I have now found two small turquoise nuggets (~2 carats each) in my backyard, there is no history of mines in this specific area. We are near a natural lake, but in general I tend to have to travel distances in order to hunt for gems but perhaps the travel is no longer necessary... here's the story.
A few months ago I found a piece a turquoise in my backyard, at first I assumed it was plastic or some trash because of the deep blue, but upon closer inspection it looked a lot like turquoise. I didn't think much of it at the time and placed the nugget on the patio and eventually moved it inside with some of my other gem finds.
Fast forward to last week, I started digging up the backyard to prepare it for some lawn seed, and I am now watering almost daily. Today when sitting down back there I saw another nugget along the edge of the recently tilled dirt. I picked it up wondering if it was the same piece as before, but sure enough my original nugget was still inside and now I have two nice little turquoise nuggets.
I'm wondering if there's a natural occurrence on the hill/mountain side that our house backs up to or if perhaps a previous owner was a collector and lost some? Not really sure what to make of it, but I'm tempted to start digging up samples and screening to see if I find more. Alternatively, I'm wondering if it's my own tailings/waste rock from previous samples I've brought home and sifted through.
What do you all think? Does it sound like I'm stumbling on natural occurring turquoise or am I finding leftovers from someone else or even my own waste rock I've brought home but must have missed?
A few months ago I found a piece a turquoise in my backyard, at first I assumed it was plastic or some trash because of the deep blue, but upon closer inspection it looked a lot like turquoise. I didn't think much of it at the time and placed the nugget on the patio and eventually moved it inside with some of my other gem finds.
Fast forward to last week, I started digging up the backyard to prepare it for some lawn seed, and I am now watering almost daily. Today when sitting down back there I saw another nugget along the edge of the recently tilled dirt. I picked it up wondering if it was the same piece as before, but sure enough my original nugget was still inside and now I have two nice little turquoise nuggets.
I'm wondering if there's a natural occurrence on the hill/mountain side that our house backs up to or if perhaps a previous owner was a collector and lost some? Not really sure what to make of it, but I'm tempted to start digging up samples and screening to see if I find more. Alternatively, I'm wondering if it's my own tailings/waste rock from previous samples I've brought home and sifted through.
What do you all think? Does it sound like I'm stumbling on natural occurring turquoise or am I finding leftovers from someone else or even my own waste rock I've brought home but must have missed?
