Jade

This article is about the gemstone. For other uses, see Jade (disambiguation).

Jade
A piece of unworked jade
General
Category	Minerals
Crystal system	Monoclinic
Identification
Color	Virtually all colors, mostly green
Crystal habit	Intergrown grainy or fine fibrous aggregate
Cleavage	None
Fracture	Splintery
Tenacity	Brittle
Mohs scale hardness	6–7
Diaphaneity	Translucent, opaque
Specific gravity	2.9–3.38
Refractive index	1.600–1.688
Birefringence	0.020–0.027
Pleochroism	Absent
Dispersion	None

Main jade producing countries

Jade is an umbrella term for two different types of decorative rocks used for jewelry or ornaments. Jade is often referred to by either of two different silicate mineral names: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of minerals), or jadeite (a silicate of sodium and aluminum in the pyroxene group of minerals). ^[1] Nephrite is typically green, although may be yellow, white or black. Jadeite varies from white or near-colorless, through various shades of green (including an emerald green, termed 'imperial'), to lavender, yellow, orange, brown and black. Rarely it may be blue. Both of these names refer to their use as gemstones, and each has a mineralogically more specific name. Both the amphibole jade (nephrite) and pyroxene jade are mineral aggregates (rocks) rather than mineral species.

Nephrite was deprecated by the International Mineralogical Association as a mineral species name in 1978 (replaced by tremolite). ^[2] The name "nephrite" is mineralogically correct for referring to the rock. Jadeite is a legitimate mineral species, differing from the pyroxene jade rock. In China, the name jadeite has been replaced with fei cui, the traditional Chinese name for this gem that was in use long before Damour created the name in 1863. ^[3]

Jade is well known for its ornamental use in East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian art. It is commonly used in Latin America, such as Mexico and Guatemala. The use of jade in Mesoamerica for symbolic and ideological ritual was influenced by its rarity and value among pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, such as the Olmecs, the Maya, and other ancient civilizations of the Valley of Mexico.

Jade is classified into three main types: Type A, Type B, and Type C. Type A jade refers to natural, untreated jadeite jade, prized for its purity and vibrant colors. ^[4] It is the most valuable and sought-after type, often characterized by its vivid green hues and high translucency. Type A jade is revered for its symbolism of purity, harmony, and protection in various cultures, especially in East Asia where it holds significant cultural and spiritual importance. Types B and C have been enhanced with resin and colourant respectively.

Etymology

This section is an excerpt from Jade trade in Myanmar.[ edit ]

The jade trade in Myanmar consists of the mining, distribution, and manufacture of jadeite—a variety of jade—in the nation of Myanmar (Burma). The jadeite deposits found in Myanmar's northern regions are the source of the highest quality jadeite in the world, noted by sources in China going as far back as the 10th century. Chinese culture places significant weight on the meaning of jade; as their influence has grown in Myanmar, so has the jade industry and the practice of exporting the precious mineral.

Myanmar produces upward of 70 percent of the world's supply of high-quality jadeite. ^{[38] [39]} Most of the Myanmar's jadeite is exported to other nations, primarily Asian, for use in jewellery, art, and ornaments. The majority of the production is carried out by Myanma Gem Enterprise (MGE), a state-owned venture which has enough liquid assets to run itself for 172 years. ^[40]

See also

• Cheonmachong – Tumulus of the Silla kingdom in Korea, containing jade artifacts
• Costa Rican jade tradition
• Jade burial suit  – Ceremonial suit made of jade
• Jade trade in Myanmar
• Mumun pottery period – Time in Korea when jade ornament production began
• Pounamu – Type of hard stone found in New Zealand, some of which are nephrite
• Serpentine subgroup – Group of minerals, some of which are known as false jade

References

1. Eiland, Murray (2000). "Jade Is a State of Mind". Rock and Gem. 30 (6): 58–59 – via academia.edu.
2. Leake, B.E. "Nomenclature of amphiboles" (PDF). American Mineralogist. 63 (11–12): 1023–1052. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
3. Lotus Gemology. "From Fei Cui to Jadeite and Back • Questions and Answers". Lotusgemology.com. Lotus Gemology. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
4. "What is Type "A" Jade?". 3 March 2023.
5. "Online Etymology Dictionary". Etymonline.com. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
6. Easby, Elizabeth Kennedy. Pre-Columbian Jade from Costa Rica. (1968). André Emmerich Inc., New York
7. Liu, Li 2003:3–15
8. Martin, Steven. The Art of Opium Antiques. Silkworm Books, Chiang Mai, 2007
9. Hansford, S. Howard (1948). "Jade and the kingfisher". Oriental Art. 1 (1): 11–17.
10. Kunz, George (December 1888). "The Cabinet • Talks with Experts • VI. Mr. George F. Kunz on art works in jade and other hard stones". The Art Amateur . JSTOR   25628880 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
11. Jade. Gemstone.org
12. Jacobs, Andrew (20 September 2010). "Jade From China's West Surpasses Gold in Value". The New York Times . New York. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 13 October 2012.
13. zh:玉 ^{[ circular reference ]}
14. Shi, Guanghai (2019). ""软 玉 "一 词 由 来 、争 议 及 去 "软 "建 议 [Origin and controversy of the term "软玉 (Ruan Yu soft jade)" and a proposal to remove the word "软 (Ruan soft)" from "Ruan Yu"]". Earth Science Frontiers. 26 (3): 163–170. doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2019.5.25 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
15. Gem News, Gems & Gemology ^{[ page needed ]}
16. Bale, Martin T. and Ko, Min-jung. Craft Production and Social Change in Mumun Pottery Period Korea. Asian Perspectives 45(2):159–187, 2006.
17. Hunter, Sir William Wilson and Sir Richard Burn. The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol. 3. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, Henry Frowde Publishers (1907), p. 242
18. Tsang, Cheng-hwa (2000), "Recent advances in the Iron Age archaeology of Taiwan", Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association, 20: 153–158, doi:10.7152/bippa.v20i0.11751
19. Turton, M. (2021). Notes from central Taiwan: Our brother to the south. Taiwan’s relations with the Philippines date back millenia, so it’s a mystery that it’s not the jewel in the crown of the New Southbound Policy. Taiwan Times.
20. Everington, K. (2017). Birthplace of Austronesians is Taiwan, capital was Taitung: Scholar. Taiwan News.
21. Bellwood, P., H. Hung, H., Lizuka, Y. (2011). Taiwan Jade in the Philippines: 3,000 Years of Trade and Long-distance Interaction. Semantic Scholar.
22. Hung, H. C.; Iizuka, Y.; Bellwood, P.; Nguyen, K. D.; Bellina, B.; Silapanth, P.; and Manton, J. H. (2007). "Ancient jades map 3,000 years of prehistoric exchange in Southeast Asia". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(50), 19745–19750.
23. Salt, Donn, 1992, Stone, Bone and Jade – 24 New Zealand Artists, David Bateman Ltd., Auckland.
24. "Pounamu taonga". Collections Online. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
25. Keane, Basil (2 March 2009). "Pounamu – jade or greenstone – Implements and adornment". Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
26. "Collections Online – Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa". collections.tepapa.govt.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
27. Weaver, Muriel Porter (16 September 2019). The Aztecs, Maya, and their Predecessors: Archaeology of Mesoamerica, Third Edition. Routledge. ISBN   9781315418919.
28. Talbot, Matthew. "In Depth Green With Jade". Canadian Geographic. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
29. "What is Jade?". Polar Jade. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
30. "Russian Nephrite: Mining and Value". Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
31. Ceram, C. W. (1967). Gods, Graves, and Scholars: The Story of Archaeology. Translated by Garside, E. B.; Wilkins, Sophie (2nd ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 400.
32. "Jade, greenstone, or pounamu?". Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
33. Hughes, Richard (Spring 2000). "Burmese jade: The inscrutable gem". Gems & Gemology . Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
34. Liu, Li. "The Products of Minds as Well as Hands: Production of Prestige Goods in Neolithic and Early State Periods of China". Asian Perspectives 42(1):1–40, 2003, p. 2.
35. "宝石・貴金属辞典 - 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション". dl.ndl.go.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 November 2022.
36. Grande, Lance; Augustyn, Allison (2009). Gems and Gemstones: Timeless Natural Beauty of the Mineral World. University of Chicago Press. p. 216. ISBN   978-0-226-30511-0.
37. Tay Thye Sun. "The Changing Face of Jade" (PDF). Alumni Newsletter (3). Swiss Gemmological Institute: 5–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2018. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
38. Egreteau, Renaud (11 October 2011). "Jade or JADE? Debating International Sanctions on Burma's Gem Industry". Asia Pacific Journal (132). hdl:10125/21489.
39. Hughes, Richard (2000). "Burmese jade: The inscrutable gem". Gems & Gemology. 36 (1): 2–26. Bibcode:2000GemG...36....2H. doi:10.5741/GEMS.36.1.2. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
40. Ryder, Brett. "Myanmar's state-owned enterprises show how much reform is still needed". The Economist. Retrieved 7 July 2020.

Further reading

• Rémusat, Abel, 1820. Histoire de la ville de Khotan: tirée des annales de la chine et traduite du chinois; Suivie de Recherches sur la substance minérale appelée par les Chinois Pierre de Iu, et sur le Jaspe des anciens. Abel Rémusat. Paris. L'imprimerie de doublet. 1820. 239 pp. Downloadable from:
• Laufer, Berthold, 1912, Jade: A Study in Chinese Archeology & Religion, Reprint: Dover Publications, New York. 1974.
• Rawson, Jessica, 1975, Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, London: Albert Saifer, ISBN   0-87556-754-1
• Ward, Fred (September 1987). "Jade: Stone of Heaven". National Geographic . Vol. 172, no. 3. pp. 282–315. ISSN   0027-9358. OCLC   643483454.
• Jadeite sources in Mesoamerica (PDF). Archived 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine .
• Between hell and the Stone of Heaven: Observer article on Jade Mining in Burma
• Old Chinese Jades: Real or Fake?
• Types of jade: 100 stone images with accompanying information. Archived 2019-04-02 at the Wayback Machine .
• Hughes, R.W., ed. (2022) Jade  • A Gemologist’s Guide. Bangkok: Lotus Publishing, 534 pp.

External links

• The British Museum – 7,000 years of Chinese jade Archived 2015-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
• Gravity Measurement For Testing Jade (2008 archived version)
• mindat.org (Mineralogical data about Jade)
• Jade in Canada
• "Jade in British Columbia table", BC Govt MINFILE summary of jade showings and producers
• Canadian Rockhound magazine feature on jade

Jade
Chinese name
Chinese	玉
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin yù IPA [ŷ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization yuhk Jyutping juk6 IPA [jʊk̚˨]

v t e Jewellery
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