First of all, there is no other turquoise in the world that has the same look as Bisbee Turquoise. Consequently, to buy authentic, genuine Bisbee Turquoise Jewelry, click HERE!
As a matter of fact, Bisbee Turquoise is our passion. Moreover, this website’s purpose is to introduce you to Bisbee Turquoise. Additionally, here is an introduction to the unique area in which we live and buy and sell genuine, authentic Bisbee Turquoise. Equally important, to see what the turquoise area of the Bisbee Mine looks like, click HERE!
Additionally, living just 100 miles Northeast of Bisbee, Arizona, we visit the mining community frequently. In addition, we know many of the locals, and purchase old stashes of authentic Turquoise from Bisbee, Arizona. Equally important, much of the turquoise we buy is from the mine via lunchboxes. Finally, this turquoise is collected when the mine owners didn’t care much about turquoise.
In the same fashion, small amounts of turquoise are from the Campbell shaft mine, as well as in stream beds in the Mule Mountains. Similarly, the vast majority surfaces when the Phelps Dodge Corporation starts open pit mining operations. Most importantly, these operations are at the location of the Lavender Pit, especially the eastern side of the pit. Consequently, large amounts of a conglomerate rock bed need to move before the copper ore located more deeply could be reached.
Most importantly, this sedimentary conglomerate “waste” rock is the host for the majority of the turquoise, in both vein and nugget form.
Recovery
During the time that the largest quantities of turquoise are being taken from the mine, the company makes no effort to recover it. It simply gets put into large dump trucks and the workers haul it off to the “dumps”. During this time (primarily from the late 1950s to the late 1960s), some of the turquoise goes home by company employees taking it home in their lunch boxes, etc. Though this activity is contrary to company policy, the rule is mute. For several years (mostly the early to late 1970s), these individuals, locally known as “dumpers”, are the only source for this fine turquoise.
During this time, Phelps Dodge leases out the dumps to Bob Matthews. Matthews is the only legal miner of the Bisbee turquoise in history and the major source for the turquoise. Matthews sold large lots to the famous artists and traders. The majority of Matthews turquoise goes to his brother-in-law Cecil Mickelson’s jewelry company. The company makes Bisbee and Villa Grove inlay turquoise jewelry up until the 1980s.
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