Lesotho is an independent nation embedded in the territory of the republic of south africa. Lesotho is offering to the agate-collector fine banded greyish to white coloured agates. Their origin are the drakensberg basaltic lava flows. Those agates can be found in the rivers that run down the maluti mountains. Their pattern is similar to botswanian agates. One difference is their shape: the shape of the nodules is more vein-like than like nodules. Another difference: on their skin lesothian agates are showing impressions of vanished carbonates. After polishing some agates may show a nicely “shadow-effect”, called “Chatoyancy”.

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