onyx
Sign in to saveOnyx is a typically black-and-white banded variety of agate, a silicate mineral. The bands can also be monochromatic with alternating light and dark bands. Sardonyx is a variety with red to brown bands alternated with black or white bands. The name "onyx" is also frequently used for level-banded (parallel-banded) agates, but in proper usage it refers to color pattern not band structure. Onyx, as a descriptive term, has also been incorrectly applied to parallel-banded varieties of alabaster, marble, calcite, obsidian, and opal, and misleadingly to materials with contorted banding, such as "cave
AI overview
Onyx is a semi-precious stone that is typically black and white in color, belonging to a family of minerals called agate, and it has been valued historically for decorative and ornamental purposes. The term "onyx" is sometimes misused to describe other banded stones like marble or alabaster, but properly refers specifically to the color pattern of the agate mineral itself rather than its band structure.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Mineral.boxtextcolor
- FFFFFF
- Mineral.boxbgcolor
- 353935
- Mineral.name
- Onyx
- Mineral.category
- Tectosilicate minerals
- Mineral.group
- Quartz group
- Mineral.IMAstatus
- Variety of quartz (chalcedony)
- Mineral.image
- Agate-Quartz-49959.jpg
- Mineral.alt
- Black onyx with concentric white bands
- Mineral.caption
- Onyx with concentric banding
- Mineral.formula
- SiO2 (silicon dioxide)
- Mineral.molweight
- 60.08 g/mol
- Mineral.color
- Black and white; red to brown with black or white (sardonyx)
Article
9 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Varieties
- Imitations and treatments
- Geographic occurrence
- Historical use
- Culture
- See also
- References
- External links
Onyx is a typically black-and-white banded variety of agate, a silicate mineral. The bands can also be monochromatic with alternating light and dark bands. Sardonyx is a variety with red to brown bands alternated with black or white bands. The name "onyx" is also frequently used for level-banded (parallel-banded) agates, but in proper usage it refers to color pattern not band structure. Onyx, as a descriptive term, has also been incorrectly applied to parallel-banded varieties of alabaster, marble, calcite, obsidian, and opal, and misleadingly to materials with contorted banding, such as "cave onyx" and "Mexican onyx".
==Etymology== Onyx comes through Latin (of the same spelling), from the Ancient Greek (), meaning or . Onyx with pink and white bands can sometimes resemble a fingernail. The English word "nail" is cognate with the Greek word.