Love the tiny green inside!

7 days ago
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Agate is a common type of chalcedony, which is a mineral in the quartz family and ia sometimes found in nodule form. It's known for its fine grain and bright, attractive colors, often displaying bands or layers. Here are some different kinds of agate:

Banded Agate: Characterized by its distinct, often concentric layers or bands of different colors. This is often what people think of when they imagine agate.
Moss Agate: Not truly an agate because it doesn't have the typical banding. Instead, it contains green inclusions that resemble moss, which are typically oxides of manganese or iron.
Fire Agate: Known for its fiery appearance, with layers that can display a play of colors due to the iron oxide inclusions. This type is often polished into cabochons for jewelry.
Lace Agate: Features intricate, lace-like patterns that are often more delicate than those of banded agate. Examples include Crazy Lace Agate.
Onyx: Sometimes considered a variety of agate, onyx has parallel bands, unlike the concentric bands of agate. It's commonly black and white but can come in other colors.
Fortification Agate: Named for its pattern that resembles fortifications or landscapes, with angular or curved bands.
Enhydro Agate: Contains water-filled cavities or inclusions. When shaken, you might hear the water inside.
Fairburn Agate: A type of banded agate found near Fairburn, South Dakota, known for its vibrant colors and tight banding.
Botswana Agate: Often features shades of pink, grey, and sometimes apricot, known for its wavy lines and patterns.
Lake Superior Agate: The state gemstone of Minnesota, characterized by its red, orange, and yellow bands, often with a fortification pattern.
Blue Lace Agate: Known for its light blue color with delicate white or darker blue bands, giving it a lace-like appearance.
Dendritic Agate: Contains inclusions that resemble tree-like or fern-like patterns, which are typically black or brown.
Tube Agate: Features tube-like structures within the stone, which can create interesting patterns when cut.
Laguna Agate: From the Laguna area in New Mexico, known for its bright red, orange, and yellow colors with white or black bands.
Sardonyx: Alternating bands of sard (a type of chalcedony, typically brown or red) and white or black onyx.

Each type of agate can have its own local varieties, named after the place where they're found, or based on unique characteristics like color, pattern, or inclusions. Agates are prized not only for their beauty but also for their metaphysical properties in various cultures, often symbolizing grounding, protection, and balance.

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