Introduction

Zhushan county is a land of turquoise in China with total turquoise reserves of about 50,000 tons, including 35,000 tons of industrial reserves, accounting for 70 percent of world’s total and ranking first in the world in terms of quality and reserves. Zhushan county is the only origin of gem-grade turquoise in the world. The turquoise here features unusual elemental structure, bright color, hard and fine texture and is of top grade, enjoying broad popularity. The world’s largest turquoise is as heavy as 360 kg and is found in Qingu town, Zhushan county.

At present, the county has more than 300 companies engaging in the mining, processing and operation of turquoise, more than 70 varieties of products are processed, such as: turquoise ring face, necklace and earring and the products are mainly sold to Europe, the United States, Japan, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and generate nearly 100 million yuan of output each year. Zhushan turquoise is a natural jewel jade. It is hydrous copper and aluminum phosphate and a cryptocrystalline aggregate. Its Mohs scale of mineral hardness is 3.5~6.0. It has the luster of wax or grease and after polishing, it may achieve the luster of glass. Due to different concomitants, it may be in green, azure, aquamarine blue or other colors.

Characteristics

Turquoise is one of the ancient gems and enjoys great popularity at home and abroad. In the international gem and jade community, turquoise is selected as a birth stone for December, meaning happiness, luck, success and safety. It is a treasure suitable to everybody and a good gift to relatives and friends with high collection and ornamental value.

Zhushan turquoise with its fine texture and bright color is the top-grade jade material of various accessories. The county is in a national leading position in terms of turquoise carving, grinding and perforation and has developed more than 100 types of jewels and accessories like ring face and carvings. Above 80 percent of the turquoise accessories are exported to more than 30 countries and regions, including the United States, Western Europe and Middle East. The ring face of Zhushan turquoise almost monopolizes the international turquoise ring face market.

History

As one of the rare gems in the world, turquoise almost covers the whole history of human civilization. In 1900, the archaeologists found four gold-clad turquoise bracelets on the arms of a mummy of an ancient Egyptian queen buried more than 5,000 years ago. Turquoise is also one of the top four jades in China. Carved turquoise accessories were found among the articles unearthed from Sunjiazhai, Liutong county on Qinghai Plateau in 1981, which were buried 5,000 years ago.

The mining of turquoise in Zhushan may be traced back to more than 4,000 years ago. In the Tang Dynasty, turquoise processing workshops were set up and turquoise was chosen as a tribute to the royal families. Zhushan turquoise has had an exclusive designation since the Yuan Dynasty called, “Xianyang Bidianzi,” meaning, turquoise gem from Xianyang. Zhushan has belonged to Xianyang since the ancient times.