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Product Description
TeePee Canyon Polished Collector Rock
This lovely rare TeePee Canyon Agate came from a private collection and was self collect in the 1950's.
It is sliced thick and polished on one face, left natural on the edges.
This polished collector agate is 5 inches by 2.6 inches and .7 of an inch thick.
Teepee Canyon Agate, once known as Hell's Canyon Agate, is found in Custer County, South Dakota.
TeePee Canyon Agates occur within small to large, tan to chocolate colored chert nodules in limestone and dolomite of the lower Minnelusa formation. The limestone was very hard and recovery of the TeePee Canyon agates was difficult. Nodules were relatively numerous, but most were barren of agate and only contained red jasper, the gem-quality agates display fine fortification banding with banding of red, black, orange, yellow, pink, cream, and white.
TeePee Canyon Agate was mined for many decades on several claims, but in the 1980’s and 1990’s, activities at these mines declined and, ultimately, ended as the owners passed retirement age. The area was closed for development of new mining plans prior to the early 1980’s. The area was then devastated by a forest fire in 2000. Some new claims were filed in 2012, but in recent years, activity has been limited to minor surface collection. The area known as "Hells Canyon" is still closed to collecting as it is part of Jewel Cave Monument.
