Where American Turquoise Comes From — mines, map, and a short guide

Turquoise is one of the iconic stones of the American Southwest — its blue-greens are tied to landscapes, history, and Native craft. Most turquoise deposits in the U.S. are located in the Southwest (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and parts of California/Utah), and several individual mines have become famous for uniquely consistent color, matrix, or scarcity.

The Big Picture: geology & geography

Turquoise forms in arid climates where the copper in the rocks weathers and combines with aluminum and phosphorus-bearing solutions. That geological theater is found in the arid, copper-rich ranges of the U.S. Southwest — which is why Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico host so many historic and modern mines.

Notable mines State by State

Arizona

• Kingman (near Kingman, AZ) — producing turquoise for ages, this district is known for bright sky-blue Kingman turquoise; it’s one of the most frequently referenced U.S. sources of turquoise in the US.

• Sleeping Beauty (Globe / near Miami area) — famed for very pure, relatively matrix-free sky-blue turquoise; historically large production though mining/production ceased in 2012 making the stones on the market more valuable.

• Bisbee (Cochise County) — closed since the mid 1970s this mine is celebrated for richly colored stones and dramatic dark chocolate to black matrix patterns -- collectors prize “Bisbee Blue” due to it's scarcity.

  
  

Nevada

• Royston district (Tonopah area / Royston Hills) — produces a variety of colors from deep blues to greenish tones with attractive matrix; Royston district includes the Royal Blue, Oscar Wehrend, Bunker Hill, and Easter Blue (also known as Blue Gem) mines.

• Lone Mountain, Lander Blue, #8 (Number Eight) and other Nevada localities — Nevada is extremely important for collectible turquoise varieties and includes several “classic” names in collectors’ guides.

  
  

New Mexico

• Cerrillos Hills (Tiffany / Castilian areas) — these are ancient turquoise workings (Ancestral Puebloan), and Cerrillos turquoise is archaeologically and historically significant; it’s situated southwest of Santa Fe. Modern commercial mining is limited but the district has deep cultural importance.

  
  

Colorado

• Turquoise has been historically mined in several areas of Colorado, with the Manassa (or King) and Cripple Creek mines being prominent examples, though most large-scale production has ceased. Manassa turquoise is known for its green and blue-green colors with a golden matrix, while Cripple Creek turquoise features shades from blue to green, often very hard and sometimes with a gold or brown matrix

  
  

Short notes on visiting & collecting

• Many of these mines are on private land or have limited access; others are worked intermittently. Always check property status and local rules before prospecting. Some mines (or operators) run paid tours or tailings-dig days; others are closed for safety or conservation reasons.