Banded Agates of Northwestern Mexico

Banded agates are a passion of mine. My collection of these patterned and colorful cryptocrystalline wonders composed of chalcedony/quartz include rough and or polished specimens from many of the major worldwide sites where they are found: Queensland agates from Australia; Botswana agates from that Southern African nation of the same name; Condor agates from the Patagonia region of Argentina; Brazilian agates from a mountain range located in both Brazil and Uruguay; Ayrshire agates from Scotland; Dryhead agates from Montana; Fairburn agates from South Dakota; and Lake Superior agates from the north central states of the USA. However, due to their diversity in terms of how many varieties there are with distinctive and unique characteristics such as “shadows,” tubes, eyes, the iris effect, and pseudomorphs, the banded agates of Northwestern Mexico are my favorites.

Defined as an agate whose colors are arranged in varying widths of bands or stripes, the banded agates of Mexico are primarily found in the desert lands in that country's largest state, Chihuahua. Formed in volcanic rock approximately 28-45 million years ago, these agates (many literally for ages lying on the ground exposed in the remote, harsh, and arid environment) did not become well known until 1945 when rockhounds with picks and shovels in hand from the US entered the Chihuahuan desert in Mexico and “discovered” them. From 1945 through the early 1960s an “agate rush” of sorts ensued and the banded agates, most of which were brought back to the US, particularly to El Paso, Texas and other parts of the southwest, became sought after by the world’s agate collectors. It was only in the 1990's, due in large part to NAFTA’s opening up of opportunities for foreigners to do business in Mexico, that limited organized mining utilizing heavy equipment occurred. Currently, a majority of the better known and most popular of the varieties like Lagunas, Gallegos, and Coyamitos are found in Northern Chihuahua, in the Sierra del Gallego area.

For the most part, the agates derive their names from the cattle ranches that they are on or the small towns that are near where they are found. Others like Dogtooth Lace, Cactus Lace, Day and Night Lace, or Chinese Writing Lace which are among the numerous types of Crazy Lace agates or Apache Flame are named after some of the physical characteristics that they exhibit. Of the dozens of types of banded agates that have been found, the following are among the better known- Agua Nueva, Aparejos, Coyamito, Crazy Lace, Gallego, Sueco, Mesquite, Apache/Apache Flame, Casas Grandes, Moctezuma, Parcelas, Loma Pinta, and Laguna.

The majority of agate afficionados would agree that the most highly prized of Mexico’s banded agates are the Lagunas of which the best quality exhibit many or all of the characteristics that the agates are desired for such as ideal shape, good size, solidity (lack of fractures, quartz centers, and matrix), bright colors, and, of course, choice combinations of whole patterns. Foremost of these characteristics are the outstanding “fortification” patterns- the banding making sharp, angular turns that resemble the parapets of fortresses- that the Lagunas can display. The finest of the Lagunas along with their striking and intricate fortification banding offer a vivid range of bright colors including red, gold, purple, lavender, pink, yellow, orange, beige, grey, green, or white.

Another highly sought after banded agate are the Moctezumas. Found in three locations in Chihuahua, they are less flashy than the Lagunas but equally as beautiful. Extremely opaque, the Moctezeuma’s colors/patterns are not as vivid as are the Lagunas but rather are pastels whose colors include shades of pink, salmon, yellow, tan, and occasionally green and blue.

Of all of Mexico’s banded agates my personal choice not only because they are much more affordable than the exhorbitantly priced finest quality Lagunas and Moctezumas whose stocks have become quite depleted are the more abundant Crazy Lace aka Mexican Lace agates. Best described as whimsical in appearance, the Crazy Lace pattern generally consists of swirling irregular and curved bands including undulating zig-zags, scallops, sunbursts and eyes. The polished slab specimen that I am looking at now that is in my collection and that was the first banded Mexican agate that I ever purchased has all of the features just mentioned in an appealing array of colors- pink, burgundy, mauve, yellow, cream, white, black, and grey. On our roof terrace are large pieces of Crazy Lace rough (along with hundreds of other specimens of rocks, minerals, fossils, and petrified wood) that look amazing as the midday sun shines on them. Moreover, like most other Mexican banded agates including Laguna and Moctezuma, Crazy Lace due to its relative hardness, distinctive colors, and outstanding patterns can be fashioned into gorgeous jewelry, especially rings and pendants made from lapidary shaped and polished cabochons or small freeform polished slabs.

Yet, if you are interested in purchasing high quality banded Mexican agates, you are best advised not to go rushing off to the state of Chihuahua to do so. The now long agate savvy Mexican owners of the agate properties/claims will only sell you “junk” as their priorities are to maintain excellent business relationships with their customers in the gem trade industry that they historically have had regular dealings with. Ironically, your best bet may be to purchase fine quality Mexican rough and polished banded agates, in person or on the Internet, from The Gem Shop, Inc. of Cedarsburg, Wisconsin which has had mining operations at some of the best agate locations in Chihuahua for Lagunas, Apaches, Coyamitos, and Agua Nuevas. Go figure, I live in Mexico and I can’t get good ones here even if I could afford them!