Magnesite

Globally distributed

A natural cream-to-white stone, used honestly as a calm companion to turquoise.

Where it comes from

Magnesite is magnesium carbonate, formed in metamorphic and weathered ultramafic rock environments around the world. Notable deposits exist in Greece, Brazil, Australia, the United States, and China. The material has been used in jewelry, decorative carving, and industrial applications for centuries.

What makes it distinctive

In its natural form, magnesite is cream to white with occasional brown or gray veining. It's porous, which is why some magnesite is dyed turquoise blue and sold as imitation turquoise. Wildflower carries only honestly labeled magnesite, never dyed-as-turquoise material. The natural light cream color makes a clean, peaceful companion to bolder stones in mixed-stone jewelry.

How to identify it

Honest magnesite will be labeled as magnesite, not as turquoise. Natural color is cream, white, or pale gray. If a stone is bright sky-blue and sold cheap as turquoise, it's almost certainly dyed magnesite. The matrix when present is usually finer and lighter than turquoise matrix.