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Fakes & Frauds"White Turquoise'
21st Feb 2012 11:36 UTCAnonymous User
We all know turquoise is a phosphate mineral that is colored mainly by copper and sometimes - iron, zinc,etc. The latter elements would explain the variations in color. Sometime you can find a seam in a turquoise mine completely devoid of color.
Since this is white, it seems logical it doesn't have any copper or other elements that are responsible for the coloration.
This is marketed as "white turquoise". My question is this- how can something be identified and sold as "white turquoise" if it doesn't even contain the necessary elements for the basic definition of turquoise. If it's not turquoise, exactly what is it?
BobK
21st Feb 2012 14:01 UTCJolyon Ralph Founder
21st Feb 2012 14:40 UTCDavid Von Bargen Manager
21st Feb 2012 17:14 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert
The miners there can't seem to distinguish one from another so they sell everything as turquoise. The more blue, the higher the grade, reaching prices in excess of $1000 per pound. The lower, paler grades (chalcosiderite) sells for up to $200 per pound.
They have never used the term "white turquoise" as far as I know.
I have uploaded pictures of us collecting there as well as many specimens of chalcosiderite, variscite, and turquoise.
21st Feb 2012 21:01 UTCDan R. Lynch
21st Feb 2012 22:15 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert
I didn't mean to insinuate that the white material in the ground is really turquoise. I am fairly sure it is not. I can't stand it either when people bring in the magnesite or howlite and try to pass it off as white turquoise or Buffalo turquoise. The dyed stuff just makes me crazy:-X
21st Feb 2012 23:29 UTCDan R. Lynch
21st Feb 2012 23:30 UTCRobert Knox
Now I see offerings from china of magnesite dyed to match dyed howlite...it really cracks me up sometimes.
22nd Feb 2012 00:38 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert
No worries. I was just adding my 2 cents worth of what I have seen at that mine.
22nd Feb 2012 18:20 UTCAnonymous User
24th Feb 2012 01:35 UTCDave Owen
24th Feb 2012 05:21 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert
I have seen lots of jewelry labeled Buffalo turquoise and White turquoise and it has all been howlite or magnesite. I haven't seen any that looked like calcite.
That web site looks good. I am always sad that sites like this miss the Bingham Copper Mine as a producing high grade turquoise. All they have is Utah variscite.
25th Feb 2012 11:08 UTCRock Currier Expert
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