The Four Peaks Mine has been producing Amethyst for centuries and those purple gemstones can be found scattered throughout history. The deposit was first discovered by the Native Americans and was used to make beautiful and sharp arrowheads. The Spaniards are believed to have visited the area during their exploration of the Southwest and 3 Amethysts in the Spanish Crown are purportedly from the mine. In more recent history, the mine was ‘discovered’ at the turn of the century by two brothers prospecting for gold.
The mine was patented in the 1920’s and operated sporadically for the next 80 years. Most recently, the mine, situated between the third and fourth peak of the Mazatzal Mountains outside of Phoenix, Arizona, was purchased by Kurt Cavano in 1998 who has operated it since then. It is currently the only commercial Amethyst mine in the US and produces Amethyst ranging from light lilac to dark purple, almost black. It is famous for producing the color know as Siberian Red, deep violet with a red flash, named for the only other known deposit of this color in the Ural Mountains of Russia.
Located on privately owned land in the Four Peaks Wilderness section of the Tonto National Forest, the mine is only accessible by helicopter or a long 3-hour hike as there are no roads. Given the wilderness location, the mine is operated with particular attention to the environment. Mining is done by hand and the mine lighting and ventilation is powered using solar panels. Rain water is captured and purified for drinking.
Four Peaks Mining has been producing cut stones and jewelry for local jewelry stores and museum and tourist shops for over 20 years. In 2017 we opened our own store in Scottsdale Arizona. Since then, in a partnership with Commercial Mineral, we've expanded the line of cut stones and jewelry with other responsibly mined gemstones such as Garnet, Peridot, and Blue Topaz - many of which are mined in Arizona. You can find jewelry made with these stones, and many others across our website.
Our jewelry is designed here in the United States and is sustainably produced by gem cutters and silversmiths around the world. We choose to set most of our pieces in .925 Sterling Silver to make these beautiful gemstones more accessible, easier to care for, and affordable. Plus, we love the way it looks.
If you find yourself in Arizona, and you would like to shop our pieces in person, you can visit our store. Or visit one of our many partners that carry pieces from the Four Peaks Mining collection:
The Superstition Mountain Museum
