood- Joliet Chert
Ranges from white to gray Southern Wisconsin Elwood formation
Flambeau Quartzite   Ranges from a reddish brown to a yellowish gray Northern Wisconsin Flambeau Quartzite Formation
Flow Banded Rhyolite         Wisconsin  
Galena Chert
Platteville-Galena Chert
Ranges from gray to light tones of brown ,mottles and swirls White specks of fossil fragments.  Small flat vugs may be present. Southern Wisconsin Platteville Dolomite formation
Grand Meadow Chert
Range from a light to medium gray and may be a solid color or mottled, may have a golden hue West central Wisconsin  
Harmilda Chert
AKA: Bolingbrook Chert, Sugar Chert, Crystal Chert
Semi-transparent and region.  The Semi-translucent portion ranges from tan to gray and the opaque regions range from white to gray. Southeastern Wisconsin Silurian System
Hixton Silicified Sandstone / Quartzite
AKA: Sugar Quartz
   Range in color from white to tan (most common), but may vary from red to orange, lavender to brown, or yellows Southwestern to central Wisconsin  
Hopkinton Chert Translucent light gray with white opaque mottling Southwestern Wisconsin Hopkinton Formation
Jasper Taconite
Taconite Jasper
AKA: Gun Flint
Deep red color to black or blue with darker small round inclusions.  The inclusion can vary in color from dark green, dark blue, or black Northwestern Wisconsin  Gunflint Formation, Animikian Group
Joliet Chert
Elwood- Joliet Chert
Ranges from white to gray Southern Wisconsin Joliet formation 
Kankakee Chert
AKA for Blanding Chert
Silurian Chert variant
Ranges from white to gray with faint bands of pale yellow, brown, and orange Southwestern Wisconsin Blanding formation
Lacross County Quartzite
Alma Quartzite variant
Range from an off white to a tan West central Wisconsin  
Lake Superior Agate   Range in color from a light to dark salmon or coral color with alternating bands of white or light yellow.  Colorless inclusions of quartz are often present. Northern Wisconsin Nebraska - Archean System 
Lake Vermillion Chert   Northwestern Wisconsin Lake Vermillion Formation
Maquoketa Chert
AKA: Silurian 2 Chert
Ranges in color from a pale olive gray to a pale gray.  Banding or streaking may be present.
Southwestern Wisconsin Maquoketa Formation
Marquette Rhyolite   Ranges in color from a medium to dark gray to a greenish gray color. Central to east central Wisconsin  
Oneota Chert
AKA: Oneota Prairie de Chein Chert (lower)
Ranges from white to gray or yellowish or orange
Wisconsin  Lower Prairie de Chien Group,  Oneota formation
Platteville - Galena Chert
Galena Chert
Ranges from gray to light tones of brown ,mottles and swirls White specks of fossil fragments.  Small flat vugs may be present. Southern Wisconsin Platteville Dolomite formation
Powers Bluff Quartzite Pink in color Central Wisconsin Aprin Conglomerate formation of the Animikie Group
Prairie du Chein Chert Mottled and ranges in color from an off white to a light cream Southwestern Wisconsin Prairie du Chein group
Racine Chert
AKA: Engadine Chert
Ranges from a grayish white to a medium gray or bluish gray.  Mottling or streaks of bluish tints may be present Wisconsin, Illinois Racine Limestone Formation
Rib Mountain Quartzite
AKA: Rib Hill Quartzite
  Ranges from a white to a pale pinkish color
North central Wisconsin  
Root River Chert / Jasperoid
Cedar Valley Chert variation
Opaque and ranges in color from yellowish brown to dark brown or an ocher color with mottling Southwestern Wisconsin  Cedar Valley Formation, Rapid Member.
Saugeen Chert
Bois Blanc variation
Color ranging from very light almost white Ontario, Michigan, and Wisconsin Bois Blanc Formation
Selkirk Chert
AKA: Dundee Chert
Range in color from light gray to yellowish gray, dark gray, , black or brown.  White to light gray bands or clouds are present Northern Wisconsin Dundee Limestone Formation
Shakopee Chert Ranges from white to gray with contrasting banding Central to southern Wisconsin Shakopee Dolomite formation
Silurian Chert Mottled or streaked chert ranging in color from white to a light cream or light gray Northern Wisconsin Mayville Limestone / Dolomite Formation
Silver Mound Silicified Quartzite
Hixton Quartzite variant
    Southwestern to south central Wisconsin Wonewoc Formation
Starved Rock Chert
AKA: LaSalle Chert
Oneota Chert variation
Ranges from white to a light olive gray or gray and from a light brown to a light yellow with darker colored banding. South central Wisconsin Lower Prairie de Chien Group,  Oneota Formation
Thunder Mountain Quartzite
AKA: McCaslin QUartzite
  Grayish color.  It is considered a quartz rich graywacke. East central Wisconsin McCaslin syncline
Tyler Argillite   Ranges from gray to dark gray in color.
Northern Wisconsin Tyler formation, Baraga Group
Utley Rhyolite   Grayish black with white intrusions of quartz.  Light pink tints may be present caused by feldspars Southwestern Wisconsin  
Waterloo Quartzite   Ranges from a light buff to a red. South central Wisconsin  
Waukesha Chert       Ranges from white to a bluish white or gray. Southeastern Wisconsin Wankesha Limestone Formation
Wewe Slate   Banded ranging from a gray to grayish green. Northern Wisconsin Chocolay Group