Turquoise is a beautiful blue-green stone that has captured the hearts of many. Here in our state, with its diverse landscapes and rich geological history, hunting for turquoise can be an exciting adventure.

This article will guide you to the best spots for finding turquoise in our state and share helpful tips to make your search successful.

So, let’s dive in and explore the best places where you can find Turquoise easily!

How Turquoise Forms Here

Turquoise forms through a unique process involving water and minerals. It begins when acidic water seeps into the ground, moving through rocks that contain copper and aluminum.

As this water interacts with these minerals, it breaks them down and allows the copper and aluminum to combine with phosphorus, creating turquoise.

This usually happens in shallow areas, often less than 20 meters deep, where the environmental conditions are just right. 

This mineral typically fills cracks and cavities in rocks, often in dry, desert-like areas. The presence of iron can also influence its color, giving it beautiful shades of blue and green.

Over time, the turquoise hardens, resulting in the stunning gem we see today, prized for its vibrant hues and unique patterns.

The Types Of Turquoise Found in the US

Turquoise comes in a variety of stunning types, found in the US as well as in our state. Here are the types of turquoise found in the US:

Kingman Turquoise

Kingman Turquoise showcases a vibrant range of colors from pale green to deep “high blue.” Its matrix patterns can include white, light brown, or black veining, setting it apart from other turquoise types.

This stone is often stabilized to enhance its durability and color, allowing for broader use in jewelry making. The natural Kingman turquoise typically presents a medium blue hue with a water web matrix.

Kingman Turquoise is recognized as one of the most sought-after American turquoise. Its consistent supply has made it a staple in Native American jewelry and artisan crafts, contributing to its ongoing popularity.

Carico Lake Turquoise

Carico Lake Turquoise is known for its clear robin’s egg blue to vibrant lime green colors. It often features a unique spider-web matrix in brown or, more rarely, black, adding texture and shine to the stone.

What makes this stone special is its high zinc concentration, which gives it an electric lime-green hue. This color is both rare and desirable among turquoise varieties.

Gem-quality Carico Lake Turquoise is scarce, making up less than 3% of the mine’s annual output. This rarity, combined with its natural beauty, makes it a prized item for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Lone Mountain Turquoise

Lone Mountain Turquoise is known for its bright blue to deep green colors, often featuring intricate spider web matrix patterns. These fine lines create a web-like design, enhancing its visual appeal.

This stone stands out for its exceptional hardness and color retention. It maintains its vibrant hue over time, a quality not common in all turquoise varieties.

Lone Mountain Turquoise is highly valued in the collector’s market, second only to Lander Blue Turquoise. Its ability to produce high-quality spider web turquoise makes it a favorite among jewelry artisans and collectors.

Morenci Turquoise

Morenci Turquoise stands out with its deep blue color, a result of its high copper content.

Its most striking feature is the iron pyrite matrix, which gives it a metallic shimmer when polished. Some pieces also show a water web matrix, creating dark blue webbing patterns.

This stone is no longer mined, making it rare and highly collectible. All available Morenci Turquoise comes from mining operations that stopped in 1984.

High-grade pieces, known for vibrant blues and pyrite matrix, make up less than 10% of the total yield.

Pilot Mountain Turquoise

Pilot Mountain Turquoise catches the eye with its bright to dark blue hues, often showing a greenish tint.

What makes it special is its brownish-red limonite matrix, creating beautiful mottled patterns. The stone forms in hard veins, thin seams, or nuggets.

This turquoise has an interesting history, first mined around 1930. It’s known for its limited availability, with only 150 to 200 pounds of rough stone extracted twice a year. This scarcity adds to its appeal.

The unique mottled patterns of the limonite matrix make Pilot Mountain Turquoise a favorite for decorative pieces and jewelry.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise is famous for its vivid sky-blue color. Unlike many other turquoise types, it has little to no veining or matrix, giving it a pure, consistent look. The color can range from light robin’s egg blue to deeper sky blue.

This stone is naturally hard, which means it doesn’t need stabilization for use in jewelry. This quality makes it popular with jewelers. The Sleeping Beauty mine closed in 2012, making the stone rarer and more valuable.

Sleeping Beauty Turquoise became a hit in the 1970s and 80s, used in both Native American jewelry and mainstream fashion. Its consistent quality and vibrant color have made it a standard in Southwestern jewelry.

Bisbee Turquoise

Bisbee Turquoise stands out with its vibrant blue shades, ranging from deep indigo to light robin’s egg blue. Green hues are less common but still occur.

Its distinctive matrix often displays a striking spiderweb pattern against a reddish-brown backdrop.

This stone’s unique appearance comes from its host rock color and gloss. Unlike some turquoise with metallic matrices, Bisbee’s matrix is typically more earthy and varied in color.

Bisbee Turquoise is highly valued for its quality and rarity. Its historical significance, being one of the oldest turquoise sources in North America, adds to its appeal among collectors and enthusiasts.

Royston Turquoise

Royston Turquoise is a gem of many faces. Its colors can shift dramatically, even within a single stone.

You might find a piece that starts as a soft blue and gradually transforms into a rich green. This color play is a hallmark of Royston Turquoise.

The stone’s matrix is equally fascinating. The matrix can create intricate landscapes within the turquoise, resembling golden sunsets or stormy skies.

Royston Turquoise is also known for its ability to take an exceptionally high polish. This quality, combined with its natural hardness, makes it a favorite for jewelry that can withstand daily wear.

Dry Creek Turquoise

Dry Creek Turquoise stands out with its pale pastel blue color, similar to Larimar. It often has light brown, golden yellow, or orange webbed matrices, adding to its beauty.

Unlike many turquoise types, it’s naturally hard and takes a stunning polish without treatment.

This stone is quite rare. It was discovered in the 1990s in an area with low levels of heavy metals. These metals usually give turquoise its bright colors. The unique geological setting results in Dry Creek’s captivating pale blue hue.

The natural hardness and ability to take a high polish make Dry Creek Turquoise special.

Ithaca Peak Turquoise

Ithaca Peak Turquoise is known for its stunning range of blues. It can be light blue with black spider-webbing or deep rich blue with black matrix.

Some pieces even have quartz matrix and pyrite inclusions. The most valued stones have vibrant to dark blues with good pyrite inclusions.

What makes this stone unique is its pyrite. In Ithaca Peak Turquoise, the pyrite often has a brassy color. This helps tell it apart from similar stones like Morenci turquoise.

Recently mined Ithaca Peak Turquoise looks different from older pieces. The new stones are lighter blue to green and usually don’t have a webbed matrix. This change in appearance over time adds to the stone’s interesting history.

What Raw Turquoise Looks Like

When you’re going to collect the raw turquoise, it’s important to know what to look for. Let’s talk about how you can identify genuine raw turquoise.

You only need to know a few things in order to find it, but having a guide will be very helpful.

DON'T MISS OUT ON ANY GREAT FINDS!

While you're out searching for Turquoise you're going to find A LOT of other interesting rocks and minerals along the way. The last thing you want to do is toss out something really interesting or valuable. It can be easy to misidentify things without a little guidance.

You absolutely need a good reference guide in order to understand what you're looking at!

We've put together a fantastic field guide that makes identifying 140 of the most interesting and valuable rocks and minerals you will find REALLY EASY. It's simple to use, really durable, and will allow you to identify just about any rock and mineral you come across. Make sure you bring it along on your hunt!

Now, back to the identification specifics:

Look for the Blue-Green Color

The color is the big clue. Rough turquoise is often blue or green, sometimes with hints of both.

The blue comes from copper, while the green hints at more iron or other minerals.

Real turquoise tends to have a more vibrant, consistent color. If it looks too perfect, like solid blue or green with no variations, be cautious. Nature isn’t that perfect!

Assess the Density and Weight

Pick up the stone and feel its weight. Real turquoise is pretty dense, so it feels heavier than it looks. If the stone feels too light, it might not be genuine.

Authentic turquoise has a specific gravity of about 2.5 to 2.9, making it heavier than many imitations.

The density comes from the minerals packed tightly together over millions of years. A heavier stone usually means a better-quality piece.

Check for a Glassy or Waxy Luster

Rough turquoise often has a glassy or waxy luster, not too shiny but not dull either. When you hold it up to the light, the surface might have a soft, smooth sheen. This luster is key.

A rough piece with a good luster usually indicates that it’s real turquoise and not a fake. You’ll notice that it reflects light in a muted way, not too bright.

Consider the Stone’s Shape and Texture

Rough turquoise isn’t always smooth. It often has a bumpy, uneven texture because it forms in cracks and crevices of other rocks.

The stone’s shape might be irregular or lumpy. This natural texture is a telltale sign that you’re holding real turquoise and not a polished or treated piece.

A Quick Request About Collecting

Tips on where to look

Once you get to the places we have listed below there are some things you should keep in mind when you’re searching:

Riverbeds

Look for turquoise in riverbeds. Over time, water flow can expose hidden stones.

Sediment may hold the gems you’re after. Be prepared to dig through gravel and dirt to find them.

Abandoned Mines

Old mines can be treasure troves for turquoise. These sites often have loose rocks where turquoise might be hiding.

Always be careful while exploring abandoned areas, though.

Hillsides

Check hillsides, especially where erosion is visible. Rain and wind can uncover layers of earth, exposing turquoise.

It’s a bit of a hunt, but it can be rewarding. Sometimes, you’ll find small stones just lying on the surface.

Rocky Outcrops

Rocky outcrops are great places to search. They are full of minerals and might have turquoise.

Explore the cracks and crevices. Turquoise often hides in these tight spaces.

The Types Of Turquoise Found In New Mexico

When you look into turquoise in New Mexico, you’ll find a wide range of colors, qualities, and names that show off the state’s varied geology. Here are the different kinds of turquoise that are below the surface of the state:

• Cerillos turquoise
• Hatchita turquoise
• Kingman turquoise
• Sleeping Beauty turquoise

The Best Places To Find Turquoise in New Mexico

Now, we’ll talk about where we like to find turquoise the most in the state. Even though there are a lot of great places to mine for gems in New Mexico, only a few are good for finding turquoise. Some of these spots aren’t as well known, but they often have great chances to search.

Big Burro Mountains

The Big Burro Mountains are a rough range in the southwestern part of New Mexico. They have a lot more to offer than just beautiful scenery. They’re a treasure trove, especially for people who love looking for turquoise!

People have been mining in this area for a long time, since the time of the Native Americans and the first Western settlers. Some minerals are found in large amounts in the area, making turquoise possible.

The rocks in the mountains have been through many changes over millions of years, such as weathering and oxidation. These steps are very important for making turquoise.

Somewhat out of the way and not as heavily mined for commercial purposes as other places, the Big Burro Mountains provide a more genuine and exciting experience for people looking for turquoise.

Ensure you know the latest rules for collecting in New Mexico before bringing anything home.

Where we found turquoise at Big Burro Mountains

Because it forms in and around copper deposits, turquoise is often found with copper. It’s possible to find turquoise deposits in the Big Burro Mountains near old copper mines or nearby areas.

DON'T MISS OUT ON ANY GREAT FINDS!

While you're out searching for Geodes you're going to find a lot of other interesting rocks and minerals along the way. The last thing you want to do is toss out something really interesting or valuable. It can be easy to misidentify things without a little guidance.

We've put together a fantastic field guide that makes identifying 140 of the most interesting and valuable rocks and minerals you will find REALLY EASY. It's simple to use, really durable, and will allow you to identify just about any rock and mineral you come across. Make sure you bring it along on your hunt!

Cerillos Hills

The Cerrillos Hills, just south of Santa Fe, are a window into the past and a great place for history and treasure hunters alike. One of the country’s oldest and most important turquoise mines is located in this area, which is more than just a bunch of hills.

These hills are packed with minerals, including lead, silver, and, most importantly, turquoise. The mineral-rich soil and unique conditions here allowed turquoise to form over millions of years.

The turquoise from Cerrillos is unique, with colors ranging from a striking green to a deep, mesmerizing blue, often dotted with interesting patterns and lines.

Outside the park, local tours might let you look for your piece of turquoise, which would connect you with the area’s history.

Where we found turquoise at Cerillos Hills

You can find rock shops selling turquoise in the towns near the Cerrillos Hills, especially Santa Fe and Albuquerque. These stores often get their turquoise from legal mines, and they can be great places to find Cerrillos turquoise.

Granite Gap

Granite Gap is a hidden gem in the southwestern corner of New Mexico. Its ghost town and rumors of buried treasures make you think of the Wild West.

You can find more than just history in these rocky places, though. People who love to look for different minerals and gems call Granite Gap their “happy place.”

Rocks that formed in the area around Granite Gap are full of minerals. One of these minerals is the beautiful blue-green turquoise that we love today. Hot magma below the earth’s surface cooled down a long time ago, making rocks and minerals that are all different.

If you look hard enough and are lucky, you might find pieces of turquoise on your own. It’s not just about what you find, though. It’s about the adventure, the stories the earth holds, and the link to the land’s wild, gentle spirit.

Where we found turquoise at Granite Gap

Copper, phosphorus, aluminum, and water are some things turquoise needs to form. Turquoise can be found around the gap if these conditions are met.

Little Hatchet Mountains

The Little Hatchet Mountains are a rough and beautiful mountain range in the southwest corner of New Mexico. They are known for more than just their natural beauty.

There are many cool rocks and minerals there, like the popular turquoise. It’s like a big outdoor museum. This area is part of the Basin and Range Province, known for its unique geology.

Because they are so far from cities, the Little Hatchet Mountains are like a wild paradise. This makes them a great place to go on an adventure. This is a great place to go if you like to explore and look for hidden mineral treasures.

Where we found turquoise at Little Hatchet Mountains

People have mined in the Little Hatchet Mountains, including for copper. Because copper is used in making turquoise, old copper mines in the area might be where turquoise is found.

Organ Mountains

The sharp, needle-like peaks of the Organ Mountains in southern New Mexico make them a beautiful sight. But these mountains are more than just pretty to look at. They hide many things, including valuable gems like turquoise.

The Organ Mountains are great for hikers, adventurers, and people looking for unique rocks and minerals. They rise steeply from the Chihuahuan Desert.

This process can make turquoise, a stone that can be blue, green, or even a mix of the two, in places where copper is found.

Turquoise can only form in certain types of rocks and under certain conditions. This makes the Organ Mountains a great place to look for this lovely stone.

Where we found turquoise at Organ Mountains

Because the area has copper deposits and other geological features, turquoise can be found in the mountain’s vicinity.

Other Great Places To Find New Mexico Turquoise

After discussing our favorites, we wanted to discuss the other places on our list. We have broken down each suggestion by county and listed a few more places where we’ve succeeded.

Our recommendations by county

Common Turquoise-Hunting Questions

Here are some questions that people often ask about where to find turquoise in New Mexico that should also be answered:

It’s not as simple as “yes” or “no” when collecting turquoise in New Mexico. It depends on where you are, who owns the land, and the rules and laws that apply to that area.

Before going to New Mexico to try to collect turquoise or any other minerals, it’s important to learn about the area you want to go to, the rules and laws that apply, and get any permissions or permits you may need.

Rockhounding must be done responsibly to protect natural and cultural resources for future generations.

The Best Places To Buy Turquoise In New Mexico

Anyone who likes or collects turquoise will always feel good when they hold some. But some people don’t like the dirty and hard work. If you want to find turquoise without having to do that, this is for you!

Here are some of our favorite rock shops in the area where you can find and buy the turquoise we like:

• Blanchard Rock Shop – 2972 US-380, Bingham, NM 87832, United States
• Border Rock Shop – 980 E Motel Dr, Lordsburg, NM 88045, United States
• Mama’s Minerals – 2500 12th St NW Ste F, Albuquerque, NM 87104, United States
• Taos Rockers – 229 Cam De La Placita, Taos, NM 87571, United States
• Trina’s Rock Shop – 1812 Columbus Rd, Deming, NM 88030, United States