Agate

The agate family includes agate, dendritic agate, moss agate and zoned agate.

Agate is a microcrystalline quartz.

Agate has a hardness of 6.5/7 on the Mohs scale.

The colours of agates are those of the constituent chalcedonies: white, bluish grey, greenish grey, brownish yellow, brown and reddish brown.

As well as being used for jewellery (necklace balls, cabochons), cameos and intaglios, agate is often cut.