The key difference between tree agate and moss agate is that tree agate is translucent and has a green color interspersed with colorless or pale blue silica, whereas moss agate is always opaque and appears in white and green colors.
Both tree agate and moss agate are minerals with a mixture of chalcedony and green dendritic. They have differences in their appearance, but they are closely similar materials with similar chemical compositions.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Tree Agate
3. What is Moss Agate
4. Similarities – Tree Agate and Moss Agate
5. Tree Agate vs Moss Agate in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Tree Agate vs Moss Agate
What is Tree Agate?
Tree agate or dendritic agate are minerals composed of dendrites, which are crystal inclusions that tend to grow in foliage or in a pattern similar to tree branches. These dendrites can develop a beautiful green-colored effect on a white base. These are stones that were connected with nature and people for a long time.
There are distinctive inclusions that appear as vegetation. This is a result of the manganese and iron oxides that is present in this mineral. The manganese and iron oxides tend to find their way into cracks of white quarts when it is forming. The hardness of tree agate is in the range of 6 – 7 on the Mohs scale. The specific gravity can be given as 2.59 to 2.67. Moreover, these stones are usually mistaken for moss agate, which is another type of agate.
The most common places where we can find tree agate include Brazil, China, India, Australia, Madagascar, Mexico, Mongolia, Namibia, etc. Its chemical composition can be given as SiO2, and it has a microcrystalline quart structure with banded chalcedony. The refractive index of tree agate is in the range of 1.544 – 1.553.
Generally, these are tough stones, and we can simply use warm, soapy water and a soft brush to clean them. Harsh chemicals should not be used for cleaning purposes, and also it is highly recommended to dry well after cleaning. This is because any left moisture can cause severe reactions, including rust in metal settings.
What is Moss Agate?
Moss agate is a semi-precious gemstone that forms from silicon dioxide. It has chalcedony with minerals of green color that are emersed in the stone. This forms filaments and some other patterns that resemble moss. It has clear or milky-white quartz that includes minerals that usually are manganese oxides and iron.
However, this is not a true agate since it has no concentric banding. The colors of moss agate are due to the trace amounts of impurities present in the form of chrome or iron. These metals are able to generate different colors based on valence.
Moss agate can be found in India, Brazil, Uruguay, Central Europe, the USA, etc. These are gemstones that are also known as Mocha stones. This is named after the Arabian city Mocha in Yemen (where large deposits of moss agate were discovered).
What are the Similarities Between Tree Agate and Moss Agate?
- Tree agate and moss agate are types of agate.
- Both contain silicon dioxide.
- They have iron and manganese as impurities.
- Both have a mixture of chalcedony and green dendritic.
What is the Difference Between Tree Agate and Moss Agate?
Tree agate and moss agate are two types of minerals with similar chemical structures but different appearances. The key difference between tree agate and moss agate is that tree agate is translucent and has a green color interspersed with colorless or pale blue silica, whereas moss agate is always opaque and appears in white and green colors.
The below infographic presents the differences between tree agate and moss agate in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Tree Agate vs Moss Agate
Tree agate or dendritic agate are minerals composed of dendrites, which are crystal inclusions that tend to grow in foliage or in a pattern similar to tree branches. Moss agate is a semi-precious gemstone that forms from silicon dioxide. The key difference between tree agate and moss agate is that tree agate is translucent and has a green color interspersed with colorless or pale blue silica, whereas moss agate is always opaque and appears in white and green colors.
Reference:
1. “Gem Notes: Gemstone Information.” Fire Mountain Gems and Beads.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Green Tree Agate, Swarovski crystals, silver spacers.” By Audrey R Hoff (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Mossagate.pebble.750pix” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia