Top-Quality Turquoise and Key Turquoise Mines in Iran
Iran is renowned for producing some of the highest quality turquoise in the world, especially from its famous turquoise mines. Turquoise is typically formed in volcanic rocks, where intrusive or semi-deep masses have penetrated. Geologists estimate the age of Iranian turquoise deposits to be between the Upper Eocene and Lower Oligocene periods.
Major Turquoise Mines in Iran
- 🔷 Neishabour Turquoise Deposit: Known globally for its exceptional quality, the Neishabour mine is the most prominent source of turquoise in Iran. The rich blue stones from this deposit are highly sought after in the gemstone market.
- 💎 Baghoo Turquoise Deposit (Damghan): This mine produces quality turquoise but in smaller quantities compared to Neishabour.
- 🌊 Allahabad and Yakhabad (Kashmar): These deposits are known for turquoise with varying shades of blue and green.
- ✨ Abdullah Gio and Aliabad Taft: Other significant turquoise indices in Iran.
- 🪨 Chah Firoozeh Copper Deposits (Babak City): Turquoise is also found in copper deposits like Chah Firoozeh and Miduk.
- 🔍 Additional Traces: Turquoise traces have been identified in areas such as Ningan, the Sarhangi Mountains, Ashgabat Tabas, Qaleh Vaziri Basiran, and Sarcheshmeh.
Quality Variations and Lesser-Known Mines
Aside from the famed Neishabour mine, several other turquoise deposits in Iran yield lesser-quality turquoise. For instance, mines in Tabas, Kashmar, and Quchan primarily produce green turquoise, which holds less value and is typically used for creating decorative objects and sculptures rather than high-end jewelry.
While Neishabour turquoise is prized for its deep blue color and durability, the turquoise from these other mines often lacks the vibrancy and clarity necessary for fine jewelry, though it remains valuable in the realm of arts and crafts.
Optimize your gemstone collection with the finest turquoise sourced from the world-class mines of Iran, particularly Neishabour, where the quality speaks for itself.
Neishabour Turquoise Mine
Neishabour Turquoise Mine: A Gemstone Treasure of Iran
The Neishabour Turquoise Mine is the most famous and significant turquoise source in Iran, renowned worldwide for producing the finest quality turquoise. Located in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi, this mine has been in continuous operation for over 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest turquoise mines globally.
What Makes Neishabour Turquoise Unique?
- 🎨 Exceptional Quality: The turquoise from Neishabour is known for its vivid blue color, often referred to as “Persian Blue.” This pure blue hue, without significant greenish or grayish tones, is one of the key factors that make Neishabour turquoise highly valuable in the gemstone market.
- 👑 Rich History: The turquoise from this mine has been used in Persian art, jewelry, and architecture for centuries. Persian royalty and nobility favored Neishabour turquoise for its beauty and believed in its protective and healing properties.
- 💪 Durability and Clarity: Neishabour turquoise is known for its strength and resistance to fading, making it ideal for high-quality jewelry that lasts a lifetime. The stone’s clarity and natural patterns, often featuring fine black veining, are also highly sought after by collectors.
Global Appeal
Turquoise from the Neishabour mine is in demand worldwide, often considered the benchmark for high-quality turquoise. Its rich color, combined with its long history and craftsmanship, elevates Neishabour turquoise to a premium status among gem enthusiasts and collectors.
Turquoise Formation Process in the Midouk Mine
The formation of turquoise in the Midouk mine involves a complex interaction of chemical processes, as outlined below:
- Decomposition of Chalcopyrite: The breakdown of chalcopyrite releases copper and iron sulfates into the surrounding environment.
- Formation of Phosphoric Acid: Sulfuric acid reacts with apatite to form phosphoric acid.
- Turquoise Formation: The phosphoric acid then interacts with copper and nearby aluminum-rich minerals such as plagioclase and clay minerals, leading to the precipitation of turquoise.
Chah Firoozeh Area
In addition to the Midouk mine, the Chah Firoozeh Area near Babak city is also known for its turquoise deposits. Although these deposits are smaller and produce turquoise with more greenish hues, they are still valuable due to the mineral diversity and the region’s rich copper deposits.
Conclusion
The Firoozeh Midouk Mine offers a unique and diverse source of turquoise in Iran, particularly notable for its green varieties and the host rock differences compared to Neishabour. While not as famous as Neishabour turquoise, the stones from Midouk hold their own, especially in their mineral diversity and the geological complexity of their formation. This mine adds to Iran’s rich turquoise heritage, contributing both to the domestic and international gemstone markets.
Chah Firoozeh Copper Deposit
The Chah Firoozeh copper deposit is located 32 km north of Babak city in Kerman province. In Chah Firoozeh mine, the intrusive mass has a combination of granodiorite and andesite, trachyandesite, and dacite volcanic rocks. The presence of the oxidant zone, as well as phosphorous minerals, has been effective for turquoise formation in Chah Firoozeh.
Because of the effect of surface factors on sulfides, sulfuric acid is produced, and due to its contact with phosphorous minerals such as apatite, turquoise is formed. The source of aluminum for turquoise in Chah Firoozeh mine is alunite, which is formed from other kaolinite under the influence of sulfate-rich solutions. The causes from solutions containing copper, phosphorus, and iron on alumina rocks of this mine, and especially alunite grains, are considered the most important factors in turquoise formation.
Turquoise is a secondary mineral in the Chah Firoozeh area and is widely associated with:
- Chrysocolla 💚
- Hemorphite ⚪
- Malachite 🟢
Turquoise is also formed in this mine in the form of gap filling and veins as the last phase of mineralization in the supergen and oxidant zones. The thickness of the mentioned zones in the Chah Firoozeh area is small, so the formation of turquoise on the surface is expected, and expecting its formation at great depths is far from expected.