Mines

Subcategories

• Campitos

  This is a clear turquoise from the Campitos mine in Cananea, Sonora, Mexico which resembles the deep blues of Sleeping Beauty. It is medium light-blue with no matrix and little pyrite, but some of the material does produce alot of pyrite. The turquoise is very unique in that it is very clean and clear and has been consistant over the years. The mine has been producing turquoise since the 1980s, it is also considered the mine that has produced the most turquoise in Mexico. It is 25 miles away from the U.S border as the crow flies.  There are also historical traces of Native American turquoise mining in the surrounding areas.

• Tyrone

  Tyrone turquoise was mined outside of Silver City in the southwestern area of New Mexico. As with many turquoise mines, its original purpose was for copper mining.Turquoise is considered a secondary mineral of a copper mine, and because of the money and scale of operation is for the copper, these companies see turquoise as a waste product and it ends up in the tailings. Rarely, some copper companies will allow people to pick turquoise out of these rock “refuse” piles. In the early 1980s, when the Tyrone mine owner, Phelps Dodge, employed a new extraction method of crushing and acid wash, this process destroyed any turquoise within the copper ore. Because of this, Tyrone turquoise has not been mined since then.

• White Buffalo

  White buffalo turquoise has been referred to as “White Buffalo” in US mining and trading circles for over fifty years. Most participants in these circles do not use the term “White buffalo Turquoise” at all, as the stone is not truly turquoise. Because White Turquoise contains no copper and lacks a blue coloration, it is technically not turquoise at all. The main mineral in white buffalo stone is Calcite. But depending on the crystalline structure of the Calcite, it morphs into minerals called Dolomite or Aragonite. It is a softer stone than turquoise and is typically white with black or brown vein patterns. White Turquoise is typically found in the southwestern United States, particularly in Nevada and Arizona.

• Wild Horse

  Wild Horse is the name given to this stone, whose geological name is magnesite wich is a mixture magnesite/hematite. This stone that was discovered in the mid-90' near the Globe copper mine in the Gila wilderness area of southern Arizona and only come from there. It features a creamy color with black patterns.

• Kingman

  The Kingman Turquoise mine is located in Kingman, northwestern Arizona, and is the largest operating turquoise mine in North America. Turquoise from this mine has been identified in over 30 different colors! Consequently, the appearance of the different varieties of turquoise can mimic many other known turquoise deposits around the world. In addition, the mine became famous for its rounded, bright blue nuggets with black matrix. Remarkably, old natural Kingman Arizona Turquoise is rare. The Colbaugh’s own this mine, the Ithaca Peak Turquoise mine, and the Turquoise Mountain mine. The company name is Colbough Processing. The newly discovered veins of natural Kingman Turquoise has intense black spiderweb, and is very desirable and valuable! As a result of the high production, most of the turquoise jewelry you see today features Kingman turquoise from Arizona, USA.

• Morenci

  This turquoise is mined in southeastern Arizona, near Clifton/Morenci. It has produced some of the finest Turquoise that has ever come out of the ground! It is high to light blue in color. Some rare high grade is naturally a super dark blue. Morenci has an unusual matrix of irregular black pyrite that, when polished, often looks like silver. It is well known because it was one of the first American turquoises to come on the market. It is also very well known for its high grade. This mine also produces turquoise with a “Birdseye” or “Water Web” matrix pattern. Some of the Turquoise has rare quartz matrix. As a result, it is very difficult to obtain now because the mine is depleted. Hence, Morenci is a very valuable and collectible variety of turquoise.

• Royston

  Royston Turquoise comes from the Royston mining district located just North of Tonopah, Nevada. Most interesting, mining first commences in the early 1900s. Most importantly, Royston Turquoise originally consisted of four old Turquoise claims located within the Royston mining district. These mines include: Easter Blue, Bunker Hill, Royal Blue, and Oscar Wehrend. Especially relevant, the Royal Blue mine is responsible for most of the turquoise from the area and is sometimes people refer to it as Royston Royal Blue Turquoise. The Royston mine produces turquoise ranging in color from dark green to deep sky blue. Colors often run together in the same stone with a webbed golden brown matrix. The mine currently produces some very high grade material, but limited in quantities. Periodically, the owners of the mine will allow visitors to pay to tour the mines and pick through the tailing piles. In conclusion, the mines belong to the Otteson family.

• Number 8

  Among all turquoise in the world, one of the most coveted is #8 from Eureka County, Nevada. It comes in light blue, dark blue and bluish green and can be webbed with black, brown or red matrix. The black and red matrix are the most desirable. The #8 mine is also known for producing large high grade nuggets, one of which weighed more than 9 pounds. However, on June 23, 1954 three miners discovered a nugget weighing in at 150 pounds, and it was gem quality!

• Unknown

• Sleeping Beauty

  The Sleeping Beauty mine was located near Globe, Arizona. Its turquoise is noted for its solid, light blue color with no matrix. The mine has been closed for over 10 years. Sleeping Beauty turquoise is the favorite of the Zuni Pueblo silversmiths for use in petite point, needlepoint, and inlay jewelry. It is one of the most popular Turquoise varieties world wide. It has a close resemblance to the old high grade blue Persian Turquoise. In some countries, solid blue Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is of the highest value. In this country, black media is added at the mine, which attaches to the natural white matrix. American’s like the blue and black contrast. Most of the robin’s egg blue turquoise you see today is Sleeping Beauty turquoise.

• Hubei

  The Hubei mine si located in the Hubei Province, produces turquoise in colors reminiscent of the now closed mines in Nevada. This turquoise ranges in color from sky blue to spring green as well. Two of the finest mines in the Hubei province are the Yungai, which means, "a mountain covered with cloud" and the Zhuxi "a mountain where growing plenty of bamboo". The Yungai, or Cloud Mountain has produced natural Turquoise that is equal to a number of the finer Nevada mines that are now closed. Mines like the Nevada Blue, Number 8, Blue Ridge and the famous Lander Blue. 

• Mojave Purple

  Mojave Purple Turquoise is only available in the Kigman mine in Arizona. Purple Mohave Turquoise beautifully showcases bright crimsons, blues, pinks, purples and violets with striking golden metallic veins of bronze. Normal for Turquoise and very attractive, whether you choose mosaicking is up to personal taste, noting attractive and well-balanced patterns don’t affect Turquoise’s value. Simply determine your preference by assessing the gems overall appearance, along with its colors and shapes. 

• Mosaic Kingman

  Mosaic Kingman is a type of Kingman Turquoise from the mine in Kingman, Arizona, the mine was founded in 1882 and was first discovered and mined by ancient Native American civilizations before Europeans discovered the continent. It is one of the most important Arizone Turquoise mines in existence. Kingman Turquoise Mine stones are among the most beautiful and sought after varieties, known for its characteristic veining. Most of the turquoise stones pulled form the Kingman Turquoise Mine are used for the highest quality turquoise jewelry, but some of the stones collected are used for tile that sells for hundreds of dollars per square foot.

• Variscite

  The Variscite Turquoise comes from Fairfield, Utah. This mine was opened in the 50s, the Utah Variscite that came from this mine was extremely rare and had inclusions of Crandelite, Wardite and other rare minerals. A lot of this material was sold as specimens as it was too beautiful with all the other minerals in it to cut it up. This particular type of Utah Variscite is very hard to came by. The real allure of this Utah Variscite to me is the mix of the Variscite, Crandelite, and Wardite which give the stone a wonderful picture

• Sonoran Gold

• Elisa

• Dinosaur Bone

• Mojave Green

• Shell

• Spiny Oyster

• Nevada

• Abalone Shell

• Opals

• Gibbsite