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Nishapur Turquoise:
In 1991, the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defined geotourism as responsible and informed travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people. In the geotourism industry, geological phenomena are examined from various angles, with primary goals including environmental conservation, landscape preservation, and avoiding human interference that could alter the Earth’s natural features.
Geotourism encompasses a wide spectrum of phenomena, including various mines (open-pit and underground), volcanoes, mineral springs, folds and faults, geological formations and mountain ranges, salt domes and crystals, coral hills, deserts, sand dunes, and diverse geomorphological structures created by different geological processes.
The audience for geotourism extends beyond geology specialists to include ordinary tourists and nature enthusiasts. Through geotourism activities, visitors not only observe beautiful and unique geological phenomena but also learn about their formation principles and understand their existential importance.
Nishapur, due to its strategic and unique geological position, with various structural formations and different climatic conditions, possesses extremely beautiful and interesting landscapes resulting from geological processes visible throughout the region. The mountainous Binaloud region, with its diverse geological formations and layers created by numerous folds and faults, displays abundant beautiful geological features, including valleys, cliffs, and rock layers.
The diversity in petrography of these geological units has created an alternation of green, red, and yellow colours along the roads. Various geological phenomena in Nishapur range from mines – especially the famous Nishapur turquoise mine – and hot springs to beautiful erosion features and desert landscapes, all of which are significant from a geotourism perspective.
The Nishapur turquoise mine is located in Razavi Khorasan Province, 55 kilometres northwest of Nishapur city, situated on the slopes of Mount Reish. The mine sits at coordinates 58°23′ East longitude and 36°25′ North latitude, at an elevation of 1,611 meters above sea level.
Two villages, Ma’dan Olya (Upper Mine) and Ma’dan Sofla (Lower Mine), are located one kilometre southwest of the turquoise mine, with surrounding villages including Kalate Zeinel, Pahneh, Marzan, and Karji.
There are two main routes to reach the Nishapur turquoise mine:
Route 1: Nishapur → Firouzeh City → 15 km on the Firouzeh-Quchan road → Three-way junction to turquoise mine. After travelling 55 kilometres, you reach Ma’dan Olya village and then the turquoise mine. This route includes 51 kilometres of paved road and 4 kilometres of dirt road.
Route 2: Nishapur → Firouzeh City → Firouzeh-Sabzevar road → Three-way junction to Kalate Zeinel village, then via dirt road to Kalate Zeinel and subsequently to the turquoise mine.
The climate of the Nishapur region is highly diverse due to significant elevation differences between various points. The annual average temperature over a 24-year period has been measured at approximately 14.5°C. The turquoise mine area, located on the slopes of the Binaloud mountain range, is cooler than the regional average.
Wind is common throughout most of the year, and seasonal rainfall in winter and spring often causes flooding in rivers and waterways in the area.
Near the turquoise mine, the two villages of Ma’dan Olya and Sofla house approximately 350 households. Due to limited rainfall, agriculture doesn’t flourish extensively, with the small amount of water from local qanats used for irrigating walnut and grape orchards and growing summer crops. In years with adequate rainfall, relatively extensive fields of chickpeas and watermelons can be observed, cultivated through dry farming.
Traditional livestock farming also exists in the region. Generally, the livelihood of local people depends on the turquoise industry – most residents either work in the turquoise mine or engage in turquoise cutting, buying, and selling.
The most important rock units in the turquoise mine area include Eocene andesitic-dacitic lavas and pyroclastics, with semi-deep intrusive masses of dioritic porphyry to syenitic porphyry composition (magnetite series granitoids) that have intruded into them. Extensive alteration has affected both volcanic and intrusive units, comprising four main zones: siliceous, argillic, carbonate, and propylitic.
The siliceous and then argillic zones represent the main alterations in the area, with mineralisation occurring in disseminated, stockwork, and hydrothermal vein forms. Primary minerals include pyrite, magnetite, specularite, chalcopyrite, and bornite, while secondary minerals include turquoise, chalcocite, covellite, and iron oxides.
Without doubt, the Nishapur turquoise mine is one of the world’s oldest mines and perhaps could be called the world’s oldest active mine. Archaeological evidence proves this mine’s history extends back 6,300 years, though its actual age may be even greater.
The reason for the mine’s antiquity lies in the nature of its mineral resource. Turquoise is an ornamental mineral requiring no special processing and can be easily found on the Earth’s surface. Thus, we can say the first human to pass through this area and be attracted by the turquoise’s blue colour became the first miner of the Nishapur turquoise mine.
Abundant historical and archaeological documents exist proving turquoise’s antiquity in Iran. Excavations at Shahr-e Sukhte in Sistan, dating back 5,600 years, have revealed large quantities of turquoise, agate, and lapis lazuli.
The oldest turquoise artifacts discovered come from recent excavations by Garazhian and colleagues in the ancient Nishapur city area. In these excavations, a buried skeleton of approximately a 45-year-old woman was found within the remains of a historical layer, with a perforated piece of turquoise identified near the skeleton’s waist. Carbon-14 testing on the skeleton’s tibia bone shows an absolute dating of 6,360 years ago – currently the oldest carved turquoise specimen discovered.
Modern mining methods using tunnels to access turquoise ore have only become common in the Nishapur mine since the mid-1940s. Previously, vertical shafts and pits were used for turquoise extraction. In the past, wherever a turquoise vein was observed on the surface, excavation would follow the vein, typically taking vertical or near-vertical form due to the vertical nature of turquoise veins in the Nishapur mine.
Locally, these old excavations are called “ghar” (caves). Currently, horizontal tunnels are used to create access to mineral materials and facilitate waste transport, with waste materials transported outside the mine using rails and wagons.
However, the method of separating turquoise from waste rock continues to follow ancient practices. Recognising raw turquoise among waste rock pieces is extremely difficult work that only experienced workers can perform. During this stage, workers search through excavated materials to separate turquoise, a process called “sang-jouri” (stone sorting). Sometimes materials are first washed to remove soil and make turquoise pieces visible – this method is called “chal-shuyi” (pit washing).
Although the United States and China have recently surpassed Iran in turquoise production volume, the finest and most valuable turquoise in the world undoubtedly still comes from the Nishapur mine. The distinction of Nishapur turquoise from other world turquoises lies in its unique and incomparable colour. In most parts of the world, Nishapur turquoise is known by the specific name “Blue Turquoise.”
Currently, the Nishapur turquoise mine produces 40 tons of raw turquoise stone annually – unprecedented in its multi-thousand-year history.
Cultural Heritage
Iranians have long been fascinated by turquoise. Our ancestors believed turquoise brought victory, success, and happiness. Some Iranian kings carried turquoise gems into battles to help ensure victory, while horsemen always carried turquoise to prevent falling from their horses.
Moreover, turquoise colour has been characteristic of Iranian architecture, with turquoise domes of mosques and turquoise tiles of important Iranian sites testifying to this tradition. Turquoise colour could be considered the national colour of Iranians.
Tourist Attractions in the Mine Area
As mentioned, the Nishapur turquoise mine has several thousand years of history, and this stable mineral reserve has always attracted our ancestors for use. This has made the areas around the mine a paradise for archaeologists to find traces of the past.
Beyond the mine itself, where one can observe the ancient art and effort of predecessors, the villages of Ma’dan Olya and Sofla contain numerous ancient remains, including two old fortresses requiring archaeological excavation. Additionally, near the mine, traces of the ancient city of Ardalan can be observed, which could itself become a tourism hub in the region.
The presence of volcanic facies and intrusive rock masses has created high mountains, steep ridges, and steep valleys that have given double beauty to the region. With proper and safe access routes, these mountains, combined with the cool climate and beautiful nature of the region, could become suitable attractions for tourism and recreation.
Ancient mining activities in this region represent another geotourism landscape. Thousands of years of exploitation at the Nishapur turquoise mine have created a unique environment in the old mine excavations that seems beyond imagination. Sometimes, the extent and magnitude of this ancient mining volume is so great that it’s hard for humans to believe.
The existence of galleries and chambers reaching heights of up to 40 meters and widths of up to 25 meters demonstrates our ancestors’ unparalleled efforts. What remains from this multi-thousand-year effort of our ancestors can play the greatest role in attracting domestic and foreign tourists.
Current mine tunnels and working faces have also always attracted visitors. The turquoise mine, with more than five kilometres of main and secondary tunnels excavated over the past 70 years, can itself be a special showcase of turquoise mining. Additionally, the active working faces where turquoise can be observed on rock walls and workers can be seen collecting it can be interesting and spectacular.
Currently, the turquoise mine has 4 separate main tunnels plus numerous shafts, drifts, and secondary tunnels, several of which could be prepared for public visits. Moreover, the main tunnel entrance of the Nishapur turquoise mine is surrounded by about 5 hectares of green space created by water flowing from the mine tunnel, providing a beautiful and refreshing environment for mine visitors.
The Nishapur turquoise mine is world-renowned both for its historical background of several thousand years and for the high quality of its extracted turquoise. Given the unique past of the Nishapur turquoise mine and all the distinctive attractions it contains, this mine could be considered a major tourist and geotourist attraction in the region and even the country.
Essential Infrastructure
For any economic activity, infrastructure is needed for tourism development in mines, including:
Strategic Development
What’s needed is the implementation of targeted study projects followed by precise management and planning with support from the government and local organisations to create the foundation for transforming the region into a geosite. Using teams of specialists, including geologists, mining engineers, and gem cutters, and offering specialised packages could be effective in introducing and increasing the attractiveness of mine visits.
The Nishapur Turquoise Mine represents not just a geological wonder but a testament to thousands of years of human craftsmanship and cultural heritage. With proper development as a geotourism destination, it could become a crown jewel of Iran’s tourism industry while preserving its historical significance for future generations.
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