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Agate

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MGR521044

Agate

Classic Locality

Description Tabs

Description
Locality: 
Dulcote Quarry, Wells, Somerset, United Kingdom
Class: 
Crystal Group/Cluster
Size Range: 
Small cabinet (7-10 cm)
Size: 
8.5 × 5.4 × 4.3 cm
Description

Usually we do not have agates in the auction unless they are special in some way, as this one is. It is unusual to see English agate. The remaining deposits are either located on private property or in quarries, making it almost impossible to collect specimens - you can rank this one very high in our days, there is nothing available on the common market.   The Mendip Hills Agates were obtained as a byproduct of limestone quarrying in 1970s where they had to remove a thick layer of red clay layers containing the agate nodules to get to the limestone below. The unusual feature of those concretion-type nodules is that the nodules contain the interlaying of agate and calcite. It was said that the quarry have been back-filled with refuse, so it's not possible to obtain any agates from that source. The color of agate is usually reddish-orange and this particular specimen shows a very fine and contrastful combination with calcite. look at the lower base - with a little bit of fantasy you can see an elephant running in.

Mineral Data
What's on the rock

Agate

Variety Of: 

Chalcedony

Hardness: 
6.5 - 7.0
Formula: 
SiO2
Hardness: 
0.0