Bisbee Turquoise is a highly sought-after variety of turquoise known for its deep sky-blue color and distinctive dark 'chocolate' or 'smoky' matrix. It was primarily recovered as a byproduct of copper mining at the Lavender Pit in Bisbee, Arizona, and is now considered rare as mining operations have ceased. Collectors prize it for its hardness, color stability, and unique webbed appearance.
Is this bisbee turquoise?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch bisbee turquoise with a known reference. Bisbee Turquoise sits at Mohs 5-6 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Bisbee Turquoise leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Bisbee Turquoise typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: blue, green, blue-green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: triclinic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Bisbee Turquoise vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside bisbee turquoise
Minerals reported to co-occur with bisbee turquoise. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- CuAl₆(PO₄)₄(OH)₈·4H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 5-6
- Density
- 2.6-2.9 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Triclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Gemstone, Lapidary, Collector
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Copper Deposits
- Typical price
- $50-500 per gram depending on matrix quality and color intensity
Where rockhounds find bisbee turquoise
Classic worldwide localities
- Bisbee, Arizona, USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal copper deposits country — that is the host setting where bisbee turquoise typically forms. If you start seeing malachite, azurite, cuprite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find bisbee turquoise on the map
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