Montana Moss Agate is a semi-precious stone that is found only in the Yellowstone River and its tributaries between Sidney and Billings Montana. These products of “Mother Nature”, were formed as a result of volcanic eruptions and massive lava flows in the Yellowstone Park area. Montana Moss Agate Jewelry, crafted from this unique stone, showcases its fascinating history. Montana Moss Agate is formed from chalcedony, one of the many types of quartz. Chalcedony has a waxy luster and can be semitransparent or translucent. It is found in a wide range of colors, but the colors most common are white to gray, grayish-blue, or a shade of pale brown ranging to almost black.
Montana Moss Agate is found in the alluvial gravel pits of the Yellowstone River. In fact, this chalcedony river rock would probably be better named Yellowstone Agate because its creation is centered in the Yellowstone Park area. The volcanic activity that produced Montana Moss Agate actually spanned hundreds of miles and millions of years. Many artisans use these stones to create stunning Montana Moss Agate Jewelry.
While the volcanic activity centered in the Yellowstone area of Montana and Wyoming, it ranged from the eastern Rock Mountains to the western part of the Black Hills, and north across Montana into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada.
Montana Moss Agate was formed when eastern Montana was mostly a shallow inland ocean, almost swamp-like with forests lining the shores. The volcanos would spew forth lava entombing thousands of acres of forests in lava and ash. When the volcanos stopped erupting so frequently heavy rain came and sent silica-rich water into the layers of cavities left from the years of decaying trees and bubbling lava. Over time, the mineral-laden silica water filled the pockets and Montana Agate was created. This formation process is celebrated in many pieces of Montana Moss Agate Jewelry.
About Montana Moss Agate – Rock Your World
