Navajo Handmade Silver Buckle with Red Mountain Turquoise - Geraldine Yazzie (#08)

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The Red Mountain turquoise mine is located at Sections 1, 2, 11 and 12, Township 25 North, Range 45 East, Lander County, Nevada; near the small town of Cortez.  The well-known Red Mountain mine lies part way up the south slope of Red Mountain on the east side of Carico Lake Valley, where turquoise is found in a series of breccia fault zones.

The Red Mountain turquoise mine was first recorded February 5, 1971.  The mine was owned for many years by Austin Turner and was, at that time, heavily worked by bulldozers.  From 1982 to 1985 Erman Blossom and his partner leased the mine and removed a fair amount of turquoise.  The mine was deeded to Kelly McGuinness on September 19, 2003.

Since its discovery, the Red Mountain mine has produced a large quantity of turquoise in a wide range of qualities.   The small amount of gem grade, natural Red Mountain turquoise produced from the mine rivals the best high quality material produced by such noted mines as Paiute, Lone Mountain and even Lander Blue.  The Red Mountain turquoise mine has produced turquoise with very hard, intricate, spider web  matrix.  Turquoise ranging in color from dark blue to blue-green with rusty red, and/or burnt yellow veins appearing in the matrix can be dramatically stunning.  Red Mountain turquoise has often been used by the most quality conscious Native American gold and silversmiths to create jewelry masterworks.  The Red Mountain turquoise mine is also known to produce small, high-grade nuggets which are used to create strikingly beautiful bead necklaces.

About the artist:

Geraldine Yazzie started creating beautiful silver jewelry in the early 1990’s.  Learning from her mother, she supports her own family with her well crafted belts and other forms.  She resides on the Navajo reservation in the area of Smith Lake, New Mexico. 

See full biography | See all items by Geraldine Yazzie

Related categories:

Red Mountain Turquoise Jewelry See all items in this category
Stamp with Stones Buckles See all items in this category

Related legends:

Silversmithing
When and how the Navaho acquired the art of working metals is unknown but there are reasons for supposing that it was introduced among them, or at least more developed and improved upon by them, since the time they have occupied their present country? More about this legend

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