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December 21, 2011 ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS By Jenn Jedidiah Free Fire In The Desert- Arizona Fire Agates Arizona is known for its beautiful turquoise, as well as copper and cop- per-oxide minerals like chrysacolla, malachite, and azurite. But also found here in Arizona, not far from Quartz- site, is another beautiful gemstone: Fire Agate. There are only two known Fire Agate deposits in the entire world. One cov- ers the area between Sierra Madre Oc- cidental and the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountain Ranges in Mexico about 100 miles north of Mexico City. The other is the Sonoran Desert region in Ari- zona and California. The closest sites to Quartzsite are the Opal Hill Mine, in Palo Verde, California, the Little Horn Mountains about 35 miles east of Quartzsite, and Oatman, AZ. The Arizona and California Fire Agates www.DesertMessenger.com have more bril- liance, fire, and color than ones from Mexico. Fire Agate is a Chalcedony that was formed during the Tertiary Period, 24 to 36 MYA. It is a cryptocrys- talline silica with a hardness of 7, and is created when hot water saturated with colloidal silica and iron oxides is forced by volcanic activity up into cavities in the host rock. The Chalcedony cools in bot- ryoidal (bubble) forms. The "Fire" is created when alternating layers of iron oxides and silica cover the mounds of Chalcedony, and then another layer of Chalcedony forms over top of these layers. The iron oxide and silica layers refract light in a process called inter- ference. This causes the "Fire" we see in Fire Agates. Fire Agate is sometimes considered to be an opal, but it's not. Fire Agate is a crystalline form of silica, not a hy- drous one like opal, so it will not crack, craze, or fade. It is a much more dura- ble gemstone than opal, and very well suited for jewelry. For the lapidarist, Windshields! Nomad Glass Motorhome Windshield Replacement Specialists At Nomad Glass we offer prompt, quality service for your RV or motorhome • Mobile Service in Quartzsite • We Specialize in Motorhome Windshields • Insurance Approved • All types of auto & truck glass • The only glass shop endorsed by the Good Sam Club's "Smile & Save" program. • Proud commercial member of the Escapee's RV Club and the FMCA. Call us first and we will gladly assist you. 928-785-7757 however, Fire Agate presents unusual chal- lenges. First of all, it is dif- ficult to tell if a piece of rough contains fire or not, because the fire layers are hidden un- der layers of Chalcedony. If it does, getting to the fire requires skill and exactness. Layers of chalcedony must be ground away to expose the layers of fire, and it is very easy to remove too many layers, cut into the fire layers, Page 37 and lose the fire altogether. Arizona Fire Agates are typically a brown to reddish brown color, with fire ranging from reds and yellows to blues and purples. Some stones have fire containing all the colors of the rainbow. Typically, Fire Agates are cut in freeform cabs to best enhance the natural shapes and patterns of fire within the stone. Arizona Fire Agates are available from Rocks In My Head, Space A37 in Rice Ranch, 605-376-8754. Visit online at www.RocksInMyHead.biz. We have cabs and rough, information on the local Fire Agate dig sites, and much, much more. Reasonable Rates! 30 Years Experience! WASHERS • DRYERS • REFERS • DISHWASHERS • STOVES APPLIANCE SERVICE by Tom Browning Factory Trained - Authorized Warranty Service • Whirlpool • Estate • Kichen Aid • Roper • Maytag • Jennaire • Amana donnajeanbrowning@gmail.com 209-765-3515 Community United Methodist Church invites you to join us for our Sunday mornings at 8:30am Quartzsite Elementary School (QES) GYMNASIUM 930 W. Quail Trail, Quartzsite "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." -John 3:16 Pastor Gary Hayes Cell 928-201-1143 Pasonage 760-544-7064 In-Home Service!