Botswana agate is one of the rarest and most expensive varieties of this mineral, enchanting with its amazing layered pattern. One centimeter of stone height can contain up to 7,000 layers of a wide variety of shades.
The mineral received its name in honor of the first place where it was discovered. The stone was first mined in 1971 in the South African state of Botswana.
Local legends say that Botswana agates are fragments of eagle eyes. When the eagle had a duel with a sorcerer, the latter cast a spell on the bird. Not having time to hide in the sky, the eagle turned to stone and fell from a height into the desert sands, breaking into many small fragments.
Another name for Botswana agate “dawn stone” characterizes its soft pink color, its shades very reminiscent of the sky at dawn.
Physical and chemical properties
Botswana agate is silica of volcanic origin. Under the influence of magmatic processes, layers of the mineral settle in the depths of the earth, thereby forming an amazing pattern of stone.
The shades characteristic of Botswana agate provide impurities of quartz, titanium, selenium and manganese in the composition. The brightness and richness of the colors of this mineral depends on the effects of high temperature, which is typical for the only deposit of this agate - the sultry Kalahari Desert.
The characteristics of Botswana agate are:
| Index | Characteristics |
| Formula | SiO2 |
| Shine | matte |
| Color | all shades of pink and gray |
| Zoning of flowers | banded |
| Transparency | translucent, completely opaque |
| Kink | conchoidal |
| Cleavage | absent |
| Hardness | Up to 7 units on the Mohs scale |
| Density | 2.6 g/cm³ |
| Acid and alkali resistance | stable |
Varieties and colors
Types of mineral are determined by shades and patterns. There are plain snow-white, grayish, yellow, blue, emerald, but mostly gray banded agate is found. There are crystals with an admixture of transparent milky or blue layers. The rarest are pink and black agates. Based on their own designs and patterns, the following varieties of gems are distinguished:
The royal mineral has an interesting color.
- Bastion. Looks like an old map in geography.
- Eye agate. Resembles the structure of the eyes, has round layers.
- Dendrite. There are dark or brown spots that imitate trees.
- Landscape. It has a contrasting black and white tone or chestnut and pinkish tone.
- Royal agate. Has a spotted color.
- Star-shaped. When the crystal is cut, a 12, 6-pointed star is visible.
- Frosty. Agate has a snowy white appearance, reminiscent of a pattern on glass on a winter morning.
- Fiery. Simulates fire inside a crystal.
- Mokhovaya. Reminds me of moss.
- Rainbow agate. Mineral with the thinnest layers.
- Onyx. Stone with iridescence of various colors.
- Sapphirine. Crystal with a rich blue tone.
- Titanium agate. There is a rare lilac color that is reminiscent of the northern lights.
Place of Birth
Botswana agate
The first specimens of Botswana agate were discovered in the vicinity of the city of Babanong, Botswana, a republic located in southern Africa. To this day, minerals of amazing beauty are mined in a single place on the planet - the Kalahari Desert, which covers almost the entire territory of this republic.
Stones very similar to Botswana agate are mined in Madagascar, Mexico, Holland and Scotland, but they are classified as a completely different type of mineral.
Magical properties of the stone
The powerful energy of agates mined in Botswana is used by esotericists all over the world for rituals and ceremonies.
Botswana agate ring
This stone is endowed with different properties. For example, in India it is believed that a striped gem will bring prosperity to its owner in all areas of his life. In Egypt, this variety of agate is revered as a source of fertility. But everyone agrees that Botswana agate is a symbol of prosperity and material wealth.
Among the proven magical properties of Botswana agate, the following should also be highlighted:
- giving confidence and determination;
- development of oratorical abilities and communication skills, the ability to persuade enemies and dissident people to your opinion;
- giving sexuality to men (for this you should wear a ring with agate);
- protection from envy and the “evil eye” from pink stone.
Botswana agate in gray shades is a fighter for justice, truth and ambition. It protects its owner from attempts to deceive or cause harm, sending failures and illnesses to the ill-wisher.
Amulets and amulets
To prevent negativity from affecting the newborn, such a gem was put on him.
Striped agate was worn by newborns and babies as a talisman during the sacrament of baptism. He protected him from evil spirits and negative energy. Thanks to jewelry with a crystal, a person gains success in all endeavors and gains financial independence. The gem is charged with powerful force if it is set in a silver or gold frame and worn on the body. It is considered a good amulet for the stronger sex; men's rosaries are often made from the stone, which will give the owner calmness and balance. This mineral can be used in the form of rings, pendants, brooches, and bracelets.
Medicinal properties
Slice
Botswana. Agate Lithotherapists attribute many-sided healing properties to Botswana agate. It is believed that striped stone has a beneficial effect on:
- male libido;
- functioning of the digestive organs;
- facial skin condition;
- functioning of the cardiac and vascular systems;
- psycho-emotional state (helps cope with the effects of stress, normalize sleep, overcome apathy and depressive mood);
- metabolism.
Heavy smokers can use Botswana agate to get rid of their addiction. To do this, it is recommended to constantly wear the stone in the chest area.
Healing qualities
Lithotherapists believe that the most medicinal are richly colored agates, which are used to cure sleep disorders, insomnia, skin rashes and indigestion. They are also used to restore vision in the postoperative period. The crystal has the most beneficial effect on the human psyche; it can lift the mood, remove irritation, anxiety, and depression. Helps fight infectious diseases when worn regularly on the body.
Stone products
Botswana agate: jewelry set
Despite the fact that Botswana agate is classified as an ornamental stone, it is widely used in the jewelry industry. It is processed with cabochon and beads of different sizes, set in high-quality silver, platinum, white gold and natural expensive leather. Botswana agate makes amazing beads, bracelets, earrings, rings, pendants and brooches.
Botswana Agate is used in crafts. Stone cutters love to experiment with this layered mineral, cutting out beautiful medallions and gift souvenirs from it.
Botswana agate is also widely in demand among collectors.
Compared to other varieties, Botswana agate has the highest price. For example, beads with a diameter of up to 10 mm cost $0.3-0.45. The cost of slightly larger stones is $5-9. In jewelry, the average price of Botswana agate varies between $20-45 depending on the frame material.
Areas of use
- Often, jewelers do not even process Botswana agate, so as not to spoil its pristine beauty. Craftsmen usually make other, more blandly colored stones more attractive by painting them. Agate from Botswana looks luxurious even without being framed in gold or silver. The rich and powerful people of the world often wear it on a regular leather cord. It looks stylish and very expensive, despite the relatively low cost of the stone itself.
- Stone carvers respect agate for its malleability and ability to experiment with colors. For example, when creating medallions with images of people and animals, the ancient Greeks made full use of the layering of the mineral. They carved faces on a white layer, and, digging a little deeper to the next layer, for example, coffee color, they created robes from it.
- The famous agate brooch of the daughter of Paul 1, Mary, still excites the minds of art critics: the goddess Athena in a helmet and with a shield is so elegantly carved on it.
- In ancient times, the interiors of palaces and the thrones of rulers were inlaid with striped agate. Archaeologists still find ancient monuments with beautiful furniture, dishes and vases interspersed with minerals.
- In the Orthodox world, agate is associated with the Holy Grail, the cup into which the stone that fell from Satan's crown was transformed. Perhaps this is nothing more than a fictional story, but the magical properties of Botswana agate are not fiction at all and everyone can experience them for themselves.
How to spot a fake
Botswana agate is one of the few varieties of agate that is often counterfeited. There are several simple ways to verify the authenticity of Botswana stone:
- pass along the surface of the crystal with a sharp object (for example, a needle) - no traces of mechanical impact should remain on the real mineral;
- pay attention to the color and pattern of the stone - if the color is uniform and bright, it means the stone is fake;
- check Botswana agate for thermal conductivity - a real stone, held in the palm of your hand, will remain cool for a long time;
- leave the mineral overnight in clean cold water - the color and natural shine of the natural stone will not change, and the water will remain clean.
To protect yourself from buying a fake stone, you should contact stores with a proven reputation.
How to wear and care
Botswana agate requires careful care. In relation to this stone it is not recommended to allow:
- any mechanical impact, be it sharp blows, squeezing, falling from a height;
- prolonged exposure to direct sunlight;
- exposure to sudden temperature changes;
- storage in conditions of excessive humidity or dryness.
To clean this type of agate, use a dry or slightly damp cloth. Water is used extremely rarely to wash Botswana agate, and the stone is immediately wiped dry. The procedure should be performed no more than once a week.
Store the product in a separate box or box, the walls of which are lined with soft upholstery.
Botswana agate can be worn in everyday life, combining the shades of the stone with wardrobe items. In most cases, jewelry with Botswana agate is worn as a set, for example, beads with a bracelet and earrings.
Botswana Agate and Zodiac Signs
It is believed that the Botswana stone patronizes several zodiac signs:
- Taurus people are recommended to wear a blue mineral. This will have a beneficial effect on their emotional state, business acumen, and vital activity. Black gems will attract material wealth, good luck in the professional sphere and career growth to representatives of this sign.
- For Gemini, the stone will give peace of mind, teach prudence and rationality in decision-making, and relieve the inconstancy inherent in this sign.
- With the help of Botswana agate, Cancers will be able to gain self-confidence and get rid of excessive vulnerability and caution. To representatives of this sign, the stone gives calmness and good mood, awakens hidden talents in them.
- It will help Libra and Capricorn get rid of negative character traits, which will have a positive impact on communication with family members and others.
For other zodiac signs, Botswana agate is absolutely safe, although the stone will not show any special properties in relation to them.
Who is it suitable for?
- It is believed that Taurus, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn Botswana agate must be worn. He will reveal the best character traits of these signs, help them believe in themselves and gain determination for new achievements. Bestowing peace and harmony, the stone protects well from the evil eye.
- For newborn babies, amulets in the form of a white striped mineral are placed in the crib to improve sleep. But for girls, to protect themselves from evil, gossip and envy, you can buy cute earrings with milky Botswana stone.
- Moon, Venus and Mercury, which rule over pearl-colored stone, have the ability to protect against deception and also win lawsuits. Bostwana agate is always on the side of truth and justice. If it is acquired by a fraudster, a person with evil thoughts, the stone can harm him. This is especially true for gray minerals. It will instantly turn all its power against the owner, damage the aura and can cause illness.
- Taupe agate from Botswana is a stone for business people seeking to achieve heights in their careers.
They say that the mineral can suit any sign of the Zodiac, the main thing is that the person is good, and it makes no difference for agate whether he is Scorpio or Virgo. There is some truth in this, although it happens that the amulet may simply not suit you.
How can I check this? Just squeeze the pebble in your palm for 15-20 minutes. If it warms up slightly, your energy exchange has begun - the mineral is suitable for you; If it remains icy, it’s better not to buy it.
Another way: take the agate with you to bed, put it under your pillow and... dream. It happens that “princes” and “princesses” on such a “pea” sleep very anxiously and have terrible dreams. If you slept well, and in the morning you remembered what pleasant things you dreamed about, this is a gift from Botswana agate. There will be dozens more such gifts, but remember that not only the stone is obliged to take care of you, but now you must also take care of it.
