Wyoming Jade is a high-quality nephrite variety prized for its extreme toughness and deep, rich green colors. It is typically found in boulder form within alluvial deposits or associated with Precambrian metamorphic rocks in central Wyoming.
Is this wyoming 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 wyoming jade with a known reference. Wyoming 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: waxy.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, black, olive, white.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Wyoming Jade vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads waxy on Wyoming Jade and greasy on Serpentine.
How to tell apart: Luster reads waxy on Wyoming Jade and vitreous, weak pearly on {001} on Prehnite.
How to tell apart: Luster reads waxy on Wyoming Jade and vitreous on Idocrase.
Often found alongside wyoming jade
Minerals reported to co-occur with wyoming 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
Where rockhounds find wyoming jade
Classic worldwide localities
- Fremont County, Wyoming
- Wind River Mountains, Wyoming
- Granite Mountains, Wyoming
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: metamorphic rocks. If you start seeing quartz, actinolite, tremolite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: massive. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find wyoming jade on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
