Arizona Turquoise
A Brief History
Turquoise, the robin’s egg blue gemstone worn by Pharaohs and Aztec Kings, is probably one of the oldest gemstones known. Yet, only its prized blue color, a color so distinctive that its name is used to describe any color that resembles it, results in its being used as a gemstone. Turquoise has been, since about 200 B.C., extensively used by both southwestern U.S. Native Americans and by many of the Indian tribes in Mexico. The Native American Jewelry or "Indian style" jewelry with turquoise mounted in or with silver is relatively new. Some believe this style of Jewelry was unknown prior to about 1880, when a white trader persuaded a Navajo craftsman to make turquoise and silver jewelry using coin silver. Prior to this time, the Native Americans had made solid turquoise beads, carvings, and inlaid mosaics. Recently, turquoise has found wide acceptance among people of all walks of life and from many different ethnic groups.
The name turquoise may have come from the word Turquie, French for Turkey, because of the early belief that the mineral came from that country (the turquoise most likely came from Alimersai Mountain in Persia (now Iran) or the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, two of the world’s oldest known turquoise mining areas.) Another possibility could be the name came from the French description of the gemstone, "pierre turquin" meaning dark blue stone.
Chemically, a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum, turquoise is formed by the percolation of meteoric or groundwater through aluminous rock in the presence of copper. For this reason, it is often associated with copper deposits as a secondary mineral, most often in copper deposits in arid, semiarid, or desert environments.
For thousands of years the finest intense blue turquoise in the world was found in Persia, and the term "Persian Turquoise" became synonymous with the finest quality. This changed during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s when modern miners discovered or rediscovered significant deposits of high-quality turquoise in the western and southwestern United States. Material from many of these deposits was just as fine as the finest "Persian." Today, the term "Persian Turquoise" is more often a definition of quality than a statement of origin, and the majority of the world’s finest-quality turquoise comes from the United States, the largest producer of turquoise.
Bisbee
The Bisbee mine "the Lavender Pit", near Bisbee, Arizona, is one of the more famous of the American mines because Bisbee turquoise (also known as "Bisbee Blue" registered name) was one of the first put onto the market. The turquoise mine is part of the Bisbee copper mine (The Copper Queen), the main operation of the site. Bisbee turquoise has developed a reputation as a hard, finely webbed or dendrite, high blue stone, known for its "chocolate brown" matrix. Bisbee Turquoise also comes in a beautiful dark green color.
Castle Dome
Most of Arizona’s turquoise mines are actually large open pit copper mines that the turquoise deposits are leased .The company or person with the lease is called in to mine the turquoise when they hit a pocket of it as they are copper minnig. This is a mine that was very active back in the 1970’s.
Ithaca Peak
The Ithaca Peak mine is located in northwestern Arizona above the Kingman mine. The Ithaca Peak mine is famous for its beautiful blue with pyrite matrix. This material is outstanding. It is owned and operated by the Colbaugh’s. It is fairly rare to get good Ithaca Peak as main production is focused on Turquoise Mountain.
Kingman
The Kingman mine in northwestern Arizona was one of the largest turquoise mines in North America. The terms "Kingman" or "high blue" refer to the blue color usually displayed in this stone. It has become a color standard in the industry. The mine became famous for its rounded, bright blue nuggets with black matrix. Few turquoise mines produced nuggets, especially of this quality. Old natural Kingman Turquoise is rare.
Morenci
Morenci Turquoise is mined in southeastern Arizona. It is high to light blue in color. Morenci has an unusual matrix of irregular black pyrite that, when polished, often looks like silver. Morenci turquoise is well known because it was one of the first American turquoises to come on the market. It is very difficult to obtain now because the mine is depleted. It is a collectible turquoise.
Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty mine is located near Globe, Arizona. Its turquoise is noted for its solid, light blue color with no matrix. Sleeping Beauty turquoise is the favorite of the Zuni Pueblo silversmiths for use in petit point, needlepoint, and inlay jewelry. This mine is one of the largest in North America and is still operating.
Turquoise Mountain and "Birdseye"
Turquoise Mountain and "Birdseye" turquoise come from the same mine in northwestern Arizona near the Kingman mine. The mine was closed in the 1980s. It is light to high blue, with both webbed and non-webbed matrix. "Birdseye" describes stones from this mine that show areas of light blue circled with dark blue matrix, resembling the eye of a bird. It is a beautiful addition to one’s collection.
Turquoise Variations
- Bisbee Turquoise
- Blue Diamond Turquoise
- Blue Gem Turquoise
- Candelaria Turquoise
- Carico Lake Turquoise
- Cerrillos Turquoise
- Chinese Turquoise
- Cripple Creek Turquoise
- Damele Turquoise
- Dry Creek Turquoise
- Enchantment Turquoise
- Fox Turquoise
- Indian Mountain Turquoise
- Kingman Turquoise
- Lone Mountain Turquoise
- Manassa (King’s Mine) Turquoise
- Morenci Turquoise
- Nacozari Turquoise
- Number Eight Turquoise
- Orvil Jack Turquoise
- Paiute Turquoise
- Persian Turquoise
- Pilot Mountain Turquoise
- Royston Turquoise
- Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
- Stormy Mountain Turquoise
- Turquoise Mountain Turquoise and "Birdseye" Turquoise
- Tyrone Turquoise
Resource Links:
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/gemstones/sp14-95/turquoise.html
http://www.silversun-sf.com/turquoise_info/ajax.htm
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Tags: arizona turquoise, az turquoise mines, aztec kings history, birdseye, bisbee turquoise, castle dome, indian style jewelry, ithaca peak, kingman az, native american jewelry, sleeping beauty, turquoise mountiain
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