The famous places of production include India, Brazil, America, Egypt, Australia and Mexico. In China, the provinces of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and Hubei became famous places for agate production – with a major center in Fuxin in Liaoning province. Agates in Fuxin come in many kinds and colors, and they are considered ideal material for engraving. Exploiting agate in Fuxin dates back 8,000 years, and the city is famous for its Red Agate, Green Agate and Agate with Water. Since the beginning of the modern Republic of China, more agate ore fields have been discovered in Xunke city in Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Tibet and Ningxia. An agate ore field that was more than six square kilometers was discovered in the northeast desert of Inner Mongolia in 1987. A large agate ore field also was discovered in the Shennongjia district of Hubei province.

As a result, the size and scope of old and new ore fields have reduced the value of agate while increasing supplies, which makes agate affordable even to average Chinese consumers. In ancient China, agate derivatives were so expensive that only rich buyers and officials could afford it. “The emperor of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) used to send ambassadors to the countries in the western regions and they received agate as national presents there,” Du You said in his book Tong Dian.

But while it’s less expensive today to buy agate, choosing which agate to buy is not easy work. Color, texture and transparency are the most significant to heed when purchasing agate. In gemology, the color of superb agate should be bright and pure, and the color layers should be thin. High-grade agate derivatives should have a smooth and high transparency, and the shape and pattern must be even and obvious, as well as having an exquisite and tough texture.

There are similarities shared by agate, Chalcedony and Jasper, but there are big differences in cost. Generally, agate has specific veins while chalcedony has no veins at all, and minerals in Jasper are usually mixed with clay or any other impurities. Jasper also has a dim luster and poor transparency.

Translated by Jia Jia

Editor: Dong Lin