Oregon Coast Agates

Oregon Coast Agates

Agates are mineral composted of layers of quartz, generally of different varieties of colors, joined together. It usually occurs as rounded nodules or veins in trap rock. The layers are often concentric. The composition of agate varies greatly, but silica

is always predominant, usually with alumina and oxide of iron. Chalcedony, carnelian, amethyst, common quartz, jasper, opal, and flint occurs as layers in agate. Agates takes a fine polish, and is much used for ornamental purposes.

You can find agates all along the Oregon coast in gravel beds, rocky areas, and places where rivers meet the ocean. Go exploring for these gems all along

the Oregon Coast, and especially on the southern Oregon Coast. Agates treasure searching a great fun and an inexpensive hobby the whole family can enjoy when visiting the Oregon Coast.

Agates: Treasures of the Earth
The agate is one of the world's most strikingly beautiful semi-precious gems. Collectors worldwide are drawn to the stone's infinite variety of colorations and banding. Agates form within rock cavities, taking on distinctive shapes and colors according to local geology. While many specimens are readily available, the rare and higher-quality ones are valuable and sought after. This book is a comprehensive, easy-to-use identification guide and worldwide listing of where agates are found.

Produced in cooperation with the Natural History Museum of London, Agates is an up-to-date reference and introduction to their formation and individuality. Beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs of superb specimens from around the world, this book is an indispensable resource and reference for amateur gemologists and agate collectors.