Turquoise Blog — hydrous aluminum phosphate

Blue Moon Spider Web Natural Turquoise (mined in Nevada)  Turquoise is a hydrous aluminum phosphate with a cupric base. So here’s what that means to those of us not pursuing a masters in Earth Science. Turquoise is found in rather arid parts of the world. Water, usually as runoff, comes down mountainsides and settles in the rocks below. The water evaporates, leaving its trace elements behind. If the proper amounts of copper salts and aluminum are present in the rocks, they can come together with the water elements to form turquoise. Turquoise gets its color from the heavy metals...