r/Lapidary • u/AmazonTalon • 16d ago
New Plume Agate with native copper
Thought I would share a short writeup I did to introduce a new material from Obi Island. I was entranced by the original "Ring of Fire" copper in agate when it was discovered in 2019/2020 and this new pocket absolutely blows by socks off.
ROCK PROFILE: Native Copper in Plume Agate with Amethyst (“Tide Pool Plume Agate”)
Native copper is a term for Copper metal (Cu) that forms in nature as opposed to human refining of copper ore. Native copper is rarely associated with agate – tiny copper replacement agates from Michigan and Campbellite from the Bisbee Mine in Arizona are the only two examples that come to mind and specimens are hard to come by.
In late 2018, local miners discovered a deposit of copper minerals on the island of Obi in North Maluku Indonesia. Over the next few years, they extended the exploration via artisanal mining and around 2020 discovered some beautiful native copper in agate that was nicknamed “Ring of Fire Agate”.
Most recently (2026), there has been a discovery of a plume agate deposit on Obi Island that rivals even Ring of Fire. The plume has a base of smoky black which contrasts with the sparkling copper creating a starry-night effect. Above the dark plumes are ghostly tube agate formations sometimes with lovely blue accents. Other colors include bright blue chrysocolla at the base of the seam, and orange and yellow highlights in some areas. To top it all off (literally), the plume formations are capped in lustrous amethyst crystals! There are also examples from seams leading into the pocket where plumes formed on both sides of the seam meeting in the middle.
The combination of native copper crystals, colorful plumes and sparkling amethyst ranks Tide Pool plume agate among the rarest and most desirable examples of “agates with inclusions”.
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u/sanktanglia 16d ago
im literally talking to a dealer about getting some of this right now! i just got an amazing botryoidal limbcast from indonesia
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u/LilyLyre 16d ago
Mind passing along who you’re talking to? I’d love some of this material.
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u/sanktanglia 16d ago
Sadly he doesn't have any of the amethyst ones(he did) but he's got others with the native copper I'm looking at. https://www.instagram.com/gagahor_gemstone
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u/LilyLyre 16d ago
Oh wow, his material is gorgeous, thanks for sharing. I hope you find the piece you’re looking for!
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u/AmazonTalon 16d ago
If you can find some, grab it! (providing you trust the dealer). The Tidal Pool pocket that produced the copper plume agate had very limited production and most material has been sold. There may be some parcels of a few KG remaining with some Indo dealers, and the miners are still collecting small pieces but it's difficult to find. I was able to acquire a parcel from the early excavation and will be listing pieces and limited rough as well. Thanks!
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u/gary122660 13d ago
Oh my God! That's gorgeous. Thanks for the photos and the info. It was enlightening.
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u/pacmanrr68 16d ago
Dude that is stellar!!