Agate is a type of fine-fibered chalcedony. A rich palette of colors and layered coloring are characteristic of silica. According to one version, the mineral is named after the Achates River on the island of Sicily, where it was discovered. Agate is mined in India, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and Botswana. The name of the mineral “Botswana agate” is associated with a deposit in South Africa.
The state is rich in mineral resources. Botswana is the largest diamond producer. Placers of agate are found in the sands of the Kalahari Desert. The country produces stone, which is one of the most expensive chalcedony. Botswana mineral is also mined in Mexico, Scotland and Holland.
Boswana agate
The chemical composition of the stone depends on the location. The origin of the mineral is associated with lavas and tuffs, where tonsils are formed. As a result, layered silica appears in the voids. The mineral is also found among sedimentary rocks. Primary colors are grey, white, pink, blue and orange.
Sometimes Botswana agate contains quartz inclusions. The decorative effect of a stone depends on the following characteristics:
- strip widths;
- clarity of the drawing;
- colors;
- degree of contrast;
- foreign inclusions.
Some specimens are streaked. Others - mossy, star-shaped - contain various inclusions. A collection of landscape specimens is in the St. Petersburg Museum.
Story
The mineral is named after the place where it was first discovered and where it was mined. Its deposits were discovered in 1971 in the vicinity of the city of Babanong in Botswana.
Botswana is a country in the very south of the African continent. Two thirds of its territory is occupied by the Kalahari Desert. Its sands still offer magnificent pebbles today.
African sorcerers say that this stone is the eye of an eagle. According to legend, an eagle and a magician went out to duel. The eagle flew away, but not far. The wizard cast a spell, after which the bird turned to stone. Having fallen, she broke into a million pieces.
Today, pebbles are found in agglomerates of siliceous volcanic rocks.
The poetic name of agate is the stone of dawn. Its delicate pink color is truly similar to the shades of the early morning sky.
Description
Botswana agate is a translucent or translucent stone. Its surface is heterogeneous, but the pattern is visible implicitly. Colors – gray, pink, their combinations and shades.
Unlike other varieties of agate, Botswana is not "improved". Colors are the main factor by which a mineral is identified.
Stone processing involves only light polishing of the surface.
Agates of other colors found in this country are also called Botswana. For example, trade offers peach or apricot agate from Botswana. But this is a different variety, and the stone is called Botswana after the place of discovery (the state of Botswana).
Only gray or pink specimens are Botswana agates.
WHO IS SUITABLE FOR?
Botswana is ruled by TAURUS, GEMINI and CANCER.
It is favorable for these zodiac signs to wear striped stones in order to gain determination, reveal their best features, protect themselves from the evil eye, and live in harmony and peace.
To determine whether a stone is suitable for its future owner, it is recommended to hold it in your hand.
If the mineral remains cold or the sensations are unpleasant, then it’s worth looking for another amulet.
Pair of Botswana pendants (125 USD)
Physico-chemical characteristics
For a mineralogist, Botswana agate is a silicate of igneous origin. It has a simple composition and short formula.
| Formula | Volcanic silica - SiO2 |
| Color | The whole palette (White, grey, blue, yellow, red, black). Characteristic banded zoning of flowers |
| Stroke color | White |
| Shine | Matte |
| Transparency | translucent or opaque |
| Hardness | 6,5—7 |
| Cleavage | absent |
| Kink | uneven, conchoidal |
| Density | 2.6 g/cm³ |
How to distinguish real agate from a fake
Before buying, people usually try to find out how to distinguish an original from a fake. Agate does not cost exorbitant amounts of money. However, this does not prevent deceivers from profiting from buyers by passing off plastic or glass as natural stone.
In pursuit of money, dishonest sellers are ready to deceive even small amounts. In order not to fall for the bait of these scammers, you need not only to know what an agate stone looks like, but also to be able to understand whether the price of the product corresponds to its quality.
How to do it:
- Products with agate are quite heavy. Plastic is known for its lightness, so counterfeits made from this material are very easy to identify. Glass will weigh more, but pure mineral is still heavier. It’s easy to feel the difference between them if you’ve already held a mineral in your hands before.
- Another way to check its natural origin is to run a needle across the surface. Nothing will happen to the natural stone, but a mark will remain on the fake.
However, the easiest way to verify authenticity is to ask the seller to provide this service. He, like no one else, knows how high-quality his goods are. If the seller begins to zealously convince you of good quality, but refuses to test the sample, most likely it is a fake.
Areas of use
Botswana agate is classified as semi-precious. But thanks to its rarity, it has found application in the luxury sector:
- White gold, platinum, silver or natural leather of exotic varieties are used as jewelry settings.
- Particularly good are large beads, bracelets, pendants, inserts of rings, earrings, and brooches.
- For stone cutters, this is a fertile material for demonstrating personal skill.
This is a coveted specimen in any mineralogical collection.
How to identify a fake
The Botswana variety is perhaps the only agate that is sought to be counterfeited.
You can distinguish imitation in several ways:
- Botswana agate cannot be scratched or damaged by a needle. Only the applied polish can be damaged.
- There is no monochromatic Botswana.
- The colors of natural stone are delicate and gentle. The imitation usually looks flashy and bright.
A real stone placed in water for several hours will not fade or lose its shine. And the water will not be colored in any way.
Agate stone: history and legends
There are many mysterious legends about the origin of agate.
Archaeological finds indicate that agate stone was popular long before the birth of Christ. Modern museums store many products, and guides tell tourists beautiful legends about the origin of the mineral.
One of these stories tells that the divine eagle bird, symbolizing justice and goodness, died in battle. Falling to the ground, she turned into a stone, shaped like an eye. The eagle remained in this form for eternity. But the bird did not die, but found a second life, continuing to monitor order in the world and protect people.
According to another legend, popular among the Romans, agate was also a fossil. Only it was not a bird, but the tears of the god Pluto, who controls volcanoes. There are many such legends that can be told. And, it is worth noting that to some extent they influenced the popularity of the mineral in jewelry.
The first jewelry made of agate appeared in Mesopotamia, but the peak of popularity came only in the 11th-13th centuries and continued to grow until the 19th century. In high circles, a fashion for jewelry made from this gem appeared. Not only ladies, but also men succumbed to her. It is known that among the followers of this fashionable trend were, for example, Napoleon and Byron.
How to wear and care
Like other types of agate, the Botswana variety is unpretentious. But it’s expensive, so it makes sense to take good care of the stone:
- For the products there is a separate, soft inside box.
- Protect from falls, shocks, and mechanical impacts of any kind.
- The stone does not like heat, direct sun, temperature changes, or high humidity.
- It is enough to clean every week with a dry or slightly moistened cloth. To keep the surface beautiful, water is used as a last resort. Water procedures do not take too long; after them, the stone is immediately wiped dry.
If Botswana agate is used as a magical or healing artifact, it is given a “rest” one day of the week. That is, they are not taken out of the box.
Jewelry with delicately colored stones can be worn in sets. Even if it's large beads or a bracelet.
Varieties of mineral
In nature, this mineral is found in many types. It is not necessary to study them all thoroughly. But if you understand the basic varieties, you will be able to recognize a fake much easier:
- Mokhovy. White-gray crystal with black inclusions, similar to moss. Sometimes it contains blue or green shades.
- Brazilian. Compared to other species, this one seems unattractive, because its main colors are shades of gray and brown. The characteristic difference of this type is oval-shaped layers.
- Striped. It differs from the previous one in that it has stripes distributed evenly and not in a circle. It comes in a variety of shades, including white and blue.
- Fiery. Causes a strong association with a volcanic eruption or lava due to its unusual appearance. It seems to be illuminated from within, making it seem as if the stone is on fire.
- Landscape. Another amazing type of agate, its beauty can compete with fire agate. Very similar to moss. But if in mossy you can only notice mossy images, then in landscape even a person without imagination will see trees, mountains, rivers, lakes. That is why it was given such a poetic name.
- African. This species has several other names - Crackle agate or dragon veins. This nickname was not given by chance. "Craquele" is translated from French as "pattern of thin cracks." This is exactly what African agate looks like - like a colored pebble with white cracks, similar to those found on land parched from drought. Its color range is quite extensive - there are minerals of blue, violet, cyan, pink, yellow and other colors. It has another name - Frosty agate. Apparently, this mineral reminded someone of a cracked crust of ice on a puddle that was freezing from the cold.
- Agate Botswana. The name of this striped mineral comes from the name of the African country in which it began to be mined. Botswana stone comes in a variety of colors including white, grey, black and brown tones.
- Timansky. Pale blue with shades of gray, the mineral contains stripes on its surface, from which various patterns are formed, reminiscent of either mountains or the northern lights.
- Agate Geode. The geode stands out from the rest of the species. After all, it has a rather strange shape - oval, the pebble contains a depression similar to a cave filled with crystals.
- Lactic. Milk is perhaps the most modest among all the listed types. Possessing a milky color, from which it received its nickname, the stone has beneficial properties - it perfectly protects against negativity, energy attacks, and witchcraft.
- Rainbow. This mineral is similar to moonstone with its transparency and rainbow tints. However, the latter has a blue tint, and the rainbow one is transparent white, interspersed with the colors of the rainbow.
Price
Botswana agate is the most expensive in its family. You can buy any types of jewelry, but they are not cheap (price / rub.):
- pendant (65 mm, on a leather cord) – 2,500;
- beads (8 - 10 mm) - 23-34.
To avoid purchasing a fake, you should contact trusted sellers. And remember: there is no such thing as too much Botswana.
Medicinal properties
Layered Botswana agate is known for its healing properties, which made it possible to use natural specimens in folk medicine. The striped “healer” helps get rid of the following problems:
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- pathologies of the respiratory system;
- nervous diseases;
- sleep disorders;
- skin ailments (eczema, dermatitis).
Agate of African origin helps restore vision.
Fans of Ayurveda are convinced that the natural pattern on the surface of Botswana is the embodiment of the forces of the four earthly elements - Fire, Water, Air and Earth. This combination has a healing effect on a person, increasing immunity and helping to get rid of many diseases.
Lithotherapists advise holding the agate in water, and then drinking the “health-charged” liquid. This is a reliable remedy for stomach disorders and also helps with weight loss.
Massage with natural Botswana agates is beneficial. Such procedures will restore vigor, restore blood circulation and improve skin tone.
Therapeutic effect
Lithotherapists have identified the spectrum of therapeutic effects of Botswana agate:
- Improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Helps overcome tobacco cravings. For this purpose, the rough stone is worn as a pendant or in the breast pocket.
- Drinking the water in which the stone was placed speeds up metabolism, promoting weight loss. This property is equally valuable for women and men.
- Massage with a Botswana agate roller normalizes blood circulation, relieves cramps, and relieves muscle tension.
Banded agate is classified as a stone with feminine energy. But its healing capabilities are also suitable for men. For example, to increase potency.
AREAS OF USE
Botswana agate is used in the jewelry industry for making jewelry, as well as decorative items for home decoration: figurines, bowls, vases. Amulets and talismans are carved from Botswana.
Due to its special strength and resistance to acids and other reagents, Botswana is used for the production of tableware in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. More often than not, jewelers do not even process it, so as not to spoil its original beauty.
Botswana agate - paired amulet
Magic properties
The volcanic nature of the stone endowed it with strong energy. In all centuries, healers and sorcerers have used Botswana agate magic for healing and witchcraft. We recommend: Brilliant BLUE AVENTURINE
- The ancient Egyptians considered it a fertility stone; in medieval Europe, the mineral was a symbol of health and financial wealth; in India it symbolized well-being.
- From the depths of centuries comes the belief that Botswana agate helps in career advancement, makes indecisive people bold, and balances the energies of yin and yang in combination with purple crystals.
- The mineral gives energy to life, awakens the mind and enhances intuition. Placed on your desktop or near your computer, it will help you work efficiently.
- There is a belief that the talisman protects against energy vampires and helps in uncovering deception.
Volcanic origin gives Botswana powerful energy
Medicinal properties
In addition to its magical properties, the gem is also valued for its medicinal qualities:
- ring on the middle finger – relieves nervous conditions, insomnia,
- improves potency:
- strengthens the immune system;
- improves vision and hearing;
- helps to quit smoking if you wear a Botswana on a string in the chest area;
- Stone massage will relieve depression and normalize blood circulation;
- will help with cough, sore throat, nerves, intestinal problems, skin ailments, renal colic.
Bracelet with Botswana, 34 USD
Magic properties
African sorcerers and European esotericists agreed on the magical properties of Botswana agate:
- Activates mental abilities.
- Makes a person an intuitive, sometimes even clairvoyant.
- Suitable for meditation sessions.
The magic of the stone helps you make a career and become financially successful.
- Absorbs external negativity, transforms it into positive and transfers it to the owner of the talisman.
- Makes him a speaker capable of winning over even his enemies.
The home amulet stone is placed in the most visible place.
The type of decoration also matters:
- Botswana agate ring gives men sexual attractiveness in the eyes of ladies.
- Girls will be protected from gossip and envious people by earrings with pink Botswana agate.
However, Bostwana of gray shades honors only justice, honesty, and truth. A fraudster or someone trying to harm a neighbor will receive a retaliatory blow in the form of bad luck or illness.
