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Minnelusa Magic: The Fairburn Agate Journey

Minnelusa Magic: The Fairburn Agate Journey - Hardcover

by Scott D. van Dam
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Availability:In StockContributor:Scott D. van Dam, Christy C. Robinson, Thomas P. ShearerPublish date:5/20/2026Pages:52
Languages:EnglishPublisher:Scott D. Van DamISBN-13:9798985202717UPC:9798985202717Book Category:Nature, Science, PoetryBook Subcategory:Rocks & Minerals, Earth Sciences, Subjects & ThemesBook Topic:Geology, Animals & NatureSize:8.50 x 11.00 x 0.25 inchesWeight:0.468Product ID:SCCZ422PPE

Minnelusa Magic tells the story of one of the world's most intriguing gemstones: the Fairburn agate. Known for its striking holly-leaf banding and rich variety of colors, the Fairburn is South Dakota's state gemstone and a prize for collectors across the Great Plains.

This book brings the Fairburn's long journey to life. Formed more than 250 million years ago in the Minnelusa Formation, these agates began as microscopic sea creatures whose silica skeletons settled into ancient sediments. Over time, pressure, chemistry, and a touch of geologic mystery transformed those remains into banded nodules hidden in limestone. Uplift, erosion, and countless seasons of weather eventually carried them onto the prairies and into the hands of modern rockhounds.

Minnelusa Magic is not a geology textbook, though the science is here for those who are curious. Instead, it blends poetry, illustration, and photography to make the story both accessible and memorable. The agates themselves take center stage, narrating their own history in a playful "rock concert" voice that makes complex processes easy to follow. Readers who want more detail will find an appendix that explains the terminology and theories of agate formation.

At its heart, this is a book about curiosity and connection. It invites readers to see a simple stone as a record of vanished oceans, ancient creatures, and the restless forces that continue to shape our landscape. It's a celebration of both natural history and human fascination - the way one small object can capture imagination, inspire questions, and lead to a lifelong passion.

Whether you are a dedicated collector, a visitor to the Black Hills, or simply someone who enjoys a good story about the natural world, Minnelusa Magic offers a fresh way to experience the wonder of Earth's deep past.

Languages:EnglishPublisher:Scott D. Van DamISBN-13:9798985202717UPC:9798985202717Book Category:Nature, Science, PoetryBook Subcategory:Rocks & Minerals, Earth Sciences, Subjects & ThemesBook Topic:Geology, Animals & NatureSize:8.50 x 11.00 x 0.25 inchesWeight:0.468Product ID:SCCZ422PPE
Van Dam, Scott D.: - "Scott Van Dam moved with his family to the Black Hills in 2007 to begin his practice as an oral surgeon, quickly discovering he had also arrived in a rock-hunting paradise. A lifelong rockhound, he had collected stones since childhood, but South Dakota's Fairburn agates captured his imagination in a new way. Fascinated by both geology and storytelling, Scott began exploring the mystery of how these gemstones formed, weaving science with creativity to share their story in an engaging way. His playful poem about Fairburn agates - part rock concert, part geologic journey - grew into Minnelusa Magic, a book that blends poetry, illustration, and photography to celebrate the beauty, history, and enduring wonder of South Dakota's state gemstone."Robinson, Christy C.: - Christy C. Robinson has been drawing ever since she could grip a crayon. At 16 she was a published illustrator. Since then she has been on many artistic side quests including years as a landscape architect and art teacher. Recently she has come full circle back into illustrating. Minnelusa Magic is the first nonfiction work for which she produced the illustrations and the layout design. Find her and many fun, original coloring pages at https: //www.facebook.com/christycrobinsondesignShearer, Thomas P.: - Thomas P. Shearer is an accomplished photographer based in Rapid City, South Dakota, best known for his macrophotography of rocks and minerals. He was the sole photographer for Agates Inside Out by Karen Brzys, a widely respected and highly informative book that explores agates and their genesis. Over decades, Tom has become a trusted visual interpreter of agate mineralogy, combining artistic detail with scientific accuracy. Living in the heart of the Black Hills, he has had the unique opportunity to work closely with collectors and to document trophy Fairburn agates in extraordinary detail. In Minnelusa Magic, Tom's images showcase the beauty of these rare stones and, for the first time, reveal microfossils preserved within their surrounding chert matrix.
Publisher: Scott D. Van Dam

Contributor(s)

Scott D. van Dam, Christy C. Robinson, Thomas P. Shearer

Author

Scott D. van Dam

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