Topzle Topzle

Agate

Updated: Wikipedia source

Agate

Agate ( AG-it) is a variously translucent, banded variety of chalcedony. Agate stones are characterized by alternating bands of different colored chalcedony and may also include visible quartz crystals. They are common in nature and can be found globally in a large number of different varieties. There are some varieties of chalcedony without bands that are commonly called agate (moss agate, fire agate, etc.); however, these are not true agates. Moreover, not every banded chalcedony is an agate; for example, banded chert forms via different processes and is opaque. Agates primarily form as nodules within volcanic rock, but they can also form in veins or silicified fossils. Agate has been popular as a gemstone in jewelry for thousands of years, and today it is also popular as a collector's stone. Some duller agates sold commercially are artificially treated to enhance their color.

Infobox

Category
Tectosilicate minerals, quartz group, chalcedony variety
Formula
SiO2 (silicon dioxide)
Crystal system
Trigonal (quartz) or monoclinic (moganite)
Color
Often multicolored; commonly colorless, pale blue to black, red to orange, yellow, white, brown, pink, purple; rarely green
Crystal habit
Cryptocrystalline silica
Cleavage
None
Fracture
Conchoidal
Tenacity
Brittle
Mohs scale hardness
6.5–7
Luster
Waxy, vitreous when polished
Streak
White
Diaphaneity
Transparent to opaque (usually translucent)
Specific gravity
2.60–2.64
Density
2.6 g/cm3
Optical properties
Uniaxial ( )
Refractive index
1.530-1.543
Birefringence
Up to 0.004
Pleochroism
Absent
Dispersion
None

Tables

Regional varieties of agate · Regional varieties
Blue lace agate
Blue lace agate
Name
Blue lace agate
Locality
Chiefly Namibia
Region
Africa
Description
Pale blue and white lace agate
Type
Vein agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (dolomite associated with dolerite)
Age
Jurassic period
Botswana agate
Botswana agate
Name
Botswana agate
Locality
Botswana
Region
Africa
Description
Typically 2.5–5 cm (0.98–1.97 in) in diameter, with contrasting bands of purple, pink, black, grey, and white
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (Karoo Series, basalt)
Age
Permian period
Malawi agate
Malawi agate
Name
Malawi agate
Locality
Malawi
Region
Africa
Description
Typically bright red or orange with contrasting white bands, some are pink and blue
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock
Age
Permian period
(Unnamed agate)
(Unnamed agate)
Name
(Unnamed agate)
Locality
Bellingshausen Station, King George Island
Region
Antarctica
Description
White and clear bands
Type
Nodular agate
Queensland agate
Queensland agate
Name
Queensland agate
Locality
Queensland
Region
Australia
Description
Often green or yellow-green (colors that are rarely found in other regions), frequently level-banded
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (basaltic lava flows)
Age
Late Permian period
German agate
German agate
Name
German agate
Locality
Near Idar-Oberstein, Germany
Region
Europe
Description
Often red or pink, sometimes other colors
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock
Age
Permian period
Scottish agate
Scottish agate
Name
Scottish agate
Locality
Stonehaven to just south of Ayr, near Oban, and surrounding the Cheviot Hills, Scotland, United Kingdom
Region
Europe
Description
Various colored bands
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (andesite)
Age
Early Devonian period
Small Isles agate
Small Isles agate
Name
Small Isles agate
Locality
Islands off the west coast of Scotland, United Kingdom
Region
Europe
Description
Various colored bands
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (basalt)
Age
Tertiary period
Potato stone (Pot stone)
Potato stone (Pot stone)
Name
Potato stone (Pot stone)
Locality
Bristol and Somerset, England, United Kingdom
Region
Europe
Description
Irregularly-shaped, reddish, banded agate nodules, typically surrounding a hollow cavity lined with macroscopic quartz, but sometimes completely filled
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (dolomitic conglomerate and marl)
Age
Triassic period
Boley agate
Boley agate
Name
Boley agate
Locality
Central Oklahoma, United States
Region
North America
Description
White fortification and eye banding with clasts of brecciated chert
Type
Vein agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (Boley conglomerate layer, Vamoosa formation)
Age
Virgilian series
Coldwater agate (Lake Michigan cloud agate)
Coldwater agate (Lake Michigan cloud agate)
Name
Coldwater agate (Lake Michigan cloud agate)
Locality
Great Lakes Region, United States
Region
North America
Description
Banded lines of grey and white chalcedony
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (marine limestone and dolomite)
Crazy lace agate
Crazy lace agate
Name
Crazy lace agate
Locality
Mexico
Region
North America
Description
Brightly colored lace agate, typically white and red, sometimes yellow and grey
Type
Vein agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock
Age
Late Cretaceous period
Dugway geode
Dugway geode
Name
Dugway geode
Locality
Utah, United States
Region
North America
Description
Light grey to blue, often contain hollow cavities lined with drusy quartz
Type
Nodular agate (thunder egg)
Fairburn agate
Fairburn agate
Name
Fairburn agate
Locality
South Dakota and Nebraska, United States
Region
North America
Description
Red fortification banding
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (marine carbonate sediments)
Age
Pennsylvanian period
Laguna agate
Laguna agate
Name
Laguna agate
Locality
Ojo Laguna, Chihuahua, Mexico
Region
North America
Description
Vibrant bands in shades of red, orange, pink, or purple, often exhibit parallax or shadow banding, inclusions common
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (andesite)
Age
Tertiary period
Lake Superior agate
Lake Superior agate
Name
Lake Superior agate
Locality
Near Lake Superior, United States and Canada
Region
North America
Description
Bands in shades of red, orange, yellow, brown, white, and grey, level banding and various structural features common
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (basalt)
Age
Late Precambrian
Lysite agate
Lysite agate
Name
Lysite agate
Locality
Lysite Mountain, Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
Region
North America
Description
Colorful bands with plumes and moss
Type
Vein agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (marine origin)
Blue Bed (Pony Butte) thunder egg
Blue Bed (Pony Butte) thunder egg
Name
Blue Bed (Pony Butte) thunder egg
Locality
Richardson Ranch (formerly Priday Ranch), northeast of Madras, Oregon, United States
Region
North America
Description
Blue and white banding with dark brown shell, frequently level-banded
Type
Nodular agate (thunder egg)
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (John Day Formation, rhyolitic volcanic ash)
Age
Miocene epoch
Holley (Holly) blue agate
Holley (Holly) blue agate
Name
Holley (Holly) blue agate
Locality
Near Holley, Oregon
Region
North America
Description
Lavender to blue
Type
Nodular agate
Sweetwater agate
Sweetwater agate
Name
Sweetwater agate
Locality
Near Sweetwater River, Wyoming
Region
North America
Description
Small moss agates with brown or black dendrites, fluorescent under UV light
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (sandstone)
Age
Miocene epoch
Turritella agate
Turritella agate
Name
Turritella agate
Locality
Wyoming
Region
North America
Description
Brown fossil agate with the elongated spiral shells of an extinct freshwater snail (Elimia tenera)
Type
Fossil agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (Green River Formation)
Age
Eocene epoch
Brazilian agate
Brazilian agate
Name
Brazilian agate
Locality
Rio Grande do Sul and other southeastern states, Brazil
Region
South America
Description
Often large, up to 0.9 m (3.0 ft) in diameter and over 120 kg (260 lb), commonly pale yellow, gray, or colorless (usually sold artificially dyed), are more colorful or contain structural features
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (decomposed volcanic ash and basalt)
Age
Late Permian period
Condor agate
Condor agate
Name
Condor agate
Locality
Mendoza, Argentina
Region
South America
Description
Bright red and yellow fortification banding, may contain mossy or sagenitic inclusions
Type
Nodular agate
Crater agate
Crater agate
Name
Crater agate
Locality
Patagonia, Argentina
Region
South America
Description
Typically hollow, black with red bands near the center
Type
Nodular agate
Geologic environment
Volcanic rock (rhyolite)
Age
Jurassic period
Puma agate
Puma agate
Name
Puma agate
Locality
Andes, Patagonia, Argentina
Region
South America
Description
Agatized coral
Type
Fossil agate
Geologic environment
Sedimentary rock (marine)
Name
Locality
Region
Description
Type
Geologic environment
Age
Photo(s)
References
Blue lace agate
Chiefly Namibia
Africa
Pale blue and white lace agate
Vein agate
Volcanic rock (dolomite associated with dolerite)
Jurassic period
Blue lace agate from Ysterputz Mine, Namibia
Botswana agate
Botswana
Africa
Typically 2.5–5 cm (0.98–1.97 in) in diameter, with contrasting bands of purple, pink, black, grey, and white
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (Karoo Series, basalt)
Permian period
Botswana agate
Malawi agate
Malawi
Africa
Typically bright red or orange with contrasting white bands, some are pink and blue
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock
Permian period
Malawi agate
(Unnamed agate)
Bellingshausen Station, King George Island
Antarctica
White and clear bands
Nodular agate
Agate from King George Island, Antarctica
Queensland agate
Queensland
Australia
Often green or yellow-green (colors that are rarely found in other regions), frequently level-banded
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (basaltic lava flows)
Late Permian period
Queensland agate with level banding
German agate
Near Idar-Oberstein, Germany
Europe
Often red or pink, sometimes other colors
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock
Permian period
German agate from Idar-Oberstein
Scottish agate
Stonehaven to just south of Ayr, near Oban, and surrounding the Cheviot Hills, Scotland, United Kingdom
Europe
Various colored bands
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (andesite)
Early Devonian period
Close-up of a Scottish agate from Ayrshire
Small Isles agate
Islands off the west coast of Scotland, United Kingdom
Europe
Various colored bands
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (basalt)
Tertiary period
[image needed]
Potato stone (Pot stone)
Bristol and Somerset, England, United Kingdom
Europe
Irregularly-shaped, reddish, banded agate nodules, typically surrounding a hollow cavity lined with macroscopic quartz, but sometimes completely filled
Nodular agate
Sedimentary rock (dolomitic conglomerate and marl)
Triassic period
Potato stone from England
Boley agate
Central Oklahoma, United States
North America
White fortification and eye banding with clasts of brecciated chert
Vein agate
Sedimentary rock (Boley conglomerate layer, Vamoosa formation)
Virgilian series
[image needed]
Coldwater agate (Lake Michigan cloud agate)
Great Lakes Region, United States
North America
Banded lines of grey and white chalcedony
Nodular agate
Sedimentary rock (marine limestone and dolomite)
[image needed]
Crazy lace agate
Mexico
North America
Brightly colored lace agate, typically white and red, sometimes yellow and grey
Vein agate
Sedimentary rock
Late Cretaceous period
Crazy lace agate
Dugway geode
Utah, United States
North America
Light grey to blue, often contain hollow cavities lined with drusy quartz
Nodular agate (thunder egg)
Dugway geode from Utah
Fairburn agate
South Dakota and Nebraska, United States
North America
Red fortification banding
Nodular agate
Sedimentary rock (marine carbonate sediments)
Pennsylvanian period
Fairburn agate from western South Dakota
Laguna agate
Ojo Laguna, Chihuahua, Mexico
North America
Vibrant bands in shades of red, orange, pink, or purple, often exhibit parallax or shadow banding, inclusions common
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (andesite)
Tertiary period
Laguna agate
Lake Superior agate
Near Lake Superior, United States and Canada
North America
Bands in shades of red, orange, yellow, brown, white, and grey, level banding and various structural features common
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (basalt)
Late Precambrian
Rough Lake Superior agate from Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan
Lysite agate
Lysite Mountain, Fremont County, Wyoming, United States
North America
Colorful bands with plumes and moss
Vein agate
Sedimentary rock (marine origin)
[image needed]
Blue Bed (Pony Butte) thunder egg
Richardson Ranch (formerly Priday Ranch), northeast of Madras, Oregon, United States
North America
Blue and white banding with dark brown shell, frequently level-banded
Nodular agate (thunder egg)
Volcanic rock (John Day Formation, rhyolitic volcanic ash)
Miocene epoch
Blue Bed thunder egg from near Madras, Oregon
Holley (Holly) blue agate
Near Holley, Oregon
North America
Lavender to blue
Nodular agate
Holley blue agate from Oregon
Sweetwater agate
Near Sweetwater River, Wyoming
North America
Small moss agates with brown or black dendrites, fluorescent under UV light
Nodular agate
Sedimentary rock (sandstone)
Miocene epoch
[image needed]
Turritella agate
Wyoming
North America
Brown fossil agate with the elongated spiral shells of an extinct freshwater snail (Elimia tenera)
Fossil agate
Sedimentary rock (Green River Formation)
Eocene epoch
Turritella agate (Elimia tenera)
Brazilian agate
Rio Grande do Sul and other southeastern states, Brazil
South America
Often large, up to 0.9 m (3.0 ft) in diameter and over 120 kg (260 lb), commonly pale yellow, gray, or colorless (usually sold artificially dyed), are more colorful or contain structural features
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (decomposed volcanic ash and basalt)
Late Permian period
Natural Brazilian agate Dyed Brazilian agate
Condor agate
Mendoza, Argentina
South America
Bright red and yellow fortification banding, may contain mossy or sagenitic inclusions
Nodular agate
Condor agate
Crater agate
Patagonia, Argentina
South America
Typically hollow, black with red bands near the center
Nodular agate
Volcanic rock (rhyolite)
Jurassic period
[image needed]
Puma agate
Andes, Patagonia, Argentina
South America
Agatized coral
Fossil agate
Sedimentary rock (marine)
[image needed]

References

  1. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-51.html
  2. gemdat.org
    https://www.gemdat.org/gem-51.html
  3. gemsociety.org
    https://www.gemsociety.org/article/agate-gem-information/
  4. Agates: Treasures of the Earth
  5. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-960.html
  6. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
    https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1990GeCoA..54.1627W
  7. psu.edu
    https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/how-do-agates-form
  8. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  9. Mineralogical Magazine
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/mineralogical-magazine/article/abs/reexamination-of-water-in-agate-and-its-bearing-on-the-agate-genesis-enigma/81967BDA3CFFBCE5CD23385B8BF47752
  10. Mineralogical Magazine
    https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/minmag/article/70/5/485/140307
  11. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie - Abhandlungen
    https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/schweiz/njma/2009/00000186/00000002/art00001
  12. Glossary of Geological Terms
    https://www.gamineral.org/writings/enhydros-gray.html
  13. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7596.html
  14. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7603.html
  15. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-8018.html
  16. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-43510.html
  17. geology.com
    https://geology.com/gemstones/turritella/
  18. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  19. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  20. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  21. Mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7593.html
  22. Mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7598.html
  23. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  24. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-8578.html
  25. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  26. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  27. Geology In
    https://www.geologyin.com/2020/02/what-is-moss-agate.html#google_vignette
  28. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-2999.html
  29. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7604.html
  30. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/loc-420174.html
  31. Journal of African Earth Sciences
    https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jafrearsci.2024.105211
  32. Shale Shaker
    http://www.ogs.ou.edu/geology/pdf/BOLEYAGATEnhs.pdf
  33. Iowa's Minerals: Their Occurrence, Origins, Industries, and Lore
    https://books.google.com/books?id=3a1XkpBGdAcC&q=Coldwater+agates&pg=PA65
  34. Within the Stone: Photography
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ZSP94tREw7AC&q=Crazy+lace+agate&pg=PA165
  35. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-1441.html
  36. www.mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-7611.html
  37. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/min-9253.html
  38. Lake Superior Agates Field Guide
  39. C. Michael Hogan. 2007. Knossos fieldnotes, Modern Antiquarian Archived 2018-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
    http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/10854/knossos.html#fieldnotes
  40. Smithsonian
    https://smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/masterpiece-greek-art-found-griffin-warrior-tomb-180967141
  41. "Background Article on Idar Oberstein"
    http://www.farlang.com/art/2007-04-15.7721093142
  42. mindat.org
    https://www.mindat.org/article.php/170/Historic+Methods+of+Artificially+Coloring+Agates
  43. Encyclopedia Britannica
    https://www.britannica.com/art/treated-gem
  44. Rem: Revista Escola de Minas
    https://www.scielo.br/j/rem/a/ZmDd64KZTchSBcfXtGKPxvm
  45. Lung India
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276038
  46. American Journal of Industrial Medicine
    https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fajim.1074
  47. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062020
Image
Source:
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.