Do not make turquoise out of howlite

Everyone knows the widespread imitations of turquoise from magnesite and howlite. And if the first is very rarely used in the manufacture of faceted stones in their natural form, then from the second, howlite, cabochons of a hidden or fine-grained structure are made. Howlite is used not only as an imitation of turquoise, but also as an independent jewelry and ornamental material, as well as for imitation of coral, which is less successful in comparison with turquoise, from which it is easily distinguished by the absence of growth structures. Individual grains and crystals of howlite are white to gray or completely colorless. For cabochons, a cryptocrystalline aggregate of white or light gray color is used, transparent varieties of howlite in the form of crystals are used as collectible mineralogical material. This mineral got its name not because of the disappointment of unlucky buyers of imitations of turquoise, but after the name of the English naturalist from Canada - Henry How (1828-1879), who in 1868 first described this mineral as "silicoborocalcite". In accordance with different classifications, howlite was classified as either borates or silicates. Currently, it has found its place in the subclass of non-silicates (insular calcium borosilicate with hydroxyl ion).

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