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 pyrite that, when polished, often resembles silver. Also, a small amount of Morenci turquoise had some brownish matrix called “Morenci red matrix”. One of the first American turquoises to come to the market, Morenci is highly valued and difficult to obtain.
The Morenci mine is in southeastern Arizona and is now closed and buried under tons of rock. The land was leeched with chemicals that would destroy any trace of turquoise, which means that there is never a chance to re-open this mine. The former miners of Morenci still have quite a stash of rough stone, enough to release a small amount every year to keep it available.
