At one time, the Fox Turquoise mine was Nevada’s largest producer of turquoise. This mine has been excavated since prehistoric times, but Charles Schmidtlein and Johnnie Francis filed the first claim in 1914. The mine is generally recognized as “Fox Turquoise Mine” but has also been called the “Cortez Mine”.

Mr. Dowell Ward, the mine’s operator in the early 1940’s, developed the Fox deposits under the names Fox, White Horse, Smith and Green Tree, distinguishing the colors of stone found at the site. Fox turquoise runs a range of rich forest greens to soft blue, but is generally recognized for its teal and green stones, found as veins and nuggets.

The Fox mine continues to be a successful producing mine today.