Fairburn Agate.
Fairburn Agate – South Dakota State Gemstone Paperback – January 1, 2009.
Contents
What is South Dakota stone?
The mineral stone known as the rose quartz is hereby designated as the official state mineral stone of the State of South Dakota, and the Fairburn agate is hereby designated as the official state gemstone of the State of South Dakota.
What is North Dakota State gemstone?
Agate is the state gem of Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, and North Dakota. This makes it by far the most popular state gemstone (and state rock).
What gemstones are found in South Dakota?
In addition to agate and rose quartz, there are more than 40 other minerals found here: including copper, silver, lead, tin, feldspar, spodumene, beryl, mica, quartz and gold. There are also vast deposits of iron, alabaster, gypsum and limestone in the Black Hills.
How much are Fairburn agates worth?
The Fairburn agate is named for the town of Fairburn. Agates may not show their unique beauty until they are split, like this one. The gems can easily be worth upwards of $1,000, depending on their size, shape and color, according to collector Woodden.
What is the state mineral rock or gem?
Table of minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones
| State federal district or territory | Mineral | Gemstone |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Gold (1968) | Nephrite jade (1968) |
| Arizona | Wulfenite | Turquoise (1974) |
| Arkansas | Quartz (1967) | Diamond (1967) |
| California | Gold (1965); California’s nickname is the Golden State | Benitoite (1985) |
Where can I dig for gems in South Dakota?
In general, the best places to find agates in South Dakota are in the Black Hills in the southwestern part of the state, particularly in Custer County. The famed Fairfield agates are most commonly found in the agate beds to the east of Fairburn but are also found from Rapid City all the way into Nebraska.
What is South Dakota State mineral?
Rose quartz
Rose quartz, discovered near Custer in the 1800’s, is the official state mineral. Its primary use is in ornaments and jewelry. The Fairburn Agate is a semi-precious stone first found near the town of Fairburn.
What does wulfenite look like?
Wulfenite is a lead molybdate mineral with the formula PbMoO4. It can be most often found as thin tabular crystals with a bright orange-red to yellow-orange color, sometimes brown, although the color can be highly variable. In its yellow form it is sometimes called “yellow lead ore”.
What is Alaska’s state gem?
jade
Alaska’s state gem is jade. Rocks are made up of two or more minerals. Alaska doesn’t have a state rock, but it does have a state gem, jade.
Where can I find Ellensburg blue agate?
Ellensburg blue agates are endemic to the area, in that they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. They are primarily found in the Reecer Creek and Green Canyon areas but can also be found near Thorp and west toward Cle Elum. They are a product of the 47-million-year-old Teanaway Basalt.
Can you find citrine in South Dakota?
South Dakota is known for Rose Quartz, a pink variety of quartz that may feature diasterism, or star-like shape of light when illuminated from behind when shaped and polished.These varieties generally have their own name such as rose quartz, amethyst, smoky quartz, and citrine.
Are there diamonds in South Dakota?
The Black Diamond Mine is near Custer, South Dakota. Historically the site has been associated with the Custer Mining District which is now part of the Black Hills National Forest. The site was first discovered in 1922.The ore mined is composed of muscovite and spodumene.
What is the most expensive Fairburn Agate?
The record so far is over $13,000 for a single agate!
How do I know if my agate is Fairburn?
In addition to identifying the Fairburn Agates by their distinct colors, one can also identify them by their unique parallel banding. Select pieces will show tight banding and nice coloration. When searching among other rocks Fairburn agates can also be identified by their smooth, exterior texture.
Is Fairburn agate rare?
Fairburn Agates are considered rare Agates as they have become very desirable for their color and banding variations.
What state has the most gemstones?
A quarter of the states produce the majority of the gemstones in the country. In decreasing order of production value, Idaho, Arizona, Oregon, California, Montana, Arkansas, Maine, Colorado, North Carolina, Nevada, Texas and Utah produced 90 percent of the U.S.’s natural gemstones last year, the USGS said.
What is Nevada’s state gemstone?
Nevada turquoise
The opal is the Silver State’s official “precious” gemstone, a notch above the state’s “semiprecious” gemstone, the Nevada turquoise.
Does New Jersey have a state gemstone?
New Jersey Gemstone and Minerals
Although New Jersey does not have a state rock, gemstone or mineral, amethyst is found readily throughout the state.
Are there geodes in the Black Hills?
The Black Hills of Imperial County, California, at the far eastern edge of the Colorado Desert (part of the northwestern Sonoran Desert), host quite a number of well-known deposits of geodes and nodules, including the Hauser Geode Beds, the Hidden Saddle Beds and the Straw Beds.
What are bubblegum agates?
Locally collected and home-tumbled, Bubble Gum Agates are grounding stones and they can enhance one’s self worth. These colorful agates come from the foot-hills and surrounding prairie of the Black Hills region.
