Deep brown, orange and yellows give this Montana Agate stone one of its signature looks. Inclusions colored and shaped by different minerals add to the unique look of this stone. The sandy texture surrounding the stone gives reference to the alluvial soils of the Yellowstone River basin where Montana Agate is found. Patina is used to darken the setting to bring out the details of the texture and the silver accents.
Details:
- Sterling and fine silver
- Montana Agate
- 3/4” wide by 1 1/2” long
- Textured and oxidized
- 18” oxidized sterling silver chain included
About the Stone:
Montana Agate, also known as Montana Moss Agate ~ A member of the chalcedony (pronounced kal-SED-ney) family of minerals, Montana Agate is often clear, but can have translucent white, gray, yellowish or a reddish brown base color. It is found in the alluvial gravels of the Yellowstone River basin in southeastern Montana.
Chalcedony is a microcrystalline quartz and has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale of 1-10. Quartz in all its forms is the most abundant mineral on earth, making up 12% of the earth’s crust. The red and orange colors are the result of iron oxide; the blacks and browns are the result of manganese oxides.
Agates in general come in many different forms and are formed in at least five different ways. The main conditions necessary for agate formation, are the presence of silica from devitrified volcanic ash, water from rainfall or ground sources, and manganese, iron and other mineral oxides that form bands and inclusions.
Montana Agate has been the State of Montana’s official state gemstone, along with Montana Sapphire, since 1969.
