Fire Agate is a layered stone. The layers are small enough that light entering them forms interference colors known as "fire." The gem is thought to be formed when hot water saturated with colloidal silica and iron oxide invades cavities in country rock and begin to cool. Chalcedony with iron oxide begins to grow on any available surface (the iron oxide gives the basic brown color to the gem). As the solutions began to precipitate and grow layers of silica and iron oxide would be deposited depending on the relative level of those elements in solution and underlying conditions. These alternating silica and iron oxide layers (Schiller layers) cause the brilliant fire in the gem. As iron oxide ran out in the solution colorless chalcedony continued to grow. Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: stone Stone may be used as a building material, as in this dry stone wall Stone may refer to: Rock (geology), a naturally occurring aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids Stoning, a method of execution using rocks Gemstone, as used in jewelry Stone... Iron oxide pigment There are a number of iron oxides: Iron oxides Iron(II) oxide or ferrous oxide (FeO) The black-coloured powder in particular can cause explosions as it readily ignites. ... Chalcedony Knife, AD 1000-1200 Chalcedony is one of the cryptocrystalline varieties of the mineral quartz, having a waxy luster. ...

Cutting Fire Agate essentially reverses nature's process by grinding and polishing away layers, following natural contours, until only the fire is visible. As you might imagine, however, one layer too far and the stone is ruined. Agate is a term applied not to a distinct mineral species, but to an aggregate of various forms of silica, chiefly chalcedony. ...