This Specimen has been sold.
1.8" Nipomo Marcasite Agate Oval Cabochon
This is a gorgeous, 1.8" tall, oval cabochon that was crafted from Nipomo Marcasite Agate, collected from Freddie Quarry in San Luis Obispo County, California. It is polished to a glossy finish and would be perfect for jewelry making.
Agate is a variety of microcrystalline quartz (chalcedony) that displays translucence and, in some cases, banding. Agate primarily forms when silica-rich fluids fill pockets within rocks and/or fossils, depositing the silica along the walls of the rock. This process can result in banding patterns, as the compositions and impurities of these depositing fluids change over time. These banding patterns can either form as flat layers, creating linear patterns known as waterline agate, or as rounded layers, forming more common ring-like patterns. These patterns depend on the surfaces available for deposition.
Marcasite is an iron sulfide mineral with the chemical formula FeS2. It is similar to pyrite in both its chemical composition and appearance, but it forms an entirely different crystal structure and is much more reactive to humidity. It is often found within sedimentary rock and hydrothermal deposits, and at one point was used for its sulfur content.
SPECIES
Chalcedony var. Agate & Marcasite
LOCATION
Freddie Quarry, San Luis Obispo County, California
SIZE
1.8 x .95", .19" thick
CATEGORY
ITEM
#171316