9.7" Bird Of Paradise Agate - Chihuahua Mexico

Bird of paradise agate is found near Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico, and often features marcasite inclusions along with many colors of plumes. The beautiful plumes, or dendrites, that occur within rock are most often a result of percolating mineral solutions that contained manganese and/or iron. These solutions can work their way through microscopic cracks in the rock, leaving behind a branching pattern throughout the rock. To an untrained eye, these can be mistaken for plant fossils within the rock.