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Lake Superior Agates, Gemstones & Rocks
Part 2 - Minerals & Agate "cousins"

lake superior agate
My first Lake Superior Agate found on the beach at Black River Harbor
near Ironwood, Michigan. Unfortunately mistakes in tumbling
resulted in some fractures.




agate

 

Go Here for Guide Books on Lake Superior Beach Rocks and Lake Superior Agates




The first two reference books for Lake Superior beach rocks and agates I found helpful are: Sparky Stensaas' "Rock Picker's Guide to Lake Superior's North Shore" and Susan Robinson's "Is this an Agate." Armed with Sparky's and/or Susan's book plus some of the pictures and descriptions I've provided here, perhaps will help you ID what you are collecting.

Another rock pickers reference book that helped me with agate hunting is "Understanding and Finding Agates " by Karen Brzys. It is now out of print but you may find it in some used bookstores. But Karen's new book "Agates Inside Out" is even more comprehensive. See my note on it below in the Agate Books section where we list several of our favorite references for finding Lake Superior Agates and identifying Superior beach rocks.

In addition to the reference books helping expand our agate hunting skill and knowledge, we were greatly helped by attending the "Rock On with Lake Superior Agates" festival. We learned a great deal more about identifying and collecting agates on Lake Superior's beaches. Lots of fun and great way to learn more about the hobby of beach rock and agate collecting.

This section continues with pictures and descriptions of some non-agate beach rocks plus provides a few pictures of agates we and others have found on Superior's beaches.

By the way, if you want to print out any of these larger images, just *right click* on the image and choose "copy image" to copy it to your hard drive. Once there you can click on it and print it out.


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Minerals found in or as Lake Superior Beach Rocks

quartz lake superior

Quartz

Quartz is a common mineral found among the beach stones, very hard (will scratch glass), somewhat translucent like frosted glass, and be white to yellow to grayish in color (impurities cause this variety in colors). Generally found as pebbles or imbedded in other rocks. In fact some of the pebbles were formerly amygdules that broke loose from the rock in which they were imbedded.

calcite lake superiorquartz calcite lake superior

 

Calcite

Calcite (calcium carbonate) at first glance may be thought to be quartz as it is a similar color (white to yellowish) and also commonly found, both as pebbles and imbedded within other rocks. But scratch it and you'll see it is much softer than quartz - chalky.

To the far right is an amalgam of quartz & calcite

chert lake superior

Chert

Cherts are a tiny crystal form of quartz. Impurities make them less translucent than quartz. They have a waxy appearance, somewhat shiny. The rocks depicted in the picture are cherts. I think the stone on the left is a Jasper, a variety of chert.

flint lake superior

Flint

Another variety of chert is Flint, essentially black chert. Note the waxy, somewhat shiny surface of this unpolished rock.


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A few Lake Superior Agates

Lake Superior Agate?Lake Superior Agate?

When I picked this guy off the beach at Black River Harbor, Michigan in 2008, I thought I had finally found my first Lake Superior Agate Beach Rock. It's bands are somewhat different than many of the Superior Agates I've seen. My wife Jo thinks it is a water-level agate. Here's two views of it.

Lake Superior Agate?Lake Superior Agate?Lake Superior Agate?


In 2009 I found another Agate. This one is called a seam agate as the agate forms in a seam of the host rock.

Lake Superior Agate?Lake Superior Agate?Lake Superior Agate?

Jeff King of Pickford, Michigan sent me some pics of 3 agates he found during the summer of 2009 on Lake Superior beaches near Munising, MI - - - Great finds Jeff, I'm jealous.



An agate wanna-beAn Agate Wanna-be

Now the attractive banded rock pictured here is NOT an agate. But could easily be mistaken for an agate due to its banding and chochoidal fracture pattern. But this rock is a banded chert, an agate cousin, but not an agate. The bands formed similar to how they form in a true agate but the crystal granules are so tight that the rock is opaque rather than translucent or partially translucent. Another marker that it is a chert rather than an agate is its color is atypical of a Lake Superior Agate.

arrowSharpen your Agate identification skill by recognizing some more beach rocks that look like Agates but are Agate Wanna-Be's.

Lake Superior Agates in Disguise

Hidden Agates

An agate insideHere's an example (left) of gnarly rock you might pick up on the beach and through away, but if you look close and understand characteristics of Lake Superior Agates in the rough, you might take it home and crack it open to discover an Agate inside (right pix).

 

red tri Want to See More Agates? - Go Here for pix from the Lake Superior Agate Museum

arrrowPart 1, Lake Superior Rocks

arrow See some advice on using tumbling pellets to tumble and polish agates.



Books on Lake Superior Agate Hunting & Rock Picking

Many of the books we own ourselves or have reviewed them extensively in libraries or bookstores. They are offered through our association with Amazon.com as an Amazon Associate (our modest commission on sales is paid by Amazon, not you)

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Understanding and Finding Agates
Lake Superior Rocks & Minerals: A Field Guide to the Lake Superior Area

Recommended by a SuperiorTrails friend & rock hound, this new guide has actual photographs of various rocks and minerals found on Lake Superior beaches. Co-author Bob Lynch is owner of Agate City Rocks and Gifts in Two Harbors Minnesota

Agate Hunting DVD
DVD: How to Find Agates

Karen Brzys. Director, Gitchee Gumee Agate & History Museum, has created this comprehensive tutorial to finding agates. Includes over 750 photographs and diagrams.

Lake Superior Rocks and Minerals

Lake Superior Rocks & Minerals Field Guide


This new edition by Dan and Bob Lynch will help you identify up to 75 rocks and minerals you might find washed up on Lake Superior beaches. Has full color photographs to aid in identification.

Lake Superior Rock Pickers GuideLake Superior Rock Picker's Guide

Here is another book recommended by a Superior Trails reader and rock hound who was able to identify over 50 rocks found on the beach using this guide by Kevin Gauthier and Bruce Mueller. Also included are tips for polishing the stones and rock. Kevin and Bruce also publish a similar guide for Lake Michigan rocks.

Agate Hunting on Lake Superior BeachesAgate Hunting Made Easy: How to Really Find Lake Superior Agates

My wife Jo found this agate hunters book while traveling in the UP and thought it would help her find her first Lake Superior Agate. It is full of tips for agate hunting (and rock picking) and has some very good color photographs of a number of agate variations as well as photos of the other kinds of rocks you'll find on Lake Superior beaches.

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rock pickers guide to lake superiors north shoreRock Pickers Guide to
Lake Superior's North Shore

Sparky's guide covers what north shore beaches to comb, a bit of history on the formation of the various rocks found on beaches, and helpful information and pictures on identifying beach rocks and minerals.

Gift Ideas for your
favorite Rock Hound

Agate Shirt
Rock Collector &
Agate Hunter
T- Shirts

Agate IdentificationAgates of Lake Superior

See more recommendations on guides and books on Lake Superior Rocks, Minerals & Agates


 

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Rock On Festival - Lake Superior Agates

Agate collections on saleWe were there at the 2021 13th Annual Rock On Agate Festival in Grand Marais, Michigan.

We had a great time at our first festival. My wife Jo found 5 agates on the beach and is now an addicted agate hound!.

Links for Rock Picking on Lake Superior Beachs and information on Agates and Rocks found around Lake Superior

- Minnesota's State Gem: The Lake Superior Agate

- Common Minnesota Rocks - Minnesota Geological Survey

- Bob's Rock Shop - Online 'Zine for Rock Hounds

- Rock Identification Key - By Don Peck on Rockhounds.com
(I just recently found this site. The key looks real neat and am looking forward to using it on my mystery rocks)

For a nice introduction to rock tumbling, see Cheralyn Maturi's Minnesota Iron Range Website

Marie Frazier, who lives in central Minnesota, has created a number of unique jewelry items from Lake Superior Agates and other gemstones. See her Lake Superior Agate Jewelry Website here.

About the Lake Superior Agate - Minnesota's State Gem

Continuing your Travel & Trekking
  Around Lake Superior
Superior Trails Lake Superior Circle Tour

The big holiday season attraction around Lake Superior is Duluth's Bentleyville Tour of Lights, one of the largest outdoor holiday lights displays in the USA. See more Duluth Holiday events here.

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& Campground Directory

Best Camping along Lake Superior.

Shovel PointLake Superior Travel Directories

Minnesota Travel
Wisconsin Travel
Upper Peninsula Travel
Ontario Travel


See our Directory of our favorite Upper Peninsula Scenic and Recreation areas.Upper Peninsula Porcupine Mountains


Walking along Canal Park Drive Don't miss experiencing Duluth's Canal Park, Shopping and Entertainment District.

Enger Park Tower Duluth MN
Duluth's Enger Park Tower provides a panaramic view of the city of Duluth.

porcupine mountains hiking trails
See our reviews on Best Hiking and Camping Guides around Lake Superior.


Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden
Enjoying lake breezes and views at the Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden - Canal Park.

Best Burgers in Duluth
Follow our Hunt for the
Best Burgers & Pubs in Duluth, Minnesota.

Pride of Baltimore II Tall ShipTall Ships Duluth Festival August 18 -21

Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden Enjoying lake breezes and views at the Duluth Canal Park Brewery Beer Garden - Canal Park.

Devils Island Lighthouse Apostle Islands
See the lighthouses on an Apostle Islands Cruise.

burlington bay beach
Best Agate and Rock Picking Beaches around Lake Superior

Travel Information

lake superior road map of Lake Superior Shoreline
Lake Superior Circle Tour Road Map & Guide to Travel Attractions around Lake Superior.




How to recognize Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks.Lake Superior Agate?


Best Lake Superior Agate Beaches

saxon harbor beach


Understanding and Finding Agates
See Our Reviews of the best guides to Lake Superior Agates and Beach Rocks.



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Agate collections on sale
At the Lake Superior Agate Festival

basalt with quartz band
Agate Imposters - Agate Wanna-bees

Grandpa Tony's madeline island and Most popular Madeline Island AttractionsSee our guide to interesting and fun things to see and do on Madeline Island.


rose garden plantings
See Duluth's Rose Garden at Leif Erickson Park.

Golf Courses Around Lake Superior
See our
Reviews of golf courses around Lake Superior.