Mineral Monday - 05/01/2022

[Douglas Sherman]

I will be in Kansas until next Tuesday, so I am posting this thread today. I have decided to make this Monday's collection, agates. I don't collect the cheesy dyed agates with garish colors. There are far too many beautiful agates with outstanding colors to bother with those tourist trap objects. Most agates form in volcanic lavas which have natural holes. These holes fill with chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz (crystal structure too small to be seen by the naked eye) which is deposited out of aqueous solutions that pass through the rocks. Occasionally, the last deposit in the holes may also produce quartz crystals.

Agate from Brazil.

Thunderegg from Richardson's Ranch near Madras. Oregon. The surrounding material is rhyolite which is a fine-grained volcanic rock material and the chalcedony was deposited in in layers.

Brazilian agate with quartz crystals forming last.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Just fascinating Douglas. Some of these almost look man made because of the regularity of layers.

 

[AlanLichty]

Beautiful specimens and all three are quite unique. I like the first and last with the crystal cores although the second one with the chalcedony core is quite amazing.

A number of the beaches along the Oregon coast have quite a few agates although they are pretty small and scattered amongst the beach gravel deposits.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Just fascinating Douglas. Some of these almost look man made because of the regularity of layers.

It is amazing what nature can create isn't it?

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Beautiful specimens and all three are quite unique. I like the first and last with the crystal cores although the second one with the chalcedony core is quite amazing.

A number of the beaches along the Oregon coast have quite a few agates although they are pretty small and scattered amongst the beach gravel deposits.

Thanks for your kind comments. Alan.

 

[Panther]

Those are beautiful Doug, Love the wonderful textures and your images really add so much

allowing us to see them in their Glory ;-)

Take Care, Be Safe,

CK

 

[Eric Gofreed]

WOW zappa WOW WOW

 

[JimFox]

These are so awesome Doug! I can't pick a favorite as they are all so beautiful. I don't think I have seen agates cut open before. Maybe I have and I just don't remember. But that's so cool. And the 2nd one from Oregon, were there lot's that looked like this? Or was this a one of a kind rock? Having that blue center is so amazing.

 

[Joe Colozzo]

Bravo Douglas! Thank you so much for making this a serries. I'm Hooked on it like the "the Curse of Oak Island".