Unless you've lived under a rock for most of your life, you probably know that March is the month of St. Patrick's Day and that folks tend to wear green on St. Patrick's. Now, as a bonafide turquoise lover, you might be wondering if there's American mined turquoise out there that's not blue-green, or dark green, but an honest-to-goodness bright, lime green. The answer is, YES!
First, a little bit of background info... What makes a piece of turquoise green instead of blue? Generally, it's the lack of certain minerals in the area where turquoise is found, primarily copper. Then, the shade of green will depend on whether that copper is substituted by iron or zinc.
In the US, although some turquoise varieties from other states can be blue-green in color, the area best known for its truly green turquoise is Nevada. Blue Ridge mine, Royston area, and especially Carico Lake turquoise offer a range of different shades of green turquoise thanks to the zinc content in the ground where this gemstone is formed.
If you're looking for a true, electric green, then Northern Lights mine in the Carico Lake mining district is the place to go. This mine is known for its extremely rare and sought after lime green turquoise.
Now that you know, it's safe to say you can still be your true western, turquoise loving self and wear green for St. Patrick's day at the same time.
Prefer blue or blue-green turquoise after all? Don't forget to check out the Buckaroo Bling designs created with genuine Kingman turquoise.
