Nephrite
green · Jade family
| Also known as | Jade (Jade family) |
|---|---|
| Colour | Green, Yellow, Brown, White |
| Mohs hardness | 6.0 to 6.5 |
| Lustre | dull |
| Streak | colorless |
| Crystal system | monoclinic |
| Transparency | Translucent, opaque |
| Cleavage | None |
| Fracture | splintery to granular |
| Chemical formula | Ca 2 (Mg,Fe) 5 Si 8 O 22 (OH) 2 |
| Specific gravity | 2.95 |
What is Nephrite?
Nephrite is a variety of the calcium, magnesium, and iron-rich amphibole minerals tremolite, actinolite or ferro-actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The chemical formula for nephrite is Ca2(Mg, Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2. It is one of two different mineral species called jade. The other mineral species known as jade is jadeite, which is a variety of pyroxene. While nephrite jade possesses mainly grays and greens (and occasionally yellows, browns, black or whites), jadeite jade, which is rarer, can also contain blacks, reds, pinks and violets. Nephrite jade is an ornamental
How to identify Nephrite
- Lustre: dull.
- Hardness: Mohs 6.0 to 6.5 — about as hard as a steel knife.
- Streak: colorless.
- Habit: monoclinic crystal system.
Nephrite in different forms
Stones often confused with Nephrite
Frequently asked questions
How hard is Nephrite?
Nephrite is Mohs 6.0 to 6.5 on the hardness scale.
What colour is Nephrite?
Nephrite is typically green, yellow, brown, white (Translucent to opaque and often mottled. Light to dark green, yellow to brown, white, gray, black).