QUALITY ROUGH

FIRE AGATE

THIS STONE IS FOUND IN THE AREA FROM ARIZONA TO MEXICO . WE HAVE WET THE ROUGH TO TAKE A PHOTO.

THE STONE APPEARS TO GLOW INSIDE LIKE AN OPAL. THE GEM IS THOUGHT TO BE FORMED WHEN HOT WATER SATURATED WITH COLLOIDAL SILICA AND LAVAOXIDE INVADES CAVITIES IN THE COUNTRY ROCK AND BEGIN TO COOL. CHALCEDONY WITH IRON OXIDE BEGINS TO GROW ON ANY AVAILABLE SURFACE (THE IRON OXIDE GIVES THE BASIC BROWN COLOR TO THE GEM).

AS THE SOLUTIONS BEGAN TO PRECIPITATE AND GROW LAYERS OS SILICA AND IRON OXIDE WOULD BE DEPOSITED DEPENDING ON THE RELATIVE LEVEL OF THOSE ELEMENT IN SOLUTION AND UNDERLAYING CONDITIONS. THESE ALTERNATING SILICA AND IRON OXIDE LAYERS (SCHILLER LAYERS) CAUSE BRILLIANT FIRE TO THE GEM. AS IRON OXIDE RAN OUT IN THE SOLUTION COLORLESS CHALCEDONY CONTINUED TO GROW. THIS SPECIMEN CAN BE POLISHED FURTHER AND WE HAVE TAKEN THE PHOTO WITH THE STONE WET TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON HOW IT WILL FINISH.TO GET THE BEST BRIGHTNESS OUT OF THE STONE YOU NEED TO USE A DREMIL DRILL