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Agates are primarily formed in open cavities in cooled lava flows. Hollow areas caused by such things as air bubbles are filled with mineral bearing water trickling through the openings. Over time the minerals build up in layers which give most agates their banded character. Agates are fairly hard so they become exposed as the softer lava rock surrounding it wears away. They are often named after a feature in the area which they are found such as rivers, lakes, canyons, mountains, etc. Fire Agate is formed of very thin layers of agate alternating with iron oxide (rust). The layers are so thin and closely packed together the light passing through gets scattered and causes the brilliant “fire” to show through. It is a similar effect to light reflecting off the surface of a CD. Fire Agates are found in Arizona, southern California and parts of Mexico. |
