Precious beads howlite is a soft white opaque stone with black or gray inclusions. Coming from the class of silicates, it is composed from calcium borosilicate hydroxide. It was named after Henry How, the Canadian geologist who first discovered it in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in 1868. It is still found there, although in much smaller quantities than it has been in the past. Precious beads howlite is known for its wonderful final polish and its habit is nodular massive. It is frequently dyed blue as a turquoise imitation. Available colors are in brown streaks or markings and white with gray to black. Precious beads howlite has a dull luster and conchoidal fracture.
With a monoclinic crystal system and specific gravity in 2.5-2.6 range, Precious beads howlite is an inexpensive gemstone. Because it is so soft and permeable, it is easily dyed to look like more expensive gemstones such as turquoise (a dyed stone is pictured, right). It is stopped at 3.5 hardness level and has none dispersion. The abundance of large size, and its softness makes precious beads howlite a good stone for decorative objects such as small carvings or jewelry components. Precious beads howlite is also sold its natural state, sometimes under the misleading trade names of “white turquoise,” or “white buffalo stone.” With an absent cleavage, precious beads howlite can be carved as beads or cut en cabochon. The refractive index is 1.59 (spot) and birefringence is 0.022.
Precious beads howlite is found in evaporate deposits, along with other borate minerals. Precious beads howlite is found in Canada (in the eastern provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and New Brunswick), and along the western coast of the United States (particularly California). Precious beads howlite forms in nodules that look almost like a head of cauliflower. The nodules are often interlaced with veins of black or brown weblike streaks, which adds to their character. Translucent crystals sometimes form on top of the nodules, however, this is fairly uncommon in natural gemstones, and usually only found in the material mined in Nova Scotia. Precious beads howlite may fluoresce brownish yellow or orange under shortwave UV light.
