Morenci

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Morenci
The Morenci Turquoise mine is considered to be one of Arizona’s most famous and collectible turquoise mines. Located in Greeley County in Southeastern Arizona, this mine dates back to a copper mining operation started in 1864. In 1956, the turquoise rights were acquired by William “Lucky” Brown. From 1956 to 1984, William Brown and his sons mined some of the world’s highest grade turquoise until their lease ended. In 1984 all turquoise mining operations ceased in the Morenci area. All the Morenci turquoise available on the market today was mined prior to 1984.

High grade Morenci turquoise is characterized by a deep blue color, caused by high copper content in the ground, and a matrix that includes iron pyrite (fools gold). Even while mining operations were active, the highest grade Morenci turquoise was rare. Today, high grade Morenci turquoise with deep blues and iron pirate is highly valued and extremely difficult to acquire.