Agates labeled Conejeros come from a specific area on the La Puerto Laguna agate claim. The area is on the east side of the mountains and was dug extensively by hand until 1995 when Gabriel Olvera brought in a dozer to mine the area. The word Conejeros roughly means rabbit holes and referred to the many tunnels dug by hand in search of agates. The agate was so good here that the miners dug long tunnels in the side of the mountain. Two miners were killed here when their tunnels collapsed on them. It took days to dig them out and when their bodies were found their bodies were described as being like jello with most of their bones broken. The agate produced by Gabriel in 1995 and 1996 from the Conejeros area has been described as the best Laguna agate ever produced.
Laguna Agate from the Conejeros area
They just can't stop digging tunnels.
Workers in 1996. As many as 20 people worked here each day when the agate was hot.
Part of one miners days work.
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