Jade: Properties, Facts and Photos

What is Jade?

Nephrite jade and jadeite are two different stones, both known as jade.

Nephrite jade, also known as Canadian jade, is composed of the minerals actinolite and tremolite.

Although these two minerals can be asbestos in their fibrous forms, nephrite jade is not considered an asbestos mineral and is safe to handle. However, as with most minerals, it should not be cut or polished without suitable breathing protection. 

Jadeite is composed almost exclusively of the mineral jadeite.

Jadeite is rarer and considerably more expensive than nephrite. Both can have a strikingly similar appearance and, to the untrained eye, are extremely difficult to distinguish.

The confusion between nephrite and jadeite began in the 16th century, when several similar Spanish and French terms were used for both stones. Over time, these terms merged into the single word ‘jade,’ long before the two minerals were scientifically distinguished.

The name jade is still used for both stones because it's so entrenched in common language that it would be far too difficult to differentiate one from the other.

Nephrite jade and jadeite are both very tough, and in fact, nephrite jade is one of the toughest known substances.

In geology, toughness and hardness are not the same. On the Mohs scale of hardness, nephrite jade grades 6 to 6.5, and Jadeite grades 6.5 to 7. This means that both can be scratched by a mineral of the same grade or one that's higher.

Toughness refers to a mineral's resistance to being crushed, bent or broken.   

The Chinese have been producing jadeite for over 5,000 years, but jade is known to have been used by humans for at least 10,000 years.

Jade is an integral part of Chinese life and culture, and some of the earliest recorded events are inscribed on Nephrite stone tablets, which is the more common of the two types of jade.

Although nephrite occurs in many countries, most of the nephrite used today for jewellery and carving comes from Canada, particularly British Columbia. Canada is one of the world’s largest suppliers of high-quality nephrite jade, even though the mineral is found in several countries.

Article Photos

The photograph at the top of our article is jadeite. The second is nephrite jade. Photos: Courtesy of James St. John.

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Actinolite: Courtesy of Stan Celestian. Tremolite: Courtesy of Ron Wolf.