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Agate

General Information

Agate is a banded and multicolored variety of chalcedony. It occurs in an infinite amount of colors and patterns, and no agates are alike. The beauty and uniqueness of Agate has caused a great popularity of the stone. When polished, agate has more beauty; unpolished specimens are somewhat dull. It typically forms as rounded nodules or knobs which, when cut open, have a striated pattern.

Literally hundreds of Agate types were coined with special variety names. Names are often given for the location that an agate is found or the appearance of the bands, and many of the names are the same variety that simply has a different name. Most of these are hardly known, and new ones are made up every year. Most of these names have no scientific support.
Chemistry: SiO2,Silicon Dioxide Class: Silicates Group: Oxides Color: White to Gray, Brown, Blue, Red, Green Streak: White Luster: Virtuous
Transparency: Transparent to Opaque Crystal System: None Hardness: 7 Cleavage: None Fracture: Conchoidial Specific Gravity: 2.65
Crystal Habits: No Crystals of agate form because it is a microcrystaline variety of quartz Uses: Gem and Ornamental stones Associated Minerals: Quartz, Microcline, Tourmalines, Wolfranite, Pyrite, Rutile, Zeolites, Fluorite, Calcite, Gold, Muscovite, Topaz, Beryl, Hematite, Podumene Other Characteristics: Microcrystaline variety of quartz. Occurs as a crust showing botroidal and mammillary forms. Also in banded forms Notable Occurrences: Ontario, Canada; Chihuahua, Mexico; Throughout South America Best Field Indicators: Hardness, Botroidial form, Weight
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