What do you do with turquoise that is too small to cab, but it's still very pretty? Mining turquoise is a difficult job with small reward. You want to utilize every scrap you can, and with the number of active turquoise mines diminishing every year, having access to a continuous supply of turquoise is getting more difficult. Kingman is one of the last commercial turquoise mines left in the United states. Their claim ranges across twin peaks just outside of Kingman Arizona. This vast area has several veins of turquoise running through it. Their solution to limiting waste is to use all of these pieces from the different veins by combining them together through pressure and polymers to build a larger piece that can be cut and polished for jewelry. Composite turquoise IS made with real turquoise. By doing this, they've created a beautiful mosaic representing some of the different shades of turquoise found among the mountains. Together they make a beautiful combination that adds depth and character to the cabochons cut from it.