Lake Superior Agates, Gemstones & Rocks
Part 3 - Identifying More Beach Rocks & Minerals

Eye Agate from Lake Superior Beach
Here's an Eye Agate my neice found at Little Girl's Point

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

How to tell Lake Superior Agates from Rocks that look like Agates

Part 1 - Identifying Beach Stones & Agates around Lake Superior

Part 2 - Recognizing Rocks & Agate Collected on Lake Superior Beaches.

Lake Superior Agate?

Lake Superior Agate Festival

Rock & Agate Tumbling

Rock Tumbling Lake Superior Rocks & Gemstones.

Tumbling and polishing Agates - Agate pictures & some tips on using tumbling pellets.

Maps, Pictures, Guide to Lake Superior Agate & Rock Picking Beaches

rock picking agate hunting paradise beach

In a previous page, Part 1, I offered pictures and descriptions of common beach rocks found on Lake Superior beaches. In a seccond page, Part 2, I show some beach rocks & minerals, and some agates, that can be polished into attractive gemstones. In this page, Part 3, I continue to show and describe more varieties of rocks and minerals that make attractive gemstones. I also show here some recent agate finds and some agate-wanna-bes that some will mistakenly identify as an agate.

My identification and descriptions rely on a variety of sources, all of which are listed in the recommended agate & beach rock books section at the bottom of this page. The book "Rocks & Minerals" by Bob and Dan Lynch was particularly helpful because of the huge amount of color pictures of various specimens. The "Lake Superior Rock Picker's Guide" by Kevin Gauthier and Bruce Mueller provided some helpful supplementary information, as did my reference books by Susan Robinson and Sparky Stensaas. Karen Brzys booklet on "Understanding and Finding Agates" was helpful in identifying true agates from agate first cousins or agate wanna-bes.

Clicking on the small images shown here will bring up a larger view in a separate window. 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.

Agate Cousins - Agate Wanna-Bees

Water Level Agate?

I initially thought this was a water level agate but because the bands appear more opaque rather than translucent I think not. The bands are formed like they do in an agate but the crystals of the bands are so small they are opaque.

Basalt with Quartz fill

Here's another example of a banded rock that isn't an agate. Quartz has filled a seam in a basalt rock.

Quartz-Jasper

Here's three quartz occlusions where jasper has been fused with quartz with some agate-like banding around the margins. Some would consider these true agates.

Banded Gneiss

Here is another example of opaque bands formed in a metamorphic rock. Gneiss is abundant in the Upper Peninsula beaches.

Quartz-Chalcedony Bands

Here we have translucent bands alternating with some that look more opaque. However from what I understand exists with a true agate, the bands are too broad. So I'd say this is another wanna-be.

Prehnite

I believe these specimens are prehnite. The specimen on the far right may have some copper staining.

Jasper

These rocks are Jasper, a microcrystaline form of quartz that has been stained, usually by iron ore. The rock on the right is Jasperlite with bands of iron ore.

Jasper with Calcite fill

This Jasper rock has calcite inclusions.

Slate

These banded rocks are slate, another metamorphic rock. Originally a layered sedimentary rock but was later subjected to heat and pressure to fuse the layers together. Slate are smooth and usually flat. Make good skipping stones.

Chert

I think these interesting rocks are chert.

Agates

Part 1, Lake Superior Beach Rocks & Agates

Part 2. More pictures and descriptions of other types of rocks found on Lake Superior beaches plus a few pix of Lake Superior Agates.

Pictures of Agates & Almost Agates Black River Rec Area Beach.

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

See more Lake Superior Agate Pictures plus some advice on using tumbling pellets to tumble and polish agates.

Black River Harbor Agate Hunting - pictures and video.

Books on Lake Superior Agate Hunting & Rock Picking

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

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 & 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 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 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.

Rock 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.

Agate Identification Agates of Lake Superior

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

Best Agate and Rock Picking Beaches around Lake Superior

Rock On Festival - Lake Superior Agates

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

We had a great time at last year's 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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