Stormy Mountain turquoise comes from Elko County, Nevada, from deposits discovered by a cowboy named Sonny Maulden and developed with Cutler Edgar. A heavy producer through the 1970s, the mine earned its name — and its American Classic standing — from dark, storm-like matrix patterns swirling through the blue.
Some mines are named for owners, some for landmarks — Stormy Mountain is one of the few named for what the stone actually looks like. The Lowrys use it as their first example of a mine "named because of their matrix patterns": the marketing name "aptly describes this turquoise's dark matrix patterns and colors, and has helped it to become an American classic." (LOWRY ~lines 11711–11714, 11780–11783)
The origin is pure Nevada: Sonny Maulden, a cowboy, discovered the deposits and told Cutler Edgar about his find. The two became partners, and later Sonny sold out to Cutler — the Edgar name appearing here just as it does at Blue Gem and Manassa, one family threading through a half-dozen mines. The mine was a heavy producer throughout the 1970s, and its stone was also marketed under the names Carlin Black Matrix and Sunnyside. (LOWRY ~lines 11769–11783)
The dark-chert look travels: the Lowrys describe the nearby Blue Diamond deposits' black chert host rock as creating "a swirl of matrix similar to the Stormy Mountain Mine turquoise" — a caution and a compliment in one sentence. And the stone reached the bench in its own era: Rosnek and Stacey document a canteen-form piece set with Stormy Mountain turquoise alongside Morenci in a collection of Navajo work. (LOWRY ~lines 11795–11798; ROSNEK ~lines 32045–32052)
For matrix as identity, start with the turquoise matrix guide and Number Eight's golden spiderweb. The Edgar family also appears at King's Manassa and Blue Gem.
Ready to shop authenticated turquoise? Browse turquoise at T.Skies →