Nephrite is an exceptionally tough, compact, and fibrous variety of the tremolite-actinolite series known for its durability. It often occurs as massive, botryoidal, or rounded river-worn boulders, making it a favorite for carving intricate sculptures and jewelry.
Is this nephrite 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 nephrite jade with a known reference. Nephrite 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. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: greasy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, white, yellow, brown, black, gray.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: fibrous.
Often confused with
Nephrite Jade vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads greasy on Nephrite Jade and subvitreous, pearly on cleavages on Jadeite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads greasy on Nephrite Jade and vitreous, weak pearly on {001} on Prehnite.
Often found alongside nephrite jade
Minerals reported to co-occur with nephrite 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
- Greasy
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Fibrous
- Cleavage
- Perfect in two directions
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Ornamental, Jewelry, Sculpture
- Host rock
- metamorphic rocks
Where rockhounds find nephrite jade
9 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- China
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Russia
- United States
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: metamorphic rocks. If you start seeing serpentine, tremolite, actinolite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: fibrous. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California, Wyoming, Washington. Start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find nephrite jade on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
