Singing The Blues: Turquoise vs. Chrysacolla

Turquoise in the host rock at the Sleeping Beauty Mine.

Arizona is famous for its Turquoise.   Sleeping Beauty, Kingman, and the famous Bisbee Blue are some of the more familiar names.  Another beautiful mineral found here is Chrysacolla, which is often mistaken for Turquoise because of its color.  While both Turquoise and Chrysacolla, having similar hardness of 2.2 to 2.8 on the Moh’s scale, are associated with copper and are by-products of copper mining, the similarities stop there.  

In technical terms, Chrysacolla is a hydrous copper silicate which occurs in the oxidation zones of copper deposits.  Basically, that means it is ore containing copper and silica that has been altered to the mineral Chrysacolla through contact with air and water.   Chrysacolla is a rather common mineral here in our copper-rich region of Arizona and is found in association with Azurite, Malachite, and Cuprite.  It is a surface mineral, which makes it an important indicator of copper deposits.  

Turquoise Mine

Turquoise, on the other hand, is a hydrated copper aluminum phosphate.  It is a secondary mineral caused by alteration in arid environments of aluminum bearing rocks rich in Apatite, Chalcopyrite, and Chalcedony.  Sulfides are also present in Turquoise deposits here in Arizona.  In other words, while Turquoise is associated with copper deposits, it also needs the presence of aluminum and phosphate in order to form.  Because of this special recipe, Turquoise is not as common as Chrysacolla.   Turquoise is typically formed as fissure fillings underground at a depth of about 60 feet, where it is found as veins or nuggets in the surrounding rock. 

Turquoise Vein

Vein Turquoise forms as a solution filling cracks, called fissures, in the host rock.  Most vein Turquoise is clear, or free of matrix, however, some vein Turquoise does contain matrix.   Nugget Turquoise is formed as the Turquoise collects in small pockets and holes within clay-filled fissures.   Commonly, nuggets will have a thin, evenly-spaced “spider-web” type matrix, though occasionally nuggets will be clear of matrix.  The color of the matrix is determined by the host rock in which the Turquoise formed.  Matrix can be reddish or rust-colored, brown, black, golden colored, or even silvery-gray- for example, brown or reddish matrix is the result of iron oxides in the rock.

The colors of the Turquoise itself also vary greatly and are determined in part by minerals present in the host rock, and can often vary even within the same mine.  Excess amounts of copper produce the blue color, while iron produces a Turquoise more in the green range.   An excess of aluminum tips the scales toward a green to greenish-white color, and zinc yields a yellow-green.  Most Turquoise mined in Arizona is in the blue range because of the abundance of copper here.  Nevada produces many fine examples of green and yellow-green Turquoise. 

In North America, Turquoise is found in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, and Central Mexico.  The California and New Mexico deposits were mined by Native Americans as far back as Pre-Columbian times.  Today, Arizona is one of the most important producers of Turquoise, followed by Nevada.  While many of the Turquoise mines, like Bisbee, are inactive or depleted, the famous Sleeping Beauty and Kingman mines, as well as a few others, are still active.

For more information about Turquoise, including mines and rockhounding sites, visit Rocks In My Head at Space A37 in Rice Ranch, 605-376-8754, or online at RocksInMyHead.  We have Turquoise from the Sleeping Beauty Mine in Globe, AZ and the Carico Lake Mine in Nevada.  We also have Chrysacolla, Azurite and Chrysacolla Silicate cabochons, and really cool copper nuggets.  Go to RocksInMyHead website!


Singing the Blues Turquoise Vs. Chrysacolla by Jenn Jedidiah Free & RocksInMyHead is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://jedidiahfree.blogspot.com.

Turquoise of Arizona

Bisbee Turquoise
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. Most of this turquoise has already been mined and what is left is in limbo due to circumstances with the copper mining in the open pit, it is one of the most highly collected stones. Most jewelry being made with this stone today is being made via the orders of the current owners of the mine, the rest is found through old "stashes" or collections that have been obtained.




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 mining. 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. When you do get good Ithaca Peak it is very pricey!

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. The Colbaugh's own this mine and the Turquoise Mountain mine, their company name is Colbough Processing. They have recently gone back into the section of the Kingman mine and are digging and bringing our some new Natural Kingman Turquoise.

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.

Beautiful Turquoise from Rocks In My Head

Sterling Silver, Copper, and Turquoise
Tie or Lapel Clip
by Soaring Eagle Designs
$95.00

Kingman Turquoise Cab from RocksInMy Head
$15.00

Kingman Turquoise Cab from RocksInMyHead
with ridge for setting.
$45.00

Turquoise Earrings
$10.00

Treatments for Turquoise

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Stabilized Turquoise 
Stablized turquoise has been treated with epoxies or acrylic resins. The chemicals are infused into the turquoise by soaking the material for a long period of time, or by subjecting it to pressure. When stabilized turquoise is cut, there is often a plastic smell.

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Enhanced Turquoise (Zachary Process) 
Enhanced turquoise has been treated with chemicals, then heated. The heating process eliminates any residual chemicals in the turquoise. Therefore, it is difficult to tell the difference between enhanced turquoise and natural, untreated turquoise. Unlike natural turquoise, enhanced turquoise usually does not turn green over time.

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Natural Processed Turquoise
The Natural Process is a new and exciting enhancement process for turquoise. Natural Processed turquoise has been treated with completely non-toxic chemicals. This process improves the polish and color of turquoise rough, without any dyes or nasty chemicals. If Natural Process turquiose is soaked in water for 24 hours, it is impossible to detect the difference between it and natural, untreated turquoise. Natural Processed turquoise is therefore the least invasive and highest grade of treatment available for turquiose. Unlike natural turquoise, Natural Processed turquoise will not turn green over time.

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Reconstituted Turquoise 
Reconstituted turquoise is natural, or previously stabilized material that has been pulverized into a powder, soaked in binders and then pressed back into a solid block. Reconstituted turquoise cuts easier than stabilized material, but has a lower value. Lapis, coral and other semi-precious gems can also be reconstituted.

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Block Turquoise 
Block turquoise is not turquoise. Instead, it is a simulant made from plastic, ceramic, or other material. Other semi-precious stones, such as malachite, lapis, charoite, etc. are simulated with block materials.