Mana Rocks are artifacts whose primary purpose is producing mana. They're especially important in Commander and other strategies that want to accelerate beyond one land's worth of additional mana each turn.
The Signet and Talisman cycles provide inexpensive multicolor fixing, while Thought Vessel combines mana production with unlimited hand size. Higher-powered decks may lean on especially efficient rocks, while slower decks can use larger options that provide additional utility.