Where can I find agates in Montana?
In general, the best places to find agates in Montana are in the gravel bars of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries, particularly along the stretch between Billings to Miles City. Agates can also be found in the Jefferson River and in washes and draws all across the state.
Where can I go rock hunting in Montana?
Where To Go Rockhounding In Montana
- Crystal Park.
- Calvert Hill Mine.
- Gallatin National Forest.
- Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine.
- Anaconda, Montana.
- Spokane Bar Sapphire Mine & Gold Fever Rock Shop.
How do I identify a Montana agate?
Rough Montana agate often resembles a potato, and is difficult to distinguish from other rocks. Montana agates may have developed a distinctive white crust, although the agates that are found away from the Yellowstone River are often more cracked than the rocks that are found along the river.
Where is the most common place to find agates?
Agates can be found on the beaches of oceans and lakes, along road cuts, and in areas with exposed gravel. In the U.S., agates are most commonly found along the shores of the Great Lakes, the beaches of the Pacific Coast, and in the deserts of many western states.
Where are blue agates in Montana?
Most Montana Agate is found in Eastern Montana. Madison Blue Agate, a much less common agate that can be found in the Bozeman area near the Madison River, varies from cloudy milk-white to translucent deep blue. The deep blue is the most sought after and is quite breathtaking.
Where are rubies found in Montana?
Rubies are found in the western and southern portions of Montana, and this gemstone is often found alongside Montana sapphires. Some of the best places to find rubies in Montana include the Rock Creek, Granite county, Red Rock Mine, or the Missouri River.
What agates are worth the most money?
Dendritic Agate
It is considered to be the most valuable form of agate. Dendritic agate is associated with the ancient dryads of Greece.
How do you tell if a rock is an agate?
A Beginners Guide to Agate Identification – YouTube
What should I look for in agate hunting?
Look for areas where the waves have exposed rocky shores or tossed up material on top of the sand. When river hunting for agates, search when the water is low and gravel bars are exposed.
Where can I find rubies in Montana?
Can diamonds be found in Montana?
Though rare, diamonds aren’t unheard of in Montana. Prospectors have plucked the gems from stream beds and glacial valleys for years – most notably the 14-carat Lewis and Clark diamond found at the base of a steep slope near Craig in 1990.
Can you find diamonds in Montana?
Are there emeralds in Montana?
In Montana, found in the western Middle Rockies forested region of the state. The preferred habitat of the Mountain Emerald includes ponds, marshes, fens, bogs and swamps, as well as wet meadows associated with small streams.
What is a 1 pound agate worth?
On many sites, you’ll see the weight (written in carats, if it’s not rough agate) next to every agate that they’re selling. For rough agates the weight and price connection is linear – say 1 pound costs $10, 2 pounds will cost $20, and so on.
How much is a one pound agate worth?
The price of rough agates is connected to their weight in a linear-like connection. For example, pricing will be set at $10 for 1 pound of rock, $20 for 2 pounds, and so on. On the other hand, more tumbled or polished agates of high quality will see their price increase exponentially according to their weight.
How much is an agate worth?
Most agates are cheap ($1 – $10), but some can be very expensive ($100 – $3000) depending on their type, colors, and the location where they were found. Tumbled agate is automatically more expensive than raw agate and those with very vibrant colors, fine bands or are found in one place only also cost more.
How do I know if I found an agate?
Inspect the surface of the stone for pit marks. Agates sometimes form in igneous rock and are surrounded by softer rock that erodes away, which can result in surface pitting. Slide your fingers into a crack in the stone or a part of the exterior that has worn away. If you feel waxiness, this is a sign of an agate.
Are rubies found in Montana?
Are there rubies in Montana?
What is the rarest agate?
It’s called the Plentitude Stone. It is considered to be the most valuable form of agate.
How do I know if I have raw agate?
How do you tell agates from quartz?
how to find agates (agate identification) – YouTube
Are Montana sapphires worth anything?
Typical Montana sapphire can cost anywhere from $250-$1500 per carat for under 1/2ct to upwards of $7000 per carat for larger than 5 carats. Price is dependent on the quality of the gemstone (i.e. color, clarity, cut, and carat).
Are blue agates worth anything?
A small 1-2 inch tumbled agate (snakeskin agate, sardonyx, blue lace agate, tree agate, Botswana agate, etc.) will cost approximately $2- $10. A high-quality Mexican fire agate of the same size may cost over $50 and even reach prices of $1000.
Are agates worth any money?
When wondering, are agates worth anything, the answer is they are beautiful and meaningful stones, but their market value is typically low. This is a stone that is most commonly used as jewelry, but rarely as a valuable item with a high market value.