Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral with composition NaAlSi2O6. It is hard (Mohs hardness of about 6.5 to 7.0), very tough and dense, with a specific gravity of about 3.4, and is found in a wide range of colors, most often shades of green or white. It forms only in the subduction zones of continental margins, where rock undergoes metamorphism at high pressure but relatively low temperature. Jadeite is the principal mineral making up the most valuable form of jade, a precious stone particularly prized in China, and most gem-quality jadeite jade comes from northern Myanmar.
Facts
Chemical Formula Hardness (Mohs)The Wikipedia article gives about 6.5 to 7.0 on the Mohs scale; 6.75, the midpoint, is used here. Classification
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Mineral Species Of
Also in Divinity Atlas: of this mineral species.
Sources
1. Jadeite (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationJadeite, lead paragraph
Jadeite is a pyroxene mineral with composition NaAlSi2O6.
Jadeite, article text
It is hard (Mohs hardness of about 6.5 to 7.0), very tough, and dense, with a specific gravity of about 3.4.
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