Treasures of Lake Superior: Agates
Sophia’s Mentz’s fortification agates. Photo by Hanna McGuire
Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake is home to so many creatures and plants; it is also home to something less thought about: agates.
Agates, the official Minnesota State gemstone, were formed by lava during the North American continent split which created a large rift valley with lava, and that is now Lake Superior. When the lava cooled, water went into the holes that were created by bubbles and deposited quartz, iron and various other minerals into the layers, which then created agates. When the volcanic rock eroded, agates were then released from the lava and moved to other places; which is why we can find agates around Lake Superior.
Lake Superior agates can not only be found around Lake Superior but also throughout Minnesota. Agate collectors often look for them in gravel pits.
Mentz with her agate collection. Photo by Hanna McGuire
Agate collecting is a fun hobby for many Minnesotans, one public facebook group Collecting Lake Superior Agates has more than 30,000 members. This group has daily updates where collectors can share their agate findings and classifications. “This is a group for those who collect Lake Superior Agates, plan to collect them, or are simply interested in learning about Lake Superior Agates.” This group was created in September of 2012 and has had 139 posts about agates in the past month.
21-year-old UMD psychology and cognitive science student and agate collector, Sophia Mentz shares her story about agate collecting. “I started [collecting agates] my senior year of high school, because my sister’s fiance was really into agates, and he would drag us [to collect agates] and I started to collect them too,” said Mentz.
“I like to find [agates], in gravel and rock pits,” said Mentz.
When asked what is her favorite part about finding agates, Mentz says she likes finding fortification agates. “I like how pretty the small ones can be,” said Mentz.
Mentz likes to make crafts out of her findings, she has filled a lamp with agates, and created some house decor. She also gifted her sister and sister’s husband a frame with agates as their wedding gift.
Mentz’s house decor, made by herself with agates she’s found. Photo by Hanna McGuire
Mentz likes to dedicate days to go agate hunting. “I try to go at least once a week,” said Mentz.
“When the weather was nice, like during the summer, I was going three to four times a week,” said Mentz.
Mentz notes that she goes searching for agates at the Limnology Building, which is near Brighton Beach, if not there she has a little beach she stops at, which is about a twenty minute
Moose Lake, Minnesota is known as the “Agate Capital of the World.” Moose Lake also hosts an annual agate festival each year called Agate Days. Thousands of people attend the festival and stampede down Elm Avenue as two dump trucks empty rocks filled with agates and quarters, according to Moose Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
It is important to note that to pick agates in Moose Lake's Soo Line Pit, you must purchase an agate picking permit. You can purchase these permits for five dollars a person and one dollar per each additional person in your group.