Blue Agate Semiprecious Stone, Gemstone Slabs

Agates are grounding stones, bringing about an emotional physical and intellectual balance. They aid in centring and stabilising physical energy. Agate is a translucent variety of microcrystalline quartz. It is used as a semiprecious stone when it is of desirable quality and color. Agate generally forms by the deposition of silica from groundwater in the cavities of igneous rocks.

Hot pink, blue, or green colors in Agate are always dyed. Agate deposits exist in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Poland, Botswana, India, Australia, and the United States (Oregon, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Michigan). The banding habit of Agate can distinguish it from most gemstones.

Agate is a variety of Chalcedony, a mineral of the Quartz family. It is clear to milky white, with dendritic inclusions of manganese or iron that has grown into patterns similar to moss or lichen. Spots of red may occur in some specimens, and occasionally the crystal is dark green with bluish inclusions. Black Agate. Agate is a natural semiprecious gemstone. Black agate is sometimes referred to as black onyx. The highest quality agate is mined in Brazil which is why Shane Co. sources the majority of its gemstones from there.