There are only four places in the world that offer both abundance and quality of turquoise. They are Arizona in the southwestern United States, the Nishapur region in northern Iran, and Mexico City in central Mexico and Zhushan County in Hubei Province, China. As professional jewelers, we only source turquoise from these locations because they offer superior value for money. Turquoise from other places, although of excellent quality and attractive color, is ridiculously expensive due to its scarce production; while some mines produce large quantities of turquoise, the color and texture are not as good as they should be to attract our customers.
Therefore, choosing the right turquoise source requires not only understanding its quality, but also considering the balance between its production and price.
Turquoise culture has a long history:
After the Neolithic era, there are many turquoise artifacts in successive generations of cultural relics.
In 1965, more than 400 kilometers from Zhushan County, Hubei Province, Jiangling Wangshan area, a sword was discovered, which attracted the attention of many experts.
The sword on the sword is inlaid with the shape of a dragon-like blue-green stone. After much identification, this sword is King Goujian of Yue. Inlaid in the sword on the blue-green stone is turquoise.
Where do you get the best turquoise?
In China, an area of about 3,000 square kilometers around Zhushan County in Hubei Province is a world-famous turquoise source.
Nowadays, the most common turquoise product we buy in the market is the Zhushan turquoise. This is because Hubei Zhushan County is the home of turquoise.
There is a saying that 70% of the world’s turquoise comes from China, so more than 70% of China’s turquoise comes from Hubei Zhushan.
Turquoise mines in Hubei: Today, there are thousands of mines in Zhushan County. Different mines often produce unique turquoise. For example, the blue-green turquoise from the town of Qingu is of excellent quality. Yajiao Mountain turquoise, on the other hand, is cleaner and has fewer iron lines. But what remains the same is the overall superior quality of turquoise here.
Which country has the best turquoise?
Hubei Zhushan has some of the best turquoise in the world. Why? In fact, it is inextricably linked to the special natural environment of Zhushan, Hubei, China. The terrain in this part of Zhushan County, Hubei Province, is inclined with large height differences and steep slopes. Turquoise is a collection of phosphate minerals containing copper, aluminum and iron. Its color is determined by copper and iron content.
Turquoise formation is due to water infiltration into the rock layer. This is done by first absorbing the phosphorus in the rock layer, forming phosphate, water containing phosphate and then dissolved the rock layer of copper, aluminum and other elements. When the water is saturated with phosphorus, copper, aluminum, these chemical elements in the form of new minerals will be deposited in the crevices of the rock layer or the loose voids, the formation of turquoise ore.
Why Hubei Zhushan turquoise is different？
Compared with other turquoise producing areas such as the United States and Iran. Hubei turquoise is characterized by large block sizes, high porcelain and high purity. Why is that?
Because it is geographic as well as temperature and humidity factors that determine.
The special Cambrian strata in the Zhushan area are rich in copper, phosphorus, aluminum and other elements. These elements are the key factors in turquoise generation and formation. Although other places also have Cambrian strata, the content of these trace elements is not high, so the turquoise ore that is generated is not of high quality.
If you are lucky enough to enter the turquoise mine in Zhushan, Hubei, you will find that the air inside is very humid. This humid environment is one of the most important conditions for turquoise to grow. Often the more humid the mine, the greater its turquoise production is likely to be, and the better the color will be accordingly. The average annual humidity in Zhushan, Hubei is 73%, and the average annual precipitation is about 900 millimeters. These conditions are very favorable for turquoise mine formation and development. This is the reason for the large production and high quality of turquoise in Zhushan.
Turquoise from Majiadu Town, Zhushan County:
Zhushan Majiadu town east of Yishui, west of Baofeng, south of Zhuxi County River, north of Shuangtai. 305 provincial highway through the town, the map area of 208 square kilometers.
The town has a long history and is rich in humanities. Both impregnated with the beautiful and touching legend of Nuwa refining stone to mend the sky.
It is the western town of Zhushan, because of the agricultural development, turquoise processing trade prosperity, known as “the western grain silo of Zhushan” and “the township of Qinba gemstone” reputation.
Asajiadu trumpet mountain – Sibaozhai Tianqiao banana rock – roller slope turquoise ore belt its scope of 10 square kilometers, containing ore belt 30-80m wide, extend the depth to 200m.
Majiadu Heihuzhai Wangjiagou ore belt is 3 kilometers long, containing ore belt 30m wide, extending to 200m deep.
Zhushan Yishui Town:
Yishui Town is located in the central and western part of Zhushan County, adjacent to Pankou Township in the east, bordering Majiadu Township in the west, connected to Pankou Hydropower Station Reservoir and Tianjiaba Township in the south, and bordering Shuangtai Township in the north.
The center of the town is 25 kilometers away from Zhushan County, and 305 Provincial Road passes through the territory. The town map area of 201 square kilometers, within the alum molybdenum ore, turquoise, barite, iron ore and other reserves.
In overflow town Zhaigou mining area, the mine is mainly located in overflow street village five groups. Development of mining rights covers an area of 1.45 square kilometers, the initial development area of 2,000 acres, including the core mining area of 388.94 acres.
The original private mining holes 35, now all have been masonry seal according to law.
Overflow town turquoise material pure, colorful, color sky blue, turquoise, gray blue, pink green, etc., ornamental stones, jewelry, handicrafts and so on.
Baofeng Town, Zhushan:
Baofeng Town is situated at the foot of Nuwa Mountain, the sacred place of human ancestor, and has always enjoyed the reputation as the hometown of Chinese emerald.
35 kilometers west from the county, east of Zhushan County through Shiyan, Xiangfan, Wuhan, west of Zhuxi directly to Xi’an, Shaanxi, Hubei, Chongqing and Shaanxi provinces and cities through the balance of the land.
Baofeng Town, Zhushan County is a large turquoise production and processing base, the town’s “Turquoise Museum” invested by the Nuwa Mountain Turquoise Company, located in Baofeng Town, Dam Village.
The museum collects more than 20,000 pieces of turquoise collections, involving more than 1,000 varieties of various types of turquoise carvings from ancient times to the present day, ornamental stones, seals, ornaments, inlays and raw stones in 8 categories. It is the largest and largest turquoise museum in China.
Qin ancient town of Zhushan:
Qin Gu Town is located in the northwest of Zhushan County, east of Desheng; west of Shuping Town, Zhuxi County; south of the drum; north of the pillow Zhuping, Damiao; north of Shaanxi Baihe, west of Xunyang County, Shaanxi Province, 74 kilometers away from the county seat. The town has a map area of 102 square kilometers.
Qin Gu Town is 12 townships turquoise mining area in Zhushan County, one of the richer turquoise resource townships. At present, it has formed 5 large-scale mining areas, covering an area of about 4 square kilometers, with a total of 112 mining owners, 114 large and small mines, and more than 600 employees.
Three fork ditch turquoise vein is located in Qin Gu Township northbound 4 kilometers, the beginning of the 90’s uncontrolled mining, with the slag tilt clearly visible. “Turquoise wool, from dozens of yuan a kilogram in the early 90s, to a few hundred yuan some years ago, and this year there is a shortage of wool, which has been speculated to tens of thousands of yuan “.
Qingu East and West Zhai – Gaoqiao – Dayan Donggou mining belt is 15 kilometers long. Ore-bearing belt 30-50m, extends to 120m; Qingu turquoise in the Cambrian Upper Series has a magnetite belt, the strata rich in iron, so the iron content is higher, so that the ores show a dark green color, there are some bright green stone.
Quality features of Zhushan turquoise ore:
There are several large ore-bearing zones with similar ore quality and ore type. Output of turquoise according to grade can be divided into several kinds, can be summarized in the following characteristics:
(1) color: pure blue, pure green and transitional light blue, light green, pure blue (sky blue), pure green (grass green) for the turquoise ore of the best.
(2) color points: pure blue, pure green for the homogeneous body, the large network of flowers, small network of flowers even for the living body.
(3) from the ore structure and morphology: nodule-like, thin pole-like, dipping.
(4) to ore output characteristics: the size of the large disparity, the largest in tens of kilograms or even more than 100 kilograms, the smallest was rice grain.
How to tell high quality turquoise?
Turquoise quality is determined by its hardness, color and mineral source. A high quality turquoise is hard and bright. Poor quality turquoise is soft, chalky and light in color.
Blue turquoise: If the copper content is high, the color is very beautiful, similar to sky blue. As copper concentration decreases, its color lighters.
Green Turquoise: When the iron content increases, the color changes to green.
What is the highest grade of turquoise?
Local turquoise miners say that freshly mined turquoise ore has no green color. It is usually black.
If the black ore can see half a star of white or blue spots, that is a very high quality turquoise raw stone.
In Zhushan County, there are many turquoise mines that have been mined out. In order to protect the mineral resources, the local government has closed the mine mouths.
As soon as these raw turquoise stones are processed and polished, they will become the exquisite turquoise jewelry we see on the market today.
Zhushan green pine advantages:
Compared with other turquoise producing areas such as the United States, Iran, Hubei turquoise has a large block, high ceramics, purity and other characteristics, easier to manufacture into jewelry and literature. Therefore, in terms of quality, Hubei turquoise production and large, good quality!
Local turquoise mining workers said, just mined out of the turquoise ore simply can not see a little green. Generally are black.
If the black ore can see a half a star of white or blue spots, that is a very good turquoise raw stone.
These black turquoise raw stones, after processing and polishing, will become those exquisite turquoise jewelry we see in the market.
The color of turquoise is best when it is sky blue, which is also known as “porcelain turquoise”.
The bluer the color, the better the turquoise is. Green and with black iron line turquoise is also a large variety, more popular in Europe and the United States favorite.
How to identify the authenticity of turquoise:
Soak method
Identify the authenticity of turquoise can be used to soak water method. The turquoise immersed in water, observe the changes, the real turquoise has a strong water absorption, the color will slowly become darker, fake turquoise no water absorption, the color does not change significantly.
Look at the bubbles
Identify the authenticity of turquoise can also be observed bubbles, the turquoise to bright light place, with a magnifying glass to observe. The real turquoise is a natural jade, no bubbles exist, fake turquoise is a glass imitation, there are bubbles exist.
Observe the iron line
Identify the authenticity of turquoise can also observe the iron line, with a magnifying glass to observe the iron line. The real turquoise iron line convex, irregular trend, uneven thickness, fake turquoise iron line concave, the trend of the rules, the thickness of the more consistent.
Color
True turquoise color is bright, blue, green and other colors, turquoise is formed naturally. The color is not uniform, and there are different shades of color phenomenon, while the fake is made by artificial dyeing, the color is uniform.
Touch
Natural turquoise has a strong water absorption, touch will have some slight sticky hands, while artificial treatment or injection of turquoise does not absorb water, feel like double-sided tape.
Listen to the sound
With an iron gently knocking, natural turquoise knocking sound is very crisp, while the treated, injected turquoise its collision sound will be more dull.
Burning
After burning, although the real turquoise will turn black, but can be wiped clean, will not leave any traces, with cold water after cleaning is still clean as new. While the injection of gum or percolating gum turquoise will be completely yellow and black, and can even smell the irritating odor.
Look at the certificate
The most reliable way to identify the authenticity of turquoise. That is, to seek national and international qualifications of the authority of the appraisal organization to help identify, issue certificates.
