RocksdayMississippi State Stone & Gem: Petrified wood, Mississippi opal
Mississippi's state stone is petrified wood, adopted in 1976. Mississippi's state gemstone is Mississippi opal, adopted in 2023.
Symbol names and dates are taken from primary state sources linked below. Informal or proposed symbols are not listed unless adopted.
State stone: Petrified wood
- Adopted:
- 1976
Petrified wood is a fossil with a Mohs hardness of about 6.5–7 and a waxy to vitreous luster, usually brown, red, yellow, gray or black.
How to identify petrified wood →
Often confused with: Chert, Jasper, Turritella Agate
Also an official symbol of: Arizona, North Dakota, Texas, Washington
State gemstone: Mississippi opal
- Adopted:
- 2023
- Variety:
- Mississippi opal
It is a variety of opal. Opal is a mineraloid (SiO₂·nH₂O) with a Mohs hardness of 5.5–6.5 and a vitreous to waxy luster, usually white, black or orange.
Often confused with: Amber, Ammolite, Chalcedony
Also an official symbol of: Nevada
Mississippi state symbols FAQ
What is the state stone of Mississippi?
Mississippi's state stone is petrified wood, adopted in 1976.
What is the state gemstone of Mississippi?
Mississippi's state gemstone is Mississippi opal, adopted in 2023.
Sources
We cite primary sources (statutes, state government pages, federal regulations, and land-manager sites). Third-party listicles are not used as citations.
- Fossil Friday — Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Geology (accessed 2026-10-24).
- Mississippi Opal — Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Geology (accessed 2026-10-24).
Last verified 2026-10-24. Corrections welcome: if a statute has changed, tell us and we'll re-verify.
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