Preparing the Geodes

The last two posts dealt with the way the geodes are removed from the mines. Today I will take you through the production process. When the miners remove the geode from the basalt they have to determine the value of the geode. To do this they drill a small hole in the geode. You can see these holes in the picture. After they make the hole they insert a bright light to evaluate the formation and color of the crystals. Based on this, a price per kilogram is established. The value of the geode is then divided 3 ways. A third goes to the miner who "dug up" the geode. A third goes to the owner of the land where the mine was. The final third goes to the person who financed the extraction process with his tools, explosives, electricity, transportation, etc. Sometimes this person is also the owner of the mine, sometimes not. After a price is determined the geode is taken to the "factory" where it is prepared for display. The hole is again used to observe the formation of the crystal and determine the best use of the geode. If the crystals are of exceptional size, color, and clarity than it will be used to make cut stones for jewelry. Otherwise they will be prepared for display. The geode is usually cut in half, along some line that allows any calcites or other interesting formations to be preserved and displayed. The most common way to display the geode is what is called a "capela."(example in the first picture) This is the Portuguese word for chapel. In the USA we call these "cathedrals." In a cathedral, the geode is cut in half with a diamond saw. The crystal lining of the inner walls of the geode are then visible. For the geode to stand up correctly, there is some cement placed on the base of the geode to make it flat. The exterior of the geode is painted a green/grey color in an attempt to match the original color of the exterior of the geode. Some geodes crack when they are sawed open, and others just don't look right as a cathedral. These are broken into pieces of various sizes (called "druza" in Brazil) and can be displayed on a wooden base or some other type of support structure. The limit to what can be done with these amethyst pieces is the imagination of the producer. I won't even try to start describing all I have seen. Perhaps in another post. Well, remember that if you want to know more or would like to witness the process yourself, please contact me. Just click on my blogger profile to find out how.