JADEITE

jade" could be divided into two

different minerals: jadeite and
nephrite
 Jade meaning
• The meaning of the word “Jade” is a Spanish
translation of the phrase “Piedra de Ijada,”
which means “stone for pain in the side.” The
reason jade has this name is because Nephrite
was used for centuries as a healing crystal for
body pain
• Nephrite means “kidney,” and for centuries, it
was believed to cure people of kidney disease.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JADEITE AND
NEPHRITE
• typically nephrite is found in shades of white
or green and its color is mostly pale and
opaque, and not so vibrant and luster -like
compared to jadeite. In fact, what’s special
about jadeite is that it can come in a wide
range of attractive colors
• nephrite is a much more abundant type of
material compared to jadeite which is much
more rare and precious
 JADEITE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION Sodium Aluminium silicate
CRYSTAL SYSTEM Monoclinic
SURFACE MARKING
HABIT Polycrystalline (microscopic interlocking more granular
and less fibrous crystals)
FORM
COLOR/VARIETIES White, shade of green, Pink, liclac, violet, brown,black.
TRANSPARENCY Translucent -opaque
HARDNESS 6.5-7
CLEAVAGE 2 directional perfect
SPECIFIC GRAVITY 3.30-3.36
LUSTER Vitreous to sugary
 JADEITE
OPTICAL CHARACTER AGG
OPTIC FIGURE N.A
PLEOCHROISM N.A
REFRACTIVE INDEX 1.66-1.68
DOUBLE REFRACTION N.A
ABSORPTION SPECTRUM Line at 437nm,chrome rich jadeite shows doublet in the
red and two bands in the red-yellow
LUMINISCENCE Inert to variable
INCLUSIONS Green, black particles
TREATMENT Waxing, Dyeing, Impregnation
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JADEITE AND
NEPHRITE