Amazing geode: how amethysts and crystal grow inside ordinary stones

Geodes are rightfully considered one of the most mysterious geological formations of our planet. An unremarkable stone on the outside, like the ones that lie under your feet while walking in nature, can surprise anyone. Indeed, inside it is hiding incredible beauty, for the possession of which collectors of minerals give fabulous money.

A geode is a geological formation in the form of a closed cavity. Inside this space contains a variety of crystals and minerals. One of the most delicious are geodes, inside of which there are varieties of quartz: amethyst, rock crystal, agate.

In nature, there are geodes of the most incredible forms. These can be spherical or completely asymmetrical formations. The sizes of most geodes stored in geological collections are about 15-40 centimeters. But in nature there are giant geodes, whose sizes exceed 1 meter, and very tiny, the size of a quail egg. Most often they are found in sedimentary and volcanic rocks in various parts of the globe.

How is the formation of such beauty? It all starts with the formation of a cavity in the rocks. In igneous rocks, geodes are usually formed from gas bubbles that remain inside cooled magma. Then, a solution of mineral substances begins to penetrate into the cavity, that is, the cavity is not completely tight, there are pores and microcracks in it that allow fluid to pass through. These solutions contain a large amount of salts, from which solids begin to settle on the walls of the cavity. Depending on how often the cavity was filled with a solution, and various types of geode formed from agates to crystalline formations.

Surely many of you will be interested in where you can find such beauty. But, unfortunately, finding geodes is a very difficult job that can be compared to lotteries. Even if you are exploring an area in which several geodes have already been found, the success of such an enterprise depends largely on random luck. Geodes, such as diamonds or emeralds, are not hunted and mined on an industrial scale. Beautiful high-quality geodes are the lot of professionals, of whom there are few all over the world.

The situation is greatly complicated by the fact that it is impossible to determine whether the geode is in front of you or not, until you split it. Due to their incredible beauty, rarity and complexity of the search, even the amethyst geodes, the most common of all, are very expensive. At the same time, experts note that small geodes, not differing in special jewelry value, can be found even in the suburbs.