metamorphic
Nephrite Jade
Tremolite-Actinolite series (Ca2(Mg,Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2)
Hardness: 6.0 - 6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled medium-to-dark green with white quartz/feldspar patches and dark inclusions. Luster: Vitreous to waxy when polished. Structure: Microcrystalline felted fibrous texture.
- Hardness
- 6
- Luster
- Vitreous to waxy when polished
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Physical properties
Hardness: 6.0 - 6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Mottled medium-to-dark green with white quartz/feldspar patches and dark inclusions. Luster: Vitreous to waxy when polished. Structure: Microcrystalline felted fibrous texture.
Formation & geological history
Formed through high-pressure, low-temperature contact metamorphism in regional metamorphic belts, typically along subduction zones where ultramafic igneous rocks interact with silica-rich fluids.
Uses & applications
Carvings, lapidary art, polished gemstones, jewelry, and decorative objects.
Geological facts
Nephrite jade has an extremely tough fibrous structure, making it historically one of the strongest stone materials used by early humans for tools, axes, and weapons before metallurgy.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its greasy to waxy luster, extreme toughness, greasy tactile feel, and mottled green-and-white mottled coloration with dark specks. Commonly found in Canada (British Columbia), New Zealand, Russia, China, and the United States (Wyoming, California).
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