Lake Superior Agate
Lake Superior Agates are all the rage on YouTube because they’re a ton of fun to hunt for, collect, and polish. As the name suggests, you can find these nodules on the shores of Lake Superior which makes the experience of looking for them a lot of fun. The biggest difference between Lake Superior Agates […]
Iris Agate
Iris Agate is the name used for finely-banded Agates that produce an incredible display of color when it’s cut into a slab with the correct thickness and illuminated from behind. The light travels through the bands of agate and dispersion occurs, aka the rainbow effect. This material is not very common at rock and mineral […]
Botswana Agate
Botswana Agates consist primarily of cryptocrystalline silica (mainly Chalcedony) alternating with micro-granular quartz and are easily identified by their tight bands and variety of colors. It’s fairly common to see Botswana Agate being sold as “Banded Agate” because it’s readily available and the consumer is more comfortable with the name agate, or banded agate. These […]
Crazy Lace Agate
Crazy Lace Agate is a beautiful variety of Agates that exhibit lace-like patterns with eye-catching patterns, like swirls, eyes, bands, and zigzags. Crazy Lace Agates are banded Chalcedony – microcrystalline Quartz – that is infused with aluminum and iron. These stones are often brightly colored with complex patterns, which produce creamy browns, grays, blacks, and […]
Plume Agate
Plume agates get their name from the patterns of mineral growths within the silicates. The shapes of the minerals look more like feathers, flames, or flowers instead of tree-like dendritic or moss agates. When it comes to colors, plume agates can display every color of the rainbow but collectors are always searching for the elusive […]
Different Types of Quartz Crystal Varieties
Quartz crystals are popular among rockhounds and specimen collectors because they’re found in almost every state, are fairly easy to dig up, they’re affordable which makes them great for junior rockhounds, and they come in all sorts of varieties, shapes, sizes, and unique inclusions make them even more interesting. All quartz crystals have a general […]
Gemologist Guide to Identifying Lake Superior Agate
Lake Superior agate is very popular among rock hounds and agate collectors and I can’t blame them. The tight banding and vivid colors make it a great addition to any rock and mineral collection. With that being said I need to make sure you know how to accurately identify them. So, I’ve listed all of […]
How Much is Apatite Worth
High-quality apatite is affordable in sizes ranging from 0.50-1.00 carats and the cost per carat is between $10.00 to $100.00 per carat but when you move up in size the cost per carat rises sharply. Neon blue apatite costs $50.00-$300.00 per carat for sizes ranging from 1.00-3.00 carats plus. Brazil Blue will demand even higher […]
How To Polish Rocks With A Dremel
Polishing rocks with a Dremel is fairly easy and straightforward because most people have a Dremel at the house and if you don’t then you can pick one up online or at the hardware store. If you’re worried about not knowing how or where to start then you’ve come to the right spot. Keep reading […]
Trapiche Gemstones (All Varieties)
Trapiche gemstones have an allure that satisfies the human desire for symmetry. These unusual-looking stones exhibit a wooden milling wheel used for processing sugar cane and that is where the name is derived from. The geological conditions necessary to create these patterns in precious and semi-precious gemstones are uncommon which puts Trapiches in the rare […]