Royston Turquoise, Nevada, USA

Go digging for Turquoise! Yes, please!! Royston is a turquoise mine located within the Royston District near Tonepah, Nevada. The Royston District consists of several mines including Royston, Royal Blue, Oscar Wehrend and Bunker Hill. Royston is an active mine operated by the Otteson family and you can visit this mine and look for turquoise yourself, “$100 gets you a bucket you can fill.” (Located on the Highway 95, half-way between Reno & Las Vegas)

The mines were discovered around 1902 and Royston is the oldest patented mine in Nevada. Originally a tunnel mine, it is now an open pit mine and is a “grass roots,” which means the best deposits are found within ten feet of the surface. 

Royston turquoise is known for its beautiful deep green to rich light blue colors. This wide color ranges are what make this stone so special. Royston stones are often two-tone, with both dark and light green and sometimes blue. It has a heavy matrix ranging from dark brown to gold in color. This matrix makes for beautiful combinations with the color variations of the stone.

Royston is known for its exceptional hardness, with a rating of 5-6 on the Mohs scale. This makes it a popular choice for jewelry making, as it is durable and resistant to wear and tear. Despite being a highly sought-after stone, it is becoming increasingly rare, due to the limited supply of high-quality specimens available.