Moose Fact: Turquoise Mine Description List
Turquoise is sourced from around the world! Depending on the location and mine, they can vary in color, luster, and webbing. At Turquoise Moose, we source from quite a few mines, each with their own quirk.
Let's find out more about them!
Bamboo Mountain Turquoise
Bamboo trees symbolize peace, tranquility, and prosperity and are unique with their distinctive, natural beauty. Bamboo Mountain turquoise, a rare turquoise mined in China close to the famous Yungai, is an exceptionally colorful turquoise that features rustic beige and browns, reminiscent of the bamboo tree. Each Bamboo Mountain turquoise stone displays a remarkable mottled stain glass-like of green hues along with a striking black matrix.
Bisbee Turquoise
Bisbee turquoise is sourced from copper mines located near Bisbee, Arizona. Bisbee turquoise is a rare find from famous American mines and is considered a collector’s stone. The highest grade of Bisbee turquoise exhibits a spectacular blue color, along with a striking brownish-red matrix. Bisbee turquoise is a highly prized, in-demand turquoise variety that does not resemble other turquoises in appearance. Treat your gorgeous, treasurable Bisbee turquoise as a hard-to-find historical artifact.
Blue Moon Turquoise
The Blue Moon turquoise mine is located near Tonopah, Nevada, which is close to the Royston mine. Blue Moon turquoise is known for its range of colors - from yellow to green, to blue. In addition, blue Moon turquoise is also known for producing similar accents of blue and spiderweb as the Yungai mine.
Blue Ridge Turquoise
The Blue Ridge turquoise mine is located in Nevada is popular for producing some of the world's most sought-after blue and green turquoise. Initially, the blue ridge mine was initially discovered to be abundant in beautiful shades of green turquoise. Recently, Blue Ridge proved to be a source plentiful in deep blue turquoise and Robin's Egg blue.
Carico Lake Turquoise
Experience the vibrant beauty that Carico Lake turquoise displays with its remarkable, all-natural appearance. Carico Lake turquoise radiates a cheerful, uplifting presence with its electric green hues to melodic, deep oceanic blues, along with a striking limonite matrix. Originating from Lander County in Nevada, this magnificent turquoise exhibits a scenic blend of enticing colors in every stone.
Crescent Lake Variscite
Crescent Lake variscite is a unique mint green stone that appears similar to turquoise. Variscite is sourced from the famous Silk Road area nestled between Tibet and Mongolia and is breathtaking with its incredible deep luster, opaque texture, and distinctive high-shine. Select variscite for your next artistic jewelry creation and make it the centerpiece for any imaginative design.
Damele Turquoise
Damele turquoise is a unique turquoise variation sourced from a small mine in Austin, Nevada. This delightful light green turquoise exudes a delicate, almost dainty appearance, giving it a peaceful, soothing tranquillity with its gorgeous color saturation. Select Damele turquoise as an exceptional center stone for any jewelry design.
Desert Lavender or Golden Hills Turquoise
The astonishing variety of turquoise, Desert Lavender, also known as Golden Hill turquoise, displays an enticing array of colors that are uplifting, rich in natural beauty, and soothing pastel hues. The wondrous Desert Lavender turquoise appears as a light baby blue to light brown to rustic brown in body color. A light “lavender” water web and spider matrix mimic high-quality/grade American turquoise, making Desert Lavender turquoise a fantastic selection for any turquoise enthusiast.
Giraffe Turquoise
The African animal, the giraffe, is extraordinary with its color pattern, making them revered because of their regal beauty. The Giraffe turquoise is named after these incredible mammals, displaying very slightly orange to yellow hues with bright brown to blue edges. Giraffe turquoise features a mesmerizing matrix of brown and black veining, enhancing their one-of-a-kind markings. Giraffe turquoise is sourced in Hubei, near the famous Yungai.
Green Egyptian Turquoise
The Green Egyptian turquoise variety originated from Egypt, brought into the USA in the early 2000s. Green Egyptian turquoise is a member of the Prince Egyptian turquoise family, a group of turquoise that is rare and difficult to find; it is highly sought-after and appreciated for its incredible color and fascinating spider matrix. Designate Green Egyptian turquoise as a center stone for your next one-of-a-kind artistic jewelry creation.
Green Serpentine
Green Serpentine, or just Serpentine, is often mistaken for jade or marble. Serpentine can range in color from brown to green and may display a spotted or mottled appearance. Serpentine is found in serpentinite rocks and often forms next to jade and chrysoprase, along with other important minerals. Serpentine has a slippery, waxy surface, making it a unique stone to touch.
Green Yungai Turquoise
Originating from Hubei, Yungai turquoise (or Cloud Mountain turquoise) is the signature turquoise of Asia. Green Yungai displays mesmerizing light lime to green grass shades and may contain blue. A solid dark black matrix spider web makes green Yungai quite remarkable with its natural display of intensity. Each green Yungai turquoise stone offers a different color variation; combine a few green Yungais in the same jewelry design and enhance their gorgeous appearance.
Golden Birch
Golden Birch turquoise was discovered in the 1990s in the “Cloud Town” of Hubei. Golden Birch turquoise features a distinctive brown-golden birch pattern with slender black spider web matrices. Dreamlike and majestic, showcase Golden Birch in your next jewelry design for a captivating natural elegance. Appreciate Golden Birch with its mesmerizing, earthy colors that are warm and inviting.
Golden Hill Turquoise
Golden Hill turquoise is a rare variety of turquoise that is the perfect selection for those who seek a hard-to-find, unique stone. Golden Hill turquoise exhibits a light baby blue hue to light brown shade and features a striking brown “lavender” spider web matrix. In some cases, rustic reds may be apparent in Golden Hill turquoise. Golden Hill turquoise is comparable in quality to top-grade American turquoise with its spectacular colors.
Kingman Turquoise
The Kingman turquoise originates from Kingman, Arizona, located one hour from Las Vegas, Nevada. The Kingman turquoise is revered for its bright, vibrant blue but can also range from very light to deep, oceanic blue tones, along with different tantalizing shades of green. The spider web matrix can appear as white, light brown, or black peppered with sparkling pyrite and even quartz.
Milky Way Turquoise
Space is infinite, dotted with light from the Milky Way, as it leads into the unknown, high above the earth and beyond our comprehension. Milky Way turquoise is named after the Milky Way galaxy, dotted with a decorative spider web matrix that resembles constellations and stars in the sky. This mesmerizing turquoise is a must-have addition for any gem collector or jewelry designer.
Morenci Turquoise
The Morenci Turquoise is known to be one of the top collectible mines amongst the US mines. This mine is identified with its deep ocean blue hues, unique pyrite spider web matrix, and quartz matrix. The Morenci turquoise mine is closed for decades and material from this mine is extremely rare.
Namtso Lake Turquoise
Namtso Lake turquoise was discovered in Tibet. This source has been depleted since the 1990s, making it a rare, exciting find. This remarkable turquoise exhibits a pastel blue body color with thin, shiny gold matrices, giving it a naturally elegant appearance. Namtso Lake turquoise is also available in intensely saturated blues that are brighter than Yungai turquoise. Enjoy this noteworthy turquoise in your next jewelry design or display it as a decorative stone and showcase its incredible color formation.
New Lander
The New Lander stone is an exciting, contemporary alternative to that of the turquoise stone and comes from the Old Lander Mine, located in Nevada. New Lander may also refer to a turquoise look-a-like stone, called variscite, rather than turquoise! Despite the difference in stone classification, New Lander carries a high value and has stunning clarity, making it a breathtakingly beautiful stone. Turquoise and New Lander may also appear very similar depending on the colors displayed.
Number 8 Turquoise
The number 8 turquoise mine has an outstanding turquoise sourced from a popular mine in the Southwest. The Number 8 turquoise mine is known for its intense sky blue color with even saturation and earthy brown matrix spiderweb pattern.
Orvil Jack Turquoise
Orvil Jack turquoise stands out because of its amazing lime green color. This mine produced a wide variety of turquoise, including vibrant yellows, calming blues, and lively greens, with some of the boldest, brightest turquoises. Orvil specialized in the green apple-lime green turquoise, which are great for collecting or setting into any jewelry creation.
Prince Egyptian Turquoise
The Prince Egyptian turquoise is mined from the Sinai Peninsula and is a rare variety distinctively different from other turquoise specimens. The Egyptian turquoise features enticing blue hues entwined with rich red and sparkling gold matrices, making it mesmerizing with its display of natural color formation.
Purple Lavender Variscite
The luscious Purple Lavender Variscite is mined in Nevada and is a rare find. This gorgeous, vibrant stone features an intricate spider-web pattern and spotted purple, blue, and green hues of various saturations and tones. Turquoise Moose acquired purple lavender variscite from a stone trader over a decade ago and is proud to offer it to the gem enthusiast community.
Royston Turquoise
Royston turquoise is sourced from Nevada in the Royston Turquoise mine, the oldest patented mine in Nevada. Royston turquoise cabochons often have a heavy, textured matrix that ranges from dark brown to bronzy-gold in color. The rustic, earthy appearance this turquoise variety displays makes it distinctively unique and captivating. Select Royston turquoise as the next center stone for your bold jewelry design.
Sand Hill Turquoise
Sand Hill turquoise was discovered in Henan, an area north of the famous Yungai turquoise mine. This variety of turquoise displays earthy, rustic brown and tan shades, along with pastel blue body colors. Sand Hill turquoise has incredible matrix patterns that are unique and striking in every stone. Turquoise Moose acquired Sand Hill turquoise in 2019, and it soon became a top favorite for many jewelry designers. Unfortunately, this source was depleted in 2020, making the Sand Hill turquoise a rare find.
Sleeping Beauty Turquoise
Sleeping Beauty turquoise is one of the most recognizable varieties of turquoise in the world. When people think about turquoise, it is usually this popular eggshell blue stone that comes to mind. Slender black spider web lines and light matrices make Sleeping Beauty turquoise perfectly suited for jewelry designs. The lightest of light ocean blue Sleeping Beauty stones rivals Persian turquoise, a variety sought-after and prized by gem collectors and gemstone enthusiasts. The mine for Sleeping Beauty turquoise is indefinitely closed down, which leaves a limited supply of Sleeping Beauty turquoise.
Sonora Turquoise
Sonora turquoise closely resembles the Robin’s egg blue of Sleeping Beauty Turquoise. Sonora turquoise displays a soothing translucent blue uniform across each stone, rich in saturation and color. Minimal matrix and other growth formations make this delectable blue turquoise a must-have. Sonora turquoise is mined in Mexico.
Sonoran Blue Turquoise
Sourced from the Sonora area of Mexico, the Sonoran blue turquoise offers a variety of outstanding color and amazing matrix patterns for avid turquoise enthusiasts. Sonoran Blue turquoise became available in 2021, hitting the market and standing out from the crowd with its serene and unique two-tone oceanic blue color.
Sonoran Gold Turquoise
Sonoran Gold turquoise is one of the hottest new varieties of turquoise to hit the market in 2020. This gorgeous turquoise displays a tranquil aqua blue or soothing lime green color and is also available in a spectacular two-tone oceanic blue/green body color. Sonoran Gold turquoise is sourced in the Sonora area of Mexico.
Sonoran Lime Green Turquoise
Enjoy the abundance of vibrant colors these Sonoran lime green turquoise stones have to offer, mined from the Sonoran area of Mexico in 2021. Sonoran Lime Turquoise is mined in the same area as Sonoran gold. Each gorgeous Sonoran turquoise exhibits a unique blend of tranquil oceanic blue and lime green hues along with an intriguing spider web matrix, setting them apart from other turquoise specimens mined around the world.
Treasure Mountain Turquoise
Treasure Mountain turquoise is sourced near Qingu, Hubei, and is famous for its mesmerizing variety of beautiful body colors and distinctive matrix patterns. Treasure Mountain turquoise has large, gorgeous webbings and vibrant pops of natural lime to forest greens, light to dark ocean blues, and luscious orange shades. Treasure Mountain stones can transform any jewelry design into remarkable and unique works of art.
Tyrone Turquoise
Tyrone is a highly desirable Southwest American turquoise variety that ranges from a light pastel green, bright sky blue to inky dark blue, mixed in with an earthy tan/beige to black spider web matrix. Tyrone turquoise is always unique depending on the stone: each gorgeous piece varies in color and matrix pattern, making them a fantastic treasure to own and collect for the lovers of wild and free.
White Buffalo
The name White Buffalo turquoise refers to another stone, White Buffalo dolomite, which is not actually turquoise. White Buffalo features a vibrant, bright white mottled with black inclusions and growth formations. In Native American culture, White Buffalo is believed to contain mystical qualities that include healing abilities and energy purification. White Buffalo is often found next to turquoise in the same mine and shares a similar mineralization process.
White Water Turquoise
White Water turquoise is sourced from the Campitos turquoise mine in the Sonora area of Mexico. White Water may contain a sprinkle of sparkling pyrite inclusions, along with its distinctive sky-blue body color. White Water turquoise is considered a higher grade turquoise because of its intense blue and dream-like white matrices.
Wild Horse Turquoise
We discovered Wild Horse on a trip to Tibet, where we collected a nominal amount from a local miner. Wild Horse turquoise is known for its incredible matrix, appearing as imaginative color patterns and intricate spider web mazes. Wild Horse can range from a rich chocolate brown to aqua blue, along with yellow-cream colors, giving it a warm, rustic appearance.
Woodan Mountain Turquoise
Woodan Mountain turquoise is found in Hubei and showcases a luscious color range. From pastel to deep oceanic blues to pastel lime and grass greens, Woodan Mountain turquoise may also contain flecks of gold and rusty yellows along with light, earthy brown tones. These gorgeous mottled turquoise pieces are vibrant and unique, often appearing as a concentric mottled maze of various colors that will uplift any jewelry design.
Yungai Turquoise / Cloud Mountain Turquoise
Yungai turquoise, or Cloud Mountain turquoise, originates from Hubei, Yungai, and is the signature, world-famous turquoise of Asia. Yungai turquoise appears as a light to dark ocean blue with a dark black matrix pattern, making them the ultimate statement stones for any jewelry design. Mix and match a few Yungai turquoises in the same setting for an explosive dose of incredible natural color.
OTHER GEMSTONES/STONES AVAILABLE AT TURQUOISE MOOSE
Australian Gaspeite
Gaspéite, a very rare nickel carbonate mineral, is named for the place it was first described, in Gaspé Peninsula, Québec, Canada. The recent years a small amount of it is found in western Australia. The attractive apple green color is quite popular in jewelry making.
Chalcedony
A chalcedony stone is a cryptocrystalline form of silica, composed of very fine intergrowths of quartz and moganite. Chalcedony has a waxy luster and is often translucent.
Citrine Stone
Citrine is a variety of quartz that can be found throughout the world. It ranges in color from pale yellow to bright shades of amber. Citrine brings full of good vibes, and it might just be Mother Nature’s way of reminding us that when life gives you lemons :) The use of citrines in jewelry can trace back to thousands of years ago.
Garnet
The word garnet comes from the 14th-century Middle English word garnet, meaning 'dark red'. Garnets are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones. Garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms. Most of these gems come from the USA, India, Sri Lanka, and Brazil, and they have been mined on almost every continent and loved by jewelry designers from all over the world.
Labradorite
Labradorite is a calcium-enriched feldspar mineral first identified in Labrador, Canada. Its name is derived from a place called the Labrador Peninsula, which is originally a source of the Canadian variety of Feldspar stones. On the Mohs scale, it has a hardness of 6.0 to 6.5. Its unique blue fire is adored by jewelers from all over the world.
Lapis Lazuli
Lapis lazuli is one of the most popular aggregate/metamorphic rocks, displaying a deep blue that sparkles with inclusions of pyrite, making each lapis stone a true treasure. Aggregate refers to the enchanting interplay of minerals commonly found in lapis: azurite, calcite, and pyrite. Lapis may also contain other trace minerals, affecting the color and pattern of inclusions. Reminiscent of a blue sky with sparkling stars, lapis is one-of-a-kind in appearance and easy to work with for jewelry designs, often fashioned into cabochons.
Malachite Stone
Malachite exhibits a mesmerizing green banding filled with delicious emerald greens to soft minty shades with white curves, making the stone come to life with a vibrancy and stunning appearance unparalleled by other green stones. Malachite is a translucent copper carbonate hydroxide mineral perfect for jewelry making and collecting. Enjoy the lush green stripes of malachite, as it is most commonly shaped into cabochons of both large and small sizes, amplifying its pattern.
Opal
Opal’s is known for its “play-of-color.” Back in the 1960s, it was explained when scientists discovered that it’s composed of microscopic silica spheres that diffract light to display various colors of the rainbow. Since its discovery in Australia around 1850, the country has produced 95% of the world’s opal supply. It is also mined in different parts of the world such as Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil, Honduras, the Czech Republic, and other parts of the U.S., including Nevada and Idaho.
Peridot Stone
Peridot is a type of olivine. It is also one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: olive green. Back in the day, the peridot was considered a stone that could provide healing powers, cure depression and open the heart. Peridot is the birthstone for the month of August and is loved by jewelry designers from all over the world.
Rhodochrosite
Rhodochrosite is a manganese carbonate mineral. In its pure form, it is typically a rose-red color and often translucent, and in other forms, it can contain colors such as brown and white stripes, making it an incredibly rare stone in terms of natural color combinations for jewelry design. It is believed that this stone stimulates love and passion while energizing the soul.
Rosarita Stone
Rosarita has an exceptional, eco-friendly alternative to coral because of its plentiful positive attributes and distinctive color. Rosarita is known for its intense, rich red, along with occasional striking gold streaks, making it a unique material to choose for any artisan silver or gold design. Rosarita will occasionally resemble glass with its high shine glossy finish, beautifully reflecting the light.
Spiny Oyster Stone
The spiny oyster, or spondylids, is a type of mollusk sometimes found off the Pacific Coast. The spiny oyster is not actually an oyster but a mollusk. Their versatile shells are used in jewelry designs, creating a lot of natural beauty, texture, and creativity utilizing their color. Spiny oysters display striking colors, such as purples, stunning oranges, and sometimes pink.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline comes in a glorious rainbow of beautiful colors, including rubellite (raspberry), green (formerly known as chrome tourmaline), and blue (indicolite), for example, offering intriguing hues of vibrancy. Tourmaline is also available in two or more colors, referred to parti-colored (watermelon tourmaline). Tourmaline can be shaped into fantastic faceted and smooth cabochon stones and is a hard enough mineral to be worn every day. Tourmaline is mined worldwide.
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