The Ramin Agate Field
Ramin agate field, Zanjan, Zanjan province
Ramin agate field situated in 14km south of Zanjan, between villages Ramin and Gordanap. This area located about 300km northwest of Tehran. This agate field discovered during the geological surveying of Soltaniyeh Mountain quadrangle map (1:100000) 30 years ago. Based on geological map of Ramin area agate nodules occur only within the vesicles of an individual lava flow with andesitic composition, that is Eocene in age, and lies between a thick sequence of tuffs and lava flows those are barren in agate. The lava is vesicular and in many places shows amygdaloidal texture. Vesicles are 1 to more than 100 mm in diameter and mostly filled with chalcedony. Rarely individual vesicles show lining of quartz and calcite crystals on their interior walls and formed geodes.
Nodules of agates which are deep, inky blue in color scattered on the surface of the earth in places those weathering decomposed andesitic hosted lava flow. Nodules have very nice color but mostly have fine and coarse fractures which decrease their commercial value. These fractures are common and mostly due to high differences between day and night, and also summer and winter temperature in the Iran’s plateau. In many cases I have seen that agates those located in deeper parts weathered layer, show better quality. There is no exploration or excavation signs in Ramin agate field.
"Click on photos for seeing more details in larger size"
Location of Ramin agate field in Iran
The geological section of area near Ramin village
Amygdaloidal texture of agate bearing andesite layer. Vesicles filled with chacedony in agates, and quartz & calcite in geodes.
Loose nodules of deep blue agates from Ramin agate field
Agate nodules from Ramin area after cutting with diamond saw (not polished)
Nodular agate with fine banding and deep blue color from Ramin agate field, cut and polished, 43x38 mm
