Turquoise Mines of the Southwest: A Field-Guide Map

Compiled by Mateo James · T.Skies Jewelry

The turquoise in Southwestern jewelry comes from named mines scattered across the American West, and the mine a stone came from shapes its color, its matrix and its story. These are our field guides to 18 of them — grouped by state, each linking to a full guide on what that mine produced and how to recognize it.

Nevada

Blue GemBattle Mountain's Deep-Vein Mine Carico LakeNevada's Apple-Green Faustite Mine Crescent PeakNevada's Sky-Blue Mountain Mine Fox MineNevada's Largest-Producing Cortez Mine Lone MountainOne of Nevada's Best Number EightNevada's Vanished Spiderweb Mine Pilot MountainNevada's Active Collector Mine Royal BlueNevada's 1,200-Pound-a-Month Mine Roystona District, Not a Mine Stormy MountainElko County's Black Matrix Mine

Arizona

Bisbeea Top-Five Collectible Kingmanthe Mine Behind the Default American Blue Morencithe Pyrite-Matrix Benchmark Sleeping Beautythe Matrix-Free Sky Blue

New Mexico

HachitaNew Mexico's Ancient Little Hatchet Mine Jarilla Mountainsthe Orogrande Mine and the Chaco Connection

Colorado

King's ManassaColorado's 'Lick Skillet' Mine Villa GroveColorado's High-Altitude Hall Mine

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Related guide: Turquoise Rings: A Buyer's Guide — how to choose sterling silver and genuine, disclosed turquoise.

From the T.Skies gallery: browse our turquoise jewelry collection.