Arizona Agates
What is an Agate?
Agate is a microcrystalline variety of quartz (silica), chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks but can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.
The word Agate comes from the Greek name for a stone originally found in the Achates River in Sicily (currently known as Drillo River). Agate has been found with the remains of Stone Age man in France from as early as 20,000-16,000 B.C. and the Egyptians used agates prior to 3000 B.C. for talismans, amulets, seals, rings and vessels. Early civilizations used eye beads to protect them from evil and bring good luck. They created eye beads by carving a hole through an agate disc.
Although agate is found all over the world, the most exceptional specimens come from Southern Brazil and Northern Uruguay. However, the moss agates of Colorado and Montana are equal in beauty and some beautiful specimens have been found in Mexico and California, U.S. A geode type of agate, called "Thunder Egg" by Native American Indians, is found in Oregon. Fire agates come from Mexico and Arizona. Commercial deposits exist in China, Mexico, India, Madagascar, and the U.S. along the shores of Lake Superior agates are found all over the world where highly pressurized hot water rich in silica filled crevices and vugs.
The outer surface of an agate is rough, pitted and ugly. It masks the beauty of the crystal inside. However, the crust is weak and somewhat fragile and over centuries it is washed away allowing the gemstone to be discovered along rivers and streams.
Arizona Agate Mines
- Arizona Agate Mine Plume
Bloody Basin, Arizona - Arizona Agate Mine Sagenite
Bloody Basin, Arizona - Artillery Mountains Sagenite
Artillery Mountains, Arizona - Bouse Plume
Bouse, Arizona - Bouse Sagenite
Bouse, Arizona - Brenda Plume
Brenda, Arizona - Brown Springs Plume
Camp Verde, Arizona - Brown Springs Sagenite
Camp Verde, Arizona - Burro Creek Agate with Inclusions
Burro Creek, Arizona - Burro Creek Sagenite
Burro Creek, Arizona - Candy Stripe Onyx
Gap Creek, Arizona - Fourth of July Butte Agate
Arlington, Arizona - Fire Agate
Kingman, Safford - Patagonia Agate
Patagonia, Arizona - Perkinsville Agate
Perkinsville, Arizona
Related Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agate
http://www.blm.gov/az/outrec/rockhounding/minerals.htm
http://www.agateswithinclusions.com/AZ.html
Tags: arizona agate, arizona agate mine, bouse plume, brenda plume, brown springs, brown springs agate, burro creek, camp verde, candy stripe onyx, fire agate, fourth of july butte agate, gap creek, patagonia agate, perkinsville agate
Phoenix
59°
March 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Excellent article on Arizona Agates – I learned a lot – thank you. We have agates here in Montana that are quite beautiful. For more information on Montana Moss Agates, please visit:
http://blog.nandugreen.com/archives/383
July 13th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Great site. We just came back this weekend from an Agate hunting trip at Lake Superior. It was our first time. Our first day wasn’t so good because of the weather and our inexperience. We traveled to Gran Marais to visit the Gitche Gumee Agate Museum and found out what they actually looked like rather than from pictures only. It really helped.
You can see more about our trip at http://www.wilderness-recipes.com/wilderness-recipes-blog.
Keep up the good work.
September 14th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I always enjoyed learning about different rocks. The article you provided not only teaches about the Agate but also has a nice little history lesson to read along with it.