Lone Mountain Turquoise: Field Guide to One of Nevada's Best
Lone Mountain Turquoise: Field Guide to One of Nevada's Best
Lone Mountain turquoise comes from Nevada's Esmeralda and Nye County area and carries a distinction shared by only a handful of American deposits: repeated citation by primary sources as among the finest turquoise produced in the country. During a decade in mid-twentieth-century America, Lone Mountain was not merely notable — it was the sole significant producing mine in the United States.
Field Notes by Mateo James
Chambless documents the mine's lineage: the Moser brothers were among the first miners; Lee Hand later claimed the Blue Jay Mining Lode in 1920; and peak production arrived in the 1970s under Menless Winfield. But perhaps the most striking data point is this, from Chambless (~line 10608): "By 1955, the only amount reported, $20,000, was from the Lone Mountain mine in Nevada, owned by Doc Wilson." In the mid-1950s, when the broader American turquoise industry had contracted sharply, Lone Mountain carried on as essentially the entire domestic production.
Lowry (2010) identifies Chris Lott as the current owner at the time of writing. Lowry also ranks Lone Mountain among the world's finest: the mine appears alongside Number Eight, Lander Blue, and top Persian turquoise as a benchmark of quality in Chambless's grading commentary. That ranking has teeth — these are not marketing claims but assessments from trade insiders writing for a specialist audience.
The physical reality of the mine has limits: tunneling over decades eventually weakened the integrity of the mountain itself, constraining how aggressively the deposit could be worked. That constraint is part of why genuine Lone Mountain stone commands attention at auction.
Collector's Handbook
What to look for: Lone Mountain's reputation rests on blue stone of exceptional quality. Primary sources place it in the top tier alongside Lander Blue and the finest Persian turquoise.
Recognition tells: The mine produced across multiple eras under different owners. Verify provenance claims against the documented ownership timeline: Doc Wilson (mid-century), Menless Winfield (1970s peak), Chris Lott (2010 per Lowry).
Honest mine-status hedge: Current production status is not confirmed in available primary sources beyond Lowry's 2010 account. Active mining depends on structural feasibility of the mountain; supply is limited.
Related mine guides: Pages for Bisbee, Sleeping Beauty, Number Eight, Cerrillos, Royston, Kingman, Lander Blue, and Morenci mines are coming soon to this field guide.
References
- Lowry, Joe Dan. Turquoise: The World Story of a Fascinating Gemstone (2010). [Overview and ownership.]
- Chambless, Philip. The History of the American Turquoise Industry (~line 10608). [Production data; quality ranking ~9340.]