Damele

The Damele (pronounced DAH-mall-ee) turquoise mine is a small, remote deposit loved by collectors for its rare and vivid yellow‑green to lime‑green turquoise, variscite, faustite, and chalcosiderite. The mine is located near Austin, Nevada, on what’s known as the Damele (sometimes Damale, Damali, Demele, or Dameli) Ranch. Discovered by Benny Damele in the early 1970s and later operated by miners such as Clyde Wright and Tony Cotner, this mine’s gems have gained legendary status due to their vibrant green coloring, tight dark spiderweb matrix, and overall hard, high-quality glassy texture. Because mining was limited and much of the material now is from older rough, availability is extremely scarce, making Damele specimens especially sought after by gem collectors and jewelry artisans alike.