How to identify Jadeite Jade

To correctly identify Jadeite Jade (Jadeite), check each of these features in order. Many rocks and minerals look alike, so cross-reference multiple properties before deciding.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Color

   Overall color and any zoning or banding

   Most commonly green (ranging from pale to dark emerald green, often mottled), but can also be white, lavender, blue, black, brown, red, or orange. The most prized color is 'imperial jade,' a vivid, translucent emerald green.

2. 2

   Luster

   How the surface reflects light: metallic, vitreous, dull

   Vitreous to greasy, sometimes pearly on cleavage surfaces.

3. 3

   Texture

   Grain size and surface feel: coarse, fine, glassy

   Typically fine-grained, compact, and interlocking, giving it a smooth, waxy feel when polished. Can be granular to fibrous.

4. 4

   Crystal Form

   Shape of visible crystals or crystal faces

   Usually massive, granular, or fibrous aggregates. Individual crystals are rarely macroscopic and are typically anhedral.

5. 5

   Cleavage

   How it breaks: flat cleavage planes vs irregular fracture

   Two distinct cleavages at approximately 87 and 93 (pyroxene cleavage), but rarely observed in massive aggregates due to fine grain size and interlocking texture. Fracture is more common.

6. 6

   Geological Environment

   The rock formation and setting where it occurs

   High-pressure, low-temperature metamorphic rocks, particularly in serpentinite-associated blueschist facies terrains and within serpentinite mélanges. Often found in veins or lenses within these host rocks.

Key Facts

Hardness

6.5-7 on Mohs scale

Specific Gravity

3.30-3.38

Crystal System

Monoclinic

Color

Variable, most commonly green; also white, lavender, blue, black, brown, red, orange

Luster

Vitreous to greasy

Transparency

Translucent to opaque

Fracture

Splintery to granular, very tough

Cleavage

Perfect on {110} and {10} at 87 and 93, but rarely observed in massive aggregates

Composition

Sodium aluminum silicate

Physical characteristics

• Crystal Habit: Typically massive, granular, or fibrous aggregates; individual crystals are anhedral and microscopic.
• Cleavage Type: Two distinct cleavages at nearly 90 degrees (87 and 93), characteristic of pyroxenes, but often obscured by fine grain size.
• Fracture Type: Splintery to granular, due to its interlocking fibrous or granular texture, contributing to its exceptional toughness.
• Tenacity: Extremely tough (resistant to breaking, chipping, or cracking), making it ideal for carving.
• Luster Type: Vitreous (glassy) to greasy, sometimes waxy on polished surfaces.

Explore Jadeite Jade