Iris Agate
RedYellowGreenBluePurpleMulticolor & Iridescent
Variety of Agate.
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📜 Key facts
| Age | Same age as its host agate deposit, which varies by locality |
|---|---|
| Origin & sources | Found as rare, extremely finely banded sections in agates from many deposits. Documented examples include Stinking Water, Oregon (in agatized wood), Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and Chihuahua, Mexico. Most agate slices show no iris effect at all. |
| Composition | Chalcedony (microcrystalline quartz, SiO₂) with extremely fine, evenly spaced banding |
How it forms
Agate grows in layers inside rock cavities. In iris agate the bands are so thin and regular (thousands per inch) that they act like a diffraction grating. A thin slice held up to a point of light splits it into spectral colours. Iris quartz shows a similar rainbow, but it comes from hair-thin fractures inside quartz crystals, not from banding.
Mineral data: see Agate.
🌍 Where it's found
- Type locality
- Notable source / deposit
- Country of origin
Marker positions are approximate (region or locality level). Type localities from Wikidata; notable sources curated by Crystopedia.
🔗 See also
- Iris quartz: a different rainbow stone: its colours come from fine fractures in quartz crystals, not from banding
- Fire agate: agate with iridescence from thin iron-oxide layers
✨ Metaphysical & Folklore
These are traditional and folk beliefs from crystal lore. They are not scientific or medical claims – crystals are not a substitute for professional care.
Its rainbow is hidden until light shines through a thin slice, so crystal lore links iris agate to revealing hidden beauty, joy and insight.
💞 Pairs well with (traditional pairings)
LabradoriteTwo stones whose colours appear only in the right light, paired for hidden gifts.
AgateGrounds iris agate's rainbow in agate's steady calm.
MoonstoneShimmer partners for intuition and gentle insight.
Clear QuartzSaid to amplify the joyful, revealing light of iris agate.
Fire AgateFellow rainbow agate, paired for joy and inner fire.