Black Agate – What A Find

In my other life as a motorcycle courier I often pull up at layby’s for a convenience break. I recently did this on a trip down the A1, during my stop I peered into a field and was amazed to see it was literally littered with lumps of agate, some were of a good tumling size, but there were also many other larger pieces in a variety of colours.

Of course, I spent a little longer there and investigated further and was rewarded with a truly magnificent lump of black agate, this should provide a large number of freeforms and cabs and will look beautiful when wrapped in sterling silver wire, so I think the saw will be cranked up later this week when I have some spare time.

Black Agate

I have another courier trip planned for Tuesday which takes me past this location, so I will be leaving quite a bit earlier to go to the pick up point which will allow me more time to to do a bit of rockhounding in this area, so lets see what else this field produces.

Over here in the UK we don’t seem to have the abundance of semi precious stones just laying around like other rockhounds in America enjoy. But when you find an interesting lump of agate, it makes it all the more rewardng when you cut and polish it into a really nice piece.

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Comments

    • Dave
    • February 24, 2009

    Hi Sparkles,

    thank you on two points:

    1st for you being my first commentator
    2nd for the correction regarding what I thought was black agate

    Have fun

    • Sparkles
    • February 24, 2009

    Hiya Dave,

    Firstly – I was really chuffed to see your blog – it’s good to know that there are interested and talented Lapidaries around the UK, its so hard to find folks in to this hobby.

    I saw your thread and had to lend a pointer… I recognise that rock! I’d love to think it’s an Agate, and although it’s chemically identical, it’s a form of crypto-crystalline quartz, formed in chalk and some limestones, it’s a piece of high grade flint!

    Now I LOVE flint, and I’ve tumbled, cabbed and slabbed the stuff, it is lovely to work with and cuts beautiful stones. There are varieties of Agate around the UK, but that’s a good example of field flint, and a really high grade chunk – let me guess – Lincolnshire?

    Anyhow – I look forward to seeing what you do with it! You have a super site here! I shall be back! ;D

    Cheers,

    Sparkles.

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