The Mines

Revered by Egyptian pharaohs and Aztec kings and a sacred stone for the Native American Peoples, turquoise has been prized for thousands of years. Over time, turquoise has been mined around the world, with each mine producing different variations of the stone with unique characteristics. The deserts of the Southwest are particularly famous for their beautiful stones. Here, delve deeper into the history of the mines.

 

Bisbee Turquoise

The Bisbee Copper Mine was founded in the 1870s in Arizona. Turquoise was found in an area of the mine called the Lavender Pit. In 1972, the mine was leased for two years to recover the brilliant blue stone. Shortly thereafter in 1980, the mine was covered and closed with little of the stone recovered. Genuine Bisbee is an expensive stone due to its rarity, high quality, and vibrant blue and chocolate matrix. Bisbee is a collector’s prize. 

 

Campitos Turquoise

Campitos is mined in Mexico from the Pino Chueco and Cananea mines in Sonora. Campitos is unique and is found in clay as free-form nuggets, rather than the veins typical of North American turquoise. The color resembles that of Sleeping Beauty turquoise and ranges from light to medium blue with no matrix. Occasionally you may find pyrite inclusions that add a little sparkle.

 

Egyptian Turquoise

Today’s Egyptian turquoise is still mined from the original, ancient mines of the Sinai Peninsula that were used to mine gemstones for the pharaohs thousands of years ago. Egyptian turquoise is stunning and features rich color variations with strong matrixes.

 

Golden Hills Turquoise

Golden Hills comes from the Allyn-Tyube mine in Kazakhstan. Unique periwinkle blues and burnt umber matrix make this beautiful turquoise a fashion favorite.

 

Kingman Turquoise

Stone hammers found in Mohave County northwest of Kingman, Arizona show that Kingman turquoise was mined by Native Americans as early as 600 AD. The mine is famous for its beautiful blue matrix and is highly prized and sought after by collectors.

 

Lone Mountain Turquoise

The Lone Mountain mine is located near Tonopah, Nevada. The color ranges from a beautiful clear blue to a dark blue spider web. Occasionally, pseudo-morphs (cavities formed from organic remains like plants or clam shells in which the turquoise is formed) can be found and are extremely desirable.

 

Number 8 Turquoise

The Number 8 Mine in Eureka County, Nevada is one of the great classic American turquoise mines. It was discovered in 1929 and was closed to turquoise mining in 1976. At present it is mined for gold. The colors range from very light to dark blue, with the matrix varying from golden brown to black. Once the Number 8 gem quality turquoise stockpile is depleted, it will never be available again, making this legendary turquoise highly valuable.

 

Royston Turquoise

Royston is the oldest patented mine in Nevada and is known for its deep green to light blue stones with a heavy matrix ranging from dark brown to gold. This makes for beautiful combinations and color variations. Royston is considered very collectible and a good investment.

 

Sonoran Gold Turquoise

This gem quality stone is mined in Mexico and is a newer deposit in the Cananea Mines. It is also relatively new to the industry. The colors include aqua blue, lime green, and two-tone blue green fading from deep to pale aqua, and some feature a yellow spiderweb matrix. Jewelry set with this eye-catching stone is a must for any turquoise collector.

 

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

The Sleeping Beauty Mine near Globe, Arizona, named for the mountains that resemble a sleeping woman, closed in 2012. The stones are revered for their light sky-blue color with little or no matrix. Genuine Sleeping Beauty supplies are becoming quite scarce, adding to the value of this classic “sky stone.”



 Tyrone Turquoise 

 Tyrone was mined near Silver City, New Mexico near ancient excavations in 1875. The color ranges from beautiful deep blue to shades of green. The mine was closed in the 1980’s and Tyrone is highly collectible today.

 

 

White Buffalo Turquoise

This beautiful hard white gemstone from a mine near Tonopah, Nevada has become the standard for white turquoise. Right or wrong, it is called “White Buffalo Turquoise.” This rare and beautiful treasure runs in veins like turquoise and is surrounded by black chert. It cuts and polishes like turquoise and has geologists baffled. It is stunning and rare no matter what it’s called!

 

Wild Horse

Wild Horse is a magnesite that was discovered in the mid-90s near the Globe copper mine in the Gila wilderness of Southern Arizona. The colors are cocoa brown with whites and charcoal; hence, it was named after the wild appaloosa ponies that roam freely in the American West. There is only one source for Wild Horse and because of its beauty, it retains a high value and is very sought after.