Gallery: Laguna Agate

Laguna Agate is the most highly praised banded agate in the world. It is a nodular banded agate known for its tight banding and bright colors. Some Laguna Agate may have over 100 individual bands per inch of surface. The bands may be clear or white or any other color. Striking color combinations along with subtle color shifts in the banding are common.

This agate is found in a remote north-south trending mountain range that is in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. These mountains are located about 150 miles south of El Paso, Texas, and can be seen from Mexican Highway 45 at kilometer post 110 by looking southeast across Eye Lake (see the mining page for maps of the location and pictures of the area). Estacion Ojo Laguna a train stop and small town is on the other side of the lake. Here live the miners that work the agate mines. There are currently 13 different claims covering several square miles on the mountain. If the exact location is known for the agates shown below, the location is noted by the claim and/or mine name. If not, only Laguna Agate is indicated. For other exceptional specimens, visit our gallery pages.

The pueblo of Estacion Ojo Laguna received electricity for the first time in 1997.

The book "The Agates of Northern Mexico" (publ. 1996) covers all the important agate locations of Northern Mexico, along with information about the people who brought the agates to market.  See our Publications page for more information and other books about agates and jaspers.

To find out more information about each specimen click on the "i" in the upper left corner of the picture.