Gold-laced jade is a descriptive term for nephrite jade that contains visible inclusions of gold or gold-colored sulfides like pyrite. It is highly valued in carving for the aesthetic contrast between the milky or green jade body and the metallic yellow streaks. Collectors look for material that displays distinct, vein-like patterns of the golden inclusions.
Is this gold-laced jade?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch gold-laced jade with a known reference. Gold-laced Jade sits at Mohs 6-6.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Gold-laced Jade leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Gold-laced Jade typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, green, yellow, gold.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Gold-laced Jade vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside gold-laced jade
Minerals reported to co-occur with gold-laced jade. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Ca₂(Mg,Fe)₅Si₈O₂₂(OH)₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6-6.5
- Density
- 2.9-3.0 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
- Host rock
- Metamorphic Rocks
- Typical price
- $20-200 per piece depending on gold content and carving quality
Where rockhounds find gold-laced jade
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- China
- Russia
- Canada
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks country — that is the host setting where gold-laced jade typically forms. If you start seeing pyrite, quartz, tremolite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify gold-laced jade?+
Where is gold-laced jade found?+
Can I find gold-laced jade in the United States?+
How much is gold-laced jade worth?+
What rocks look like gold-laced jade?+
What minerals are found with gold-laced jade?+
What kind of rock does gold-laced jade form in?+
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Find gold-laced jade on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
