Godber Turquoise: Field Guide to Nevada's Dry Creek / Burnham Mine
Part of the Turquoise Mines field guides and The Southwest Jewelry Guide.
Oscar Branson’s 1975 book placed the Godber mine, also worked as Dry Creek and Burnham, east of Austin, Nevada. Every statement below is quoted or paraphrased from that book, with page numbers, so you can check each one. Branson wrote in 1975; anything he describes as current describes 1975, not today.
What Branson recorded
Branson (1975) summed up the mine:
“This mine east of Austin, Nevada was discovered in 1932 and has intermittently produced some of the finest turquoise in Nevada.”
— Branson (1975), p. 28 [1]
According to Branson (1975, p. 28), the claim had been worked by many people under many names, including Last Chance, Blue Stone, Homesite, Dry Creek, Burnham and Godber. [1]
As of 1975, Branson (1975, p. 28) reported that the Godber family of Scottsdale and Phoenix owned the mine. [1]
On the stone, Branson (1975) wrote:
“The turquoise is produced in seams and nuggets, ranging from light to dark blue.”
— Branson (1975), p. 28 [1]
Branson (1975, p. 28) singled out a very dark or black mottling that formed blotches and veins through the stone, and sometimes a spider web. [1]
Branson (1975, p. 28) added that some stones were so vividly blue they looked treated, but that the material was too hard and compact to treat. [1]
See all the turquoise mines we profile, including the other Nevada mines.
How this page is sourced. We strive for accuracy: every factual statement above is quoted from or credited to the printed work listed below, with page numbers, and this page is continuously updated with new information as we read more of our library. See something we should correct? Contact us.
Sources
- Branson, Oscar T. Turquoise: The Gem of the Centuries. Santa Fe: Treasure Chest Publications, 1975. Cited by printed page. Statements describe conditions in 1975.