The Beautiful Lake Superior Agate
Lake Superior Agates were once plentiful on the beaches of along the Lake Superior, but it is a good day if a nice one is found at present. HINT: Best hunting is right after a storm or ice thaw in the spring. Lake Superior Agate Locations good question… Where to hunt? I would say just about any beach that has pebbles on the South, east and West shores of Lake Superior should be favored.
There are many beaches where they may be found here in the Upper Great Lakes regions, as well as a number of ridges where they can be dug from the ground at the base of the ridge or removed from the basalt such as quarries. This is hard work and not many people care to do it. NOTE: MN requires all pedestrians in the quarries to take an Open Pit Mining course and have permission to excavate. My family plans to take our course early 2008. Also if your interested in a huge summer Lake Superior Agate Event for the whole family do look into Moose Lake State Park, SW of Duluth. SEE the above Post.
So how did these gems form? Lake Superior Agates are believed to be from 1 to 2 billion years old and were formed in the Lake Superior area lava flows. As the lava cooled, silicates and other minerals flowed into the vesicles (gas pockets) trapped in the solidified lava, which then hardened to form the Lake Superior Agate and many other mineral amygdules.
There are many types of Agate found throughout the world, but Lake Superior Agates are by far, the most beautiful. There are no two Lake Superior Agates exactly alike, unless they are the two halves of the same agate. The colors attributed to Lake Superior Agates are infinite, with the most prized being the high contrasting red and white bands. Some other features found in Lake Superior Agates are eyes, tubes, paint stones (pastel/flat color banding), peeled (where the agate breaks across a band plane), fortifications, as well as others.
During the Prehistoric Ice Ages when the glaciers swept across the Lake Superior Area, the Lava rock was easily broken up and eventually formed sand and soil. However, the very hard Lake Superior Agates were carried along with the glaciers and deposited elsewhere. Yes they are found in Western Wisconsin too and on down to Iowa.
Lake Superior Agates are popular within the Lapidary Field as they make suburb colorful patterned cabs, rings, necklaces, etc.., or just look great rough or tumbled.
Make sure to leave open "The Wonderful World of Agates" international show located at Weis Museum Appleton,
WI. Agate venders from around the world will be coming to central Wisconsin.
What You'll See:
Agate Experts
Agate Displays
Agate Vendors
Agate Auctions
Agate Photography
Technical Sessions
Author Book-Signings
Agate Adventure Programs
When: July 10-13, 2008
Where: Weis Earth Science Museum
University Of Wisconsin-Fox Valley
1478 Midway Rd. Menasha, Wisconsin, USA
WEBLINK
Agate Show 2008
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"participants are encouraged to register early."
The organizers of “The Wonderful World of Agates” envision an event that will bring together agate aficionados and amateurs alike, to celebrate and explore the beauty, science, history and mystique of these remarkable gemstones."
