Pink Agate Chalcedony is a geological wonder

Between 1.5 and 1 billion years ago one of the most dramatic geological events in earths history was taking place. The mid continental rift. Lake Superior was the heart of this amazing and unqiue violent rip into the mantle of our planet. Today it is nothing more than a scar. One of the most beautiful scars on earth.

Much like bubbles in a lava lamp, gas bubbles would rise up through boiling lava. Sometimes they would break the surface and pop. However other times they would get stuck in the cooling lava. They would later fill with minerals in subsequent geological events and give us beautiful specimens called amygdules. The pink chalcedony agates are among the rarest and most prized of the Lake Superior Agate variety.

With eyes, bands, platelets, and so many more unique features no two agates are identical. Unique colors and varieties are like signatures often times for the locations they are found. Still they continue to baffle geologists today. Their formation remains a mystery although many theories have been offered.

The Lake Superior agates are among the oldest variety, only Australian agates have been found to predate this locality. LSA's are unique however in that only they are known to capture all of the known varieties in one region.

Most collectors prefer unfractured specimens increasing their value. In this authors opinion when fractured and later healed like in the example above they should increase in value much like the patina on an archaeological artifact raises its value. It is a testament of their survivability in the harsh volcanic upbringings of the mid continental rift.

Follow me for more specimen photographs in future posts to learn more about the wonderous variety and beauty of the fabulous Lake Superior mineral region.