Agates 101 – Found In The Ground Candles

By far the most striking candles in our inventory are our agate candles. But what are agates? Where do they come from? How do they form? If you’ve ever found yourself asking these questions, this is the right place for you!

Agates, what are they made of? That answer is actually way more complicated than it first may seem. Agates have two basic components. The first is quartz, a silica based mineral that gives agates their unique translucence. The other main component of an agate is chalcedony, a quartz variant that gives agates their lustre and their color, as well as the banding pattern. Chalcedony occurs in blue, gray, yellow, or brown, which are all classic agate colors. Beyond this, agates have other minerals involved that create unique variants. Oxidized iron creates a variant called Moss Agate for its green color, while hematite creates a brilliant red Fire Agate. Agates are a simple recipe that creates a brilliant addition to your space.

What makes agates unique from other shiny stones? That would be the unique property of “banding”. Banding is the layers of color and symmetrical patterns that occur inside the agate. In most agates, the bands follow the symmetry of the wall of the rock. In some unique agates, however, the bands are horizontal. It is this banding, however, that distinguishes agates from other colorful minerals.

How does one go about finding an agate? They are not exactly just lying around, right? Actually, they totally are! You just have to look under, or in this case, inside some rocks. If you find an ancient lava flow or a glacial flow, you have a chance to find an agate. Agates are igneous, which means that they have to form from gas pockets within lava flows that hardened and filled with other minerals, namely quartz. There could be an agate outside of your house at this very moment! Agates are therefore quite common, but also quite hidden.

How long have agates been around for humans? For as long as humans have liked shiny objects. The name agate comes from Ancient Greece, where the philosopher Theophrastus first wrote about the luminous stones. Even before then, into prehistory, humans have been using agates in jewelry and decoration. The brilliant colors are just as eye catching now as they were to our ancestors.

So how are agates prepared? First, you have to find the agate. Next, you start cutting the agate into thin slices, like a loaf of bread. Then, the agate is polished. This polishing is what makes the vibrant agate into a luminous centerpiece. This is where the agate is when Found in the Ground orders them. From there, we put a hole in the middle with a drill press, after which we attach a reservoir. Boom. You have your agate rock oil candle ready to light.