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. Nephrite Jade leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Nephrite Jade typically shows a greasy luster.
- 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.
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
- Typical price
- $10-100 per pound for carving material, high-grade stones can range from $50-500+ per piece.
Where rockhounds find nephrite jade
7 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- China
- New Zealand
- Canada
- Russia
- United States
Field-hunting tip
Look in metamorphic rocks country — that is the host setting where nephrite jade typically forms. If you start seeing serpentine, tremolite, actinolite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a fibrous habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in California, Wyoming, Oregon — 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.
