Turquoise
December birthstone and humanity's first traded gem — Egyptian Sinai mines worked by 3000 BC. Iran's Neyshabur hills yield the legendary robin's-egg blue; Arizona's Sleeping Beauty mine defined Native American silverwork; Hubei, China now leads output.
Known origins & mines
Neyshabur Mines · Iran
7000 years of continuous mining atop Ali-Morad mountain produce the robin's-egg standard all turquoise grades compare to — Persian stones cr…
Sleeping Beauty Mine · United States
The pure sky-blue, no-matrix turquoise that defined Native American silverwork closed copper production in 2012 — Sleeping Beauty stock now …
Bisbee Lavender Pit · United States
Copper pit byproduct yielded hard spiderweb Bisbee turquoise in deep blue-green — collector grade since the Lavender Pit closed, prices riva…
Mineral Park Kingman Mine · United States
One of the worlds largest and longest-worked turquoise producers, its bright blue stone defining the American market since the 1880s.…
Shiyan Hubei Fields · China
China's turquoise capital around Zhushan county supplies over half of world output — Yun county mines feed both traditional carving and glob…
Cerrillos Hills Mines · United States
Pre-Columbian Pueblo mines worked for 1000+ years before Spanish arrival — Cerrillos green-blue turquoise traded as far as Chichen Itza.…
Royston Turquoise District · United States
Nevadas oldest recorded turquoise district, known for two-toned green-and-blue ribbon material prized by Southwestern jewelers.…
Sinai Serabit el-Khadim · Egypt
Pharaonic turquoise galleries beneath Hathor's temple mined by expeditions from Menes era — the world's first recorded gem mining operation.…