Materials Identification Guide

Maine Lithic Material

 











Name Natural Non-heat treated points Heat treated points Color details Primary found in: Associated Formation / Member
Argillite
(Generic type)
  Light to dark green, but may range to various shades of gray. North America Varies
Baskahegan Lake Quartzite   Light gray to light green East central Maine Baskahegan Lake Formation
Battie Quartzite   Clean buff colored South central Maine Battie Quartzite Formation
Belle Lake Chert Laminated red chert East central Maine Belle Lake Formation
Cape Elizabeth Quartzite
AKA: Elizabeth Quartzite
  Ranges from a white to a light yellow or light gray. South central Maine Cape Elizabeth Quartzite Formation
Carrabassett Metamorphic Quartzite   Dark gray when freshly fractured weathering to a medium gray. North central Maine Quartzite member of the Carrabassett Formation
Castine Dactite / Rhyolite   Light colored Southeastern Maine Castine Volcanic Formation
Crystal Quartz   clear colorless stone similar to clear glass Eastern North America  
Edmund Hill Ansite
(Augite Andesite)
  Ranges from a medium to dark gray with phenocysts inclusions. Northeastern Maine Edmund Hill Andesite Formation
Hinkley Point Metasediment   Ranges from a light to medium gray to a greenish gray with whitish spots.  Southeastern Maine  
Kineo Porphyritic Rhyolite
AKA: Kineo Flint, Mount Kineo, Traveler Rhyolite
  Ranges from a medium to dark bluish gray or and olive green with phenocysts of felsite and tuff weathering white.  Northwestern Maine Kineo Volcanic Member of the Tomhegan Formation, Moose River Group
Ledge Ridge Chert Ranges from green to black with some pyrite rhombs. Northwestern Maine  
Misery Quartzite   Light gray with tiny veinlets of milky quartz and may be stained red by hematite . Northwestern Maine Misery Quartzite Formation
Mount Jasper Rhyolite
AKA: Neponset Rhyolite
  Flow banded spherulitic rhyolite with color ranging from an olive green to brown weathering white. Northwestern Maine Moat Volcanics
Munsungun Chert
AKA: Munsungun Lake Chert
Diverse coloration ranging from a light gray or greenish gray to black or red weathering to a light tan or gray.  Northern Maine Munsungun Formation 
Oak Bay Chert / Vein Quartz Black chert white vein quartz Southeastern Maine Oak Bay Formation
Orthoquartzite
(Generic type)
  Varies North America Varies
Quartz   Milky white with thin veins
North America  
Quartzite   Varies from white to gray, or pink and tan in color North America  
Ramah Chert
AKA: Mugsford Chert
  Ranges from a light gray to a frosted white with parallel black bands, black iron inclusions, and orange rust spots commonly present.  Northern Maine  
Rhyolite   Gray to grayish black, flow banding may be present alternating from light to darker gray North America  
Richmond Amphibolite   Dark gray South central Maine Nehumkeag Pond Formation
Scots Bay Chert
AKA; Scots Bay Agate / Jasper, Mina Basin Chert, Parrsboro Jasper
  Ranges from most commonly a light brown to tan or a red to reddish purple with maroon streaking, milky white also occurs. Southeastern Maine Scots Bay Formation of the Fundy Group
Touladi Chert
Trout Lake Chert
AKA: Cabano Chert
Ranges from gray to a bluish gray or black with tans also occurring.
Northern Maine Cabano Formation
Traveler Rhyolite   Ranges from a bluish gray to light gray or bone white with phenocrysts of quarts, feldspar or garnets occurring. Northeastern Maine Traveller Rhyolite Pogy Member
Vinylhaven Rhyolite   Ranges from a flow banded rhyolite to a spherulitic rhyolite South central Maine Vinylhaven Rhyolite Formation
Washademoak Lake Chert
AKA: Belyeas Cove Chert
Variegated with multiple colors occurring with shades of red and gray being the predominate color.  Jasper also occurs. Southeastern Maine Cumberland Group
Wassataquoik Chert Ranges from a medium or dark gray to greenish gray or black.  Red jasper also occurs in this formation. Northeastern Maine Wassataquoik Chert Formation
Weskeag Quartzite   Yellowish gray on freshly fractures surfaces weathering to a buff brown. Southwestern Maine Weskeag Member of the Rockland Formation