When I revisited the mine in September 2016, I found that Clint’s guess was right on the money. But based on the mine’s history and the patterns of previously exposed turquoise veins, he guessed that all the mining done to date had just “scratched the surface”.
When I asked Clint how much turquoise the Florence mine still had left in the ground, he admitted that he wasn’t sure. Good fortune is attributed to this stone.Clint Cross recently recovered this 20-inch-long, 46-pound nugget of solid turquoise at the Florence mine.ĭuring my first visit, in 2014, to the Florence mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado, mine manager Clint Cross and his wife, Louisa McKay, mined more than 200 pounds of gem-quality turquoise from a single pocket-a remarkable recovery for a small mine that had just reopened. For example, turquoise if a "collective term for all the precious stones, wealth, or mixed offerings. Precious Stones Turquoise Precious stones have symbolic implications. Insurance factors, equipment hazards, high explosives and safety issues along with a lack of interest from the mining company keep Blue Gem turquoise unavailable to the world, at least for now. Even the ever-popular "Dump Diving" for turquoise through the overburden is not tolerated due to the very real danger of becoming buried in a slide. The emphasis is on precious metals and the extraction of turquoise is considered more of a hindrance in the mining process rather than an asset. Today the Blue Gem mine is not viable it sits in the middle of a huge mining operation. Blue Gem Turquoise is still some of the finest turquoise ever found, and unlike most turquoise mines, (in which the majority mined is chalky and only usable if stabilized) most of the turquoise found there was of gem-quality. Production of the mine started about 1934 and continued into the 1970's.
Gem quality turquoise full#
This turquoise has a unique character and many different looks all of which are striking, full of wonder and pleasing to the eye. Because Blue Gem turquoise is very hard, a high polish is associated with this stone, and unlike most turquoise, won't easily change color. Quality Blue Gem Turquoise has been gifted with a wide range and variety of color. Blue Gem turquoise is extremely hard and stands up well to the test of time.īlue Gem turquoise is a rare, valuable and historic American treasure. Blue Gem turquoise was very popular in the late 1930's and 40's and was commonly used in the Fred Harvey "tourist jewelry" that is so collectable today. Very little large material ever came out of Blue Gem, the majority found was small 1-mm "bleeder" veins and tiny nuggets which was perfect for Zuni inlay and fine needlepoint, petit-point and snake-eyes jewelry. Pyrite in Blue Gem is unusual to see but not unheard of. The mine is still active, although Duval Corp is currently in the center of a major copper deposit developing it. Although there is no exact information, it is reported that the output amounted to nearly Production of turquoise at the Blue Gem lease in the early days of the operation was enormous.
In 1950 Lee Hand and Alvin Layton of Battle Mountain leased the mine. Consequently, the lease was allowed to lapse and work was abandoned. Both Del and William Wilson were called into the Army for the duration of the war, and this compelled the closing of the mine. The company operated the property until 1941 when the outbreak of the war caused a shortage of experienced miners. of San Gabriel, CA., owned by Doc Wilson and his sons, Del and William. It was subsequently leased from the Copper Canyon Mining Co. Directly above the main audit was a glory hole some 100 feet long.ĭuke Goff first noted the Blue Gem deposit in 1934. An audit several hundred feet long on the main structure connected to numerous shorter tunnels and several open stoops. The Blue Gem mine was once developed in extensive underground workings and open stoops. This is of interest because the Blue Gem Mine and the Bisbee Mine in Arizona are the only two mines (of which we are aware) that turquoise was found that deep in the earth. The Blue Gem mine was at one time located deep underground, accessed by tunnels as deep as 800 feet. Pyrite-bearing quartz veins are closely associated with the turquoise.
Exceptionally good quality turquoise forms veins up to three-quarters of an inch thick along the shears. An extensive breccia zone about 10 feet wide is developed between the two bounding sheers. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every purchase.īlue Gem turquoise occurs in argillized quartz monzonite cut by two limonite-stained sheer zones, one trending N 35 o W and dipping 75 o NE, the other trending N, 25 o E and dipping 55 o NW.
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