Tennessee
Tennessee’s stone story spans the Appalachian Valley and Ridge in the east, the Highland Rim and Central Basin around Nashville, and the Mississippi Embayment in the west. The state is especially known for limestones and marbles, chert-rich strata, and fossil-bearing Paleozoic rocks that are widely used as building stone and collected by rockhounds.
At a glance
- Common rock types: limestone, dolostone, shale, sandstone, chert; localized marble and metamorphic rocks in the east
- Notable materials: Tennessee marble (a polished limestone), fossil-rich limestones, chert and agate-like silica varieties
- Where they come from: Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt (east), carbonate platforms (central), river and embayment sediments (west)
What collectors look for
Collectors often focus on fossil specimens from limestone units, attractive chert and silica nodules, and polished architectural stone. As always, collect responsibly and follow site rules and local regulations.
- Common rock types: limestone, dolostone, shale, sandstone, chert; localized marble and metamorphic rocks in the east
- Notable materials: Tennessee marble (a polished limestone), fossil-rich limestones, chert and agate-like silica varieties
- Where they come from: Appalachian fold-and-thrust belt (east), carbonate platforms (central), river and embayment sediments (west)
What collectors look for
Collectors often focus on fossil specimens from limestone units, attractive chert and silica nodules, and polished architectural stone. As always, collect responsibly and follow site rules and local regulations.