The Persian Turquoise mining at Neyshabur mine in historical times Masoud Ovissi*, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran,

Persian turquoise is well known in the world from ancient times. At least from 7000 years ago, turquoise was extracted from Neyshabur mine in NE of Iran. Gradually, the turquoise mining at Neyshabur mine extended and by the use of some instruments suitable for breaking the rocks and making tunnels following the veins continued. In several references, picks and crowbars are mentioned for mining instruments. In 1850’s the gunpowder was used for the first time in the mines and increased the mining speed but in despite, by lessening the size of extracted Turquoises decreased its value, dramatically. Up to the end of Safavid dynasty, the mines were extracted under the supervision of the government and the mines were stable enough to extend the mining activity but by powering the Qajar dynasty, the mines were extracted by local governments as well as individual persons lacking the science of mining resulted in destroying the mines. As a consequence, at the end of the Qajar dynasty, almost all the mines were totally filled by water and rocks and Persian Turquoise lost its position in world markets.