Agate is an opaque semi-precious stone, products from which are very popular lately. And it's not just about cost. Beautiful, unique agates are comparable in price to silver or gold. The point is the magical effect of this mineral on the state of the soul and body of a person. Since ancient times, agate has been credited with medicinal and psychic properties that help to protect its owner from the "evil" eye, to distinguish truth from lies.
Instructions
Step 1
Take a closer look at the stone. The main feature of agate is its structure. It is a thin-layered stone, each layer of which consists of a differently colored chalcedony. Agate stripes are sometimes barely noticeable, the layers can be of different shades. There are agates with clear boundaries for color separation, and even with different patterns. Depending on the location of the layers, agates are ribbon, tubular, landscape, etc.
Step 2
Bring the stone to a light source. Agates are different in color. They can be pink, brown, yellow, gray, black. There are also blue and green agate, but this is already very rare. Regular translucent agate has a gray-blue tone with alternating white layers.
Step 3
Among the agates are distinguished:
- carnelian - red or red-brown agate;
- carnelians - agates of bright red, color purer than carnelian;
- sardis - translucent brown or red-brown agates;
- onyx - agates with alternating brown, almost black, and white and yellow layers;
- moss agates - translucent agates with the inclusion of various oxides, similar to grass or trees. Depending on the type of oxide, inclusions can be black (manganese oxides), brown (iron oxides), green (chlorites or celadonites).
Step 4
So, we can conclude. Any chalcedony that has a layered color or pattern in the form of various stripes is called agate. However, many jewelers prefer their own gradation and call them in their own way!
Step 5
To find agate among other stones and determine its value, use laboratory research methods. According to its composition, agate is chalcedony - fine-fibrous quartz belonging to the group of quartz, a class of silicates, the microcrystals of which are elongated along the crystallographic axis. Agate is a product of volcanic activity.
