Great South Gems & Minerals

• Agatized Coral Fossil •
(Tampa Bay, Florida) 

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• Agatized Coral Fossil •
(Tampa Bay, Florida) 

Agate - chalcedony - Tampa Bay Coral

Agate, or chalcedony, is a variety of quartz. This material has gone through a petrification process, of mineral displacement, and is now agatized. This material is commonly referred to as "Tampa Bay Coral". The agate found inside these fossil coral geodes usually forms into a botryoidal formations. Botryoidal Agatized coral is Florida's state stone, recognized as such by the Florida State Legislature in 1979. See other agatized corals.

This material in found in a variety of colors, including gray, brown, black, white, sometimes red, and shades of these colors. This material makes excellent cutting material and is popular for cutting into cabochons and other lapidary work.

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As most of the fossil corals are hollow inside, beautiful formations of chalcedony is revealed when either broken or cut open. This material is great for collection displays.

Much of Florida's agate, including the Tampa Bay agatized coral, formed in the Oligocene to Miocene periods. See time chart.

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