White Buffalo Turquoise, or Sacred Buffalo Turquoise, is found in pendants, earrings, rings and bracelets. There are imitations, such as howlite which is a white stone with a black matrix, but genuine White Buffalo Turquoise can be identified by its unique characteristics. To ensure that the stone is genuine you need to check its origins.
Origin
The Dry Creek White Buffalo Turquoise is only to be found in one mine in Dry Creek, Nevada. The name comes from the Native American White Buffalo, a legendary rare beast. The stone was discovered in 1993, and in 1996, jewelers started using this precious stone.
Appearance
White Buffalo Turquoise is white or very pale blue color that is speckled with brown flecks. This is very rare as it is the absence of heavy metal in the ground that creates this color. In Nevada, green turquoise is created due to the presence of iron in the ground where it is formed. In Arizona, blue turquoise is formed due to the presence of copper.
Uses
Native Americans use White Buffalo Turquoise to make jewelry. The supply of White Buffalo Turquoise stone is finite, and once the supply from the Dry Creek Mine has run out, no more of this stone will be available.