The early diggers hand excavated the Vaal River gravels in Bloemhof for diamonds up to a depth of 7 feet. Today the gemstone collectors find awesome banded black to brown coloured agates up to a size of 4 inches. Besides the banded agates this location is the source for mossy agates and porcelain-jasper, a multicoloured dense and fine polishable material. Bloemhof-agates are showing a fine-lined white pattern on a dark base - typical for so called “onyx agates”. Another common agate-type in Bloemhof are the so called “water-level-agates”. Some petrified wood that is showing inclusions of banded chalcedony was deposited by the Vaal-River in these gravels too.

More informations about this material and other southafrican gemstones are offered at the homepage of afrigemtec