 | Hit your favorite areas after a rain. Agates are harder than a lot of
rocks 6.5-7 on the mohs scale so they stay wet and shiny longer than softer
rocks. The wetness really brings out the color of many rocks and reveals
there true beauty. |
| Most people leave larger agates unpolished or will face polish one part of
the rock to bring out it's beauty. Some people like to soak there agates in
mineral oil so they have a sheen. If they are not wet they can be harder to
spot like these two unpolished agates. |
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| I like to walk towards the sun looking for the tell tale translucent red
lights laying on the ground. The Iron rich Jasper gives us this red color
along with the white banding of chalcedony quartz. Below are some back
lit "eye agates" and a few typical banded agates. You can see the
light pass through Them. These have been polished to a high shine. |
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| Once you build up your experience finding these smaller agate seeds as I
like to call them, it's time to try finding some larger stones. This is when
I like to explore farmers fields (before planting or after harvest) looking
for "potatoes" lying on top of the soil. Local creeks, river, and
lake shores are also hot spots since they're wet. Just make sure you have
permission and aren't tress-passing. |
| There is one other place to find agates and some of the larger fist sized
"Pounders" have come out of gravel pits. These can be the hardest
places to gain permission because of liability issues for the
owners. |
| The tools needed are as simple as your eyes, hands, and pockets. Once you
gain a little experience you may want some sort of rock/gem scoop, an eye
loop, and a rock pouch. It keeps your laundry cleaner and it's easier on
your pockets. |
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| So get out there and find some agates to show off. |
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