Rocks, Crystals And Minerals Of Mexico

Mexico is a huge country and is full of diverse geologic formations that have produced a wealth of beautiful and unique minerals, crystals and precious gems. If you love rocks and crystals, either to collect or to wear in fine jewelry, a trip to a Mexican market will allow you to purchase some excellent specimens at a fraction of the retail price at your local jeweler. Here are just a few of the more interesting geological offerings that Mexico has to offer.

Fire Agate - More rare than diamond, the Mexican Fire Agate is a stone like no other. Hues of red, orange, yellow, green, purple and gold bubble out of the stone, tempting you with its rich play of color and texture. Found only in the mines of Aguas Calientes, this stone was not even known to exist until just under a century ago. If you are lucky enough to score one of these precious gems, it will become a treasured and valued part of your gem collection.

Fire Opal - Fire opal is an opal that is colored with the heat of the fire that created it. Red, yellow and orange dominate in Mexican fire opal, which, like the fire agate, is found mostly in the state of Aguas Calientes. It can be found and purchased raw, still in its mother material, or sculpted into fine jewelry.

Silver - Most people are familiar with Mexican silver. Mexico has long been known as a producer of fine silver, which is mined mostly in the state of Veracruz. If you love silver jewelry, you will find plenty to spend your money on in Mexico. Artisano's sculpt the silver into a variety of styles of jewelry, oftentimes using native stones in the design. Silver jewelry is available for purchase throughout Mexico, though Baja California and Sonora have some of the finest jewelry shops due to their proximity to the U.S.

Amethyst - Amethyst is a type of quartz that is imbued with purple, ranging in intensity from a deep purple to a light lavender color. Amethyst crystals can be found mostly in the mountains of Veracruz, where specimens have been found ranging in size from a few meters to a few centimeters. Amethyst is beautiful either by itself as a decorative piece or can be carved into stones that can be set into earrings, rings or necklaces.

Amber - Amber is not technically a stone, but fossilized resin from pine trees that lived millions of years ago. Amber has only been discovered in a few places, one of which is the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico. Chiapas amber is known by collectors to be some of the finest amber available. In Chiapas, the adventurous tourist can actually visit the mines where the Mayan Indians extract the precious stone from beneath the layers of dirt that it has been trapped under for millennia. Chiapas amber is characterized by its clear, light color, which often holds traces of green, the famous "Chiapas Green Amber." It can also be found containing leaves, bugs and even small animals, making it a fossil collectors dream. A visit to Chiapas will reveal many treasures, with the amber being just one.

While these minerals and stones are available in Canada and U.S. jewelry stores, they are much less expensive when purchased in Mexico. Plus, you get the added satisfaction of visiting the places where it is from, and meeting the artisano's who craft it into unique pieces that are have a distinctive Mexico style. Mexico's fine minerals and stones are just one more reason to road trip across Mexico!