Fire Agate
FIRE AGATE is a gemstone variety of chalcedony (quartz family) where layers of heated iron oxides and silica line cavities in rock. Light passing through the many thin layers gives a reddish, fiery glow, from which the name fire agate is derived. The agate has a hardness of 7, and if carefully cut and polished, can make a glowing, multicolored gemstone.
Family: quartz ♦ Species: chalcedony ♦ Chemistry: SiO2 (same as quartz) ♦ Crystal system: hexagonal ♦ Moh's Hardness: 7 ♦ Unusual Properties: optical illusion of depth and play of color.♦ Cleavage: none ♦ Locality: USA (Arizona), Mexico and Brazil