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Colorado Turquoise Mines

Turquoise Mine List | Grades & Quality | Healing Beliefs | Physical Properties | Spiritual Beliefs | Symbolism | USGS History | General Information | Other Gemstones | Rough Turquoise for Sale | Birthstones | Mineral Testing

Example Pictures are not necessarily the highest of grade, rather a good example of a common look from a particular mine.

Cripple Creek Turquoise

Cripple Creek
(Elkhorn Claim, Florence Mine, O'Haver Claim, Roanoke Shaft, Hidden Treasure Mine)

The Cripple Creek in Teller County, Colorado is the site of a number of small gold mines. Cripple Creek turquoise is found primarily as a by-product of gold mining. One of the groups still mining the site are the Bad Boys of Cripple Creek. This area yields some greenish turquoise, and some light to dark blue turquoise with brown matrix.

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Leadville (Turquoise Cheif Mine or Josie May)

Colorado does not have many turquoise mines but the few that it has are good ones. The stones usually have a lot of individual character, and vibrant colors. We have not seen much of this material in many years, therefore consider it very rare and hard to come by.

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LeadVille Turquoise
Picture Coming Soon!

Manassa (King's Mine or Lickskillet Mine)

Manassa turquoise is mined at Manassa in south central Colorado. It is known for its blue-green to green color with a golden or brown, non-webbed matrix. The Manassa mine is still in production, and owned by the King family, thus the alternate name sometimes used for this turquoise. The Manassa mine used to be call the Lickskillet Mine in the old days. This stone is one of our favorite, the beautiful green color is VERY striking, excellent when used in gold.

Bracelets | Earrings | Pendants | Pins | Men's Rings | Ladies Rings

Villa Grove
Villa Grove Turquoise was some of the finest Turquoise to ever come out of American soil. The Villa Grove Mine in Colorado is currently covered by a small mountain lake created by runoff and a natural spring, therefore is not being mine currently. The Mine was last owned by George Musik and before that by Menless Winfield. The turquoise is vivid deep blue, the only other turquoise we have seen with the highly coveted Bisbee Blue coloration or an absolutely stunning electric blue, the difference is the matrix is gold rather then brownish red, and usually a fine spiderweb or dendrites. The high-grade Villa Grove Turquoise in our opinion is incomparable, definitely the most beautiful Turquoise we have ever seen including Bisbee, and Lander Blue! The blue in the high-grade is so blue that a few cabs will turn a whole wall blue! This stone is very rare these days, especially the high-grade. Our Favorite!

Bracelets | Earrings | Pendants | Pins | Men's Rings | Ladies Rings

Other Colorado Mines:

Creede District

Holycross District

Sugarloaf District

Summitville District

Example Pictures are not necessarily the highest of grade, rather a good example of a common look from a particular mine.

I will continue to add to this list and eventually attempt to have a listing of all turquoise mines that have existed in Colorado. I need your help! If you know of another legitimate mining operation or old mine claim in Colorado, contact me at: durangodillon@gmail.com

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Turquoise Mine List | Grades & Quality | Healing Beliefs | Physical Properties | Spiritual Beliefs | Symbolism | USGS History | General Information | Other Gemstones | Rough Turquoise for Sale | Birthstones | Mineral Testing

We are always looking for great Turquoise and rare turquoise examples from all over the world. Please contact us if you know were to come across any, right now we are looking for Turquoise from California, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Virginia. We also collect rare gemstones. We are looking for great, magnetic lodestone. E-mail: durangodillon@gmail.com

Contact Information:

17897 Hwy 160 W
Durango, CO 81301
Phone: 970.375.2401

durangodillon@gmail.com

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