This material is collected from a very limited number of shoreline locations in the Upper Peninsula region of Lake Superior. One of the primary collecting areas has been lost to shoreline erosion, and another is now seasonally buried under shifting sand, significantly reducing reliable access to fresh material.
As a result, the usable yield from field recovery is extremely low. The majority of nodules found in these areas are not suitable for lapidary use, often consisting of thin surface agate development, quartz replacement, or structurally unstable material that cannot be reliably cut into cabochons.
Only a small fraction of recovered material meets the stability and internal structure required for finished stonework.
Each finished piece therefore represents a highly selective outcome from a constrained and diminishing field source.
size 11
sterling silver