Marlborough Australian Chrysoprase – 2025 Tucson Gem Shows

Rough. Slabs. Polished Specimens

This is old stock Marlborough Australian chrysoprase that was imported in the early 1990’s to a gem dealer located in Phoenix. This lot of 40 plus pounds comes from that shipment and had been in storage for a couple of decades and is now available at booth 28 at the Red Lion show at the 2025 Tucson Gem & Mineral Shows.

Marlborough Australian chrysoprase is a rare, apple-green gemstone from the Marlborough mines in Central Queensland, Australia. It’s a type of chalcedony, a variety of quartz, and is sometimes called “Queensland Jade”.

Color: Light to dark Apple green & Teal
Translucency: Similar to jadeite
Hardness: 6–7 on the Mohs scale
Rarity: One of the rarest and most prized chalcedonies
Uses: cabochons, beads, pendants, and ornaments.
History:

The Gumigil Chrysoprase Mine in Marlborough was discovered in 1905 and has been mined since 1959
The mine was eventually exhausted by high-end jewelry companies