Plume Agate Deposits in Iran
Iran hosts two notable plume agate deposits. The first is located in the Namin region of Ardabil, considered a secondary-grade deposit primarily used in construction. Due to the large size of the stone pieces, they are cut into large slabs for building purposes. This deposit lies within the northern Iran subduction zone and operates in the mountainous areas of Ardabil province.
On the other side of the country lies Iran’s most extensive and high-quality plume agate deposit in South Khorasan. This deposit stretches from Ferdows to Sarayan, where it reaches its peak, and ends in Khusf. It is mined both officially and by locals in scattered extractions. One reason for this scattered mining is that while the deposits are spread over a large area, high-quality veins are often found in sections as small as two meters. Though there are large reserves, only small areas contain premium agate. However, some veins are entirely made of plume agate, with dimensions of around 3 by 5 by 100 meters.
The plume agates of South Khorasan are highly diverse, featuring patterns beyond just the typical “tree-like” shapes. There are needle-like forms and designs that words can hardly describe, as if nature has showcased its full creative potential. Each agate is so distinct that it’s easy to identify which mine it came from within the region. Like fingerprints, no two stones are the same. Additionally, this area is home to stunning jasper stones in a wide range of colors, with the golden jasper being particularly unique. Given the abundance of these mines, there is enough supply to produce resin slabs from the sliced agates.
