Nephrite

The other jade: a dense mat of interlocking amphibole fibers that makes one of the toughest natural materials.

Nephrite specimen — Photo: Piotr Sosnowski, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to identify nephrite

Extremely tough, with an oily, waxy polish.
Spinach to olive green, creamy white or black.
Often found as smooth river boulders.

Often confused with

Jadeite
Jadeite is a little harder, heavier and glassier.
Compare side by side
Serpentine
Serpentine is softer and lighter.
Compare side by side

Where it's found

British Columbia, Canada
Hotan, Xinjiang, China
New Zealand
Wyoming

Uses

Carvings, tools and jewelry — the jade of ancient China and Māori pounamu.

Rock tumbling

Great for tumbling.

Did you know?

Hotan 'mutton-fat' white nephrite has been treasured in China for thousands of years.

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