Campitos Turquoise
Mexico
Mined in Mexico from the Pino Chueco and Cananea mines in Sonora, Campitos Turquoise was mined extensively in ancient times, with evidence of trade with Native American peoples. The Toltecs and Aztecs left much evidence of the importance of turquoise to these cultures.
Campitos is unique in several ways. It grows in clay as free-form nuggets, rather than as veins which is typical of many North American turquoises. Its color is said to most closely resemble Sleeping Beauty Turquoise, and ranges from a light to medium blue, occasionally with pyrite inclusions, giving it a bit of sparkle. A lovely, hard stone with beautiful color, Campitos is a favorite for jewelry artisans.
The mine as we know it today has been producing since the 1980's. Campito in Spanish is a derivative of the word “campo”, meaning “field” or “countryside”.
