I stopped by the sunstone area in southeastern Oregon this past year (my seventh trip), and found a few nice gems. The conveyors were shut down on two of the mines so I didn't get as many sunstones as I planned to get. Maybe next time! You can see I have a few with red, and one with green. I will probably cab one of the bigger ones (over 80 carats). Sunstone, if you don't know, is a precious feldspar that has copper in its matrix. It formed from rhyolitic lava. As the lava breaks down it releases the gems. The best gems are in the more clay like pockets in the lava layers. This is a BLM gathering area, so you can camp and just walk around and  keep whatever you find. Best gems are deeper, so bring your shovel. The BLM sunstone area is north of Hart Mountain (and the tiny towns of Plush and Adel). There are two main mines there, (basically ten to fifteen feet deep rectangles), and the Ponderosa Mine is due north of this area, on the other side of Hwy. 20. Never go to the sunstone area without a full tank of gas and lots of water. Never go there when the roads are wet. You might never get out. Pretty country though.

Really beautiful material. Would love to see some cut into cabs.
Thanks for the report of the area. I would love to go there...sounds perfect.