Cripple Creek
Miners looking for gold also found the Cripple Creek turquoise deposits. The area yields some greenish turquoise and some light to dark blue turquoise with
Turquoise Information
Types of Turquoise
Natural Turquoise
Natural turquoise means that the rough rock has not been altered. The stone comes out of the mine and is only cut and polished. Natural turquoise remains porous and may change color over time. This turquoise is usually a hard 5-7 on the Mohs scale and will polish to a high shine. Silver Sun specializes in natural American collectable turquoise.
Stabilized Turquoise
Stabilized turquoise stone comes out of the mine and is too porous to be cut into beads or cabochons. It is still good stone, but it needs to be hardened using epoxy resin. Using this method will harden the turquoise so it is easier to carve (Zuni fetishes) and it will remain the same color. Silver Sun uses stabilized turquoise because it is more affordable and can be used in our production items.
Enhanced Turquoise
Enhanced turquoise is stone that is hardened with an electrical current in a water and copper solution. This process, also known as the J Zachery Treatment, does not inject any chemicals and only hardens the stone. This is the next best thing to natural. Enhanced turquoise will actually test out as natural. Silver Sun uses enhanced Sleeping Beauty turquoise and clearly labels it as such.
Color-Treated, Color-Enhanced, or Color-Infused Turquoise
Color-Treated, Color-Enhanced, or Color-Infused Turquoise are each very soft, dull colored and very low grades of turquoise. Both dye and epoxy resins are added to the stone to deepen the color and harden it.
Silver Sun does not sell this grade of turquoise.
Reconstituted Turquoise
Reconstituted turquoise is very, very low-grade turquoise that is crushed into dust and remade into a solid form using plastic resin. It can resemble natural turquoise, but will not test as natural. If the sample contains 80% turquoise, it can be labeled as genuine turquoise.
Silver Sun does not sell this type of turquoise.
Imitation Turquoise
Imitation turquoise, sometimes called simulated turquoise, is not turquoise at all. It is dyed plastic and should be labeled “turquoise color,” not turquoise. It contains no turquoise stone at all.
Silver Sun does not use this material in our jewelry.
Turquoise Mines
Silver Sun uses only the finest turquoise available today.
We draw upon a variety of mines still operating, and some that have closed, using the precious remaining quantities still available in today’s market.
Click on the name of the turquoise mine that you would like to learn more about. Each description states where the mine is located, the color of the turquoise, typical features and characteristics unique to the mine.
Crow Springs
Crow Springs, also known as AnnJax or Bluebird, is located near Tonopah, Nevada and 27 miles, as the crow flies, from the Royston turquoise mine.
Emerald Valley
Emerald Valley is a newer turquoise mine located in southwestern Nevada, near the renowned Royston mining district. Known for its rich green hues—from deep forest
Fox
The Fox Turquoise mine, located near Lander County and discovered in the early 1900’s, was once Nevada’s largest producer of turquoise with some half million
Golden Hill
Golden Hill turquoise is mined in the Altyn-Tyube region of eastern Kazakhstan, an area historically known for copper but only recently tapped for its turquoise.
Grasshopper
Grasshopper turquoise originates from a small mine in Lander County, Nevada, and is treasured for its brilliant green colors. Stones range from vivid lime-green to
High Lonesome
In the rugged foothills of southern New Mexico in the lower Hatchet Mountain range, you will find a very rough and beautiful place full of
Kingman
The Kingman mine in northwestern Arizona is the largest turquoise mine in the United States. Kingman blue has become a color standard in the industry.
Kingman Gold
This is Kingman Gold- preferred Marketing Name of the Colbaughs. It is 90% Kingman and 10% bronze – The bronze is infused into the stabilized
Lone Mountain Turquoise
Lone Mountain – Nevada Speaking about Lone Mountain, Joe Dan Lowry said, “Among all ‘classic’ Southwestern turquoise, only Lander Blue is more valuable.” It is
Ma’anshan
The Ma’anshan mine, located near Nanjing & Shanghai, is a lovely turquoise from China. This is Chinese turquoise most like American turquoise from Nevada (Royston)
Morenci
The Morenci turquoise mine produced a turquoise that is light to bright blue in hue. This stone has an unusual matrix of irregular quartz and