The Polka Dot Agate Mine (And What Can Be Found There)

As of the date of this writing, the mine is closed to agate mining. However, thundereggs can still be collected here.

The Polka Dot Agate Mine is continuously producing a significant amount of material, which means even if you don’t want to dig, you can still get a hold of some of this incredible material from the owners who sell it on site.

The Polka Dot Agate Mine is well-known for its agate beds, which are responsible for the production of agates with polka-dot patterns.

The Polka Dot beds are a fee-dig site that is owned by West Coast Mining and are typically open during the summer months, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with the exception of certain holidays. You have the option of digging your own material or purchasing agates that have already been dug up by the pound.

What Is Polka Dot Agate?

High grade polka dot agate, came out to gorgeous to let go.
byu/melisandmarie incabochons

Polka Dot Agate is a highly mineralized variety of chalcedony that has been highly prized ever since ancient times. This material has always been used by Native Americans not only for the purpose of decoration and personal enjoyment but also as a means of subsistence.

As a matter of fact, the ancient mines that were originally dug by Native Americas hundreds of years ago can still be seen there today. More on this down below!

The Polka Dot agate is dotted all over with hematite, giving it a bluish-white appearance. These dots, when combined with a variety of different colored patterns, look like moons or other lunar bodies. Those who cultivate their imagination will find this material to be an excellent addition to their collection, especially for those who wish to use it for lapidary purposes.

The polka-dot pattern can be seen in the translucent agate, which is fitting given its name. The dots can be pointed or rounded, and they range in both size and color. The size might be anywhere from hardly perceptible to a quarter of an inch. The base hue of the specimens could be white, pale beige, or blue, and they could include inclusions that are red, orange, brown, or black.

Light blue translucent agate with brown and orange spots makes up about five percent of the material taken from the mine. This agate is known as “Blue Ice” or “Blue Ice Ocean.” Certain specimens contain jasper bands that range from red to brown in color and feature dark dendrites.

Because of the exceptional quality of Blue Ice, it is a product that has a higher grade. Lapidary artists value Polka Dot agates because they may be fashioned into stunning ornamental items through cutting, polishing, and carving.

History of The Polka Dot Agate Mine

Native Americans are credited with being the first people to mine for polka dot agate. They valued the agate because it could be easily knapped into sharp tools such as scrapers, blades, and projectile points, such as arrowheads. This ability to create tools greaty contributed to the stone’s value. They traveled throughout what is now the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada in order to transport, work with, consume, and trade with these materials mined from the Polka Dot mine location. Some of these tools have been located as far as Colorado.

When Is The Polka Dot Agate Mine Open?

The mine shack is normally open from the months of May through November, from 8 a.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. to 8 p.m. If the gate that is located close to the white trailer that has a variety of colored dots is closed, this indicates that the business is closed for the day. I recommend that you contact the mine in advance if you’re having to travel very far in order to visit the Polka Dot Agate Mine, just to make sure they’ll be open.

What Type of Material Can Be Found At Polka Dot Agate Mine?

A diverse selection of material can be found at the Polka Dot Agate Mine such as Polka Dot agate, picture jasper, thundereggs, and green jasper, which are sourced from West Coast Mining’s other mines.