Located in east-central near the town of Irvine is Knob’s Region, a “u” shaped arc extending for nearly 230 miles that is home to Kentucky agate, the officially designated state rock of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Highly collectible, Kentucky agate is a beautiful form of agate particularly known for it’s deep red and black hues.
Agate is typically a chalcedony (silicon dioxide) variety of fine or microcrystalline quartz nodule or concretion that may contain banding, mottled or variegated coloring. While most agates from in igneous rocks, Kentucky agate is one of the rare exception that forms in sedimentary rocks, a list which also includes Montana agates and Fairburn agates in the Black Hills.
Kentucky agate tends to be prone to cracking, finding quality specimens without cracks tends to be a challenge, making specimens used in jewelry that are free of the cracks particularly prized, collectible and expensive.
We offer a wide variety of both agates and Kentucky agates for sale on our website, and we have an even wider selection in our studio/gallery including the beautiful black and red pendant below which is our own creation .
Kentucky Agate is often used in jewelry such as this beautiful Red on Black Kentucky Agate Pendant. Note the micro cracks in the stone which is common with this variety of agate due to how it forms.
Agate nodule displaying reds, blacks and yellows. Note the micro cracks. From Estil or Powell County, Kentucky. Photo By James St. John – Agate (Borden Formation, Lower Mississippian; eastern Kentucky, USA) 6, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82926380
Agate nodule from Kentucky with dark reds, orange, black and whites. Photo by James St. John – Agate (Borden Formation, Lower Mississippian; eastern Kentucky, USA) 12, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82926386
Agate nodule from Kentucky, USA, photo By James St. John – Agate (Borden Formation, Lower Mississippian; eastern Kentucky, USA) 13, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82926390
Written by
MichaelG
You may also interested in:
About Petrified Wood
Petrified wood is a fascinating natural wonder, offering glimpses into the past. Preserving ancient trees in stone, the process of forming petrified wood, known as petrification, occurs when trees are
Taylor Swift Cincinnati Concert Weekend Sale
Photo By Cosmopolitan UK, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84773232 This weekend international pop star Taylor Swift is playing two concert dates in Cincinnati. As with anyplace Taylor plays, this is a
Fluorite
Fluorite - the most colorful mineral in the world! And it fluoresces under UV light, too!...Read More...
What Exactly do I have - Dolomite, Limestone or Dolostone?
The other night, I was discussing Eddie Murphy with a friend. Murphy, whose career has been up and down over the past 10 years had a bit of a comeback
What Kind Of Minerals and Crystals Can Be Found In Ohio?
Calcite and celestite crystals from Ohio If you live in Ohio and want to get rich finding Emeralds then forget it. Your best bet for that is to move to
What is the Connection Between Herkimer and Diamonds?
Herkimer County, lying north of the Mohawk river in upstate New York, is known for two things: being the one of two production sites for the Remington Arms Company, and
Ever Popular Ever Beautiful Rose Quartz
Of all the variety of minerals and crystals, perhaps the most beloved and widely collected is quartz. Named from the old Saxon word querklufterz meaning ‘cross vein ore’, it is
What Do Bastille Day and Crystallography Have in Common?
July 14, celebrated every year in France as Bastille Day, commemorates the storming and seizure of the notorious medieval armory, fortress, and political prison known as the Bastille. It was
Roman Era Emerald Mine in the Egyptian Desert
Fifteen miles or so from the Egyptian coastline of the sparkling Red Sea stand a series of crumbling structures. Standing upon an area known in antiquity as “Mons Smaragdus”, these