Dry Creek Turquoise

The Dry Creek mine is located northeast of Austin, Nevada, in a region also known for the historic Godber and Burnham claims, which share much of the same ground. Dry Creek is one of the more unusual Nevada turquoise sources because its signature material isn't blue in the traditional sense at all.

Dry Creek turquoise ranges from a pale, watery blue to a nearly cream-white color, with just a hint of blue tint running through it. This unusually light color comes from a higher concentration of aluminum relative to copper in the stone's chemistry, and the material is notably hard even in its palest form. The matrix typically runs light golden brown to gray-black, providing gentle contrast against the pale body color.

This pale material is sometimes marketed under names like “white turquoise” or “Sacred Buffalo turquoise,” though experts generally consider those to be informal trade names for Dry Creek material rather than separate mines. Whatever it's called, the pale, almost ethereal color makes Dry Creek turquoise a striking complement to other, more saturated blue and green stones when used together in a single piece of jewelry.

If you love the look of pale, understated turquoise rather than bold blue, Dry Creek is a variety worth seeking out. Discover more turquoise varieties in our Gemstone Guide.