Oops! You are visiting an old page! To view the new website please go to http://agatelady.com.
Gitche Gumee Agate and History Museum

Navigation Menu

Agates


Photo Gallery - Mineral of the Month

Click to enter our class!
Leave a message

 

MINERAL OF THE MONTH

August and September 2010 - Polyhedroid Agate

The mineral of the month for August/September is the Polyhedroid Agate. The unique polyhedroids are strange looking agates with geometric shapes that have smooth flat sides. Their shape appears more angular than the typical almond-shaped agate, but there is no consistency to the angles of formation. Most are either triangular or trapezoid and hollow, with the bands running parallel to their shape. Although no one knows for sure how these agates formed, there are at least two theories. Some believe that polyhedroid agates are pseudomorph replacements of other, more angular crystals. Another hypothesis is that they formed in spaces between other crystals, perhaps calcite. Unlike the rest of the Brazilian agates found in the southern part of the country, these unusual agates are found at a single site in the northern state of Paraiba. There has been no mining of polyhedroids in recent years. Most were mined during the 1970s. Believe it or not, a few polyhedroids have also been found in the Lake Superior region and in Wyoming.

Polyhedroid Agate
Polyhedroid Agate

 


Mineral of the Month Archives

May 2007: Rainbow Fluorite

June 2007: Lake Superior Michipicoten Agate

July 2007: Labadorite

August 2007: Rain Flower Agate

Fall 2007: Malachite

December 2007: Nepheline Syenite

January 2008: Native Copper

February 2008: Amazonite

March 2008: Lake Superior Agate

April 2008: Shadow Agate

May 2008: Apohpylite

June 2008: Ocean Jasper

Summer 2008: Marra Mamba Tiger's Eye

September 2008: Mohawkite

October 2008: Mexican opal

November 2008: Prehnite

December 2008: Picture Jasper

January 2009: Sea Shell Jasper

February 2009: Polychrome Jasper

March 2009: Selenite Desert Rose

Spring 2009: Coyamito Agate

July 2009: Obsidian Needles

August 2009: Goethite

September 2009: Banded Iron Formation

Fall 2009: Fairburn Agate

March 2010: Fossilized Dinosaur Bone

April/May: 2010 Kentucky Agate

June 2010: Nantan Meteorite

July 2010: Mookaite Jasper

Aug/Sept 2010: Polyhedroid Agate

Fall 2010: Ammonite Fossil

September 2011: Petoskey Stones

Spring 2011: Petrfied Wood

Winter 2011: Argentina Condor Agate

January 2012: Mary Ellen Jasper

March 2012: Mexican Crazy Lace Agate

June 2012: Moqui Marbles

September 2012: Chlorastrolite Greenstone

March 2013: Jacobsville Sandstone

August 2013: Unakite

November 2013: Skip-an-Atom Agate

April 2014: Tiger's Eye

September 2014: Black Corundum

February 2015: Condor Agate

June 2015: Petoskey Stone

November 2015: Slag

June 2016: Lake Superior Copper Replacement Agates

March 2017: Chert

July 2017: Kona Dolomite

December 2017: Septarian Nodule


Copyright All rights reserved.
Gitche Gumee Museum.
E21739 Brazel Street
Grand Marais, Michigan 49839

 


Web Site Designed By
Web Site Design ServiceSearch Engine Optimization Firm
Web Design in Grand Marais, Michigan