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Nevada turquoise: where it’s found and where you can dig

Updated . Sources are at the end of the page.

Mostly private claims

Nevada turquoise is the state’s official semiprecious gemstone, and Nevada was the largest US producer until the early 1980s. It is not free for the taking, though: most turquoise mines are privately held, and the BLM lists no designated turquoise collecting area in the state. The practical way to dig your own is a fee tour.

State symbol
Official state semiprecious gemstone (NRS 235.110)
Biggest districts
Copper Basin and Bullion, Royston, Crescent Peak
Free public collecting
Rare: most mines are privately held
Dig your own
Royston mine tours near Tonopah, from $150

What Nevada turquoise is

Turquoise is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. The USGS explains that it forms when rain or groundwater percolates through aluminum-rich rock in the presence of copper, most often in copper deposits in dry climates. Nevada stones come in shades from blue through blue-green to green, and turquoise that contains iron turns pale green to yellow. It can be solid or “spiderwebbed” with brown or black veins, and it occurs in veins or nodules, some reported as large as 150 pounds.

Nevada’s geological survey adds that turquoise reaches up to 5 to 6 on the Mohs hardness scale and that the color of some stones fades with time and light.

Blue-green turquoise veins and patches in tan and brown host rock
Turquoise in its host rock, from the Royston district northwest of Tonopah, Nevada. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0.

Where it’s found

  • The turquoise belt: most deposits lie in a belt running north-northeast across central Nevada, from Mineral and Esmeralda counties to central Elko County.
  • The biggest producers: the Copper Basin and Bullion districts in Lander County, the Royston district on the Nye–Esmeralda county line, and the Crescent Peak area in Clark County.
  • How many mines: the USGS estimated in 1995 that 75 to 100 mines and prospects produced sizable amounts; a 1968 state report describes 68 mines or districts.
  • Famous finds: a 150-pound nodule from the Number 8 mine near Carlin in 1954, and a nodule of just over 1,700 carats from the Fox (Cortez) mine that went to the Smithsonian.

The district list comes from a 1968 report; it records where turquoise was mined, not where you may collect today.

Can you collect it for free?

  • Mostly no. Nevada’s geological survey wrote that most turquoise mines are privately held, that turquoise is not free for the taking, and that trespassers are liable for legal action.
  • On BLM land you may generally collect reasonable noncommercial amounts of semiprecious gemstones, but not on active mining claims or where the mineral rights are private.
  • No designated area: the BLM’s list of rockhounding areas has one Nevada entry, Garnet Hill, which is not a turquoise site.
  • Check claims first in the BLM’s MLRS reports before you collect anywhere near an old turquoise mine.

Dig your own on a tour

  • Otteson Brothers Turquoise runs Royston mine tours 26 miles outside Tonopah, the last 5 on dirt roads; AWD, 4WD or high clearance is recommended.
  • When: year-round, Monday to Saturday, weather permitting and except holidays, starting at 8:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.
  • Price: $150 per person for a half day and $300 for a full day; children 13 and under dig free with supervision. Prices are subject to change.
  • Rules: no private tours, and no entry to active mine pits. Tonopah’s tourism site says visitors may collect specimens to take home.
  • Confirm first: the operator’s site shows no 2026 date, so check before you drive out.

Real, treated or a look-alike?

The USGS notes a whole industry of stabilized turquoise (porous stone pressure-impregnated with hot acrylic resin), reconstituted turquoise and synthetic or simulated turquoise. Treated stone is fine as long as it is sold as treated. In Nevada, two other minerals, variscite and faustite, have been mistaken for and marketed as turquoise. Even the 1968 state report used “turquoise” as a field term for any bluish to greenish phosphate that looks like it, which is a good reminder that identification by eye is not conclusive.

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Questions

Is turquoise Nevada’s state gemstone?

Yes. Nevada law (NRS 235.110) designates Nevada turquoise as the official state semiprecious gemstone. Black fire opal is the state’s precious gemstone.

Where is turquoise found in Nevada?

Most deposits lie in a belt running north-northeast across central Nevada, from Mineral and Esmeralda counties to central Elko County. The biggest producers were the Copper Basin and Bullion districts in Lander County, the Royston district on the Nye–Esmeralda county line, and the Crescent Peak area in Clark County.

Can you dig for turquoise in Nevada?

Yes, on a fee tour. Otteson Brothers Turquoise runs Royston mine tours 26 miles outside Tonopah, year-round from Monday to Saturday, weather permitting. Confirm with the operator before you go.

How much does a Nevada turquoise mine tour cost?

Otteson Brothers lists $150 per person for a half day and $300 for a full day, with children 13 and under free. Prices are subject to change.

Can I collect turquoise for free on public land in Nevada?

The BLM generally allows reasonable noncommercial amounts of semiprecious gemstones, but not on active mining claims or land with private mineral rights. Nevada’s geological survey says most turquoise mines are privately held, so you need the owner’s permission.

Why is some Nevada turquoise green?

The USGS says Nevada turquoise ranges from blue to green, and turquoise that contains iron is pale green to yellow-green to yellow.

How can you tell if turquoise is real?

By eye alone you often cannot. The USGS notes that stabilized (resin-impregnated), reconstituted, synthetic and simulated turquoise are all sold and should be represented as such, and that two look-alike minerals from Nevada deposits, variscite and faustite, have been sold as turquoise.

Sources

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